I’ve always had a flair for healthcare; taking care of people and playing ‘doctor’s office’ came like second nature to me. Governed by this and an interest in the human body and mind, I scoured around in my home country, Nigeria to secure a shadowing placement with an Interventional Radiologist. I watched as he navigated his way through a complex pulmonary embolism and had to employ critical thinking skills as well as recall deep knowledge of the body's blood vessels. This confirmed to me that a career in medicine was well suited for my desires to be in a stimulating environment where I can be directly involved in improving patients' lives. My journey towards becoming a medical doctor has been uniquely challenging, primarily due to the fact that my dad is currently battling renal cell carcinoma. This has taken a massive financial and emotional toll on my family. His declining health meant he had to stop working, and half of my mum's earnings goes towards medical costs. Moreover, my mum earns in Nigerian Naira, a currency whose value is constantly depreciating and losing value to the American dollar every day. Rather than allowing these setbacks to deter me from pursuing medicine, I have been able to harness them as a source of inspiration. Witnessing my dads struggles and his unwavering support from his group of doctors constantly fuels my passion. When faced with the challenges of tough coursework, late nights in the research lab, and when the thought of switching career paths surfaces, I think of that one family I may care for in the future who would be grateful for my presence. My experiences have given me a realistic insight into a career in medicine and I understand the challenges facing doctors today. I am passionate about delivering quality patient care, whilst also exploring the fascinating workings of the human body. I possess the skills necessary to succeed as a doctor and I am committed to pursuing this career. The path towards becoming a medical doctor has been shaped by my unwavering passion, a transformative shadowing experience and the challenges my family and I have faced. I am determined and committed to provide quality healthcare to those in need of it. I look forward to the future where I get to don the white coat and contribute to improving the lives of patients and the world at large through medicine.

I’ve always had a flair for healthcare; taking care of people and playing ‘doctor’s office’ came like second nature to me. Governed by this and an interest in the human body and mind, I scoured around in my home country, Nigeria, to secure a shadowing placement with an Interventional Radiologist. I watched as he navigated his way through a complex pulmonary embolism and had to employ critical thinking skills as well as recall deep knowledge of the body's blood vessels. This confirmed to me that a career in medicine was well suited for my desire to be in a stimulating environment where I can be directly involved in improving patients' lives. My journey towards becoming a medical doctor has been uniquely challenging, primarily due to the fact that my dad is currently battling renal cell carcinoma. This has taken a massive financial and emotional toll on my family. His declining health meant he had to stop working, and half of my mum's earnings goes towards his medication. Moreover, my mum earns in Nigerian Naira, a currency whose value is constantly depreciating and losing value to the American dollar every day. As a result, it is becoming harder to secure the funds to pay my tuition at Howard University. Rather than allowing these setbacks to deter me from pursuing medicine, I have been able to harness them as a source of inspiration. Witnessing my dad's struggles and his unwavering support from his oncologist constantly fuels my passion. When faced with the challenges of tough coursework and late nights in the research lab, I think of all the people and families that I may care for in the future who would be grateful for my presence. My experiences have given me a realistic insight into a career in medicine and I understand the challenges facing doctors today. I am passionate about delivering quality patient care, whilst also exploring the fascinating workings of the human body. I possess the skills necessary to succeed as a doctor and I am committed to pursuing this career. The path towards becoming a medical doctor has been shaped by my unwavering passion, a transformative shadowing experience and the challenges my family and I have faced. I am determined and committed to providing quality healthcare to those in need of it. I look forward to the future where I get to don the white coat and contribute to improving the lives of patients and the world at large through medicine.