Born and raised in a small village in India, I have personally seen the effects of inadequate healthcare and medical services on those who need it most. From the very beginning, obtaining an education in the healthcare field has been my goal. Even though the path was difficult and I had to face many obstacles, I persevered until the end. Being a woman in a patriarchal society made it that much more difficult to pursue a career. But with the encouragement and confidence of my support system, I knew that one day I could achieve my dream. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay My earliest memories are of leaving the house at 5 a.m. in order to get to school on time. Trying to do my best at school was difficult due to the lack of local facilities and the distances I had to travel. Nonetheless, I took advantage of every advantage I could and joined the school basketball team, even having the opportunity to play in the state championship. Our coach was an inspiring woman who encouraged us to strive to reach our potential. One day, she started feeling pain in her left arm and passed out during a match. There was both fear and uncertainty in that moment, but also hope. An off-duty doctor was able to provide emergency services and prevent this day from becoming a tragedy. Watching him save a life showed me the type of person I wanted to be. The first time I understood true helplessness was the day my grandfather died. He suffered from advanced heart disease, exacerbated by the lack of quality care in our village. On the day he died, he suffered a heart attack and, due to the lack of local medical facilities, he was unable to receive the care he needed. As I watched him die from a treatable incident, I felt despair at my inability to help him. I understood the pain of doing nothing. That day strengthened my resolve to achieve excellence and compassion in care. Drawn as I was to the medical field, I began volunteering at local medical clinics in my community at a very young age. I started with my first medical clinic camp in our village at the age of 17, and then attended medical and dental camps regularly. Every experience I have had, whether with a patient, a healthcare provider, or a fellow volunteer, has reinforced my decision to study medicine and care for people. In India, I had the opportunity to attend medical or dental school, and due to family financial issues, I chose dental school. Throughout my studies and after graduation, I worked with many patients and had the opportunity to perform and assist in extensive dental procedures. In 2015, I discovered the role of physician assistant. After researching the position and its roles and responsibilities, I knew this was the career I wanted. I started a job as a medical assistant in India to prepare and gain more experience from a medical perspective rather than a dental one. Every day was a lesson and eventually I started performing minor medical procedures and helping the doctor with more complicated procedures. After arriving in the United States in 2016, I completed my prerequisites (44 credits) in two semesters while maintaining a 4.0 average. My hard work and dedication earned me a Presidential Award for Academic Excellence. AP school.