My son, it is time for you to fly alone.Why I Want to be a Doctor
The Kitsap County Medical Society is pleased to announce its first $1, 000 annual college scholarship winner. Luis Robles, a graduating senior from Bainbridge Island High School with a 4. 0 GP1.
Participants had to be a graduating senior in Kitsap County who is planning to enter the medical field. They were asked to write an essay about "Why I have chosen a career in Healthcare, and why I could make a difference. "
The Kitsap County Medical Society received 17 applications. A committee consisting of Dr. Rice, Dr. Lee, Dr. Hutchinson, Dr. Wicks and Tori Kremer had the difficult task of selecting a winner. The scholarship will be presented at the May 12 dinner meeting. The following is the essay Luis submitted.
My son, it is time for you to fly alone.
"Dr. Johnson ... Dr. Johnson...." As I wearily walked down the artificially lit corridor, I realized it was my father's doctor being paged. I turned and ran towards the intensive care unit I had left a few minutes ago. The sterilized odor of the hospital overwhelmed me as I raced through a maze of white walls to confront his death.
After bolting through heavy metal doors, I saw doctors and nurses rushing frantically around the room. I could only hear one sound. It filled the air and was audible above all the commotion and the heavy pounding of my heart. The monotonous beep of the monitor meant Daddy was gone forever.
While sitting next to his cold body, I focused at the crimson drops, which stained the yellow linoleum floor and slowly remembered what a terrible ordeal the past six weeks of hospitalization had been. My Life had changed forever since the day I sped through traffic with my Dad shivering in the back seat next to my worried mother. I was scared to death without even knowing that the killer was Leukemia.
Although the chemotherapy proceeded well, it gradually wore my father away. The first side effects were a loss of appetite accompanied by nausea and vomiting. His hair fell out next, and I could tell my Father's courage was beginning to waver. A look of pain and anguish had replaced his usual smile and with each passing day he looked more like my grandfather. It all seemed like a bad dream.
While packing up hours after he had passed away, I found a note directed towards me. It was in Father's handwriting; blurry scribbles because the medicine made his hands shake. I sat down and cried because it said in Spanish, "My son, it is time for you to fly alone."
It is hard to understand Dad's absence, and that he left on my 17th birthday. Although I miss him everyday I am grateful for all the time we spent together and everything my father taught me. He pointed me in the right direction and made me believe in myself. There is good in this beautiful world, and life will always receive my best effort. I will never be embarrassed by my heritage and will succeed. I know he is proud of me.
Now my goal is a degree in medicine. I chose to pursue such a career because of my life's experiences and the gifts given to me. Ultimately, I could make a difference because of my drive to succeed and the will to help those in need.
Although the experience with my father's illness was a terrible one, through it I decided to become a doctor. Dad used to tell me that medicine was a truly noble profession because it benefits humanity, and he was absolutely right. Good doctors have always been needed, especially in the Hispanic community.
The gifts given to me, such as bilingual capabilities and an aptitude for science, also influenced my decision. I personally heard the cry for Spanish-speaking physicians and realized I could fulfill such a role and truly help others. I also recognized my natural abilities in the field of science and saw such a career as a great way to implement them.
I know it's going to be tough, but I won't give up. Life has given me the tools necessary to succeed, and they will be utilized. Deep inside I know that one day I will become a doctor.