Hello, my name is Jennie Hernandez Saenz I chose the field of surgical technology so I could provide in a field that's slowly declining in help. I'd love to help patients out who are in need of translating before and after the procedure. I believe that there's always a language barrier among people who are bilingual no matter how fluent you are. Having someone that you can speak to in your native language can help you feel more comfortable and secure, just by understanding what is going on. When I was around the age of 11, my mother went through kidney failure. It was shocking to me how many people weren't able to translate anything in Spanish for my mother. They had to explain to her the procedure of dialysis, and they pulled someone from the other side of the hospital who worked as a surgical tech, but she spoke fluent Spanish. I felt so much weight off of my shoulders when she walked in, I felt comfort and safety when she sat me down next to my mother while explaining what was happening and what the protocol was among the hospital to get her back on her feet. After that, I felt that I needed to do something as well. I am also bilingual and thought it was about time I did my part after the surgical tech's selfless act to help my mother and me. I would walk to the library after school to pick up some medical terminology books, along with a medical dictionary. From there, I'd head home and study as much as I could before seeing my mom to explain to her the new things I had learned. As I was learning, I'd also ask the nurses questions on how everything worked. How everything was pronounced and used. A nurse named Eliza helped me a lot since we'd see her about 2-3 times a week, and we were in the hospital for about a month. But she was always happy to answer my questions in regards to medical terminology. I vividly remember asking her what bowel movements meant and she chuckled, explaining to me in what context it would be used it. From there, with the help of my local resources and kind nurses in the hospital, I was able to explain to my mom everything (most) things happening in regards to her health. I remember vividly remembering how to explain to her the discharge process in hopes that it would happen soon, meaning a good chance at a fast recovery. I'd use my degree to help those who can't speak or understand for themselves. To give them that warm feeling I felt when I saw that surgical tech walk in to help us out. To give those the help I was able to provide to my mother when there was no one around. I want to make a difference in people's lives and provide them comfort along with a piece of hope. I'd love to pursue deeper into my studies to help others in the field of biomedical engineering. I think that would require my help with communicating with those patients who need the new technology we are building and making for them.

I've always had an ambition to learn and peruse a career in healthcare so I can help those who can't help themselves. When I was younger around the age of 11, My mother was rushed into the emergency room due to kidney failure. I was so confused by all of this medical terminology that was thrown at me and my father. I couldn't explain to my mother what was wrong with her, I couldn't give her reassurance of anything. The hospital didn't have anyone within that week to help us translate what was going on and it started a journey of attempting learn and understand these terms. My father isn't fluent in English, It made it more difficult for me but with picking up a book from the local library within that week and a dictionary.. I was able to finally explain to my mom thoroughly what was going on. It seems like a small thing like translation isn't much of an issue but just having that little thing adjusted, opens a lot of opportunities to diagnose a patient quickly and efficiently. Before my mother had gone in for kidney failure, The hospital had taken her in a week prior and diagnosed her with a mild fever. My mother voiced her concerns but only so little was understood which resulted with not much done for her. The hospital also didn't have anyone at all in the whole hospital to help her out. I wasn't able to go with her due to having to attend school. She didn't want to burden me with more stuff as I also translated majority of the stuff at home including school assignments when I needed help, Legal documents that came through the mail and bills. I had translated everything under the sun except for any medical paperwork. It was all so new to me.. I remember having to read out my mother's diagnosis and flipping through pages to find the right words. Communicating with my mother and getting a family history also opened up many doors to understand what was happening which the hospital couldn't retrieve at first. It gave us the missing pieces for her diagnosis. After that I remember a nurse approaching me and thanking me for my help.. That inspired me to get involved into the medical field, I want to use my degree to help those who aren't able to help themselves. I want to be someone patients can approach for help as I didn't have anyone in my darkest times. I want to make a difference in people's lives and just give them reassurance that everything will be okay.

Experiencing a life as an immigrant is different as it is in many cultures, it makes you see things in a different perspective. Growing up, I never understood why my father would ask me to read his letters from the mail or to write down important information while I saw everyone else's parents do it for them. I was always baffled by this until realization hit me when my mother went into kidney failure. Having to translate every medical term and sentence from the doctors to my mom was difficult, I was only 11 and tried my hardest with a dictionary I was lended by the hospital. I felt lost and desperate flipping pages back and forth when the doctors couldn't afford to have an official translator in the hospital as I was the only resort for them at the time. My mother's face of confusion when the doctor's exchanged words with me to funnel out to her in an efficient manner only broke my heart more and explaining the process of Dialysis which she had only heard of once in a blue moon since it was only by a select few she knew in her life. My friends at school would always distance themselves since I had deemed too "serious" when it came to social events when in reality I had my parents in the back of mind. I worried if something happened to them due to their lack of understanding. Writing was a struggle as well since there wasn't much of an opportunity of having a dictionary at times, I would help them fill out everything whether it was legal documents to their medical histories when they needed to stop by the doctor's urgently. You have a sense of responsibility at such a young age you forget what it feels like to have a childhood. My escape was actually reading the medical conditions my mom had and understanding them better. I remember scrambling to the nurses when they'd come into the room to ask questions regarding my mother's well-being. I had projects at the time and I'd have them answer any questions I had in regards to the medical field. It made me feel better to know what was going on even if it meant to spend endless hours going through the books my dad helped check out at the local library. That's why I'm choosing to be in the Medical Field. I want to give reassurance to many non english speakers and to provide the help that we lacked when I was younger. I don't wish that upon anyone to go through what I did and having to explain my mom that the countless procedures she went through could ultimately end in what I would call "eternal sleep". I want to give patients and those who are ill an opportunity to understand rather than just a nod of "okay" when everything is the opposite. I want to provide a healthy environment where they feel comfortable to tell me what's wrong to provide the best of care that's possible under the circumstances. Growing up was definitely a challenge but I'm hoping to even make a difference with a small thing such as translating.