What drew you to the medical field?

After my parents gifted me a toy medical kit and a pair of scrubs after visiting the pediatrician, my passion for the medical field was sparked. I knew I wanted to be a pediatrician as soon as I started working with kids in the community through instructing martial arts classes, tutoring younger kids, working at a summer camp, and volunteering for nonprofits supporting youth in foster care. I continued to gain experience in the medical field by volunteering at hospitals in the Charlotte region. My experiences with patient interactions and shadowing multiple physicians confirmed that I belonged in medicine. I knew that my future would encompass working with the wonders of the human body and providing quality care to others.

What are your future plans?

From my first memory at the doctor's office to volunteering at a children's hospital this past summer, I have always known that I had a special place in my heart for working with youth and the medical field. Through my volunteer work and shadowing at children's hospitals and emergency departments, I have gained an interest in pediatrics. I hope to explore more aspects and areas of medicine during medical school and find the right specialty for me to serve within pediatrics. Along the way, I plan to do pediatric cancer research and continue to volunteer in the hospital systems around Columbia.