My future has been set for me since birth. From riding on the medicine cart at the nursing home, to playing with stickers in the hospital, the healthcare field has always been my second home. My mom was young when I was born and often needed to bring me to work with her. I never complained, though. I admired nurses. They became my role models, and still are. My time running around the halls was short, but it shaped my future. I have known I want to be a nurse since age 4. Nurses are the silent heroes who work behind closed doors saving lives and I have always wanted to be a super hero anyways. Nursing has been a long time goal, so I have spent countless hours working towards it. I have volunteered at the local nursing home every other week for nearly four years. While geriatrics is not my intended specialty, working with the elderly taught me compassion, patience, and the importance of individualized care within such a broad field. I have attended a medical camp at Southern Arkansas University, allowing me to see what a nursing program will look like, and the rigor behind the work. I spend a vast amount of time with children, which I intend to specialize in. I babysit approximately 15 hours a week and coach on two elementary teams. Kids are valuable and sensitive, I look forward to making the medical field an exciting and safe area to be in. In addition, I am a founder of a drug free organization at my school that educates students on different medicines, and how to protect those who struggle with drug overuse. I also helped establish an Emergency Assistance Team at my school. This team assists in case of a disaster in the school. We educate peers on treating wounds, assisting others during evacuations, and remaining calm under pressure. This organization was created to encourage and prepare the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. To achieve this goal, I plan to attend a four year university, receiving a Bachelors in Nursing with honors. I intend to work in a hospital for three years, before going back to school for my doctorate. Once I achieve my doctorate, I will apply to a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program, to acquire the ability to administer anesthesia. My academic career will conclude here, but my work career will continue. Ultimately, I hope to work in a children’s hospital, helping young patients understand that anesthesia is not something to fear, but a tool that makes treatment easier. Medicine is not scary, neither is anesthesia. Unfortunately society often tells us that it is, so we fear it. However, kids are not born with this fear. The earlier we show them doctors and nurses aren’t scary, the sooner we can inspire trust in the next generation of healthcare professionals.

My future has been set for me since birth. From riding on the medicine cart at the nursing home, to playing with stickers in the hospital, the healthcare field has always been my second home. My mom was young when I was born and often needed to bring me to work with her. I never complained, though. I admired nurses. They became my role models, and still are. My time running around the halls was short, but it shaped my future. I have known I want to be a nurse since age 4. Nurses are the silent heroes who work behind closed doors saving lives and I have always wanted to be a super hero anyways. Nursing has been a long time goal, so I have spent countless hours working towards it. I have volunteered at the local nursing home every other week for nearly four years. While geriatrics is not my intended specialty, working with the elderly taught me compassion, patience, and the importance of individualized care within such a broad field. I have attended a medical camp at Southern Arkansas University, allowing me to see what a nursing program will look like, and the rigor behind the work. I spend a vast amount of time with children, which I intend to specialize in. I babysit approximately 15 hours a week and coach on two elementary teams. Kids are valuable and sensitive, I look forward to making the medical field an exciting and safe area to be in. In addition, I am a founder of a drug free organization at my school that educates students on different medicines, and how to protect those who struggle with drug overuse. I also helped establish an Emergency Assistance Team at my school. This team assists in case of a disaster in the school. We educate peers on treating wounds, assisting others during evacuations, and remaining calm under pressure. This organization was created to encourage and prepare the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. To achieve this goal, I plan to attend a four year university, receiving a Bachelors in Nursing with honors. I intend to work in a hospital for three years, before going back to school for my doctorate. Once I achieve my doctorate, I will apply to a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist program, to acquire the ability to administer anesthesia. My academic career will conclude here, but my work career will continue. Ultimately, I hope to work in a children’s hospital, helping young patients understand that anesthesia is not something to fear, but a tool that makes treatment easier. Medicine is not scary, neither is anesthesia. Unfortunately society often tells us that it is, so we fear it. However, kids are not born with this fear. The earlier we show them doctors and nurses aren’t scary, the sooner we can inspire trust in the next generation of healthcare professionals