Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay, and I am 22 years old, and I am officially less than one year away from graduating with my PharmD from Midwestern University. First off, I want to say thank you for reading my essay and that I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my story and learn more about who I am and what I hope to achieve in the STEM community. First and foremost, I decided to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy after I graduated high school in 2019 because of the positive impact that healthcare professionals had on my life. I have lived with an autoimmune disease since I was 11 years old, so I have had time to digest and understand the impact of autoimmune diseases on people and their loved ones. Because of this, I have seen multiple healthcare professionals; physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and pharmacists. My relationship with pharmacists is the closest because I have prescriptions that require prior authorizations and constant communication with my other healthcare professionals due to insurance hiccups. Furthermore, due to my autoimmune disease, I need more immunizations than the average person, and the pharmacists were always able to guide me and recommend appropriate vaccines. Their role in my healthcare team went far beyond simply verifying prescriptions, which many people think is the only role of a pharmacist. Since I have had this close relationship with pharmacists, I decided to pursue a degree in pharmacy to help patients the same way those pharmacists helped me in the past. Throughout school, I have a job as a pharmacy intern at a retail pharmacy to gain additional experience outside of school to become the most well-rounded pharmacist I can be post-graduation. This experience has helped me see all the other niche roles of a pharmacist. Some of these roles include over-the-counter medication recommendations tailored to each specific patient, medication administration demonstration, and medication therapy management (MTM) in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, my experiences with my chronic illness have helped me advocate for and assist other patients experiencing a similar situation to mine. My educational journey has not always been linear, especially with managing an autoimmune disease in graduate school. I am honored to say that I may have inspired others to go for their dreams when they thought they could not be able to. When I graduate, I want to be an accessible and approachable medical resource for anybody needing advice. Healthcare can be inaccessible for many Americans, and this is why pharmacists are so important because people can get recommendations for over-the-counter products that are accessible to most. I also want to inspire those in the STEM community to push beyond the indicated boundaries of science because that's when discoveries happen. Lastly, I will use this scholarship to help pay off the student loans I accrued during my last five years in school. I want to volunteer my time and share my medical knowledge with those who request it, and having student debt makes it harder to volunteer your time because of the pressure to pay it off promptly. If you have made it this far in my essay, thank you again for reading this. My essay is a topic I hold near and dear to my heart because it involves a disease that I, among thousands of others, live with daily. Many individuals with chronic illnesses think that they have to adjust their goals due to receiving a diagnosis, and I am here to say that statement is far from the truth.

Hello, my name is Lindsay, and on October 7th, 2011, I realized I was different from everyone else in my fifth-grade classroom. At the beginning of the fifth grade, I was diagnosed with type-one diabetes. At the time, those words did not mean anything to me. It took time to realize the impact of my diagnosis on me, my friends, and my family. Over a decade later, those words mean everything to me and more. After my diagnosis in the fifth grade, I had to accept that I was different from everyone. Not all of the organs in my body worked the same way as other kids, and I could not play recess or eat desserts worry-free like the other thirty children in my class. Receiving this diagnosis was difficult for both my family and me. There is no cure for this autoimmune disease, and I must wear an insulin pump to complete my daily activities. Since this disease is incurable, it has affected my mental health since my diagnosis. I would find myself saying, "So I have to live like this for the rest of my life?" and I found out that this statement is far from the truth. With this overwhelming wave of sadness at ten years old, I joined a support group of about ten other type-one diabetics in my area. While this did help me feel more like a child again, I was still the only kid in my elementary school with this autoimmune disease when I left the meetings. None of my friends could comprehend that a blood sugar of 250mg/dl meant I had to go home for the day because it was a dangerously high number. None of my friends could comprehend why I went to the school nurse every day before lunch to inject myself with a liquid that allowed me to eat safely like other children. These thoughts crowded my head, and I required therapy sessions to stabilize my mental health soon after my diagnosis. Shockingly, all before my eleventh birthday. Mental health is an important topic because it affects people at any age. Thankfully, due to the help of counseling and therapy, I was able to come to terms with my diagnosis and not just see it as the end of a road but rather the beginning of a new one. Fast forward to today, and I am a second-year pharmacy student beginning my research on the genetics behind type one and type two diabetes. I would have never come this far in life if I did not have mental health counselors, school counselors, family, and friends to help me look beyond my diagnosis and use my diagnosis to help the lives of other children in my situation. Without this diagnosis and an overwhelming amount of help, I would not be graduating with a Doctorate and researching more into my autoimmune disease. Furthermore, I now work at a retail pharmacy in my area. My understanding of the world has been positively influenced because I can understand other patients' situations in the pharmacy to a deeper level. I know what it is like to undergo referrals and prior authorizations, and I have more extensive knowledge of how blood sugar meters work and how to use insulin pens appropriately. Overall, embracing my relationship with my mental health after my diagnosis was never easy, but it led me to the career of my dreams and has allowed me to help people with this diagnosis. I will never touch every life affected by diabetes, but I can try.

Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay, and I am 22 years old, and I am officially less than one year away from graduating with my PharmD from Midwestern University. First off, I want to say thank you for reading my essay and that I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my story and learn more about who I am and what I hope to achieve in the STEM community. First and foremost, I decided to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy after I graduated high school in 2019 because of the positive impact that healthcare professionals had on my life. I have lived with an autoimmune disease since I was 11 years old, so I have had time to digest and understand the impact of autoimmune diseases on people and their loved ones. Because of this, I have seen multiple healthcare professionals; physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and pharmacists. My relationship with pharmacists is the closest because I have prescriptions that require prior authorizations and constant communication with my other healthcare professionals due to insurance hiccups. Furthermore, due to my autoimmune disease, I need more immunizations than the average person, and the pharmacists were always able to guide me and recommend appropriate vaccines. Their role in my healthcare team went far beyond simply verifying prescriptions, which many people think is the only role of a pharmacist. Since I have had this close relationship with pharmacists, I decided to pursue a degree in pharmacy to help patients the same way those pharmacists helped me in the past. Throughout school, I have a job as a pharmacy intern at a retail pharmacy to gain additional experience outside of school to become the most well-rounded pharmacist I can be post-graduation. This experience has helped me see all the other niche roles of a pharmacist. Some of these roles include over-the-counter medication recommendations tailored to each specific patient, medication administration demonstration, and medication therapy management (MTM) in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, my experiences with my chronic illness have helped me advocate for and assist other patients experiencing a similar situation to mine. My educational journey has not always been linear, especially with managing an autoimmune disease in graduate school. I am honored to say that I may have inspired others to go for their dreams when they thought they could not be able to. When I graduate, I want to be an accessible and approachable medical resource for anybody needing advice. Healthcare can be inaccessible for many Americans, and this is why pharmacists are so important because people can get recommendations for over-the-counter products that are accessible to most. I also want to inspire those in the STEM community to push beyond the indicated boundaries of science because that's when discoveries happen. Lastly, I will use this scholarship to help pay off the student loans I accrued during my last five years in school. I want to volunteer my time and share my medical knowledge with those who request it, and having student debt makes it harder to volunteer your time because of the pressure to pay it off promptly. If you have made it this far in my essay, thank you again for reading this. My essay is a topic I hold near and dear to my heart because it involves a disease that I, among thousands of others, live with daily. Many individuals with chronic illnesses think that they have to adjust their goals due to receiving a diagnosis, and I am here to say that statement is far from the truth.

As a child, I remember watching every Disney cartoon, movie, and show that came out either in the cinema or on my television. I remember going to Disney World in Florida multiple times, and those were the most memorable vacations from my childhood. My favorite Disney character is Princess Tiana from the movie 'The Princess and the Frog' because of her undeniable passion for her dream of owning a restaurant. As a kid, I was always determined to pursue my dreams. In addition, I believed in not accepting failure as an option but seeing failure and obstacles as a redirection to enhance my future. This movie was one of the first Disney princess movies that differed from the previous line of Disney princess movies because of the contemporary reality about saving money and working hard to make dreams come true that Tiana portrayed. Princess Tiana was always my favorite Disney character because I remember visiting my local movie theatre when I was eight to see the grand premiere. While holding popcorn in one hand and soda in the other, I was ready for my perspective on life to change drastically. Like Princess Tiana, I always had a strong connection with my family and frequently dreamed of making them proud. Seeing Princess Tiana accomplish the dreams she told her father about made me connect with her to a level different from any other Disney character I had seen. As I continued through elementary, middle, high school, and college, I have always focused on my dream job: becoming a doctor. I am in my third and final year of pursuing a Doctor in Pharmacy, and my dream has always been to hold a higher education because it was a dream my parents sacrificed to give my sister and me a better life. Princess Tiana continues to motivate me to pursue my dreams, even if others may think that it is an unrealistic dream. My favorite song from the movie that continues to resonate with me is titled 'Almost There' when Princess Tiana envisioned her fancy restaurant in the new space she recently secured. The vision of her future restaurant allowed her to stay motivated, even through the obstacles she endured. I, too, remind myself that I am "almost there" and that the treacherous journey will be worth it when I am in the spot I always envisioned. Princess Tiana's uplifting personality and optimism showed children that a good attitude is needed to accomplish a dream of any size. Growing up with an autoimmune disease, I struggled with always finding positivity, as life always felt like an uphill battle. Princess Tiana showed me how to be confident even if I do not fit societal standards.

Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay, and I am 22 years old, and I am officially less than one year away from graduating with my PharmD from Midwestern University. First off, I want to say thank you for reading my essay and that I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my story and learn more about who I am and what I hope to achieve in the STEM community. First and foremost, I decided to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy after I graduated high school in 2019 because of the positive impact that healthcare professionals had on my life. I have lived with an autoimmune disease since I was 11 years old, so I have had time to digest and understand the impact of autoimmune diseases on people and their loved ones. Because of this, I have seen multiple healthcare professionals; physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and pharmacists. My relationship with pharmacists is the closest because I have prescriptions that require prior authorizations and constant communication with my other healthcare professionals due to insurance hiccups. Furthermore, due to my autoimmune disease, I need more immunizations than the average person, and the pharmacists were always able to guide me and recommend appropriate vaccines. Their role in my healthcare team went far beyond simply verifying prescriptions, which many people think is the only role of a pharmacist. Since I have had this close relationship with pharmacists, I decided to pursue a degree in pharmacy to help patients the same way those pharmacists helped me in the past. Throughout school, I have a job as a pharmacy intern at a retail pharmacy to gain additional experience outside of school to become the most well-rounded pharmacist I can be post-graduation. This experience has helped me see all the other niche roles of a pharmacist. Some of these roles include over-the-counter medication recommendations tailored to each specific patient, medication administration demonstration, and medication therapy management (MTM) in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, my experiences with my chronic illness have helped me advocate for and assist other patients experiencing a similar situation to mine. My educational journey has not always been linear, especially with managing an autoimmune disease in graduate school. I am honored to say that I may have inspired others to go for their dreams when they thought they could not be able to. When I graduate, I want to be an accessible and approachable medical resource for anybody needing advice. Healthcare can be inaccessible for many Americans, and this is why pharmacists are so important because people can get recommendations for over-the-counter products that are accessible to most. I also want to inspire those in the STEM community to push beyond the indicated boundaries of science because that's when discoveries happen. Lastly, I will use this scholarship to help pay off the student loans I accrued during my last five years in school. I want to volunteer my time and share my medical knowledge with those who request it, and having student debt makes it harder to volunteer your time because of the pressure to pay it off promptly. If you have made it this far in my essay, thank you again for reading this. My essay is a topic I hold near and dear to my heart because it involves a disease that I, among thousands of others, live with daily. Many individuals with chronic illnesses think that they have to adjust their goals due to receiving a diagnosis, and I am here to say that statement is far from the truth.

Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay, and I am 22 years old, and I am officially one year away from graduating with my PharmD from Midwestern University. First off, I want to say thank you for reading my essay and that I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my story. First and foremost, I decided to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy after I graduated high school in 2019 because of the positive impact that healthcare professionals had on my life. I have lived with an autoimmune disease since I was 11 years old, so I have had time to digest and understand the impact of autoimmune diseases on people and their loved ones. Because of this, I have seen multiple healthcare professionals; physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and pharmacists. My relationship with pharmacists is the closest because I have prescriptions that require prior authorizations and constant communication with my other healthcare professionals due to insurance hiccups. Furthermore, due to my autoimmune disease, I need more immunizations than the average person, and the pharmacists were always able to guide me and recommend appropriate vaccines. Their role in my healthcare team went far beyond simply verifying prescriptions, which many people think is the only role of a pharmacist. Since I have had this close relationship with pharmacists, I decided to pursue a degree in pharmacy to help patients the same way those pharmacists helped me in the past. Throughout school, I have a job as a pharmacy intern at a retail pharmacy to gain additional experience outside of school to become the most well-rounded pharmacist I can be post-graduation. This experience has helped me see all the other niche roles of a pharmacist. Some of these roles include over-the-counter medication recommendations tailored to each specific patient, medication administration demonstration, and medication therapy management (MTM) in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, my experiences with my chronic illness have helped me advocate for and assist other patients experiencing a similar situation to mine. My educational journey has not always been linear, especially with managing an autoimmune disease in graduate school. However, I have excelled against all odds, and now hundreds of people can say that they saw someone with a chronic illness excelling in their classes. I am honored to say that I may have inspired others to go for their dreams when they thought they could not be able to. I feel like this is an empowering moment for myself and others. Becoming a Doctor of any kind is not easy, let alone with a chronic illness. But it is not something impossible, which is critical to distinguish. If you have made it this far in my essay, thank you again for reading this. My essay is a topic I hold near and dear to my heart because it involves a disease that I, among thousands of others, live with daily. Many individuals with chronic illnesses think that they have to adjust their goals due to receiving a diagnosis, and I am here to say that statement is far from the truth.

