I have been exposed to the field of STEM all my life, but it primarily started through my parents. They are histologists and work with doctors of different disciplines (dermatology, gastroenterology, pathology, urology), which has helped me to decide that I want to join the field of health and medicine. I have chosen a STEM major, specifically Biology with minors in Pre-Health, Public Health, & Chemistry. Apart from this major and minors, I am in the Dr. Kiran C Patel, College of Osteopathic Medicine Dual Admission Program because of my high school academic excellence, involvement, and the potential I have in the field of medicine. As a career, I’ve decided to go to Osteopathic Medicine school to become a doctor. Although I know which specialties I’m particularly interested in (nuclear medicine, internal medicine in hematology-oncology), I am still open to other specialities as I learn about them during my undergrad. Additionally, I am exposing myself to various specialties by using my time to shadow a few doctors and while I volunteer for VITAS Healthcare, where I learn about the large field of Hospice care that involves geriatric nurses and other specialists. My academic rigor, motivation for good grades, experience I’ve gained (volunteering, shadowing, working part time while being a full time student), active pursuit in immersing myself in the STEM field (being in science/pre med clubs and having a DO med student as my mentor), as well as my drive to ensure I can increase my chances of accomplishing my medicine/health related undergrad and graduate/career goals are what make me the ideal candidate and recipient of this scholarship. This scholarship would allow me to ease the costs of my career goals and focus on being able to work towards them knowing I have financial worries at bay. Apart from my work income and my parents’ financial contribution, college is overwhelmingly expensive for what I want to accomplish. The money will go towards my dream career I will pursue in the field of osteopathic medicine, particularly in the internal medicine specialty of hematology-oncology because blood cancer and diseases are what drive my interest and commitment to being a physician. No matter what challenges lie ahead of my journey to my dream career of hematology oncology, I plan to treat patients with blood cancers and diseases, as well as collaborate with other physicians to figure out how to cure these terrible terminal diseases. Having assistance with the financial aspect of my dream, I can relieve some financial burden that is brought upon me and my family from having to pay for my classes, textbooks, school supplies, proper lab PPE for my science classes that have lab components, MCAT registration, and application fees that begin to pile up as I apply to medical school. This scholarship and its mission to support future medical professionals like myself in their dream goals is why I chose to apply. Its mission statement resonates greatly with me and it is why I believe I uphold the values, academic excellence, rigorous work ethic, and the potential to be a positively impactful physician is the reason I am the ideal candidate for this scholarship. Saving people’s lives is my goal and my calling in life. There is no other career field that suits me as best as the field of osteopathic medicine. Helping to treat and cure patients with blood cancers and diseases as well as provide support and comfort to their lives are my motivation and priority. With this scholarship, I believe it can get me one step closer to furthering my education and accomplishing my career goals.

