“Better! Now, practice that drill a hundred more times and you’ll be ready.

”
It was a familiar scene hearing my father say those words as he stood across the worn
mats on which we trained. Although the repetition was grueling, it was especially important as I
prepared to compete in the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China as the sole USA Taekwondo
delegate. Consistency and repetition were foundational practices to my training; while
adaptability was paramount during competition. My father’s message to me was consistent: I
could achieve anything but only if I was willing to do the work required to reach that goal.
Throughout my 15-year athletic career, my father filled many roles: Dad, trainer, coach and hero.
While he served as the origin for my Olympic dream, my father unknowingly ignited my
aspiration to practice medicine as I watched how his declining health often turned simple tasks
into uphill battles.
When I was four years old, a wonderful anesthesiologist patiently explained to me each
step of an outpatient epidural procedure for my father’s back pain. From that moment, I set my
sites on becoming a doctor. In high school, I mined for opportunities to gain experience within
my rural hometown by volunteering in the emergency departments of two small area hospitals.
During my undergraduate years, I spent five weeks in Costa Rica as a volunteer for the
Foundation for International Medical Relief for Children where I also trained with the Costa
Rican taekwondo team. I then spent a summer as a paid research intern at the University of
Kentucky Markey Cancer Institute. Additionally, I attained my SRNA certification and
completed clinical rotations at the Alzheimer’s Unit of Sayre Nursing Home.
These early glimpses into healthcare fueled my dedication to medicine. As a medical
student, each day of clinical rotations felt like a new adventure. I was quickly drawn to the
hospital’s internal medicine teams for their communication, their teamwork, and the diversity of
patient cases. Further, I was intrigued by the hospital’s intricacies; like a web of vital resources
connected by strong threads of effective communication and coordination.
One memorable moment of growth came during my acting internship. I made my way to
the Emergency Department to meet a new patient. As I approached his bedside, I recognized him
immediately. He was a 28-year-old man and prison inmate with paraplegia from a prior gunshot
wound to the spine. I initially had met him at a prior admission where he had undergone a
diverting colostomy secondary to a stage four decubitus sacral ulcer with fistula formation. I
recalled how graciously he had trusted our medical team even in the context of surgical
intervention. As I approached his bedside, he quickly recognized me and expressed genuine
relief that I was there. His initial trust in me stirred internal dialogue as I wondered if I deserved
it. This strengthened my mission to earn the trust he so readily afforded to me. I was reminded of
the duty to cultivate a caring, kind, and safe environment that I felt desperate for as a daughter
protective of my own father during his admissions.
This patient’s admission proved to be complex. Quick adaptations in his plan of treatment
were required for a variety of factors and I collaborated with numerous consulting teams to assist
in coordinating his care. I was privileged to learn from a variety of physicians and was guided by
incredible hospitalists. My oath toward loyalty and compassion gained more value as my
capability to provide care grew. Being accountable and taking responsibility for my patience,
fostered my growth, and I found incredible satisfaction as I became more useful to patients and
colleagues.
My experiences thus far have strengthened specific qualities that I am prepared to
contribute to residency. Success within my athletic endeavors called for a reliable and resilient
worth ethic. Athletics further taught me to be “coachable” as success required me to be receptive
to feedback and adapt appropriately. Additionally, I bring a unique perspective to healthcare as a
combined MD-MBA student with an understanding of financial and logistical components within
the health care industry. Within the MBA’s leadership and teamwork courses, I am learning
communication skills that will make me a resident other healthcare professionals want to work
with. Having grown up in a medically underserved rural population coupled with witnessing my
father’s journey as a patient, I am committed in my responsibility to provide care
compassionately and dutifully. Beyond the scope of residency, I have long-term aspirations to
drive advocacy work and outreach programs to improve access to affordable care in rural
communities like the one I grew up in.
I am resolute in my wholehearted commitment to medicine. Thousands of hours of
taekwondo practice on those mats are what prepared me to go on to secure a gold medal and be
voted by peer athletes to represent the United States as Flag Bearer for the Opening Ceremony.
Similar to athletic readiness, the readiness to work as a physician is to be earned through
thousands of hours of practice gained in residency. I am confident that I have the foundation to
excel as an internal medicine resident, and I am excited to earn capabilities that are deserving of
patient trust.