Something about college that excites me is the unknown. I walked into my first day of college four years ago with the idea that I knew what I wanted to do and that my path was straightforward. Fast forward four years, and I realized it was not very clear-cut. One thing I struggled with was my mental health and my relationship with food and exercise. I participated in cheerleading throughout high school, which helped me fit exercise into my routine as a student. However, I did not pursue cheerleading in college. This meant I had to develop a new exercise routine to follow. Developing a healthy relationship with exercise led me to have a healthy relationship with my mental health, body image, and spirit. Eventually, I created a routine during my two years at community college. I discovered Pilates, and I began practicing Pilates at least three times a week. Once I thought I had everything figured out, I applied for an early acceptance Doctor of Pharmacy program at the end of my two years of college. Months later, I was accepted, and I started that summer. Transitioning from community college to graduate school was a big jump for me educationally, mentally, and physically. I did not practice Pilates as much during my first quarter of school, and I witnessed a shift in my mental and spiritual health because of not exercising. To overcome this, I planned each workout in a planner to attain my goal of regularly practicing Pilates again. I found this very helpful because I saw what days I could exercise without feeling guilty for not spending that time studying. I kept a consistent schedule throughout my first and second years of pharmacy school, and I saw positive changes in my mind, body, and soul because of this schedule. My journey towards health is complex also because I have type one diabetes. This diagnosis motivates me to live a healthy lifestyle because exercise has always helped me to stay within a normal range for blood lab values. I am fortunate to pursue higher education with my diagnosis. This diagnosis did not hold me back from pursuing a Doctor in Pharmacy degree. Pilates taught me how to spend time in the moment, which is especially difficult to practice in graduate school. Throughout the challenging moments in my educational career, I have always been able to exercise to help keep me motivated and have a healthy relationship with my mental health. It has not always been easy, and I have had to alter my strategies to maintain my physical activity because physical activity influences my mind, body, and soul. I just began my third year of pharmacy school and still plan to exercise and eat healthy throughout my educational journey. Overall, the one thing guaranteed in college was the unknown of what was next.

While many may not know what this is, one technological device that has revolutionized my life and millions of others' lives is the Tandem Slim x2 insulin pump. I have lived with type-one diabetes for over eleven years, and this device has increased the ease of managing my disease state daily. Since I have had type-one diabetes, I have seen the evolution of medical devices, such as the insulin pump, transform technologically. This device inspired me to believe that technology can make the world a better place. In 1974, the first insulin pump was invented and used. This insulin pump was the size of a backpack and was heavy and difficult to operate. Currently, my insulin pump is half the size of my smartphone device. This device has not only gotten smaller in the past 50 years; It has become easier to use, more accurate, and more personalized to every individual's disease state. These traits ultimately lead to a better disease state outcome for those with type one diabetes. This technological advancement has changed my life along with millions of other type-one diabetics. For one, it is much easier to administer insulin through an insulin pump when compared to using an insulin pen that needs priming and preparation before administration into the skin. This process with an insulin pen can take up to ten minutes versus ten seconds with an insulin pump. An insulin pump, like the Tandem Slim x2, can also accurately determine a patient's blood sugar value every five minutes of the day, allowing the patient to respond accordingly to keep their disease state adequately managed. As good as this technology is, the advancements in insulin pump technology and its benefits are only life-changing if accessible to the right people. The retail price of the T Slim x2 without insurance is 5,099. Medical insurance is incredibly costly in America, and even though almost every endocrinologist recommends an insulin pump for type one diabetics, many cannot afford to buy one. The inaccessibility of the product is one downside of technological advancements because not everyone can experience the benefits. However, over time, hopefully, this will become less of an issue, and the cost of this product will decrease. Finally, I want to thank Calvin Rosser for allowing college students to look around and see how much life has changed for the better, thanks to technology.

Before I begin, I want to thank Calvin Rosser for funding this scholarship which will allow college students to become more educated and positively impact the world. My experience with my mental health was healthy for most of my life. That was until I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that would change my life. I spent most of my life building a sturdy foundational relationship with my mental health. However, I saw it crumble within months as I started the last few years of my doctorate academic career. As I was growing up, my family was, and still is, incredibly supportive of my life choices. A relationship I would say that is one in a million. Even after having to piece my life back together after receiving the news at age eleven that I will be living with type one diabetes for the rest of my life, they were still there to welcome me with open arms. They were there throughout my educational sessions on administering insulin, testing my blood sugar, and responding to low blood sugar episodes. After receiving the news and adjusting to this new sense of normality, I felt as if I could conquer anything. I had many questions about the disease, mainly involving the cause of the disease, that did not have answers. These unanswered questions simmered in my mind throughout the rest of elementary school, middle school, and high school. This ultimately impacted my mental health because I began to ask myself questions like "What did I do wrong to cause this disease?" and "What will my friends think of me?". No matter how much support I received from my family, I could not shake those thoughts out of my head until I began to search for answers about the cause of my development of type one diabetes. Fast forward to the beginning of college, I realized I wanted to pursue this disease area further. I went to a community college in my area with a burning passion for finding answers that could change the lives of millions of people. These unanswered questions led to the deterioration of my mental health, and I could only imagine that millions of others felt the same way I felt. After graduating with an Associate of Science, I accepted an early-decision spot at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy and began taking courses in the summer of 2021. While I was excited to start my journey, I realized I had to make many sacrifices, mentally and physically, to achieve this dream. My relationship with my mental health began to weaken further as I could not take as much time to relax. I attended classes from 8 am to 4 pm, then went home to study from 5 pm to 11 pm. Day after day of this routine with no adequate breaks, nutritious meals, and consistent exercise, I hit a breaking point. I never realized how much I took for granted those things in life: exercising, being with my loved ones, eating filling and nutritious meals, and many other things. While my grades were good in the first quarter, I knew they could be better if I incorporated these things into my daily routine. I began to make time for my friends and family, prepare meals ahead of time so I always had a nutritious meal to eat, and time to exercise consistently every day of the week. These influenced my mental health drastically, ultimately improving my grades and strengthening my career aspirations. Fast forward to today, I am one year away from graduating with my Doctor of Pharmacy, and my goal of finding answers for those with type one diabetes is in progress and far from over. Throughout this time, I would like to thank my family and friends for never questioning my career aspirations. They had never left my side, even in my darkest and most trying moments. For those reading, I would also like to note that you do not have to give up your daily moments of peace to pursue your dreams. Those moments included making myself meals, exercising, talking with my friends, and many other things that did not take much time to do throughout the day. Those moments of peace throughout the day saved me, and many others, from developing a negative relationship with mental health. Before I end my essay, I want to say thank you again for reading about my mental health journey because it is a sensitive topic for me that I hold near and dear to my heart. I hope it inspires people to pursue their dreams.

Hello, my name is Lindsay, and on October 7th, 2011, I realized I was different from everyone else in my fifth-grade classroom. At the beginning of the fifth grade, I was diagnosed with type-one diabetes. At the time, those words did not mean anything to me. It took time to realize the impact of my diagnosis on me, my friends, and my family. Over a decade later, those words mean everything to me and more. After my diagnosis in the fifth grade, I had to accept that I was different from everyone. Not all of the organs in my body worked the same way as other kids, and I could not play recess or eat desserts worry-free like the other thirty children in my class. Receiving this diagnosis was difficult for both my family and me. There is no cure for this autoimmune disease, and I must wear an insulin pump to complete my daily activities. Since this disease is incurable, it has affected my mental health since my diagnosis. With this level of sadness at ten years old, I joined a support group with ten other type-one diabetics in my area. While this did help me feel more like a child again, I was still the only kid in my elementary school with this autoimmune disease when I left the meetings. None of my friends could comprehend that a blood sugar of 250mg/dl meant I had to go home for the day because it was a dangerously high number. None of my friends could comprehend why I went to the school nurse every day before lunch to inject myself with a liquid that allowed me to eat safely like other children. These thoughts crowded my head, and I required therapy sessions to stabilize my mental health soon after my diagnosis. Shockingly, all before my eleventh birthday. With that, mental health is an important topic because it affects people at any age. Thankfully, due to the help of counseling and therapy, I came to terms with my diagnosis and did not see it as the end of a road but rather the beginning of a new one. Furthermore, my family went with me to these sessions because they were, too, impacted by my diagnosis. Within these sessions, my family understood that my diagnosis was not the result of anything they did in the past. My diagnosis was due to genetic and environmental factors, which are unavoidable. This diagnosis has strengthened my relationship with my family and friends and has given them a new perspective on people who live with this disease daily. Fast forward to today, and I am a second-year pharmacy student beginning my research on the genetics behind type one and type two diabetes. I would have never come this far in life if I did not have mental health counselors, school counselors, family, and friends to help me look beyond my diagnosis and use my diagnosis to help the lives of other children in my situation. Without this diagnosis and the support I received, I would not be graduating with a Doctorate and researching more into my autoimmune disease. I still receive counseling support from my college, and I still try to attend support group meetings as a way to advocate for my mental health. Overall, embracing my relationship with my mental health after my diagnosis was never easy, but it led me to the career of my dreams and has allowed me to help people with this diagnosis. I will never touch every life affected by diabetes, but I can try.

I have had type one diabetes ever since I was eleven years old. I am twenty-one years old, and I have learned that my idea of a healthy life varies from everyone else's. I need to live a healthy life not only to have a good quality of life but also to extend my life expectancy. I changed my diet, incorporated cleaner foods into each meal, created a consistent exercise plan, and created a plan to consume enough water. I have been doing this ever since I was diagnosed with type one diabetes, and this lifestyle leaves me feeling more energized and with a healthy relationship with my mental health. In 1921, only one hundred years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for diabetics that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. This experience has shaped my idea of a healthy life. Nonetheless, I believe having a clean and healthy lifestyle still includes eating well and exercising consistently. I have incorporated these habits into my life for over ten years, and it has become more of a lifestyle and not just a "diet" or something I have to do. In addition, I think going to the doctor is very important because my doctor checks my lab values and my HbA1c to make sure that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. This one clean living practice is necessary for my lifestyle because it allows me to adapt my medication dosing to improve my quality of life. Moreover, I am a third-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University, anticipating to graduate in one year. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and the foods I eat because they give me the energy to study and work every day. I always make sure to make a little time for it every day to get all the benefits of it. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been more challenging because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks that are healthier than some of the vending machine options offered at my university. Although I have been talking in great detail about physical health, mental health is just as crucial to my well-being. Having a counselor and attending support group meetings with other people with type one diabetes made me see that I am not alone in this daily battle. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising are not always accessible or easy for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life in my situation. Maintaining my physical and mental health allowed me to succeed in pharmacy school, and now I am one year away from graduating with a Doctor of Pharmacy and working as a practicing healthcare professional.

Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay, and I am 22 years old, and I am officially one year away from graduating with my PharmD from Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. First off, I want to say thank you for reading my essay and that I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my story. It is truly an honor to be in such a position where I have the resources to apply for scholarships and tell people about my story. To begin, I decided to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy after I graduated high school in 2019 because of the positive impact that healthcare professionals had on my life. Another reason I decided to pursue a healthcare career is because I have lived with type one diabetes since I was eleven years old. Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease that impacts less than 10% of the global population. Because of this, I have seen multiple healthcare professionals; physicians, nurses, nutritionists, endocrinologists, and pharmacists. My relationship with pharmacists is the closest because I have many prescriptions requiring prior authorizations and constant communication with my other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, due to my autoimmune disease, I need more immunizations than the average person, and the pharmacists were always able to guide me and recommend appropriate vaccines. Since I have had this close relationship with pharmacists, I decided to pursue a degree in pharmacy to help patients the same way those pharmacists helped me in the past. Throughout school, I have a job as a pharmacy intern at a retail pharmacy to gain additional experience outside of school to become the most well-rounded pharmacist I can be post-graduation. This experience has helped me see the niche roles of a pharmacist, including over-the-counter medication recommendations tailored to each specific patient, medication administration demonstration, and medication therapy management (MTM) in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, my personal experiences as a type one diabetic have helped me to advocate and assist other patients experiencing a similar situation. Diabetes mellitus is an incredibly complex disease state, and it is also constantly evolving with new technologies entering the market, such as the Dexcom. Technology like Dexcom helps to prevent high and low blood sugar, two reasons uncontrolled diabetes mellitus can lead to higher mortality and an increase in emergency room visits globally. Pharmacists have a priceless role in healthcare and can help patients use these devices. These devices can help decrease the mortality and the number of emergency room visits related to diabetes mellitus. If you have made it this far in my essay, thank you again for reading this. My passion for positively influencing the healthcare profession is a topic I hold near and dear to my heart because it involves a disease that I, among thousands of others, live with daily.

Hello, my name is Lindsay, and on October 7th, 2011, I realized I was different from everyone else in my fifth-grade classroom. At the beginning of the fifth grade, I was diagnosed with type-one diabetes. At the time, those words did not mean anything to me. It took time to realize the impact of my diagnosis on me, my friends, and my family. Over a decade later, those words mean everything to me and more. After my diagnosis in the fifth grade, I had to accept that I was different from everyone. Not all of the organs in my body worked the same way as other kids, and I could not play recess or eat desserts worry-free like the other thirty children in my class. Receiving this diagnosis was difficult for both my family and me. There is no cure for this autoimmune disease, and I must wear an insulin pump to complete my daily activities. Since this disease is incurable, it has affected my mental health since my diagnosis. During that time, I would think about how I would have to wear an insulin pump for the rest of my life. With this amount of sadness at ten years old, I joined a support group of ten other type-one diabetics in my area. While this did help me feel more like a child again, I was still the only kid in my elementary school with this autoimmune disease when I left the meetings. None of my friends could comprehend that a blood sugar of 250mg/dl meant I had to go home for the day because it was a dangerously high number. None of my friends could comprehend why I went to the school nurse every day before lunch to inject myself with a liquid that allowed me to eat safely like other children. These thoughts crowded my head, and I required therapy sessions to stabilize my mental health soon after my diagnosis. Shockingly, all before my eleventh birthday. Mental health is an important topic because it affects people at any age. Thankfully, due to the help of counseling and therapy, I came to terms with my diagnosis, and I did not just see it as the end of a road but rather the beginning of a new one. Furthermore, my family went with me to these sessions because they were, too, impacted by my diagnosis. Within these sessions, my family eventually accepted that my diagnosis was not the result of anything they did in the past. My imminent diagnosis is due to genetic and environmental factors. This diagnosis has strengthened my relationship with my family and friends and has given them a new perspective on people who live with this disease daily. Fast forward to today, and I am a second-year pharmacy student beginning my research on the genetics behind type one and type two diabetes. I would have never come this far in life if I did not have mental health counselors, school counselors, family, and friends to help me look beyond my diagnosis and use my diagnosis to help the lives of other children in my situation. Without this diagnosis and the help I received, I would not be graduating with a Doctorate and researching more into my autoimmune disease.

Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay, and I am 22 years old, and I am officially one year away from graduating with my PharmD from Midwestern University. First off, I want to say thank you for reading my essay and that I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my story. I decided to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy after I graduated high school in 2019 because of the positive impact that healthcare professionals had on my life. I have lived with type one diabetes, an autoimmune disease impacting less than 10% of the global population, since I was 11 years old. Because of this, I have seen multiple healthcare professionals; physicians, nurses, nutritionists, endocrinologists, and pharmacists. My relationship with pharmacists is the closest because I have many prescriptions requiring prior authorizations and constant communication with my other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, due to my autoimmune disease, I need more immunizations than the average person, and the pharmacists were always able to guide me and recommend appropriate vaccines. Since I have had this close relationship with pharmacists, I decided to pursue a degree in pharmacy to help patients the same way those pharmacists helped me in the past. Throughout school, I have a job as a pharmacy intern at a retail pharmacy to gain additional experience outside of school to become the most well-rounded pharmacist I can be post-graduation. This experience has helped me see all the other niche roles of a pharmacist, including the following: over-the-counter medication recommendations tailored to each specific patient, medication administration demonstration, and medication therapy management (MTM) in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Furthermore, my personal experiences as a type one diabetic have helped me to advocate and assist other patients experiencing a similar situation. Diabetes mellitus is an incredibly complex disease state, and it is also constantly evolving with new technologies entering the market, such as the Dexcom. Technology like Dexcom helps to prevent high and low blood sugar, two reasons uncontrolled diabetes mellitus can lead to higher mortality and an increase in emergency room visits globally. Pharmacists possess a vital role in the healthcare system and can help patients with setting up and using these devices. These devices can help decrease the mortality and the number of emergency room visits related to diabetes mellitus. If you have made it this far in my essay, thank you again for reading this. This is a topic I hold near and dear to my heart because it involves a disease that I, among thousands of others, live with every day.

Sometimes the smallest gifts to a community make the most lasting impact on all individuals involved. To begin, I am a college student who does not have a sustainable income where I can continuously donate money to my community. However, I still want to give back to the community that raised me and allowed me to pursue my dreams of becoming a doctor. Instead, I donate my time and volunteer to better someone's day and my day. Since the start of the pandemic, I have volunteered at a not-for-profit organization that provides extra care to children and their families who were discharged from the hospital. Some examples of how this organization helps my community are the education provided to family members about feeding tubes, and this organization provides children care by assigning them physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and child life specialists. Through this organization, I can donate my time by volunteering to play with the children currently there, or I can donate books, toys, or money to keep the organization thriving for years to come. Even throughout my hectic schedule in pharmacy school, I still find time to volunteer almost because I learned that even a small amount of time can have a lasting impact on these children and their families. While with them, I play with them and engage in brain-stimulating activities with them. The children there often do not realize they are learning and are simply excited to play with someone. Furthermore, I am in my second year of pharmacy school, and throughout my journey volunteering, I have learned how important it is to give back to my community. Before volunteering, I used to think "Giving back to your community" came with a price tag. After graduating from pharmacy school, I hope to be a free and accessible resource to my community regarding over-the-counter medication treatments, government assistance programs, and other resources that a person may need but may not know where to begin. It has always been my dream to become a doctor, and having such a supportive community has allowed me to pursue this dream. For those reading, my advice would be to volunteer in your community in any way possible. While volunteering with your time is beneficial to other people, it is also valuable to us because people can teach us new things. Volunteering and interacting with others builds empathy and allows us to see the world through their viewpoint. I have never felt so proud to be a part of a child's first words, first steps, and many other accomplishments that I would have never experienced if I did not begin volunteering. This passion for serving the underserved has been my motivator throughout pharmacy school, which has helped me accomplish many of the goals I set for myself while in school.

Everyone's dream version of themselves may include money, houses, cars, and vacations, and that is very understandable; However, my dream version of myself is to one day live without the constant physical, mental, and socioeconomic reminders of my autoimmune disease, and to develop medical interventions to be the reason that others do not have to struggle with their autoimmune diseases daily.

I have had type one diabetes ever since I was eleven years old. I am twenty-two years old, and I have learned that my idea of a healthy life may be different from everyone else's. I need to live a healthy life not only to have a good quality of life but also to extend my life expectancy. I changed my diet, incorporated cleaner foods into each meal, created a consistent exercise plan, and created a plan to consume enough water. I have been doing this ever since I was diagnosed with type one diabetes, and this lifestyle allows me to have more energy and a healthy relationship with my mental health compared to my lifestyle before. In 1921, only one hundred years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for diabetics that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. This experience has shaped my idea of a healthy life. Nonetheless, I believe having a clean and healthy lifestyle still includes eating well and exercising consistently. I have incorporated these habits into my life for over ten years, and it has become more of a lifestyle and not just a "diet" or something I have to do. In addition to these, I also think going to the doctor is very important because my doctor checks my lab values and my HbA1c to make sure that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. This is one important clean living practice for me because it allows me to make any changes to my medication dosing to improve my quality of life. Moreover, I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and the foods I eat because they give me the energy to study and work after school every day. Exercising and moving my body not only gives me energy but is a crucial stress reliever, so I must make a little time for it every day to get all the benefits of it. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been a little difficult because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks that are healthier than some of the vending machine options offered at my university to eat throughout my time on campus. Some foods have a higher glycemic index, like bread, and will raise my blood glucose faster. Other foods, like fruits, have a lower glycemic index, allowing me to stay within my blood glucose range and have a better HbA1c. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising is not always an option for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life in my situation.

According to the USDA, 30 to 40 percent of the food supply is considered "food waste". Food waste can be from an individual level by throwing out unfinished food or scraps, and food waste can be from a corporation level by fast-food businesses throwing out food and ingredients daily. Food waste is connected to climate change and sustainability because food in landfills can produce greenhouse gases, including methane, that alter the earth's temperature similar to burning fossil fuels, including gas for cars and other transportation. I think this is the most effective way to combat climate change and live sustainably because of two main reasons. One reason is that less food in landfills will significantly decrease greenhouse gases and positively reduce the climate of the earth, and the other reason is that decreasing food waste will help the ongoing hunger crisis both nationally and globally. To further my point, decreasing food waste can also be an individual task as well as a task for large corporations. As an individual, we can do small things such as using up all of the food we have in our homes before going grocery shopping for more food. There are also hundreds of recipes on the internet from people who turn scraps of food that would have been thrown away into delicious meals when possible. As for corporations, business owners can assess their revenue and inventory and slightly change their inventory to fit the customer's needs and decrease food waste. Furthermore, the severity of the hunger crisis has increased since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic due to the death of loved ones, job layoffs, and overall less production of necessary foods. As for myself, I learned that it would be impractical to cut out all of the fossil fuels in my life, such as using a car. To get to and from school and my job, I often need to take a bus, train, or car. Since I live in the Midwest, biking is not always a feasible transportation method in the winter. Moreover, electric vehicles are becoming more mainstream, but, unfortunately, most electric cars are in a price range that makes them not a feasible option for most people. Decreasing food waste is a small part of the day that everyone can do because it does not cost anything. As for myself, I am a second-year pharmacy student, and my budget is limited, making me more motivated to lessen my food waste. Decreasing my food waste will inherently decrease my grocery budget. Furthermore, I partake in other environmentally friendly activities, including recycling, using reusable bags, and opting for public transportation when it is an option. What I have learned over the years is that climate change is not a fight to be fought individually. This fight to protect the earth will require everyone's assistance, which means that it needs to be an easy and cost-friendly solution which is why decreasing the amount of food waste can be a viable solution to minimize the effects of climate

As I opened my eyes on October 8th, 2011, I expected gentle greeting noises from the birds before they migrated for the winter. Instead, my ears welcomed the sound of medical machinery beeping into my body. Internal panic rushed through me as I asked myself; why am I in the hospital? I was ten years old at this time, and I had never been in the hospital before. As I became increasingly more aware of my surroundings, a sea of smiling adults wearing white laboratory jackets entered the room, excited to see me awake. One was courageous enough to tell me I had developed an autoimmune disease called type 1 diabetes. I never thought I would remember a memory so clearly. This diagnosis would have more meaning in the next decade of my life. However, at that moment, it meant that my lifestyle had to change for the better. After a week in the hospital, I was sent home back to my family with the hope that a healthier lifestyle should maintain my newfound autoimmune disease. Diabetes is a very debilitating disease when left untreated. It can result in eye problems, foot problems, and other organ damage. After leaving the hospital, I met with a nutritionist weekly to help guide my wellness journey in the right direction. She would show me what my meals should look like by creating various meals on a plastic plate. I was encouraged to fill my meal plate with fruits, vegetables, foods high in protein, and foods low in carbohydrates to help me feel full for longer. Furthermore, physical activity is another vital component when pursuing a healthy life. As a child, I participated in many sports, including basketball, swimming, ice skating, tennis, and cheerleading. Fast forwarding to high school, I decided to stay involved in cheerleading and track and field for all four years. My involvement in sports helped me maintain my blood sugar levels. As a result, my blood sugar readings were in the desired range for most of the day. In college, I devoted all my time to my studies. Due to this, my lifestyle changed, and I began going to the gym on my college campus every weekday to continue my path toward a healthy life. It's critical to recognize that this was not the case every week because some weeks were more academically challenging than others, but that is a part of life. After reflecting on my journey to live a healthier lifestyle, I realized the importance of a thorough foundational knowledge of what that looks like to an individual. This definition will vary across all individuals. I am one year away from graduating with a Doctor of Pharmacy, and I can not stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle enough. It has a very beneficial, and even reversible, effect on all disease states.

Ever since I was diagnosed with type one diabetes at eleven years old, I have had a different purpose for involvement in athletics than others. Being involved in athletics has been one crucial part of keeping my health condition under control since the beginning of my diagnosis, in addition to my diet and mental health. While it is an incurable autoimmune disease, it is still important that I maintain my physical and mental health to maintain my life overall. Athletic sports have allowed me to not only exercise but enjoy exercising and meet other people who share a liking for the same sport. Moreover, I have participated in multiple sports, including basketball, cheerleading, and track and field. I became interested in basketball soon after my diagnosis because it was a good source of aerobic exercise. Additionally, it was a great way to meet other people from different schools. Being involved in a sport allowed me to have a close-knit community of people I could count on during this emotionally-trying time as I learned more about my diagnosis. I played basketball as an intramural with a group of people throughout middle school, and then, during my first year of high school, I decided to try out for the cheerleading team. While I was involved in basketball, I became fascinated with gymnastics and cheerleading because I had friends participating in those sports. I started looking up cheerleading videos on the internet. I did this to become more flexible and knowledgeable about the sport and, eventually, to help me as I tried out for the cheerleading team. I made the team and was involved in cheerleading for all four years of high school. I loved the close-knit friendships I formed with the people on the team, and I loved the duality of individual and group activities within the sport. Cheerleading allowed me to be an individual and express my creativity while working as a team and using all of our strengths combined to perform tricks and stunts. During my second year of cheerleading, I also decided to join track and field at my school because it was during the off-season of cheerleading. This sport had more individuality than cheerleading, but there was still the presence of a community of people that supported each other and understood the rigor of the sport. This concept was present in all the sports I participated in throughout middle and high school. Participating in sports positively impacted my life because it allowed me to create friendships with people I would have never met without the help of the sports team. To this day, these athletic experiences have influenced how I solve problems with a group of healthcare professionals as I make it through my last year of pharmacy school.

My cousin enlisted in the Navy in the early 2000s and returned with a newfound perspective on life. As a child, I did not think much about these characteristics. As time passed, I realized how beneficial his experiences and advice were to daily life. I am in my second year of pharmacy school and will graduate in May 2024. I adopted many characteristics in my career to become the best pharmacist I can be for my patients, including leadership, resiliency, selflessness, determination, and work ethic. I have followed his advice throughout high school, college, and pharmacy school. I am pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy to be a judge-free and accessible resource for all kinds of patients who struggle to understand the world of medicine, and I strive to be a shoulder they can cry on in moments of need. My future goal is to be the first in my entire family to graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and my goal is to influence the world of medicine to become less scary for many patients. I am pursuing this degree to accomplish these goals and become the healthcare provider people need. Furthermore, I need to be a leader in the medical field to accomplish my goals. Leadership means standing up for what is morally right. I express leadership by calling patients directly when insurance issues arise to discuss the next step together, rather than waiting for them to contact the pharmacy and ask what the insurance issue is. Getting medications ready is a time-sensitive situation, and the patient deserves to be informed about the status at every step of the process. My cousin always talked about leadership when he returned because leadership sets people apart from each other. Some degree of leadership is needed to be unique and to be the best in any career. Healthcare professionals must express leadership qualities because people go to them for advice and help when they are in dire need. Furthermore, he discussed the resiliency he had to finish the basic training. Resiliency is valuable in every profession; however, it is especially needed in medical careers because sometimes patients do not have any support other than from medical professionals. Regardless of how much support a patient has, having one more motivator is always helpful to continue onward to a successful and healthy life. Another characteristic constantly discussed was selflessness. Being unselfish and putting the patient first is always the number one rule in medicine. The work day rarely ends at 5 pm; however, it ends when all of the patients are stable and taken care of, and it ends when the next person on shift is confident enough to be a leader. In training, my cousin would discuss how he put others before himself in certain situations, and eventually, they would do the same for him. Throughout pharmacy school, I have learned that determination is a deep-rooted concept that relies on people never losing sight of the goal or the motivating factor. Getting through pharmacy school becomes nearly impossible if either is lost. The determination my cousin held onto was deep-routed in his journey to find himself in a world where everyone already knew who they were. A strong work ethic goes hand in hand with determination because pharmacy school requires numerous hours outside the classroom devoted to understanding concepts for multiple exams. With all of this in mind, the key is to stay true to oneself and remember one's core values. Having grown up in a family with someone like my cousin, I learned that by doing this, anything is possible.