It was during my early teen years that I encountered a mental health crisis but at that age, I was unable to comprehend what exactly I was going through. I luckily and proudly overcame depression and self harm with the help of my best friend and family. We understood how I got to that point and how to avoid it, but another moment of a decline in my mental health during the end of my sophomore and entirety of junior year is when I actually took an active role in my mental health. My grades were affected, I wasn’t as open with my parents, and the bad thoughts began circling my mind. It was the first time I considered therapy and after long discussions with my parents, I attended therapy and it was honestly the best thing I could have done for myself. I not only talked through my traumas, but I also learned effective strategies and skills. I checked in daily with myself to see how I was feeling and why those emotions were brewing inside me. I also learned healthier, safer, and fun ways to calm down and relax when emotions and environmental stimuli become too much to handle. Today, I am able to manage anxiety and stress when things in my personal and/or academic life begin to overwhelm me and make me feel as if I am drowning in a panic state. I first acknowledge that I’m having these feelings and know that it is my body giving me a sign that I need to slow things down and make sure I’m okay. I start by reducing the amount of time I’m on my phone or iPad for reasons that aren’t homework related and start getting more sleep. I also started to drink more water and eat balanced meals. Lastly, I do facial and self care routines to make sure I’m keeping up with my physical health. Once I’ve taken care of myself physically, I focus on the emotional aspects and begin to unwrap the complex anxiety and stress I’m feeling. This step is the most difficult as facing strong emotions and triggering stimuli can cause me distress. However, I lean on my family and friends and let them know when I’m not okay. Once I take it step by step, and day by day, I am mentally relaxed and can focus once more on all of my responsibilities and obligations that are required of me in my professionals, academic, and personal life. This has helped me and has proven effective because I have had really good grades during my first year of college and finished high school strong by being ranked #4 in my class of 104 students and in the Top 10% of my graduating class. I’ve also recently been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success Delta Iota Chapter of my school, NSU. I have also been newly initiated in a Panhellenic sorority at my school, Sigma Delta Tau, where I have found a new group of girls that help me stay mentally healthy and focused on my important life goals. These new additions into my life are what I consider new milestones. They are proof to me that I am on the right track with my mental health and that I have an even bigger support system that I can lean on whenever things get too overwhelming and difficult for me to handle. No matter what comes my way, I know I can brave the next storm I am pulled into because my mental health and resilience are stronger than ever.

Careers, future goals, and passions seemed like abstract ideas to me. As I started growing up, I began to put much thought into what I would do as a career, mainly when I started middle school. Science class was my favorite class out of everything I was learning, especially biology. Ever since middle school, I have participated in Science Club, taken the highest science classes available in high school (AP Bio, AP Chem, bio I honors, Chem honors, & anatomy & physiology honors), done experiments in classes or clubs or on my own for fun. In my community, I have volunteered for Luv Michael, VITAS Healthcare, and Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY). In high school, I was in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Thespian Society, and Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society. I ranked #4 in my graduating class of 104 students and was in the Top 10% of my school. I was my school’s sophomore ambassador at HOBY Leadership and was also the recipient of the University of Rochester’s Bausch & Lomb Award for academic excellence in science and math. I was the recipient of College Board’s AP Scholar Award and Hispanic Scholar Award. Lastly, I was a member of Science Club (VP, President), Model United Nations (President), Best Buddies, Art Club and Drama Club (Stage Manager). My active pursuit for academic excellence, harnessing a rigorous work ethic, and my early in life commitment to deciding what I want to do for my future career has enabled me to look towards health and medicine. Being around STEM all my life by my parents being histologists and working with doctors of different disciplines (dermatology, gastroenterology, pathology, urology), has helped me to decide that I want to join the field of health and medicine. I have even chosen a STEM major, specifically Biology with minors in Pre-Health, Public Health, & Chemistry. As a career, I’ve decided to go to Osteopathic Medicine school to become a doctor. Although I know which specialties I’m particularly interested in (nuclear medicine, internal medicine in hematology-oncology), I am still open to other specialities as I learn about them during my undergrad, while I’m currently shadowing physicians, while I’m currently in my B.S./DO. Dual Admission program at NSU, and during medical school. My academic rigor, motivation for good grades, experience I’ve gained (volunteering, shadowing, working part time while being a full time student), active pursuit in immersing myself in the STEM field (being in science/pre med clubs and having a DO med student as my mentor), as well as my drive to ensure I can increase my chances of accomplishing my medicine/health related undergrad and graduate/career goals are what make me the ideal candidate and recipient of this scholarship. This scholarship would allow me to ease the costs of my career goals and focus on being able to work towards them knowing I have financial worries at bay. Apart from my work income and my parents’ financial contribution, college is still expensive for what I want to accomplish. The money will go towards my pursuits in the field of osteopathic medicine, particularly in the internal medicine specialty of hematology-oncology because blood cancer and diseases are what drive my interest and commitment to being a physician. Regardless of what I ultimately choose, despite hematology-oncology being my top choice, I will commit to treating patients with blood cancers and diseases while studying and collaborating with other physicians to figure out how to cure this terrible terminal disease. Saving people’s lives is my goal and this scholarship will get me one step closer to accomplishing it.

