A very visceral experience inspired me to pursue nursing. My friends and I were eating pizza when suddenly one friend’s face reddened, she was choking. Instinctively, I began the Heimlich maneuver, but to no avail. The cheese was stuck. I opened her jaw, performed a finger sweep, and removed the cheese. That sensation of saving someone's life fostered my passion for nursing. Throughout my teenage years, many factors molded my interest in the profession. One particular experience was volunteering for the Feeders Program at Maimonides Hospital, which involved weekly visits to assist patients during mealtime. In the program, volunteers worked with a variety of patients, including geriatric patients, cardiac patients, and stroke survivors. Sitting with patients, I noticed the steady flow of nurses and witnessed the compassion and patience each nurse carried with them. They treated their patients with love and care, as if they had all the time in the world, exerting a positive influence on those they served. The nurses did not realize the great impression they made on me. My goal is to emulate those nurses, to become a compassionate nurse, who shares kindness and treats patients with respect, as if they were members of my own family. The tenets of my religion encourage people to become givers because giving provides the ultimate fulfillment. Giving patients my all and making their lives more bearable will provide incomparable rewards. Not only do I want to pursue nursing, but the world is in desperate need of nurses. Researchers display that the U.S. is facing a 10 to 20 percent nursing shortage in current year of 2025, as the number of patients needing care exceeds the number of available nurses. Therefore, I hope to help fill the gap for this vital need. Science classes have also been a catalyst in my decision to pursue nursing. In high school, one particularly eye-opening lecture in biology revealed the complexity of the human body. I was fascinated by the intrinsic details and intricate workings of each system. It gave me a deeper sense of appreciation to G-d for every minute part of the body and allowed me to express gratitude to my Creator. In my faith, we have a commandment that encourages us to show appreciation to our Creator by paying attention to the remarkable details of the human body. This idea is rooted in the words of King David, who wrote, “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalms 139:14). Growing up with this teaching shaped the way I view the world. When I learn about anatomy or study how a single cell functions, I’m not just absorbing scientific information, I’m experiencing the awe that my tradition invites. Observing the complexity of the body becomes an act of gratitude, a reminder that curiosity and appreciation can coexist in both my religious life and my academic pursuits. This sparked a desire to explore human anatomy in greater depth and implementing my teachings. Which entails learning how to care for people when medical issues arise. Rawsi Williams sums up my feelings: “To do what nobody else will do, a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through; that is to be a nurse.”