“Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings” is a commonly used quote, yet if you asked someone from Gen Z what film it came from, they most likely will not be able to tell you. It’s a Wonderful Life is a classic Christmas movie that displays the importance of each human life. The film depicts the answer to the main characters question: what if I never existed? George Bailey is a successful businessman who owns a local loan company in his town and is the pain in Potter’s, the antagonist’s, side. George Bailey loses a substantial amount of money and concludes that it would be better for everyone if he had never been born. As he is about to commit suicide jumping off a bridge, an angel named Clarence comes to convince him that his life is a great gift from God. In an effort to convince him of his value, Clarence shows George what Bedford Falls would look like if he had never been born. Bailey is shocked by how completely different his town is without him ever being alive. In this alternate reality, Potter runs the town, the city is full of crime, his wife is an old maid, his mother never had any living children, and George’s own children were never born. As George realizes the immense impact he has on the people around him, he recognizes the value of his own life. In a society with rising suicide rates, depression, and a lack of value for human life, I believe the message of It’s a Wonderful Life could bring a new perspective to our society and my generation. Each person impacts their family, friends, school, coworkers, and future generations. To put it into perspective, one person meets about ten thousand people throughout their lifetime. That means one life influences ten thousand people. By knowing the impact of each life, I think everyone in my generation would see a greater purpose to life. If everyone in my generation saw the film, It’s a Wonderful Life, I think the individual value of each life would be recognized; each person would be recognized as a miracle. This movie has had the greatest impact on my life because it helps me to remember and understand the impact and value of each life. Knowing that my life has impact on the world gives me hope and a purpose to create a positive impact on the people around me.

For many years, there has been a decline in public trust of the medical system--doctors in particular. The medical system, with its focus on financial objectives and disregard for human life and dignity, has lost the trust of the patients and with it, physicians’ reputation for honesty has suffered. This became greatly evident during the COVID-19 crisis as patients feared the loss of autonomy and refused to get necessary medical treatment. The political and medical institutions seemed to suppress any information from doctors, which was contrary to the public narrative. Today, our medical system has lost the trust of much of the American public. Even good doctors with sound medical knowledge and judgement are doubted by their patients. I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant at the Summit, a nursing home in Bettendorf. The best part of my job is interacting with residents and hearing stories or advice they voluntarily share with me. I believe that listening to the patient is therapeutic, for both the patient and caregiver. I see firsthand how physicians have a direct impact on an individual’s wellbeing – whether positive or negative. I was taking care of a resident who was suffering from stage four cancer and complications of chemotherapy; he had an appointment the following day to “find out how much time he had left to live” and was worried he would not be able to sleep. He shared with me the struggles he faced with the lack of physicians who actually care for his wellbeing and are living in rural areas. As a woman in the healthcare field, I want to advocate for women's health and wellness, as it is typically overlooked. My sister struggled to find a specialist to treat and remover her endometriosis, and even a female doctor told her that her pain was in her head. I will make a positive impact as a female in the healthcare field by listening to all of my patients and not discounting their symptoms. The desire to be a trustworthy doctor motivates me to pursue a career in medicine. I want to be a trustworthy physician who has gained the utmost respect of my patients and peers through honesty, advancement of knowledge, service, and assumption of responsibility. Physicians must always remember that it is the patient that ultimately decides who they will trust with the most intimate domain of their life – their health. I believe that by restoring trust, I can bring hope to patients through care, honesty, and joy.