My Desire To Dive Into Studying Medicine
The human body is a complex yet beautiful machine which, with its meticulous defence systems, is able to endure the abuse we put it through; however there are times that its complexity serves as an 'Achilles' Heel' causing problems to arise, deteriorating the body and leading it to succumb to adverse conditions. The restoration of the body is a delicate process and its difficulty is often undermined by those who receive the treatment, despite this many still desire to be a doctor caring for patients who're likely to forget them. Why? As there is nothing more rewarding than receiving gratitude from someone they have nursed back to health.
For this reason, among others, I have decided to invest my time into studying medicine. My interest in becoming a doctor arose when I watched a documentary on Ben Carson called "Gifted Hands" which portrayed the life of the neurosurgeon and the type of operations he partook in. As he operated my eyes remained fixed on the TV: the reddish-pink colour of the brain, the ease that Dr Carson removed a brain tumour, and the gratitude exuded by the parents after Dr Carson succeeded in separating their conjoined twins, which were joined at the head, without either of them dying. The humility Dr Carson displayed despite accomplishing these amazing feats amazed me and influenced me to undergo first-aid training. I saw this small step as first of many on the road to becoming a doctor. As I continued in education, my interest in science grew and I decided to study Human Biology.
As I studied the body, and the processes within, my fascination increased, especially in how the body defends itself from pathogenic infections by creating B-Lymphocytes which produce antibodies with specific receptors that are only responsive to one antigen. This seemingly tedious specification is beneficial as it enables the body to have a rapid response to the antigen if the body is ever exposed to it again. The removal of these antigens is rather fascinating. After the antigen has triggered a specific immune response, T-Lymphocytes produce antibodies which are capable of inducing apoptosis on infected cells and antigens present in the blood. However, my interest didn't remain exclusively on the physical aspects of health. I began to gain an interest in the psychological side of health and the effect your mental health has on your physical body and vice versa. This interest stemmed from my struggles with Glandular Fever during S5 where I became depressed due to my lack of activity and constant tiredness. After barely leaving the house during the 6 month period I had the virus, and constantly studying the little time I was awake; when I found the energy to go to school and took unit assessments, I would get C's. This underachievement further depressed me as it seemed my efforts to study were in vain. However, during this time I stumbled across the placebo effect which address the idea that positive thinking decreases recovery time, and thought that the opposite must also be true. This evoked in me an interest in studying the psychological aspects of medicine and how mental states can impact the treatment of patients during my studies at university; as it is possible that the quality of healthcare increases if we pay close attention to the mental effects which medicine has what that means for treatments. The study of Biology and Chemistry has enabled me to analyse data and draw conclusions from information which, alongside the study of Maths, has developed my ability to think logically, which are skills imperative to being a doctor.
To experience the skillset of a doctor more closely I am currently setting up work experience at Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall, which will hopefully develop my team working skills and become more socially adept. I am greatly looking forward to studying at university and being able to expand on the knowledge I have gained so far and hope that the experience is a valuable but enjoyable one.
