I have always known since I was a kid that I wanted to become a doctor, but two specific experiences in my life confirmed that dream. The sight of my teammate lying motionless on the soccer field is something I will never forget. During a soccer game, I delivered a pass across the field to her, and she jumped to hit the ball with her head. As she hit the ball, she suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness. 10-15 minutes went by until the ambulance arrived as she stayed unconscious on the field. My teammates and I took a knee and I prayed for her recovery, hoping she would be okay. In that moment I felt hopeless. As an athlete, I am trained to push through challenging times and support my teammates but there was nothing I could do to help her physically. All I could do was watch and pray. Thankfully, she regained consciousness, but she could not come back to a sport that she had known since she was 5. This experience opened my eyes and forced me to fully understand how quickly an injury can change someone’s life and the importance of medical professionals is in moments of a crisis. Watching this incident made me realize I wanted to be more than a bystander. I wanted to be someone with the knowledge and skills to help people in need. Another experience that strengthened my desire to pursue Orthopedic Medicine occurred during the 4x1 relay at the 4A state championship track meet. I watched an athlete competing for the first-place medal suffer a season ending knee Injury, her kneecap shifted out of place. The pain on her face as she held her knee while emergency services rushed to help her. Once again, I felt helpless watching an athlete succeed at multiple track and field meets to watch her lose first place on the podium and ending her season in track and field. Although I may have felt helpless, this moment encouraged me to further my education at Florida State University majoring in Biological Science on a sports medicine pre-med track. Additionally, this situation also revealed something deeper about my career choice. While many people focus on immediate treatment plans for athletes, I became more focused and curious about the recovery process. I thought about how orthopedic doctors help athletes rebuild their strength, regain confidence, and return to something they love. They do more than repair bones and ligaments; orthopedic doctors repair hope and confidence in an athlete. Watching several season-ending injuries made me realize I wanted to dedicate my life to helping others recover from setbacks that may be devastating. Being an athlete for 10 years I know firsthand what an athlete is thinking under certain conditions. I will provide them with empathetic support to begin the process of recovery. Whether it is a soccer player, Track runner, Football player, I want to be a part of their journey to recovery. I became passionate about making a difference in the lives of injured individuals, helping them heal and return stronger than before. More importantly, I hope to bring that knowledge and compassion back to my community, serving the people who helped shape me and ensuring others have access to care and injury prevention knowledge.