I’ve had ear problems ever since I was little. I was a premature baby, as in, my mom turned six months in the hospital while in labor kind of premature baby. Before my first tube surgery, my parents had to yell for me to properly hear them. Surgery wasn’t the only thing that my ears gave me, speech therapy stuck with me through fourth grade. In my years of ear problems, I’ve had multiple ear infections, two tube surgeries, and multiple audiograms. My flight to and from Boston changed the condition of my ears and my outlook on how much ears can affect a person's life. My ears became a percussive explosion of pain after swallowing. I lived in fear of the next pop and shrank into myself until my tube surgery. In the space between my surgery, I understood that I didn’t want anyone else to feel fear over doing simple things, like swallowing or cracking open a window without messing up ear pressure. After high school, I chose to enroll at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. I chose the university because of its good medical reputation. It was a task for me to decide which major was meant for me. I was torn between biology and psychology. A physical science against a social science. I decided to marry my two interests, not as neuroscience but as a biology major and a minor in psychology. Biology is a straightforward route for the material I need to be familiar with for medical school. The major itself is rewarding to master. Biology satisfies my curiosity about how the body and the world function. We are all intricate systems that discover creative ways to sustain ourselves. It's a reward in itself when I can apply learned concepts in everyday life. Majoring in Biology while being in the pre-med track would allow me to help provide for people, especially children, who experience the same pain and fear as I did. Comfort in hearing is nothing to be taken lightly. In my major, I can be surrounded by people with similar goals and mentors who know what I am going through. As of 2020, African Americans only make up 0.8% of otolaryngologists. Representation in a field that many children interact with matters, finding a familiar face and knowing they can also become an ENT. I know I’ll see children with similar stories as me in my practice. Similarly to Barbie, a physical depiction of careers can go a long way for children. I did not see doctors that looked like me in my childhood. That sentiment stays true within the section that treats adults. I want to be a testament that women in STEAM can succeed, no matter what is said about women in male-dominated fields.

Hello, I am Mahalie Brown. I am a Georgia native, eighteen, and I am going into my freshman year at Mercer University. I am an only child of only children. I started my journey in the medical field by being born three months early. In the first eight weeks of my life, I was under various medical treatments to ensure my health. Though I lead a normal life, around the age of two my mother suspected that something was wrong. It would take numerous repeats and lip reading for me to understand the speaking world around me. Prior to my first tube surgery, my parents had to yell for me to hear them properly. At the age of two, I began a relationship with an ENT. In that appointment, it was discovered that my hearing was equivalent to being underwater with cotton balls in my ears. Surgery wasn’t the only thing my ears gave me, speech therapy stuck with me through fourth grade. To this day, I am asked if I had braces due to my lisp. In elementary school, I would dread the seasons changing. The change in temperature and pollen would cause my sinuses to drain which would result in pain. In my years of ear problems, I’ve had multiple ear infections, two tube surgeries, and multiple audiograms. My flight to and from Boston changed the condition of my ears and my outlook on how much ears can affect a person's life. I felt as if I was disconnected from the rest of the world, listening from the outside. My ears became a percussive explosion of pain after swallowing. I lived in fear of the next pop and shrank into myself until my tube surgery. In the space between my surgery, I understood that I didn’t want anyone else to feel fear over doing simple things, like swallowing or cracking open a window without messing up ear pressure. Pre-med would allow me to help provide for people, especially children, who experience the same pain and fear as I did. In my career as an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor, I can provide peace for children and their families combating ear disorders and diseases. In my practice, I have an abundance of empathy toward children that experience the fickle whims of inner ear pressure. My goal is to be a part of the road to comfort in your body. Comfort in hearing is nothing to be taken lightly.

Hello, I am Mahalie Brown. I am a Georgia native, eighteen, and a current senior at Centennial High School. I am an only child of only children. I started my journey in the medical field by being born three months early. In the first eight weeks of my life, I was under various medical treatments to ensure my health. Though I lead a normal life, around the age of two my mother suspected that something was wrong. It would take numerous repeats and lip reading for me to understand the speaking world around me. Prior to my first tube surgery, my parents had to yell for me to hear them properly. At the age of two, I began a relationship with an ENT. In that appointment, it was discovered that my hearing was equivalent to being underwater with cotton balls in my ears. Surgery wasn’t the only thing my ears gave me, speech therapy stuck with me through fourth grade. To this day, I am asked if I had braces due to my lisp. In elementary school, I would dread the seasons changing. The change in temperature and pollen would cause my sinuses to drain which would result in pain. In my years of ear problems, I’ve had multiple ear infections, two tube surgeries, and multiple audiograms. My flight to and from Boston changed the condition of my ears and my outlook on how much ears can affect a person's life. I felt as if I was disconnected from the rest of the world, listening from the outside. My ears became a percussive explosion of pain after swallowing. I lived in fear of the next pop and shrank into myself until my tube surgery. In the space between my surgery, I understood that I didn’t want anyone else to feel fear over doing simple things, like swallowing or cracking open a window without messing up ear pressure. Pre-med would allow me to help provide for people, especially children, who experience the same pain and fear as I did. In my career as an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor, I can provide peace for children and their families combating ear disorders and diseases. In my practice, I have an abundance of empathy toward children that experience the fickle whims of inner ear pressure. My goal is to be a part of the road to comfort in your body. Comfort in hearing is nothing to be taken lightly.