My Plans And Goals On The Way To Become A Pediatric Surgeon

I imagine myself taking a deep breath as the patient is being put into this deep sleep that will seem like a blink of an eye to them. While making sure that I am clearing my mind of all the possible obstacles I may face during this life-changing experience, I put myself inside of this being laying in front of me and fully comprehend the things I need to do in order to help this person’s pain. As I have imagined this my mind keeps flying to what my future might look like. Having a family also seems like a major factor in my future. Finding a successful balance between work and my personal life is going to be very important. Thinking about my future and what I picture to be a great life seems like a daily thing now that I am a junior in high school and need to begin planning on where I want to go to college. When I go to college, I plan on majoring in medicine. To fulfill this dream I would like to attend Baylor University.

As for after college I will need to apply to medical schools and I would like to join Baylor College of Medicine. I would like to join Baylor College of Medicine because it is the #1 in Pediatrics for Texas (Best Pediatrics Programs). I would like to pursue a career in pediatric surgery. Becoming a pediatric surgeon at Texas Children’s Hospital would be amazing. I would like to become a surgeon because I have experienced family members in excruciating pain where no one was around to help them and I want to make sure that these sort of things don’t happen while I’m around. Specializing in pediatrics will be terrific because I could help those who can’t speak for themselves and can’t express what they truly feel. I feel like I would be a great pediatric surgeon because I have qualities that are needed to become a surgeon. I have great communication skills, this will help when I have to speak with my patients because I will make sure that they are okay and they feel assured with leaving their lives in my hands. I also have the patience that will be needed when I spent a long period of time with patients that need special attention. I am also a great problem solver, when I may be put in a difficult situation I will need to be able to know how to handle the problem well. These skills will be essential when assuring my patients with the best care available. To ensure that I take great care of those who are willing to put their lives in my hands there are many important steps needed to achieve this goal.

First comes the education, the United States Department of Labor states that students must have at least a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, physics, math, etc. After the bachelor’s degree, students must apply to medical school, which is highly competitive, with their MCAT test scores and letters of recommendation. Soon after completing medical school students will join a residency program. This may take up to 7 years depending on their specialty (Occupational Outlook Handbook). Once students have completed their residency they will need their license and/or certification to verify they are qualified and ready for their position. Because this position takes a long time to prepare it has its great rewards. One of the many rewards includes their salary which according to the United States of Labor is equal to or greater than 208, 000. Working as a surgeon there are many available jobs in Texas. Living and working in Texas would be a very comforting thing because I know that even if I move far from home I can always go back for a short amount of time and not feel too far from my family. In order to accomplish this goal, I need to do the best I can in school. I have gotten a head start in school by joining ACC Dual Credit classes, and making good grades in these classes will help shorten the amount of time I need to go to school outside of high school. By doing things like these I have made my parents proud by showing them I take initiative in what I want to achieve in life.

My parents have been a great influence in my life because they have shown me what it is like to struggle because there is not enough money. My parents struggled for some time of my childhood and I don’t want them to experience that again. I want to become a surgeon not only to save lives but also because I want to be able to financially provide to those who have believed in me and influenced my life. Others who have also influenced my life are my grandparents. My grandparents are my role models because I have seen them come from nothing and still be very happy with what they had during those times. They taught me how to appreciate everything I have and made sure I knew how fortunate I am to have these opportunities.

After all of this research and reflection, I have realized that there will not be a perfect balance between my personal life and work. Becoming a surgeon will take up most of my time with little free time. I truly enjoy what I have researched and I will be willing to give up some of my free time to become a successful surgeon. Being a pediatric surgeon is my dream job so I am okay with having this be my main priority and maybe start a family at a later age. This made me realize that becoming a surgeon I will live to work. This is okay with me because I know that I will love my job and focus on being the best I can.