Hello, my name is Lindsay, and on October 7th, 2011, I realized I was different from everyone else in my fifth-grade classroom. At the beginning of the fifth grade, I was diagnosed with type-one diabetes. At the time, those words did not mean anything to me. It took time to realize the impact of my diagnosis on me, my friends, and my family. Over a decade later, those words mean everything to me and more. After my diagnosis in the fifth grade, I had to accept that I was different from everyone. Not all of the organs in my body worked the same way as other kids, and I could not play recess or eat desserts worry-free like the other thirty children in my class. Receiving this diagnosis was difficult for both my family and me. There is no cure for this autoimmune disease, and I must wear an insulin pump to complete my daily activities. Since this disease is incurable, it has affected my mental health since my diagnosis. I would find myself saying, "So I have to live like this for the rest of my life?" and I found out that this statement is far from the truth. With this overwhelming wave of sadness at ten years old, I joined a support group of about ten other type-one diabetics in my area. While this did help me feel more like a child again, I was still the only kid in my elementary school with this autoimmune disease when I left the meetings. None of my friends could comprehend that a blood sugar of 250mg/dl meant I had to go home for the day because it was a dangerously high number. None of my friends could comprehend why I went to the school nurse every day before lunch to inject myself with a liquid that allowed me to eat safely like other children. These thoughts crowded my head, and I required therapy sessions to stabilize my mental health soon after my diagnosis. Shockingly, all before my eleventh birthday. Mental health is an important topic because it affects people at any age. Thankfully, due to the help of counseling and therapy, I was able to come to terms with my diagnosis and not just see it as the end of a road but rather the beginning of a new one. Furthermore, my family went with me to these sessions because they were, too, impacted by my diagnosis. Within these sessions, my family came to an acceptance that my diagnosis is not the result of anything they have done in the past. My imminent diagnosis is due to genetic and environmental factors. This diagnosis has strengthened my relationship with my family and friends and has given them a new perspective on people who live with this disease daily. Fast forward to today, and I am a second-year pharmacy student beginning my research on the genetics behind type one and type two diabetes. I would have never come this far in life if I did not have mental health counselors, school counselors, family, and friends to help me look beyond my diagnosis and use my diagnosis to help the lives of other children in my situation. Without this diagnosis and an overwhelming amount of help, I would not be graduating with a Doctorate and researching more into my autoimmune disease. Furthermore, I now work at a retail pharmacy in my area. My understanding of the world has been positively influenced because I can understand other patients' situations in the pharmacy to a deeper level. I know what it is like to undergo referrals and prior authorizations, and I have more extensive knowledge of how blood sugar meters work and how to use insulin pens appropriately. Overall, embracing my relationship with my mental health after my diagnosis was never easy, but it led me to the career of my dreams and has allowed me to help people with this diagnosis. I will never touch every life affected by diabetes, but I can try.

When I was six years old, I had on a white jacket and a plastic stethoscope all of the time before my grandmother passed away from lung cancer in 2007. When I was not helping my stuffed animals, I would help my grandmother. At the time, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and had a maximum of six months to live. She would always tell me that I would make her proud one day and do something that nobody in the family ever became close to achieving. For a while, I wondered what that "something" would be. That "something" could be anything. Soon after that, in 2011, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. I thought that would be it, but I saw it as a sign from her. It was not until I stared at a poster about pharmacy school in my community college that it hit me. That poster was the only poster in the whole college because I never saw it anywhere else. Almost fifteen years after her passing, I accepted a seat in pharmacy school with the determination to become a practicing doctor in three years. That was the 'something' she was implying. And I could not be more sure of it. I continue to pursue this career choice for her, myself, and the well-being of my future patients. My diagnosis of type one diabetes further pushed me to pursue research into this area because there was a lot unknown about the disease and there was, and still is, no cure for either type one diabetes or lung cancer. I knew that my purpose in the world was to find answers for people like us. Since I fought to achieve my spot in pharmacy school, I never lost sight of my purpose. I was the first person in my family to make it this far in my education, so sitting in the seat of a graduate program was an honor in itself. But I did not stop there. I fought through sleepless nights and countless exams and endured many instances where I put myself out there in ways I would have never imagined myself doing. Through these experiences, I realized that my journey was enough motivation to start a dual degree program in Precision Medicine in addition to my major in Pharmacy. Precision medicine is the future of cancer therapy, and more people are needed in this new area of medicine to turn this dream into a reality and save thousands of cancer patients. I felt like this degree was the perfect addition to the program I am currently in because it connected with my motivating factors so well. Lung cancer, as well as type one diabetes, are genetically and environmentally influenced diseases, which is why they are such complex and debilitating disease states. Precision medicine uses a patient's individualized genetics and tailors it to their treatment to optimize the efficacy of the treatment, and this research is currently in process in cancer patients. Furthermore, this dual degree also allowed me to inherently delve into research to make a difference in the lives of many people in the future. I am researching the impact of genetic and environmental factors on patients who have type one diabetes. The experiences I shared with my grandmother allowed me to see my purpose in life, and it allowed me to be able to share my success with others in hopes of positively influencing their lives. I am fighting to change the outcome of people in a similar situation as my grandmother and I. Family matters the most in my life, and I will continue fighting for them. I believe this message was sent from my family, leading me to my purpose in life. I will continue to fight to achieve my dream of being a practicing healthcare professional.

At ten years old, I realized I was different from everyone else. At the beginning of the fifth grade, I was diagnosed with type-one diabetes. Type-one diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body destroys its cells, specifically in the pancreas, where insulin synthesis occurs. At the time, those words did not mean anything to me. Over a decade later, those words mean everything to me and more. After my diagnosis in the fifth grade, I had to accept that I was different from everyone. Not all of the organs in my body worked, and I could not play recess or eat desserts worry-free anymore like the other thirty children in my class. Receiving this diagnosis, which is a diagnosis only 5-10% of the global population receives, was difficult for both me and my family. There is no cure for the disease, and I must wear an insulin pump to complete my daily activities. Since this disease is incurable, it has affected my mental health since the day of my diagnosis. I would often say, "So I have to live like this for the rest of my life?" and I would soon find out that this statement is far from the truth. With this overwhelming wave of sadness at ten years old, I joined a support group of about ten other type-one diabetics in my area. While this did help me feel more like a child again, I was still the only kid in my elementary school with this autoimmune disease. None of my friends could comprehend that a blood sugar of 250mg/dl meant I had to go home for the day because it was a dangerously high number. None of my friends could comprehend why I went to the school nurse every day before lunch to inject myself with a liquid that allowed me to eat safely like other children. These thoughts crowded my head and, soon after my diagnosis, I required therapy sessions to stabilize my mental health. All before my eleventh birthday. Mental health is an important topic because it affects people at any age. Thankfully, due to the help of counseling and therapy, I was able to come to terms with my diagnosis and not just see it as the end of a road but rather the beginning of a new one. Fast forward to today, and I am a second-year pharmacy student beginning my research on the genetics behind type one and type two diabetes. I would have never come this far in life if I did not have mental health counselors, school counselors, family, and friends to help me look beyond my diagnosis and use my diagnosis to help the lives of other children in my situation. Moreover, this autoimmune disease diagnosis has made me more empathetic toward patients I meet in the community pharmacy and the clinic. I can connect with them at a deeper level than most healthcare professionals can who do not have an autoimmune disease. The things I have learned from living with type-one diabetes and the experiences I endured with insurance, physicians, support groups, and pharmacists are not familiar experiences everyone in the healthcare field can personally say they have. I am pursuing a career as a pharmacist to change the world of healthcare and offer a different perspective for healthcare professionals to think about when interacting with any patient, regardless of the disease state.

At ten years old, I realized I was different from everyone else. At the beginning of the fifth grade, I was diagnosed with type-one diabetes. At the time, those words did not mean anything to me. Over a decade later, those words mean everything to me and more. After my diagnosis in the fifth grade, I had to accept that I was different from everyone. Not all of the organs in my body worked, and I could not play recess or eat desserts worry-free anymore like the other thirty children in my class. Receiving this diagnosis, which is a diagnosis only 5-10% of the global population receives, was difficult for both me and my family. There is no cure for the disease, and I must wear an insulin pump to complete my daily activities. Since this disease is incurable, it has affected my mental health since the day of my diagnosis. I would often say, "So I have to live like this for the rest of my life?" and I would soon find out that this statement is far from the truth. With this overwhelming wave of sadness at ten years old, I joined a support group of about ten other type-one diabetics in my area. While this did help me feel more like a child again, every time I left the meeting I was still faced with the fact that I was the only kid in my elementary school with this autoimmune disease. None of my friends could comprehend that a blood sugar of 250mg/dl meant I had to go home for the day because it was a dangerously high number. None of my friends could comprehend why I went to the school nurse every day before lunch to inject myself with a liquid that allowed me to eat safely like other children. These thoughts crowded my head and, soon after my diagnosis, I required therapy sessions to stabilize my mental health. All before my eleventh birthday. Mental health is an important topic because it affects people at any age. Thankfully, due to the help of counseling and therapy, I was able to come to terms with my diagnosis and not just see it as the end of a road but rather the beginning of a new one. Furthermore, my family went with me to these sessions because they were also impacted by my diagnosis. They also came to terms with the fact that my diagnosis is not the result of anything they have done in the past. My diagnosis is the result of both genetic and environmental factors that could not have been prevented at that time. Fast forward to today, and I am a second-year pharmacy student beginning my research on the genetics behind type one and type two diabetes. I would have never come this far in life if I did not have mental health counselors, school counselors, family, and friends to help me look beyond my diagnosis and use my diagnosis to help the lives of other children in my situation.

Tuition and student loan debt are exponentially increasing in a nation with the highest inflation rates withnessed in forty years. Knowing how to manage finances as a student is crucial, especially in these trying economic times. As for myself, I found that creating a weekly budget allows me to save money and allocate money to my various necessities. Due to the rigorous nature of pharmacy school, I work one day a week at a pharmacy which has made me get creative with how I budget my money and where my income comes from each week. Part of my income comes from working at a pharmacy, and the other part comes from working with faculty at my university and doing research. This extra bit of cash each week has allowed me to be more flexible with my budget. Furthermore, I think it is important to understand how to manage finances as a student because you will need to know how to manage a larger salary after graduating and, ultimately, finding a job. This includes opening up a retirement account, investing in various things, and buying big-ticket items like a car, house, and many other things that apply to this scenario. Starting to understand finances now can help you understand the basics of what to do and what not to do so those mistakes are not made in the future when there is more money on the line. For example, I have heard many videos, articles, and stories on the internet to start investing young, and I was unsure of what everyone meant by investing. I have taken courses in college explaining how to engage in the stock market and how to buy bonds, but I was still unsure of all the available investment options. I eventually downloaded an investment app and began doing more research on which stocks and mutual funds to purchase. I did not initially invest a large sum of money because I am a full-time graduate student and a part-time worker, but I found that just starting with a small amount taught me more about the world of investing. Given what I have experienced, I believe the best tips are to create a weekly budget regardless of the amount you receive each week. I would also say to research more about various types of investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other tangible goods. It is better to be knowledgeable about these options now than attempt to learn all of this later when you have more money and less time. There is a lot of free and credible information on the internet to allow you to become informed on this topic, which is another important thing to note. I would also like to say that any side hustle in school is a great way to earn a little money. I can not work full-time due to my school schedule, so I found a flexible federal work-study job that allows me to earn extra income while still in school. Lastly, applying for scholarships is the ultimate key to decreasing student loan debt, which will positively impact your finances after graduation.

Perseverance is a mindset that is shared by all successful individuals. People see a successful person with money and fame, such as Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and they always ask them for their secret. How can I become the next Jeff Bezos of this generation? The success of Jeff Bezos is brightly augmented, but the decades of hard work, determination, sleepless nights, and failures he endured to become the person everyone sees now are seldom acknowledged. Take, for example, the Amazon Fire Phone that launched in 2010. While this is all available information on the internet, it is never the topic of discussion, even though it caused the company to lose over 170 million dollars. Moreover, the successes of my life are not nearly on the scale of Jeff Bezos' successes, but my success is impactful to my life, and one day I hope to impact other people's lives with my success. My journey began as I was in community college studying for classes and scrambling to figure out what I will spend the next fifty years of my life doing, and how to get there once I have decided on a career path. My dream has always been to become a doctor and positively influence the world of medicine in terms of accessible healthcare, preventative medicine, and other medical practices besides traditional Western medicine that many know of today. I have had countless family members, faculty, and other individuals explain the competitiveness and challenge of applying to graduate schools, completing a graduate program, and becoming a practicing healthcare professional afterward. While I was aware of the long road of schooling ahead, I knew it was the only career I would be happy with for the next fifty years. Taking all of those comments from various people into consideration, I still went ahead and applied to pharmacy school. As of right now, I have finished a year and a half of pharmacy school with a year and a half left until I can graduate and sit for the board exam and, ultimately, practice as a pharmacist. While I still have more hoops to jump through until I can practice as a pharmacist, I have persevered to positively impact patients' lives in the future. This mindset of persevering no matter what anyone says has allowed me to turn my dream into a reality. People often forget that success does not always happen on a large scale. Jeff Bezos is not the only person who has experienced success, it just so happens that his success has impacted so many people globally that they are familiar with what he has created. Perseverance is often one of the only things between an individual and their goal. The mindset of continuing forward with your goal no matter what an individual says or what life event occurs creates the separation between those who will motivate you and who will not during that time.

According to the USDA, 30 to 40 percent of the food supply is considered "food waste". Food waste can be from an individual level by throwing out unfinished food or scraps, and food waste can be from a corporation level by fast-food businesses throwing out food and ingredients daily. Food waste is connected to climate change because food in landfills can produce greenhouse gases, including methane, that alter the earth's temperature similar to burning fossil fuels, including gas for cars and other transportation. I think this is the most resourceful way to combat climate change because of two main reasons. One reason is that less food in landfills will significantly decrease greenhouse gases and positively reduce the climate of the earth, and the other reason is that decreasing food waste will help the ongoing hunger crisis both nationally and globally. To further my point, decreasing food waste can also be an individual task as well as a task for large corporations. As an individual, we can do small things such as using up all of the food we have in our homes before going grocery shopping for more food. There are also hundreds of recipes on the internet from people who turn scraps of food that would have been thrown away into delicious meals when possible. As for corporations, business owners can assess their revenue and inventory and slightly change their inventory to fit the customer's needs and decrease food waste. Furthermore, the severity of the hunger crisis has increased since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic due to the death of loved ones, job layoffs, and overall less production of necessary foods. As for myself, I learned that it would be impractical to cut out all of the fossil fuels in my life, such as using a car. To get to and from school and my job, I often need to take a bus, train, or car. Since I live in the Midwest, biking is not always a feasible transportation method in the winter. Moreover, electric vehicles are becoming more mainstream, but, unfortunately, most electric cars are in a price range that makes them not a feasible option for most people. Decreasing food waste is a small part of the day that everyone can do because it does not cost anything. As for myself, I am a second-year pharmacy student, and my budget is limited, making me more motivated to lessen my food waste. Decreasing my food waste will inherently decrease my grocery budget. Furthermore, I partake in other environmentally friendly activities, including recycling and using reusable bags. What I have learned over the years is that climate change is not a fight to be fought individually. This fight to protect the earth will require everyone's assistance, which means that it needs to be an easy and cost-friendly solution which is why decreasing the amount of food waste can be a viable solution to minimize the effects of climate change in the years to come.

