Biology became one of the most pivotal courses I took during my freshman year of high school and changed the trajectory of my academic focus. This course helped me understand how our daily habits and outside environmental forces can impact our health. After my first year of high school, I knew I wanted to further my academic career in the field of science. My love for biology helped me zero in on becoming a pathologist. Pathologists are extremely important to the medical world and can be viewed as the bedrock of medical professionals. Their analysis of diseases helps to understand what, why, and who. They work in collaboration with other medical experts to determine the best course of action to help their patients. Although behind the scenes their work is paramount in helping to save lives. Our healthcare system has seen enormous improvements over the past several decades, from being able to diagnose certain diseases early to creating vaccines at record speed. But despite all the progress in medicine, there are still major disparities experienced by certain sectors of our population. Those disparities hurt the overall health of society and individual communities. As a young black woman entering the medical field, I intend to help bridge those gaps. Currently, there are not enough healthcare professionals to support the aging demographics within the United States. There are also not many graduating medical students who select pathology as a career, and of those that do, a fraction is people of color. Representation matters. Having a diverse medical workforce is crucial to being able to have health equity. Being able to visually see a diverse spectrum of healthcare professionals is not only important but is a necessity. Dedicating my life to the service of others by becoming a pathologist will not only benefit my community but the world. After college, I want to be able to do extensive research on diseases that plague not only communities that are underserved but also women and women of color. Being able to see me in others allows me to empathize and be compassionate to their everyday struggles. I want to diversity, in the field of science and see more equity and inclusion. I want to be a voice that consistently highlights the need to promote equity within the healthcare sector. I also want to be on the front line of helping to discover new technologies and processes that will make others' quality of life better and longer. My ambition of wanting to contribute to the betterment of humanity and have a positive influence on my community and the world drives me every day. I know the importance of making healthcare more equitable. It has a direct impact on our economy, our happiness and our ability for us to thrive not only individually but also collectively. I currently play an active role in my community. I am engaged in helping my fellow neighbors of all ages learn the sport of tennis. It is not only fun but also promotes cardiovascular health. It provides a way to make lasting connections with others from all types of backgrounds which is extremely important for mental health and building relationships. Addressing systemic issues within healthcare is critical. But not only do I want to address the inequities, but I also want to expand the love I have for science to others. I want the possibility of pursuing a STEM career for girls and girls of color to be the norm, not the anomaly. The success of our community and our world depends on the contributions that each one of us makes.

Biology became one of the most pivotal courses I took during my freshman year of high school and changed the trajectory of my academic focus. This course helped me understand how our daily habits and outside environmental forces can impact our health. After my first year of high school, I knew I wanted to further my academic career in the field of science. My love for biology helped me zero in on becoming a pathologist. Pathologists are extremely important to the medical world and can be viewed as the bedrock of medical professionals. Their analysis of diseases helps to understand what, why, and who. They work in collaboration with other medical experts to determine the best course of action to help their patients. Although behind the scenes their work is paramount in helping to save lives. Our healthcare system has seen enormous improvements over the past several decades, from being able to diagnose certain diseases early to creating vaccines at record speed. But despite all the progress in medicine, there are still major disparities experienced by certain sectors of our population. Those disparities hurt the overall health of society and individual communities. As a young black woman wanting to pursue a STEM career, I intend to help bridge those gaps and make a positive impact on not only my community but the world. Currently, there are not enough healthcare professionals to support the aging demographics within the United States. There are also not many graduating medical students who select pathology as a career, and of those that do, a fraction is people of color. Representation matters. Having a diverse medical workforce is crucial to being able to have health equity. Being able to visually see a diverse spectrum of healthcare professionals is not only important but is a necessity. My ambition of wanting to contribute to the betterment of humanity through a STEM career is top of mind as I enter my freshman year of college. Studying to become a pathologist allows me to be involved in critical research, discover new technologies and become an expert within the field. By becoming a pathologist I will be able to tackle the new challenges that we may face not only in the world of science but in society. I plan to be a positive influence on other girls and girls of color in hopes they will choose STEM careers, specifically in the healthcare field. Making healthcare more equitable and accessible is critical for our world.