Growing up in a very rural community of Hancock County Sparta, Ga, I experienced first-hand the challenges of limited medical resources. Our community doesn't have a hospital, or any other source of medical assistance outside of what the local Health department can provide. Ambulances take anywhere from 35-60mins to reach anyone in need which often results in many of us taking the risk to drive to the nearest city 35 miles away. I had classmates who lost relatives due to the inability to reach medical help in time. The challenges of little to no resources in more than just healthcare in my community meant I had to find other resources to accomplish any of my goals. It created an independent learner and taught me the power of applying oneself. The goal growing up in my community was to escape. To leave our small town and head for the big city. To us, that was the only means to measure success. I want to be part of the change for my community for even stronger reasons. I want to bring something that would not only benefit the health of the community, but also remind the community that its citizens care about its progression and some of us are willing to put in the work to see this come to fruition. Earning my degree will allow me to be the change I wish to see in my community. My goal is to open an Urgent Care facility within my community. By doing this, I hope to bridge the gap in healthcare as well as healthcare education among our residents. It is inauspicious to hear residents will go without seeking further care due to distance and quite often fear. Fear that their concerns will not be heard or listened to just because of their age or more saddening, their race. Given our community is predominantly African-American, hearing this from my elders and even my peers is disheartening. I want to be the face of that change. I want my community to see me, my degree, and my passion for healthcare and be comforted in the thought that greater things are coming and being made available to everyone. I started my journey in healthcare being taught the “PRICE of success”. This ingrained in my being as a healthcare provider that I will demonstrate professionalism at all times. I will respect my patients and their decisions regardless of my own thoughts or beliefs. I will exhibit integrity for myself and the healthcare field on and off duty. I will always show my patients how much I care above all else. Lastly, I will forever encourage the engagement of my patients and my team in their care to ensure holistic care is being provided and no stones are left unturned. I have paid the price of success to see myself attain this level and I know it’s a price I am willing to continue to pay for the betterment of my field and my community.

Growing up in a very rural community of Hancock County Sparta, Ga, I experienced first-hand the challenges of limited medical resources. Our community doesn't have a hospital, or any other source of medical assistance outside of what the local Health department can provide. Ambulances take anywhere from 35-60mins to reach anyone in need which often results in many of us taking the risk to drive to the nearest city 35 miles away. I had classmates who lost relatives due to the inability to reach medical help in time. The challenges of little to no resources in more than just healthcare in my community meant I had to find other resources to accomplish any of my goals. It created an independent learner and taught me the power of applying oneself. The goal growing up in my community was to escape. To leave our small town and head for the big city. To us, that was the only means to measure success. I want to be part of the change for my community for even stronger reasons. I want to bring something that would not only benefit the health of the community, but also remind the community that its citizens care about its progression and some of us are willing to put in the work to see this come to fruition. Earning my degree will allow me to be the change I wish to see in my community. My goal is to open an Urgent Care facility within my community. By doing this, I hope to bridge the gap in healthcare as well as healthcare education among our residents. It is inauspicious to hear residents will go without seeking further care due to distance and quite often fear. Fear that their concerns will not be heard or listened to just because of their age or more saddening, their race. Given our community is predominantly African-American, hearing this from my elders and even my peers is disheartening. I want to be the face of that change. I want my community to see me, my degree, and my passion for healthcare and be comforted in the thought that greater things are coming and being made available to everyone. I started my journey in healthcare being taught the “PRICE of success”. This ingrained in my being as a healthcare provider that I will demonstrate professionalism at all times. I will respect my patients and their decisions regardless of my own thoughts or beliefs. I will exhibit integrity for myself and the healthcare field on and off duty. I will always show my patients how much I care above all else. Lastly, I will forever encourage the engagement of my patients and my team in their care to ensure holistic care is being provided and no stones are left unturned. I have paid the price of success to see myself attain this level and I know it’s a price I am willing to continue to pay for the betterment of my field and my community.

This image shows my unwavering love for my best-friend. When she came to me during the Christmas holiday to express that she was actively miscarrying after her and her husband had been trying for 7 years I knew without a second thought, what I was going to do. I offered myself to be their surrogate, gestational carrier in more correct terms and gave her a gift she'll never forget. I explain it in terms of someone else ahead of you paying for your breakfast. Someone gifted me my daughter through adoption so this was my gift back to the universe.