Sometimes the smallest gifts to a community make the most lasting impact on all individuals involved. To begin, I am a college student, and I do not have a sustainable income where I can continuously donate money to my community. However, I still want to give back to the community that raised me and allowed me to pursue my dreams. Instead, I donate my time and volunteer to better someone's day as well as my day. Since the start of the pandemic, I have volunteered at a not-for-profit organization that provides extra care to children and their families who were discharged from the hospital. This could include education for family members on feeding tubes as well as children receiving care from physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and child life specialists. Through this organization, I can donate either my time by volunteering to play with the children that are currently there or I can donate books, toys, or money to keep the organization thriving for years to come. Even throughout my hectic schedule in pharmacy school, I still find time to volunteer almost because I learned that even a small amount of time can have a lasting impact on these children and their families. While I am with them, I play with them and engage in brain-stimulating activities with them. The children there often do not realize that they are learning, but instead, they are just excited to play with someone. Furthermore, I am in my second year of pharmacy school, and throughout my journey volunteering, I have learned how important it is to give back to my community. Before volunteering, I used to think that "giving back to your community" came with a price tag. After graduating from pharmacy school, I hope to be a free and accessible resource to my community regarding over-the-counter medication treatments, government assistance programs, and other resources that a person may need but may not know where to begin. It has always been my dream to become a doctor, and having such a supportive community has allowed me to pursue this dream. For those reading, my advice would be to volunteer in your community in any way possible. While volunteering with your time is beneficial to other people, it is also valuable to us because people can teach us new things. Volunteering and interacting with others builds empathy and allows us to see the world through their viewpoint. I have never felt so proud to be a part of a child's first words, first steps, and many other accomplishments that I would have never experienced if I did not begin volunteering. This passion for serving the underserved has been my motivator throughout pharmacy school, which has helped me to accomplish my goals in school.

The first song to come to mind that has a valuable message for everyone is PTSD by Juice Wrld, G Herbo, and Chance the Rapper. I thought of this song initially because the message behind the song is a message that each of the artists personally experienced. This song discusses growing up in an impoverished neighborhood and working hard enough to break the cycle of poverty and escape that lifestyle. Even after escaping that lifestyle, it is never forgotten, no matter how rich and famous an individual becomes. The song starts with: "I turn the news on when I smell death in the air I prove you wrong, I made it out of here I don't belong, I see my past everywhere Don't stand too close to me, eternal PTSD". This part of the song sets the tone for the rest to follow. There are many levels of trauma associated with their experiences in an impoverished lifestyle, which is something money can not fix. This song has an important message for a lot of people who think money will solve all of their problems. The purpose of this song was to honor Juice Wrld after he passed away in early 2020. Even with all of the money in the world, some problems can still be persistent enough to lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, and this song amplifies this message to their audience of teenagers and young adults.

I always enjoyed math from the moment I began in elementary school because of its relevance to all of the situations that occur in everyone's life on a daily basis. Every day as we drive, grocery shop, work tirelessly ,and even hang out with friends and family. Math builds the foundation for analytical thinking that can be translated into the hundreds of daily life decisions that are made. Math can be appreciated on a deeper level once the connections in an individual's mind are made between math and the world around us. For me, math is a vital part of my career as a pharmacist. Almost all medications are based on factors unique to an individual which are derived from math. Without mathematics, science and technological developments would never have become as niche and advanced as they are today. Therapeutical efficacy for medications has increased dramatically since the advancement of lab tests, all of which have some degree of mathematics behind them. Furthermore, I love math not only because I have always loved school, but I love it because of its relevance to every single day. I also appreciate how universal math is across all languages and cultures, which is something very rare and unique to this subject. Language barriers can be very difficult to overcome, but mathematics can be understood even with a language barrier which is something I find very powerful about the subject. It has taken many mathematicians and hundreds of years to come up with detailed answers to questions that have been proposed.

According to the USDA, 30 to 40 percent of the food supply is considered "food waste". Food waste can be from an individual level by throwing out unfinished food or scraps, and food waste can be from a corporation level by fast-food businesses throwing out food and ingredients daily. Food waste is connected to climate change because food in landfills can produce greenhouse gases, including methane, that alter the earth's temperature similar to burning fossil fuels, including gas for cars and other transportation. I think this is the most resourceful way to combat climate change because of two main reasons. One reason is that less food in landfills will significantly decrease greenhouse gases and positively reduce the climate of the earth, and the other reason is that decreasing food waste will help the ongoing hunger crisis both nationally and globally. To further my point, decreasing food waste can also be an individual task as well as a task for large corporations. As an individual, we can do small things such as using up all of the food we have in our homes before going grocery shopping for more food. There are also hundreds of recipes on the internet from people who turn scraps of food that would have been thrown away into delicious meals when possible. As for corporations, business owners can assess their revenue and inventory and slightly change their inventory to fit the customer's needs and decrease food waste. Furthermore, the severity of the hunger crisis has increased since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic due to the death of loved ones, job layoffs, and overall less production of necessary foods. As for myself, I learned that it would be impractical to cut out all of the fossil fuels in my life, such as using a car. To get to and from school and my job, I often need to take a bus, train, or car. Since I live in the Midwest, biking is not always a feasible transportation method in the winter. Moreover, electric vehicles are becoming more mainstream, but, unfortunately, most electric cars are in a price range that makes them not a feasible option for most people. Decreasing food waste is a small part of the day that everyone can do because it does not cost anything. As for myself, I am a second-year pharmacy student, and my budget is limited, making me more motivated to lessen my food waste. Decreasing my food waste will inherently decrease my grocery budget. Furthermore, I partake in other environmentally friendly activities, including recycling and using reusable bags. What I have learned over the years is that climate change is not a fight to be fought individually. This fight to protect the earth will require everyone's assistance, which means that it needs to be an easy and cost-friendly solution which is why decreasing the amount of food waste can be a viable solution to minimize the effects of climate change in the years to come.

My experience with my mental health was healthy for most of my life. That was until I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that would change my life. Most of my life was spent building a sturdy foundational relationship with my mental health. However, I saw it crumble and flash before my eyes as I started the last few years of my doctorate academic career while having an autoimmune disease. Growing up my family was, and still is, incredibly supportive of my life choices. A relationship I would say that is one in a million. Even after having to piece my life back together after receiving the news at age eleven that I will have type one diabetes for the rest of my life, they were still there to welcome me with open arms. They were there throughout my educational sessions on how to administer insulin, test my blood sugar, and respond to low blood sugar episodes. After receiving the news and adjusting to this new sense of normality, I felt like I could conquer anything. I had many questions about the disease, mainly involving the cause of the disease, that did not have answers. These unanswered questions simmered in my mind throughout the rest of elementary school, middle school, and high school. This ultimately impacted my mental health because I began to ask myself questions like "what did I do wrong to cause this disease?" and "what will my friends think of me?". No matter how much support I received from my family, I could not shake those thoughts out of my head until I began to search for answers about the cause of my development of type one diabetes. Fast forward to the beginning of college, I realized I wanted to pursue this disease area further. I went to a community college in my area with a burning passion for finding answers that could change the lives of millions of people. These unanswered questions led to the deterioration of my mental health, and I could only imagine that millions of others felt the same way I felt. After graduating with an Associate of Science, I accepted an early-decision spot at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy and began taking courses in the summer of 2021. While I was excited to start my journey, I realized I had to make many sacrifices, mentally and physically, to achieve this dream. My relationship with my mental health began to weaken further as I could not take as much time to myself to relax. I attended classes from 8 am to 4 pm, then went home to study from 5 pm to 11 pm. Day after day of this routine with no adequate breaks, nutritious meals, and consistent exercise, I hit a breaking point. I never realized how much I took for granted those things in life: exercising, being with my loved ones, eating a filling and nutritious meals, and many other things. While my grades were good in the first quarter, I knew that they could be better if I incorporated those things into my daily routine. I began to make time for my friends and family, prepare meals ahead of time so I always had a nutritious meal to eat, and exercise consistently every day of the week. These influenced my mental health drastically, ultimately improving my grades and strengthening my career aspirations. Currently, I am one year away from graduating with my Doctor of Pharmacy, and my goal of finding answers for those with type one diabetes is in progress and far from over. Throughout this time, I would like to thank my family and friends for never questioning my career aspirations. They had never left my side, even in my darkest and most trying moments. For those reading, I would also like to note that you do not have to give up your daily moments of peace to pursue your dreams. Those moments included making myself meals, exercising, talking with my friends, and many other things that did not take much time to do throughout the day. Those moments of peace throughout the day saved me, and many others, from developing a negative relationship with mental health.

One technological device that has revolutionized my life and millions of others' lives is the Tandem Slim x2 insulin pump. I have lived with type one diabetes for over eleven years and this one device has increased the ease of managing my disease state daily. Since I have had type one diabetes, I have seen the evolution of medical devices, such as the insulin pump, transform technologically. This device along with my old devices has inspired me and has made me believe that technology can make the world a better place. In 1974, the first insulin pump was invented and used. This insulin pump was the size of a backpack and was very heavy and difficult to operate. In 2022, my insulin pump is half of the size of my smartphone device. This device has not only gotten smaller in the past 50 years, but it has become easier to use, more accurate, and more personalized to every individual's disease state. These traits ultimately lead to a better disease state outcome for those who have type one diabetes. This one technological advancement has changed my life along with millions of other type one diabetics. For one, it is much easier to administer insulin through an insulin pump when compared to using an insulin pen that needs to be primed, prepped, and administered into the skin. This process with an insulin pen can take up to ten minutes, versus ten seconds with an insulin pump. Additionally, an insulin pump can also accurately determine a patient's blood sugar value every five minutes of the day, allowing the patient to respond accordingly to keep their disease state properly managed. Manually testing a patient's blood sugar four times a day does not provide as vivid of a picture when compared to a blood sugar ready every five minutes. Along with the huge advancement in insulin pump technology, and its benefits to diabetics who can wear it, comes the downside that is still a reality for many. The retail price of the T Slim x2 without insurance is $5,099. Medical insurance is incredibly costly in America, and even though almost every endocrinologist recommends an insulin pump for type one diabetics, many are not able to afford it. This is one downside of technological advancements because not everyone can experience the benefits.

One technological device that has revolutionized my life and millions of others' lives is the Tandem Slim x2 insulin pump. I have lived with type one diabetes for over eleven years and this one device has increased the ease of managing my disease state daily. Since I have had type one diabetes, I have seen the evolution of medical devices, such as the insulin pump, transform technologically. This device along with my old devices has inspired me and has made me believe that technology can make the world a better place. In 1974, the first insulin pump was invented and used. This insulin pump was the size of a backpack and was very heavy and difficult to operate. In 2022, my insulin pump is half of the size of my smartphone device. This device has not only gotten smaller in the past 50 years, but it has become easier to use, more accurate, and more personalized to every individual's disease state. These traits ultimately lead to a better disease state outcome for those who have type one diabetes. This one technological advancement has changed my life along with millions of other type one diabetics. For one, it is much easier to administer insulin through an insulin pump when compared to using an insulin pen that needs to be primed, prepped, and administered into the skin. This process with an insulin pen can take up to ten minutes, versus ten seconds with an insulin pump. Additionally, an insulin pump can also accurately determine a patient's blood sugar value every five minutes of the day, allowing the patient to respond accordingly to keep their disease state properly managed. Manually testing a patient's blood sugar four times a day does not provide as vivid of a picture when compared to a blood sugar ready every five minutes. Along with the huge advancement in insulin pump technology, and its benefits to diabetics who can wear it, comes the downside that is still a reality for many. The retail price of the T Slim x2 without insurance is $5,099. Medical insurance is incredibly costly in America, and even though almost every endocrinologist recommends an insulin pump for type one diabetics, many are not able to afford it. This is one downside of technological advancements because not everyone can experience the benefits.

My experience with my mental health was healthy for most of my life. That was until I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that would change my life. Most of my life was spent building a sturdy foundational relationship with my mental health. However, I saw it crumble and flash before my eyes as I started the last few years of my doctorate academic career while having an autoimmune disease. Growing up my family was, and still is, incredibly supportive of my life choices. A relationship I would say that is one in a million. Even after having to piece my life back together after receiving the news at age eleven that I will have type one diabetes for the rest of my life, they were still there to welcome me with open arms. They were there throughout my educational sessions on how to administer insulin, test my blood sugar, and respond to low blood sugar episodes. After receiving the news and adjusting to this new sense of normality, I felt like I could conquer anything. I had many questions about the disease, mainly involving the cause of the disease, that did not have answers. These unanswered questions simmered in my mind throughout the rest of elementary school, middle school, and high school. This ultimately impacted my mental health because I began to ask myself questions like "what did I do wrong to cause this disease?" and "what will my friends think of me?". No matter how much support I received from my family, I could not shake those thoughts out of my head until I began to search for answers about the cause of my development of type one diabetes. Fast forward to the beginning of college, I realized I wanted to pursue this disease area further. I went to a community college in my area with a burning passion for finding answers that could change the lives of millions of people. These unanswered questions led to the deterioration of my mental health, and I could only imagine that millions of others felt the same way I felt. After graduating with an Associate of Science, I accepted an early-decision spot at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy and began taking courses in the summer of 2021. While I was excited to start my journey, I realized I had to make many sacrifices, mentally and physically, to achieve this dream. My relationship with my mental health began to weaken further as I could not take as much time to myself to relax. I attended classes from 8 am to 4 pm, then went home to study from 5 pm to 11 pm. Day after day of this routine with no adequate breaks, nutritious meals, and consistent exercise, I hit a breaking point. I never realized how much I took for granted those things in life: exercising, being with my loved ones, eating a filling and nutritious meals, and many other things. While my grades were good in the first quarter, I knew that they could be better if I incorporated those things into my daily routine. I began to make time for my friends and family, prepare meals ahead of time so I always had a nutritious meal to eat, and exercise consistently every day of the week. These influenced my mental health drastically, ultimately improving my grades and strengthening my career aspirations. Currently, I am one year away from graduating with my Doctor of Pharmacy, and my goal of finding answers for those with type one diabetes is in progress and far from over. Throughout this time, I would like to thank my family and friends for never questioning my career aspirations. They had never left my side, even in my darkest and most trying moments. For those reading, I would also like to note that you do not have to give up your daily moments of peace to pursue your dreams. Those moments included making myself meals, exercising, talking with my friends, and many other things that did not take much time to do throughout the day. Those moments of peace throughout the day saved me, and many others, from developing a negative relationship with mental health.

