“Sweetie…He won’t make it…” Upon hearing those words, my mind descended into disarray, an air of empty numbness washing over my body. “Your brother, he’s…gone.” The nurse said, rather uncomfortably. “He’s in a better place now.” I made my way upstairs in my silent home that was once filled with exuberance, the nurse’s words reverberating senselessly in my mind. I paused in my brother’s room, taking in the sight of his empty crib that he would never sleep in again, his Lincoln logs, and favorite toy cooking set, things he would never play with again. Albert, my sweet baby brother, wasn’t coming home. I would never be able to hear his giggles as we watched TV together, would never be able to dress up together as Mickey and Minnie on Halloween. As a six-year-old, I did not understand what death entailed, but at that moment, by his deserted crib, I understood enough. I would never see him again. Years later, I found out that congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a diaphragm defect with no known cause or cure, had been what suddenly took his life and over 175,000 infants’ lives annually. While hearing of promising treatments and discoveries for diseases like Parkinson’s and even cancer in news and scientific journals, I wondered how difficult it would be to find a cure for birth defects, and why we could not save more newborns, since humanity has already made so many medical innovations. As I researched technological advancements, I uncovered the existence of MRI technologies in healthcare that allowed for earlier detection of disorders. In addition, radiology for cancer treatments, CT scans, and X-ray scans, just a few types of integral technologies, all found their origins in the field of physics. It dawned on me that these technologies can all be realized in the future through research in applied physics. After comprehending how revolutionary applied physics is in the medical field, I devoted myself to my studies more, spending hours striving to build a stronger foundation in the sciences. I raced up the stairs every month, eagerly holding the new monthly editions of MIT Technology review magazines, ready to spend the next several hours being enamored by the innovations and new research that was being conducted to save lives across the world. I founded physics and biology clubs to create a welcoming community within my school for the discussions of these subjects and their dynamic applications in the medical field. I wanted to create new environments at my school that allowed for people with similar interests to convene together so we could enlighten one another. As Captain of my school’s Academic Decathlon competition team, I taught my fellow teammates the applications of medical technologies in neurological treatments and diagnosis. By partaking in these activities, I began taking steps towards gaining a fundamental understanding of the versatile applications of physics in medical advancements, towards realizing my dream of vanquishing the plight of birth defects. While the pain of losing Albert will never fully subside, I now find myself reflecting on the joyous memories I have of him, my recollection of him and his beautiful smiles lighting my life and serving as a reminder of my purpose in the world. By fusing together my passion for physics and the medical field in my future career, I strive to create a happier world where infants like Albert and their families can create endless joyous memories together and are spared from the pain of having to bury a young loved one, as I had to do with Albert.