Have you ever heard of a cardiovascular researcher who’s also a metal head? It’s someone I’m bound to be known as once I graduate from medical school. This scholarship recognizes my love for metal along with my academic excellence, leadership roles, and my standing within my community. In my community, I actively volunteer for Luv Michael, VITAS Healthcare, and Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY). In high school, I was in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Thespian Society, and Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society. I ranked #4 in my graduating class of 104 students and was in the Top 10% of my school. I was my school’s sophomore ambassador at HOBY Leadership and was also the recipient of the University of Rochester’s Bausch & Lomb Award for academic excellence in science and math. I was the recipient of College Board’s AP Scholar Award and Hispanic Scholar Award. Lastly, I was a member of Science Club (VP, President), Model United Nations (President), Best Buddies, Art Club and Drama Club (Stage Manager). In college at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), I plan to excel in their Dual Admission Program for Osteopathic Medicine to dive into my passion of finding cures for cardiovascular diseases and cancers. This opportunity motivates me to pursue my Bachelors in Science degree, my DO degree, and a PhD in Cardiovascular research. My future career entails conducting research studies by overseeing medical trials, collaborating with doctors who are recognized for their work in cardiovascular diseases and cancers, and making these cures and treatments affordable to people of all financial circumstances. It’s important to me that people’s health and happiness come first and foremost, even before their heavy metal needs. Apart from my work income and my parents’ financial contribution, college is still expensive for what I want to accomplish. The money will go towards my dream career I will pursue in the field of clinical scientific research, specifically in cardiovascular disease and cancer. Blood cancer, like Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and blood disease, like Sickle Cell Disease, are not common, yet they lead to death, intense chemotherapy, and diagnoses at any age. I will commit my professional life to discovering newly effective treatments that result in minimal to no symptoms and negative effects, and even a cure for cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Meanwhile in my personal life, I will commit to furthering my heavy metal journey. I was introduced to metal when my Aunt Adriana showed me Hard Rock, Thrash Metal, and Nu Metal. She took me to my first metal concert on January 14, 2014 at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale with an outstanding lineup—In This Moment, Devour the Day, and the Butcher Babies. I experienced many levels of intensity, lyrics, instruments, and showmanship of the bands that performed. Upon hearing the first guitar riff, the growl and scream vocals, seeing the pyrotechnic effects, and insane wardrobe the bands wore, I was hooked. This has become a family thing that now involves my parents, my aunt Adriana, and Uncle Rob. We have gone to Fort Rock in 2018, Earthday Birthday in 2019, Welcome to Rockville in 2023, SHIPROCKED in 2022 and 2023, and concerts throughout the years. I’ve even had the privilege of meeting metal icons like Randy Blythe from Lamb of God, Josh from Badflower, and Jonny Hawkins from Nothing More, all of whom I look up to. Heavy metal infiltrated my college essay, leading to my acceptances into top institutions like U Michigan Ann Arbor, CWRU, DePaul Univ, U Miami, and UF. For my senior photos, I posed with my vinyls and CDs of metal bands while wearing Slipknot and Avatar merch. Heavy metal keeps me grounded and focused on working towards my goals. Additionally, it has become a way for me to make friends, spend time with family, drum out the noise, and help me conquer my emotional setbacks. Heavy Metal saved my life, made me who I am today, and will now help me accomplish my career dreams.