My favorite Disney character is princess Tiana from the movie 'The Princess and the Frog' because of her undeniable passion for her dream of owning a restaurant. As a kid, I was always determined to pursue my dreams. In addition, I believed in not accepting failure as an option but seeing failure and obstacles as a redirection to enhance my future. This movie was one of the first Disney princess movies that differed from the previous line of Disney princess movies because of the contemporary reality Tiana portrayed about saving money and working hard to make dreams come true. Princess Tiana was always my favorite Disney character because I remember going to my local movie theatre when I was eight to see the grand premiere. While holding popcorn in one hand and soda in the other, I was ready for my perspective on life to change drastically. Like Princess Tiana, I always had a strong connection with my family and frequently dreamed of making them proud. Seeing Princess Tiana accomplish the dreams she told her father about made me connect with her to a level different from any other Disney character. As I continued through school, I graduated high school and college, and I am in my second year of pursuing a Doctor in Pharmacy. My dream has always been to hold a higher education because it was a dream my parents sacrificed to give my sister and me a better life. Princess Tiana continues to motivate me to pursue my dreams, even if others may think that it is an unrealistic dream. My favorite song from the movie that continues to resonate with me is titled 'Almost There' when Princess Tiana envisioned her fancy restaurant in the new space she recently secured. I, too, remind myself that I am "almost there" and that the treacherous journey will be worth it when I am in the spot I always envisioned. Princess Tiana's uplifting personality and optimism showed children that a good attitude is needed to accomplish a dream of any size. Growing up with an autoimmune disease, I struggled with always finding positivity, as life always felt like an uphill battle. Princess Tiana showed me how to be confident in myself even if I do not fit societal standards.

In the summer of 2021, I began a Doctor of Pharmacy program at twenty years old. Before school started, I was already scared and comparing myself to others before meeting anyone, but I was determined to accomplish this. Along the way, I learned to focus on my journey and not compare it to anyone else's because I realized everyone had a unique path that led them to pharmacy school. Pharmacy school inspired my personal growth because it was an experience unlike ever before. Before starting higher education, I never struggled mentally or academically, and I realized that once you begin to struggle in life, you are then unlocking another part of yourself. I agree with this because I had to get out of my comfort zone to get the most out of my first year of pharmacy school. A year ago, I was a shy person, and the thought of presenting in front of a class terrified me. One thing that has changed about me in the past year is that I am more outgoing and approachable. I ask questions when I am unsure of things to my peers or professors, I volunteer to try something to get the most out of the learning activity, and I connect with my peers and patients. Once I began to focus on my journey to success, I focused less on what everyone was saying about me and more on the quality of my education and experiences in school. I would have never unlocked this part of myself if it were not for my school driving me to unlock it. I realized that I do not learn well by being a bystander and not interacting with the information given to me by professors in class. Throughout this past year, one thing that has stayed the same is my passion for influencing patients and my drive to achieve a Doctor of Pharmacy. I believe the struggle and rigor of the curriculum have strengthened my purpose for becoming a pharmacist and have solidified my belief that this is the right career path for me. I also learned to embrace my differences because these differences will help me to become a better pharmacist for my patients. I have type one diabetes, and dealing with providers for over a decade has influenced my decisions when I become a provider for patients. I used to be embarrassed about this, but now I am proud to have something that could help me connect better with patients. I learned through my journey to pursue what you are passionate about, which may not always be the most convenient or easy path. The journey can strengthen the decision and help push you outside your comfort zone to form a better version of yourself. While my journey may not be over, I can still influence future individuals so they can get the most out of their graduate school experience.

Mental is a fundamental part of not just myself but everyone that I interact with daily. I am in my second year of pharmacy school, and higher education has influenced my view of mental health. With that, I believe it is key to one's mental health to have someone to talk to when there is an issue. My friends have helped me maintain my mental wellness. With all of the studying involved in pharmacy school, I had to learn to take some time to myself to maintain a healthy relationship with my mental health. When I did not take some time for this, I saw my motivation deplete, and I witnessed my grades suffer due to a lack of motivation. Therefore, having a bad relationship with your mental health can lead to a snowball of detrimental effects, and it can be hard to come to terms with it if it gets too bad. In addition to having someone to confide in, I also think it is important that we fuel our bodies appropriately. By appropriately, I mean having a balance between foods that are good for us physically and foods that are good for us mentally and emotionally. I used to think that it was vital to solely eat healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, and water. However, restricting foods in this way can also lead to a bad relationship with one's mental health. As I said earlier, having a bad relationship with your mental health is noticeable to others and is not only visible to ourselves. From personal experience, I have seen friends struggle mentally due to the rigor of school, and I was able to see it and help before it became too bad. It is crucial to do something if it is clear that someone is not okay and that being a bystander at that moment can cause harm. In addition, having a circle of people who have a positive relationship with their mental health is also crucial when achieving mental wellness. I think it is necessary to surround yourself with people who want you to become a better version of yourself and who will help you to achieve that. As I advance in my education and, ultimately, my career, I want to share these tactics with my future patients who may struggle to achieve mental wellness. Moreover, there is no one-size-fits-all method to obtain a positive relationship with your mental health, but the first step is always being honest with yourself and having someone by your side to help you with this journey. If I did not have a good relationship with myself, I would become very burned out in my career, and I would not be able to impact my patients and influence their lives for the better.

Something about college that excites me is the unknown. I walked into my first day of college three years ago with the idea that I knew what I wanted to do and that my path was straightforward. Fast forward three years, and I realized it was not very clear-cut. One thing I struggled with was my mental health and my relationship with food and exercise. I participated in cheerleading throughout high school, which helped me fit exercise into my routine as a student. However, I did not pursue cheerleading in college, and I had to develop an exercise routine to follow. Developing a healthy relationship with exercise led allowed me to have a healthy relationship with my mental health, body image, and my spirit. Eventually, I did develop a routine during my two years at community college. I discovered Pilates, and I began practicing Pilates at least three times a week. Once I thought I had everything figured out, I applied for an early acceptance Doctor of Pharmacy program at the end of my two years of college. Months later, I was accepted, and I started that summer. Transitioning from community college to graduate school was a big jump for me educationally, mentally, and physically. I did not practice Pilates as much during my first quarter of school, and I witnessed a shift in my mental and spiritual health because of not exercising. Before the next quarter of school started, I planned my exercise more in a planner to regularly practice Pilates again. I found this very helpful because I saw what days I could exercise without feeling pressured to do something I enjoyed. After starting Pilates again, I kept a consistent schedule throughout my first year of pharmacy school, and I saw positive changes in my mind, body, and soul because of this schedule. My journey towards health is complex also because I have type one diabetes. This diagnosis motivates me to live a healthy lifestyle because exercise has always helped me to stay within a normal range for blood lab values. I am fortunate to pursue higher education with my diagnosis. This diagnosis did not hold me back from pursuing a Doctor in Pharmacy degree. Pilates taught me how to spend time in the moment, which is especially difficult to practice in graduate school. Throughout the challenging moments in my educational career, I have always been able to exercise to help keep me motivated and have a healthy relationship with my mental health. It has not always been easy, and I have had to adopt new strategies to maintain my physical activity because my physical activity influences my mind, body, and soul. I just began my second year of pharmacy school, and I plan to still exercise and eat healthy throughout my educational journey. Overall, the one thing guaranteed in college was the unknown of what was next.

Science is at the core of all advancements, from medicinal to technological. Ultimately, these advancements do impact all members of society and the economy. Science advancements do not only impact those actively involved in the science community; they also affect everyone at one point or another. Many people require critical care within minutes of a situation, and driving to the emergency room and receiving care from a team of healthcare professionals is a reality because of scientific advancements. Messaging someone across the world is possible because of technology. Even though there have been technological improvements in the last hundred years, there is still more to research, uncover, and improve in science. I started to delve into the mysteries of science early on in high school. I was fascinated with how much scientists knew and how much scientists still have left to research and discover. This fascination led me into my undergraduate years. I graduated from community college with an Associate's degree in science, and I was still yearning to learn more in the world of science, focusing on human life and genetics. Furthermore, I am in my second year of pharmacy school, expecting to graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and pursue that respective career in 2024. I am in a dual-degree program pursuing a certificate in precision medicine. I chose to pursue this degree along with a degree in pharmacy because I believe that precision medicine will be the new way of practicing medicine in the next decade. Precision medicine is an up-and-coming field that takes an individual's genome and uses that information to tailor the most effective care plan. Individualized medication care plans will eliminate most of the risk of drug toxicity and drug inefficacy, two common disadvantages in drug therapy that healthcare providers and patients face daily. Genetic counselors and pharmacists can work together simultaneously to do a thorough and complete work-up on a patient that includes details on drug administration, drug frequency, and other special instructions. With these two degrees, I would be able to contribute to advancements in medicine and help a vast array of individuals in society. I have had type one diabetes for eleven years. Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting from an individual's genome and the environment around them. I am passionate about the human genome because I want to learn more about my disease state. The cause of type-one diabetes is still unknown, although many researchers believe regions of an individual's genome influence the expression of the disease. I am grateful to explore this topic further in my educational career, and my findings can impact others with type one diabetes. Overall, I have learned throughout my high school, undergraduate, and graduate education that science is a vast topic with many areas of research and niche topics. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to explore human genetics and how prescription medications can be manipulated based on an individual's genome to increase their efficacy. My personal experiences influenced my research topic, validating why science is at the core of improving our society and daily activities.

Learning is valuable to me because it was not always accessible, and in many parts of the world, it is still not accessible. My plan to change that starts with becoming a healthcare provider. In many parts of the world, women cannot become healthcare providers. I am fortunate enough to continue my education to change the healthcare system for the better. Furthermore, I am in my second year of pharmacy school and working part-time at a pharmacy. One common phrase I hear is, "I do not know anything about my medications because my doctor handles that for me". I believe patients must be well-informed about their medications. As I begin my career as a pharmacist, I plan to change that statement. It is crucial for the doctor and the patient to be well informed about their medications and ask questions to ease any worries the patient might have. It is essential that healthcare providers are confident about their therapy plans and that patients are knowledgeable about their therapy plans. Healthcare is all about being a team, and there are things to be learned from patients. Moreover, the career of a pharmacist is a job that requires continuous learning. Papers are constantly published in medical journals, organizations review their guidelines annually, and technology is advancing faster than ever. Learning is essential because my future career is ever-changing with information and technology. I plan to keep up with this by continuously subscribing to multiple organizations that send out daily emails about new things changing in the healthcare field. Additionally, learning is essential to my well-being because I have type-one diabetes. Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease affecting a small percentage of the American population. Since my diagnosis in 2011, technology has shaped my therapeutic plans and lab values. In the beginning, I had to learn how to count carbohydrates, and I learned how to adjust my insulin values based on the number of carbohydrates I eat at once. I also had to learn how to use my insulin pump and adjust to the updates companies have made on their insulin pumps. Learning was necessary at that moment for me to gain my independence back and take care of myself. Learning is also important in the future as new technology comes out to make life with type one diabetes even more effortless. Overall, learning is important to me now and for the rest of my life because of my future career and my physical health. I plan to continue to be open to learning new things that will positively impact my life and patients' lives. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, learning is a skill that is not accessible to everyone, and it is our job to make it accessible in any way possible. For me, this happens to be through my career in pharmacy.

I have had type one diabetes for eleven years. Along the way, I have learned that my idea of a healthy lifestyle varies from everyone else's vision. In 1921, only 100 years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for those with type one diabetes that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. One way I maintain my physical health is by going to the doctor because I believe that is essential to living a healthy life. My doctor checks my lab values and HbA1c to verify that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. While this may not be everyone's vision of how they maintain physical health, this is a vital part of mine. Moreover, I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and the foods I eat because they give me the energy I need to study and work every day. Exercising and moving my body always gives me energy, and it is a crucial stress reliever. I make a little time to exercise every day to get all the mental and physical benefits of exercise. When I do not have much time, I can practice Pilates for thirty minutes to still get the positive benefits of exercise that I look forward to without spending too much time. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been a little difficult because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks for myself that are healthier than some of the vending machine options offered at my university. Pre-packing my meals and snacks has been helpful toward my goal of eating a balanced diet. Aside from the physical and nutritional lifestyle changes I have made since my diagnosis, I have also found that mental health is equally as important. I believe that it is essential that everyone has at least one person they can trust to talk to about their mental health. I have a very tight bond with my friends and family, and this bond helps me have a positive relationship with my mental health. Pharmacy school has also been difficult mentally, making it even more crucial to have a support system to help me get through school and life. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising are not always accessible or easy to do for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life.

I have had type one diabetes for eleven years. Along the way, I have learned that my idea of a healthy lifestyle varies from everyone else's vision. I live a healthy life not only to have a good quality of life but also to extend my life expectancy. In 1921, only 100 years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for those with type one diabetes that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. This experience has shaped my idea of a healthy life. Nonetheless, I believe a healthy lifestyle includes eating well and exercising consistently. I have incorporated these habits into my life since my diagnosis and it has become more of a lifestyle and not just a "diet" or something I have to do. In addition, I think going to the doctor is essential to living a healthy life because my doctor checks my lab values and HbA1c to verify that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. Moreover, I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and the foods I eat because they give me the energy I need to study and work every day. Exercising and moving my body always gives me energy, and it is a crucial stress reliever. I make a little time to exercise every day to get all the mental and physical benefits of exercise. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been a little difficult because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks for myself that are healthier than some of the vending machine options offered at my university. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising are not always accessible or easy to do for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life. A healthy lifestyle is not only crucial for my mental health, but it is also necessary for my physical health and my ability to make the most out of my life with type one diabetes. Moreover, I believe it is essential to have healthy eating habits to get the most out of each day and have enough energy to do multiple things in a day. After practicing this lifestyle every day, I have noticed a difference in my energy level and outlook on life.

