How I approached my human biology coursework? Essay

This new outlook changed how I approached my human biology coursework. Although I still enjoyed learning about the biological elements of health, I was more sympathetic to the socioeconomic factors that impact an individual's health and wellness. I was alarmed but not bewildered to learn about the countless health disparities that exist between ethnicities and socioeconomic groups in the United States. I developed a commitment to working in underserved communities whose residents lacked medical resources and access to quality healthcare. This motivated me to pursue extracurricular activities that reflected this obligation. From coordinating HIV and STD screenings for African-Americans to discussing healthy eating habits with the young girls I mentored at Girls Inc., I valued creating community-based approaches to identify and address the health concerns of local populations. Yet ultimately, my volunteer clinical experiences confirmed my desire to care for the underserved as a physician.
At the age of twenty-four my mother immigrated from Nigeria to the United States in hopes of living the "American dream" she had heard so much about as a child. When she became a single mother to my brother and I, her passionate disposition was tested but remained unwavering in the desire to provide us a good education. Growing up in an urban area, I was exposed to a variety of social and economic perspectives that motivated me to help alter the conditions and plight of others. My enthusiasm for learning about the dualistic nature between the natural sciences and the human experience is what ultimately led me to medicine.
When I arrived at Howard University, I was met with the challenge of deciding on a course of study that would allow me to be an effective change agent within my community while also granting me the ability to problem solve and create solutions through science. I decided to major in Sports Medicine, a discipline which uses analytical skills to bridge the gap between science and the promotion of health and exercise to treat and prevent musculoskeletal injuries. My diverse educational background including, sociology, psychology and human growth and development, compounded with my scientific studies, further fortified my understanding of the human mind and body and aided in my ability to deeper appreciate the social and scientific link.
This new outlook changed how I approached my human biology coursework. Although I still enjoyed learning about the biological elements of health, I was more sympathetic to the socioeconomic factors that impact an individual's health and wellness. I was appalled to learn about the numerous health disparities in the U.S. that exist between ethnicities, socioeconomic groups and even gender. I developed a commitment to working with underserved populations and eliminating health disparities which became the motivation for many of my extracurricular activities. From organizing health screenings for Latinos to establishing a partnership with a women's shelter, I valued creating community-based approaches to identify and address the health concerns of local populations. Yet ultimately, my volunteer clinical experiences confirmed my desire to care for the underserved as a physician.