The field of STEM has fascinated me since the moment I began to learn science in school and see the laboratory work my parents do as histologists for several different physician specialists. I knew I wanted to pursue a career specific in the field of science but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a surgeon, a physician, a researcher, or a clinical specialist. However, I believe I have finally found what I am called to do: scientific researcher. Scientific research is a medical subfield that is constantly undergoing innovation and change. The possibilities and roads to discovery are endless, which is why it grasped my attention. I plan on pursuing a career in the field of clinical scientific research, specifically in cardiovascular disease and cancer. Blood disease and cancer are for the most part not common and specific types are rare, but they have detrimental consequences, such as death, intense chemotherapy, diagnoses at any age, and diseases that specifically target an ethnicity or race, like SCD is more common in African Americans than any other ethnicity or race. I would like to commit my professional life to figuring out not only new and effective treatments that result in minimal to no symptoms and negative effects, but mainly a cure for cardiovascular diseases and cancers. It boggles my mind how there are advancements in Mars exploration, electrically powered automobiles, and constant developments in space and mobile technology, but there is no end in sight for a cure for blood cancer and cardiovascular diseases. I would like to be part of that change and to make a contribution, no matter how big or how small, to the eventual discovery of cures for cardiovascular diseases and cancer alike. To see terminally ill and suffering cardiovascular patients have a chance at life again and for their families to be rest assured that their sick loved one will not have to undergo as many tests, treatments, and bouts of false hope any longer. That their loved one will be free of their disease and no longer be labeled or seen by society as sick and dying. People from ages ranging from newly born babies all the way to the elderly can all be affected by such diseases and cancer. Preventing this and hopefully at some point in time in the very near future there will hopefully be a minimal amount of people enduring these ailments and no people at all dying from this. I also hope to start a fundraiser that partners with cardiovascular institutes to raise funds for this research as well as take care of medical costs of patients and families with cardiovascular diseases and cancers. This way, not only will I be helping in the research aspect, but also assisting families affected by this on a financial aspect. No one should go through it alone and I would want these families to know that I will use my scientific knowledge, skills, resources and experience to help them in as many ways as I possibly can. My goal is to give them real hope that their is a light at the end of the tunnel. And to be the one or at least part of that effort is a true honor and something I do not intend to take for granted or lose sight of.

I believe I should be awarded this scholarship for my academic excellence, leadership roles, membership in honor societies for my merit accomplishment, awards I have received for my academic and leadership accomplishments, my affiliations, and the good standing I have with my community. I serve as a volunteer for Luv Michael, VITAS Healthcare, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, and a blood donor for One Blood. I am ranked #4 in my class as an exact percentile out of 106 students in my grade and I am in the Top 10% of my school. I am in the NSHSS and International Thespian Society, and in my school I am in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Thespian Society, and Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society. My school selected me as the one sophomore to be an ambassador at Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership in 2021, and I have volunteered as Team Alumni with HOBY since then. I am an AP Scholar Award recipient of College Board, a Hispanic Scholar Award recipient of College Board, a BigFuture Ambassador of College Board, a selected partaker in AP Summer Strategies Academy for AP Calculus for College Board, and a recipient of University of Rochester Bausch & Lamb Award for academic excellence in science and math. Additionally, I am a member of Science Club (member, former VP, and running for President), Model United Nations (member and Co-President), Best Buddies, and Drama Club in my school. I’m the future, I am looking to pursue a career in the field of STEM, specifically in science. I would like to get a Doctorate degree, mainly a PhD but an MD is not something I have completely dismissed, I’m order to pursue a career as a scientific researcher for cardiovascular disease and cancer. I have a passion for helping others and the activities I do seem to encompass this. I want to be able to help people through my scientific knowledge and capabilities because it is important that the scientific research field be equally, if not more, advanced as other STEM fields, such as A.I, space exploration, and technology. I feel it is about time that the field of science find cures for cancer but I am extremely passionate about blood cancers. This is due to the fact that it is rare and it completely changes the lives of those diagnosed with it as well as their loved ones. Cardiovascular research seems to be my calling and it is something I intend to pursue and see it through. I’d like to be able to make a contribution, no matter big or small, to this filed of research because in the end, it means humankind will be one step closer to finding a cure for blood cancer. Eventually, this could lead to cures for all cancers.