I adopted my dog in 2007 when she was one year old. Her name is Ella, and she is a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu. She has been with me for every milestone from first grade to my second year of pharmacy school at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Ella has positively impacted my life because she is always something I can look forward to after a long day of school, work, or life. She will not judge me even when I am harsh on myself or when I am tired. She is someone I can always sit next to, and I am very grateful to have this relationship. My dog helps me emotionally every day. She is always there for me when I am sad or stressed out, whether it is because of school or my personal life. My dog is always there for me, even when I feel like no one else is there for me at that moment. She is one of my proudest accomplishments because I have cared for her for the past sixteen years. I also have friends and family who own dogs, and they can vouch that owning a dog can increase a person's quality of life. Owning a dog is an accomplishment because it can be a good amount of work, but they are worth all the effort put into them. In addition, I think that owning a dog at such a young age helps children learn about responsibility and respect for all animals. As a young child, I had to learn to feed my dog, take her on walks, play with her, and brush her to keep her looking nice. All of this is a considerable amount of responsibility for a child. This responsibility also helps children understand that when you put a good amount of effort into something, you can get a big reward at the end of the day, which is being able to say you own a dog! While owning a dog may not be for everyone, it positively impacted my childhood and will always be something I can look back on. My dog is currently sixteen years old, and I love to be around my dog just as much as I did when I first brought her home. I have come to realize that my dog and I have a strong bond, and I am very grateful to have this bond with my dog. I continue to take care of her after sixteen years and still see the positive benefits of owning a dog. My dog is a part of the family, and we will take care of her as we have for the past sixteen years. I am proud to call a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu one of my best friends.

I believe in giving everyone a chance. When volunteering with young children, I realize how uniquely intelligent each one is. I volunteer at Lurie Children's Hospital, and regardless of their medical conditions, these children meet and give everyone a chance without judgment. Because of this overwhelming amount of positivity they exude, it is easy to treat them the same way. I have a medical condition myself, and it is heartwarming to walk into the room and have them look beyond that, so I treat them with the same amount of respect. When these children are in the hospital or transitional care, it is difficult to look past their medical conditions because that is the primary concern most people have for them. However, children are intelligent and can see that body language and begin to feel different from others because they are looked at first by their medical condition. Given my position as a recreational volunteer, I do not look at them that way, but I look at them as a friend. The selflessness these children give me reminds me to embody selflessness every day because it is possible to help people without spending too much money. I am a second-year pharmacy student, and I do not have much money to donate to every charity I want. However, through this program, I can give them two to four hours weekly and donate a toy at least once a month. By doing this, I am making the difference I want to achieve in children's lives even though I am not wealthy. Every time I volunteer with them, I realize that this effort is worth it because these children are kind enough to take time out of their day to spend time with me. Their time is valuable with physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and other routine appointments they must attend weekly. I always remember that volunteering is not just one person taking time out of their schedule to help someone else, but it is two people taking time out of their busy schedules to help each other. There is a lot to learn from these children, making embodying selflessness every day easier and more important to do. Overall, while I embody selflessness by volunteering with children at Lurie Children's Hospital and their transitional care facility, I have learned how to do so through playing and spending time with them. When I am offered a toy by one of the children, I am honored because I am offered something important to them, which shows selflessness. To give back to them, I donate a toy to the company as a small act of kindness.

Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, I have been an active leader in my community through influence in healthcare. I have been working at Walgreens pharmacy since the beginning of the pandemic, which has allowed me to be a voice for my community. Since the news of the outbreak hit the news at the beginning of 2019, questions and concerns have been flowing that scientists and healthcare professionals do not always have the answer to. There is ongoing research about this virus, so protocol and information about the situation change constantly. Even though there is new information every day, it is our job in the pharmacy to give patients the most accurate and up-to-date information. Many people are scared about the future of this virus, and it has been impacting their mental health tremendously. My job includes being part of their support system and a shoulder to cry on during these devastating times. Many lives have been lost due to the multiple variants of Coronavirus. My role in the pharmacy has expanded in the last five years. It went from being the mitigator between patients and insurance to being someone to go to for emotional problems the pandemic has caused in addition to all of the other services presented to control the spread of Coronavirus. In addition to being a solid support system in my community during the pandemic, vaccine and testing administration are other crucial roles in the pharmacy. Due to all the new services added, our wait times in the pharmacy have increased. This has caused emotional distress for our customers. Our job in the pharmacy also requires us to lessen their worries and offer them solutions. Our patients have a lot of concerns already due to Coronavirus, and the healthcare system should not add to their problems. I have been an active leader in my community by opening up the scope of my role in the pharmacy in response to the needs of my community. Moreover, I have been volunteering at Lurie Children’s Hospital as a recreational volunteer who plays with children that are confined to a hospital room for most of the day, and this gives them something else to focus on while they are there. Volunteering with children has given me another purpose outside of my pharmacy career. This job allows me to personally connect with children and build relationships with them, which is also a crucial skill when working in a pharmacy. Moreover, this experience has strengthened my leadership role in the pharmacy because I can also help children with their fear of shots and lessen the problem. Overall, these experiences have helped me to look deeper into my job in the pharmacy. I am no longer a cashier who counts pills and hands the medication over. I am someone who vaccinates everyone ages three and up, educates patients on antiviral Coronavirus therapy, sympathizes with patients who need someone to talk to, and so much more.

I realized I was different from everyone else on October 7th, 2011. On this day, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes, an autoimmune disease that about 5% of the United States has. I was ten years old, and this diagnosis was difficult to comprehend because I always "fit in" with my friends before this day. I grew up accepting that this disease state was my new life, and it was something I would have to live with for the rest of my life. That was until I began volunteering for Lurie Children's Hospital Almost Home Kids. I began volunteering with this company in the summer of 2019. It was nearby, and I was amazed at the kind of work happening so close to home. This non-for-profit company focuses on transitioning children from intensive hospital care to home health care provided by their parents or loved ones. My role as a volunteer was to enrich the child's learning experiences by reading to them, drawing with them, playing board games, roaming outside, and many other playful activities. I was able to show up for this community of children who required more care than other children. Even though they may have needed more physical and psychological care, they still enjoyed the same activities as every other child. I can bring my experiences to the table to ease their worries about being "different" from others. The road to success for them has the same start and end point as every other child, but the path to get there was different. This is how I felt in my childhood because I needed to take my exams in another room due to my risk of having a low blood sugar episode. I am still volunteering with this company up to two times a week, for two hours each session, because of the positive impact it has had on me. I am not only benefiting the children there, but I am also learning more about myself and my true purpose in life. This experience led me to apply for pharmacy school in 2020 and eventually start pharmacy school in 2021. I am in my second year of pharmacy school, and I plan to continue researching my disease state even further, along with alternative therapies, including music and animals and their effects on physical and psychological disease states. I was able to show up for the children in this community as a friend and not just another healthcare professional analyzing them. In addition, I make them feel like every other child in hopes they do not go through the mental struggles I endured when learning about my autoimmune disease. Growing up, I always looked for answers to why I was "chosen" to have type one diabetes, a disease I will live with for the rest of my life. Then, I found this community of healthcare workers and volunteers who strive to give this group of children the best life possible. In addition to that, I went to pharmacy school to serve that purpose. The allyship between disease states allowed me to answer the question of why I was chosen, out of the millions of Americans, to have type one diabetes.

I have had type one diabetes ever since I was eleven years old. I am twenty-one years old, and I have learned that my idea of a healthy life is probably different from everyone else's. I need to live a healthy life not only to have a good quality of life but also to extend my life expectancy. I changed my diet, incorporated cleaner foods into each meal, created a consistent exercise plan, and created a plan to consume enough water. I have been doing this ever since I was diagnosed with type one diabetes, and this lifestyle allows me to have a lot of energy and a healthy relationship with my mental health. In 1921, only one hundred years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for diabetics that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. This experience has shaped my idea of a healthy life. Nonetheless, I believe that having a clean and healthy lifestyle still includes eating well and exercising consistently. I have incorporated these habits into my life for over ten years, and it has become more of a lifestyle and not just a "diet" or something I have to do. In addition to these, I also think that going to the doctor is very important because my doctor checks my lab values and my HbA1c to make sure that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. This is one important clean living practice for me because it allows me to make any changes to my medication dosing to improve my quality of life. Moreover, I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and to the foods I eat because they both give me the energy I need to study and work every day. Exercising and moving my body not only gives me energy, but it is a crucial stress reliever, so I must make a little time for it every day to get all the benefits of it. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been a little difficult because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks for myself that are healthier than some of the vending machine options offered at my university. Some foods have a higher glycemic index, like bread, and will raise my blood glucose faster. Other foods, like fruits, have a lower glycemic index which allows me to stay in my blood glucose range and have a better HbA1c. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising are not always accessible or easy to do for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life for my situation.

My mother graduated high school in 1985 and decided not to pursue higher education due to the cost and other family issues that were important at that moment. In 1985, about 12.25 million people went to college, according to Statista.com. In 2022, over 20 million people decided to pursue higher education and enroll in college. My higher education allows me to strive to be a better version of myself and give back to my family for the sacrifices they made for me to succeed. Even though college enrollment is being advertised more than ever, it is still not entirely accessible to everyone. Higher education is important to me because it is something that not everyone has the opportunity to obtain. My mother decided to work and save to give my sister and me a middle-class lifestyle. When it came time for college, I remember it not having to be an option if I can go to college or not. At that moment, that made me value any higher education I obtain. My parents wanted me to go to college so that I could give myself and others a comfortable lifestyle for years to come. I went to a community college for my first two years after graduating high school. Although many of my friends went to big universities, I was still grateful for the opportunity of advancing my knowledge in science because I had a big passion for the subject. I was able to apply for pharmacy school after those two years, and I walked into my first day of pharmacy school without any debt from my undergraduate years. I was able to work during my undergraduate years as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens, where I still currently work, and obtain scholarships to cover the cost of attending a community college. I am currently in my second year of pharmacy school expecting to graduate in May of 2024. I am very thankful for my current and future journey in higher education. I am studying for my Doctor of Pharmacy and a certificate in Precision Medicine. My goal after completing my education is to provide accessible healthcare to those who have to ignore their health problems because seeing a doctor is too expensive for them. Accessible healthcare in the United States is not common for those without insurance, including doctor visits and prescription medicines. This education is very important to achieving this goal because a lot of education is required to successfully solve patients' health problems and provide them resources to help get doctor visits and prescription medicines covered without insurance. Even though I walked into pharmacy school with no debt, I will have accumulated over $200,000 dollars of debt once I graduate. Scholarships are important to students like me because they relieve some of the financial burdens that will follow us after we graduate from earning a higher education. I started my journey with a passion for helping those who may not have others to help them, and if I can lessen the financial burden of student loans, then I can focus on my goals even more.

I have grown up with type one diabetes ever since I was 11 years old. I am now 21 years old and along the way, I have learned that my idea of a healthy life may be different from everyone else's. To me, I must live a healthy life not only to have a good quality of life but also to extend my life expectancy. In 1921, only 100 years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone who was diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for type one diabetics that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. This experience has shaped my idea of a healthy life. Nonetheless, I believe that living a healthy life still includes eating well and exercising consistently. I have incorporated these habits into my life ever since my diagnosis and it has become more of a lifestyle and not just a "diet" or something that I have to do. In addition to these, I also think that going to the doctor is very important for me because my doctor checks my lab values and my HbA1c to make sure that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. Moreover, I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and to the foods I eat because they both give me the energy I need to study and work every day. Exercising and moving my body always gives me energy and is a crucial stress reliever, and I must make a little time for it every day to get all the benefits of it. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been a little difficult because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks for myself that are healthier than some of the vending machine options that are offered at my university. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising are not always accessible or easy to do for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life for the situation I am given. A healthy lifestyle is not only important for my mental health, but it is also important for my physical health and my ability to make the most out of my life with type one diabetes.

I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. I am pursuing a career in pharmacy because I want to be an accessible medical resource to everybody regardless of if they can afford to go to the doctor or not. I chose to become a healthcare professional early on in schooling because I was diagnosed with type one diabetes when I was ten years old. I encountered countless physicians, nutritionists, nurses, and pharmacists who would base my quality of life solely on my lab values and not ask how I felt. However, when I met healthcare professionals who took the extra step to make sure I felt okay, I realized that I could be a positive change in the healthcare field. In addition to pursuing a degree in pharmacy, I am also pursuing a degree in precision medicine. I chose this degree as a minor because I believe that precision medicine will soon be how the world practices medicine. It involves analyzing a person's genome, and then making medication recommendations and dosing recommendations based on the genome results. This level of medication individuality will increase the effectiveness of medications on every patient overall. Both of these degrees require long nights of studying and require me to not lose focus on the reason why I began this journey in medicine. I began this journey to become an empathetic healthcare professional whom anyone can come to for advice. In addition to this, I am also working part-time as a pharmacy intern at Walgreens. This allows me to learn more about those who are already pharmacists. Additionally, working at Walgreens allows me to learn about how to care for patients who may only need somebody who will listen to them. Moreover, according to various studies, around two-thirds of patients avoid going to see a doctor for as long as they can. This may be due to previous negative experiences with doctors, cost, or lack of time. If I can solve any of these reasons for a patient, then all of the years of schooling will be deemed worth it. I want patients to not only have a positive experience with doctors, but I also want patients to not spend a lot of time or money caring for their health. With these thoughts in mind, I chose to pursue a degree in pharmacy along with a minor in precision medicine to be the change in the healthcare field that many people need.

As a second-year pharmacy student, my favorite scientific discovery is the invention of penicillin. My favorite part of the discovery is that it was an accidental discovery by Sir Alexander Fleming in the summer of 1928. I also find it amazing because it has not even been 100 years since the discovery of the first powerful antibiotic, and humans are already experiencing antibiotic resistance to penicillin and other antibiotics. Penicillin led the way for other penicillin derivatives to be discovered, like amoxicillin in 1972. However, penicillin is not as widely used anymore because it is one of the most common drug allergies currently. In addition to that, it has led the way for a huge public health problem: antibiotic resistance. According to the CDC, about 35,000 people die each year from an antibiotic-resistant infection. This is a global problem that is occurring. Antibiotic resistance has been around as long as penicillin has been around, which makes the discovery of penicillin even more fascinating. Instead of one scientific discovery in the summer of 1928 by Fleming, there were two: antibiotic resistance and penicillin. Since then, stronger antibiotics have been discovered for various infections including vancomycin and meropenem to try and combat antibiotic resistance. Other than that, it is a problem that is left unsolved currently.

