How Leadership and Science Shape Our Future From the time I first said the words “I pinky promise,” I began to understand that leadership is not about authority, it’s about trust. A promise bridges words and actions, revealing who we are when no one is watching. That lesson has guided me through friendships, sports, and my growing fascination with science, shaping the kind of leader and future physician I hope to become. Leadership starts small. Whether helping a friend study, remembering a birthday, or encouraging a teammate after a loss, I learned that leadership is built on consistency and empathy. On the volleyball court, I wasn’t just a player; I was a source of calm and accountability. Supporting others through challenge taught me that leadership is a promise to show up, to listen, and to put others before yourself. True leadership, I’ve realized, is quiet strength, the courage to keep promises that others depend on. Science, to me, is another form of promise. It is the commitment humanity makes to better understand the world and improve it. My curiosity about the human heart, how each beat sustains life, led me to explore cardiac research and the potential of regenerative medicine. Science transforms hope into action. Every new discovery, from lab bench to clinic, represents a promise to alleviate suffering and extend life. In that way, science is leadership in motion; vision paired with responsibility. When I think about the future, I imagine leadership and science working hand in hand. Leadership gives science purpose; science gives leadership power to create change. As a future pediatric cardiologist, I will honor both. Each diagnosis, treatment plan, and reassuring word to a child will reflect the promise I made long ago, to lead with compassion and use science to heal. Parents will trust me not only because of my knowledge, but because I will keep my word: to care, to listen, and to never give up. The future depends on those who lead with empathy and innovate with integrity. Leadership without compassion risks losing humanity; science without ethics risks losing direction. Together, they shape a world where progress is not just measured in breakthroughs, but in the lives touched by those breakthroughs. I am ready to contribute to that future, one promise, one patient, one heartbeat at a time.

Three words that may sound simple, but define my path in life: I pinky promise. What began as a childhood phrase has grown into the value that fuels my passion for medicine. A promise is more than words; it is a responsibility to earn trust and follow through with care. This belief has shaped who I am, why I chose STEM, and the physician I aspire to become. I first learned the power of promises in everyday moments whether helping a friend study, remembering a birthday, or showing up for my volleyball team. At the time, these commitments seemed small, but they built trust and revealed my character. I came to understand that integrity is measured by whether we keep our word. As I grew older, I recognized that medicine embodies these same values on a profound scale. Each diagnosis, treatment plan, and follow-up is a promise to a patient and their family. In pediatrics especially, those commitments are sacred. Parents place their child’s health, sometimes their very heartbeat, in a physician’s hands. A doctor’s words, “This won’t hurt” or “I’m right here,” become promises a child depends on for comfort and safety. These moments showed me why I want to pursue a career in STEM: it allows me to transform personal values into meaningful care for others. I am passionate about medicine not only because of the science, but because it is a field where knowledge and empathy must work together. STEM challenges me to ask questions, seek evidence, and push for discovery, but it also equips me with tools to honor promises through action. Whether developing treatments, analyzing data, or listening carefully to a patient’s concerns, science gives me the ability to fulfill the responsibility I feel when I make a commitment. As a woman entering STEM, I know I will face unique challenges. Historically, medicine and science have not always offered women equal opportunity or recognition. Yet that history is also why I feel urgency to pursue this path. Representation matters. Patients benefit when they see themselves reflected in their doctors and scientists. Young women gain courage when they see others like them leading in labs, hospitals, and research centers. I want to be part of that change, not only by becoming a pediatric cardiologist, but also by mentoring and encouraging others to pursue their own passions in STEM. I hope to make a difference in three ways. First, by providing excellent, compassionate care to children and families, keeping promises that restore health and trust. Second, by contributing to research that advances our understanding of pediatric heart disease, ensuring science continues to offer better solutions. And third, by serving as a visible role model for women in STEM. Showing that empathy and strength, science and compassion, can coexist in powerful ways. My dedication to keeping promises has taught me seriousness, accountability, and empathy. These values will guide me as I navigate the challenges of STEM and medicine. I want to be a physician whose word always matters and a woman in STEM who helps open doors for others. For me, the choice to pursue STEM is not only about a career, but about honoring the promises I have made to myself, to my future patients, and to the next generation of women who will follow.