I decided to pursue a degree in medicine to help people avoid the situation I encountered when I was ten years old. When I was ten years old I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. I was told there was no cure and that I would need to supplement myself with insulin before indulging in any food. I had so many questions, and as I grew up I decided to pursue a degree in healthcare to become a shoulder for someone who goes through the same situation I went through. I am in my second year of pharmacy school, with an expected graduation date of May 2024. However, my road to pharmacy school and throughout pharmacy school was never linear. When I graduated high school in 2019, I had no idea what kind of healthcare career I wanted to pursue. I shadowed nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and occupational therapists. I went through my general education classes, and it was not until I passed a poster in my community college about a pharmacy school near me. I did more research about the school, and I applied after I finished community college. Once I pharmacy school in the summer of 2021, I realized how academically competitive graduate school is. I was subconsciously comparing myself to everyone else and their grades, which became mentally exhausting. At one point during the middle of the school year, I began to journal my experiences to put the focus on myself and my journey and not on everyone else's journey. My experiences during pharmacy school and my academic performance drastically improved when I began to put focus on myself. When I talked to other people about my experiences, I realized I was not alone in my feelings. It seemed as if academic validation encompassed many people and not just myself. This validation began to give me anxiety and negatively impact my grades. While I was not one to be social before I went to pharmacy school, I found it helpful to talk to others. I will have to endure this problem for the rest of my pharmacy career, so it is reasonable to say that I can not solve the problem, but rather reach out to people when it becomes too overwhelming. Reaching out to people, whether they are in a healthcare profession or not, has helped make this problem impact my career goals less and has allowed me to focus on the true purpose of why I went to pharmacy school. While there may not be a class about dealing with these mental struggles, it is important to recognize them. Now that I recognize this problem, I can make others more aware of it so that they do not feel alone in the problem, and I can offer them solutions on how to lessen mental stress. While this is a continuous problem, I also made many friends in various healthcare professions. Even in the darkness of the problem, there was a light at the end of it. Similar to my experience when I first was diagnosed with type one diabetes, I had friends and family around me to help me mentally. With these experiences, I can help others who are pursuing an education.

I have grown up with type one diabetes ever since I was 11 years old. I am now 21 years old and along the way, I have learned that my idea of a healthy life may be different from everyone else's. To me, I must live a healthy life not only to have a good quality of life but also to extend my life expectancy. In 1921, only 100 years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone who was diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for type one diabetics that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. This experience has shaped my idea of a healthy life. Nonetheless, I believe that living a healthy life still includes eating well and exercising consistently. I have incorporated these habits into my life ever since my diagnosis and it has become more of a lifestyle and not just a "diet" or something that I have to do. In addition to these, I also think that going to the doctor is very important for me because my doctor checks my lab values and my HbA1c to make sure that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. Moreover, I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and to the foods I eat because they both give me the energy I need to study and work every day. Exercising and moving my body always gives me energy and is a crucial stress reliever, and I must make a little time for it every day to get all the benefits of it. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been a little difficult because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks for myself that are healthier than some of the vending machine options that are offered at my university. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising are not always accessible or easy to do for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life for the situation I am given. A healthy lifestyle is not only important for my mental health, but it is also important for my physical health and my ability to make the most out of my life with type one diabetes.

I have grown up with type one diabetes ever since I was 11 years old. I am now 21 years old and along the way, I have learned that my idea of a healthy life may be different from everyone else's. To me, I must live a healthy life not only to have a good quality of life but also to extend my life expectancy. In 1921, only 100 years ago, insulin was invented. Before 1921, anyone who was diagnosed with type one diabetes only had a little time to live after diagnosis. I am very thankful to live in the current time because technology has advanced so far for type one diabetics that I can program insulin to release every hour of the day and go into my body. Having this technology has allowed me to live a healthy life. This experience has shaped my idea of a healthy life. Nonetheless, I believe that living a healthy life still includes eating well and exercising consistently. I have incorporated these habits into my life ever since my diagnosis and it has become more of a lifestyle and not just a "diet" or something that I have to do. In addition to these, I also think that going to the doctor is very important for me because my doctor checks my lab values and my HbA1c to make sure that none of my insulin values need to be adjusted. Moreover, I am currently a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. Even though my schedule is very tight, I am still dedicated to my exercise schedule and to the foods I eat because they both give me the energy I need to study and work every day. Exercising and moving my body always gives me energy and is a crucial stress reliever, and I must make a little time for it every day to get all the benefits of it. In addition to that, eating healthy has also been a little difficult because I am not always home to pack healthy snacks for myself. However, to overcome this, I pre-pack snacks for myself that are healthier than some of the vending machine options that are offered at my university. Overall, life is not always a perfect road, and eating healthy and exercising are not always accessible or easy to do for everyone. I am grateful to live in a time with advanced technology that allows me to control my diabetes and live a happy and healthy life. While my healthy lifestyle choices may not look like everyone else's, it is a lifestyle that works for me and allows me to have a good quality of life for the situation I am given.

I love superfoods because they keep me energized throughout the day. I often have long days and go from school to work and then from work to studying. I have tried coffee, however, it is not very sustainable energy that lasts me the entire day. I am currently in my second year of pharmacy school and I have always heard that eating right helps mental health as well as physical health. However, when I went into more depth about the topic through researching it, I realized why people often said that. Some foods, mostly superfoods, had antioxidants and vitamins in them that helped to give people sustained energy throughout the day. I began to change my diet and incorporate superfoods into each meal once I learned about this. Before doing this, I exercised daily and had a lot of water and I still was not as energized as I thought I would be. However, after adding 1-2 superfoods to each meal daily, I was able to notice a difference in my mental health and energy levels throughout the year. I start my days with breakfast and I usually have eggs and berries. I like my eggs made in many ways, including scrambled and sunny side up. I also like to have it with berries on the side including strawberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries. I can also make the berries into a jam that I can spread on a bagel or toast. Additionally, I also like to have water before I enjoy any other kinds of juices or drinks for the day because I also think that has helped me mentally and physically. I still do have coffee, but I have noticed I do not need as much coffee as I initially did when I was in my first year of pharmacy school. After that, once I am ready for lunch I like to have a salad with avocado and grilled chicken included if I am looking for a savory lunch. If I want a fruiter option, I like to have a salad with strawberries, oranges, and grilled chicken. With these, I will also include something else like bread or chips to include all of the food groups. I enjoy salads because they are very easy to make and I can take them with me and eat them when I am not in the comfort of my own home. When I am ready for dinner, I like to include a vegetable in my dinners because I tend to eat more fruits during the day. I will cook a sweet potato, green beans, peas, or something similar to that. I will also often have a source of protein like beef, steak, chicken, or tofu. I tend to make my dinners heavier so that I do not get hungry during the night. Although my days may vary, I tend to follow this trend to include all of the macro and micronutrients and superfoods. Changing my diet to include superfoods has increased my energy and my overall outlook on life. It has also limited my snacking during the day because I am not as hungry since all of my meals are satisfying my hunger.

I adopted my dog in 2007 when she was one year old. Her name is Ella, and she is a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu. She has been with me for every milestone from first grade to my second year of pharmacy school at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Ella has positively impacted my life because she is always something I can look forward to after a long day of school, work, or life. She will not judge me even when I am harsh on myself or when I am tired. She is someone I can always sit next to, and I am very grateful to have this relationship. While this is one of the main reasons I love dogs, I also have friends and family who own dogs as well, and they can also vouch for the fact that owning a dog can increase a person's quality of life. Owning a dog is an accomplishment because they can be a lot of work, but they are worth all of the effort put into them. In addition, I think that owning a dog at such a young age helps children learn about responsibility and respect towards all animals. As a young child, I had to learn to feed my dog, take her on walks, play with her, and brush her to keep her looking nice. All of this is a lot of responsibility for a child. This responsibility also helps children understand that when you put a lot of effort into something, you can get a big reward at the end of the day, which is being able to say you own a dog! While owning a dog may not be for everyone, it positively impacted my childhood and will always be something I can look back on. My dog is currently sixteen years old, and I love to be around her just as much as I did when I first brought her home. I have come to realize that my dog and I have a strong bond, and I am very grateful to have this bond with my dog. I continue to take care of her after sixteen years and still see the positivity of owning a dog to this day. My dog has become a part of my family, and that is seen through the way my family and I have taken care of her for the past sixteen years. I am proud to call a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu one of my best friends.

I adopted my dog in 2007 when she was one year old. Her name is Ella, and she is a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu. She has been with me for every milestone from first grade to my second year of pharmacy school at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Ella has positively impacted my life because she is always something I can look forward to after a long day of school, work, or life. She will not judge me even when I am harsh on myself or when I am tired. She is someone I can always sit next to, and I am very grateful to have this relationship. While this is one of the main reasons I love dogs, I also have friends and family who own dogs as well, and they can also vouch for the fact that owning a dog can increase a person's quality of life. Owning a dog is an accomplishment because they can be a lot of work, but they are worth all of the effort put into them. In addition, I think that owning a dog at such a young age helps children learn about responsibility and respect towards all animals. As a young child, I had to learn to feed my dog, take her on walks, play with her, and brush her to keep her looking nice. All of this is a lot of responsibility for a child. This responsibility also helps children understand that when you put a lot of effort into something, you can get a big reward at the end of the day, which is being able to say you own a dog! While owning a dog may not be for everyone, it positively impacted my childhood and will always be something I can look back on. My dog is currently sixteen years old, and I love to be around her just as much as I did when I first brought her home. I have come to realize that my dog and I have a strong bond, and I am very grateful to have this bond with my dog. I continue to take care of her after sixteen years and still see the positivity of owning a dog to this day. My dog has become a part of my family, and that is seen through the way my family and I have taken care of her for the past sixteen years. I am proud to call a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu one of my best friends.

From middle school to college, I did not practice bravery or live boldly. I wanted to be normal and fit in so much that I compromised bravery and having the option to live boldly. Once I entered college, however, that started to change. Once I was in college, I decided that I was going to live for myself and that I should live as I please to make myself happy for the rest of my life. I joined science clubs, and I took many science classes because that was what I was passionate about. I began to enjoy my life so much more than I did when I was in middle school and high school. Once I started practicing bravery and began to live boldly, I found my passion and my dream career. I took a leap of faith and applied to pharmacy school at nineteen years old. Two years later, I am a second-year pharmacy student, and I am on my pharmacy rotations. I have never been happier and filled with more purpose, and it is all because I decided to be brave and apply to pharmacy school. Even with the fear of rejection that I would have been scared of five years ago, I still went for it, hoping I would get accepted. Now, I positively impact hundreds of lives daily by answering their questions, providing vaccinations, working with other healthcare professionals, and much more. If I never learned to live boldly and practice bravery, I would have never landed my dream job where I get to practice bravery every day.

I was born with the idea that I had to fit into societal norms. As I grew up, I was constantly reminded that it is better to stay in the shadows and be "normal" than to stick out. I saw people getting bullied for being different at such a young age. It wasn't until I started college that I realized how important individuality is and the importance of having a legacy to last for many years to come. I realized how insignificant the comments that people made to others just because they were doing something different were. With that, I started my journey to become a doctor in college. I took a two-year program at a community college and then went straight into pharmacy school. Once I started pharmacy school, I realized that everyone in my cohort had different experiences that shaped them into the person they were today. There was no set standard of "normal". This allowed me to begin to build my legacy. At 21 years old, I began to learn my purpose in the world and I am continuing to learn how to keep my purpose around for a long time. To me, a legacy means that people are still impacted by your actions even after you have crossed over into another life. It does not necessarily always mean that people will remember you when you do these actions, but it more so means that you have made an impact on current and future generations and have made their quality of life significantly better. In my childhood, I was taught to embrace differences. I always excelled at school which always made me stand out positively. I was always willing to try new things. It was until I got to middle school that I began to see people being bullied for being different in any way: for being smarter than others, for wearing clothes that were different than others, and for many other reasons. This experience impacted me and I began to conform to these ideas of being "normal" so that I would not get bullied. This lasted from middle school to college. Once I got to college, I was able to truly express my individuality and embrace my love for learning. I plan to continue with this attitude of expressing my individuality because it is allowing me to create a legacy. As a pharmacy student, I hope to make discoveries and publish articles in famous medical journals that people will read for many decades to come. I also hope to break the cycle for future generations in regards to the idea that you need to change yourself to be "normal" because I believe that held me back from finding out my legacy in life. Any people I come across that feel doubtful about themselves, I will remind them that the most famous and successful people in the world have left a legacy because they were different from everyone else. Attached are three photos. The one photo is of my friends, who have never doubted me for a second and who all embrace individuality. The second is of my father, who has also pushed me to become the person I am today. The last person is my boyfriend of three years who is also my best friend and has pushed me to become the best person I can possibly be.

I adopted my dog in 2007 when she was one year old. Her name is Ella, and she is a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu. She has been with me for every milestone from first grade to my second year of pharmacy school at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Ella has positively impacted my life because she is always something I can look forward to after a long day of school, work, or life. She will not judge me even when I am harsh on myself or when I am tired. She is someone I can always sit next to, and I am very grateful to have this relationship. While this is one of the main reasons I love dogs, I also have friends and family who own dogs as well, and they can also vouch for the fact that owning a dog can increase a person's quality of life. Owning a dog is an accomplishment because they can be a lot of work, but they are worth all of the effort put into them. In addition, I think that owning a dog at such a young age helps children learn about responsibility and respect towards all animals. As a young child, I had to learn to feed my dog, take her on walks, play with her, and brush her to keep her looking nice. All of this is a lot of responsibility for a child. This responsibility also helps children understand that when you put a lot of effort into something, you can get a big reward at the end of the day, which is being able to say you own a dog! While owning a dog may not be for everyone, it positively impacted my childhood and will always be something I can look back on. My dog is currently sixteen years old, and I love to be around her just as much as I did when I first brought her home. I have come to realize that my dog and I have a strong bond, and I am very grateful to have this bond with my dog. I continue to take care of her after sixteen years and still see the positivity of owning a dog to this day. My dog has become a part of my family, and that is seen through the way my family and I have taken care of her for the past sixteen years. I am proud to call a twenty-pound Shih-Tzu one of my best friends.

I am a second-year pharmacy student at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. I am currently on rotations and I get to make decisions alongside the pharmacist in various settings such as hospitals, community pharmacies, and ambulatory care settings. I feel like part of my job as a pharmacist is to be a mentor to all of my patients. For example, a patient may have seen something on the news and then they will ask the pharmacist what their view is on that topic. Our duty as pharmacists is to provide them with the best advice that will allow them to live the healthiest life possible. Through my role as a pharmacist, I hope to have an impact on my patients and to allow them to ask any questions they have even if they think the answer to the question seems obvious. I hope to be able to mentor my patients so that they could have the best quality of life that they can. Another big role I have is vaccinating people ages 3 years and older. Before I give a vaccination, I make sure to explain what the vaccine is and what it is used to protect against alongside some of the side effects that people are often concerned about. Pharmacists have a big role in vaccinating and counseling should always occur before the vaccine. Overall, one of the main roles that is not often seen in the pharmacy profession is being a mentor to patients.