My journey into the healthcare field was unconventional to say the least. I had no parental influence or family members that worked in the field. Instead, it was a specific moment I remembered vividly that would be my introduction to the healthcare field. At the age of 10, I witnessed the homicide of my uncle. He received a gunshot to the posterior portion of his cranium by another family member. That was the first time I saw brain matter, experienced being helpless, and in shock. The trauma from that experience sparked my interest in healthcare. This will not be the last time I will experience these emotions, but a reminder of why I chose this field. It was a pivotal moment that would help me discover my passion for emergency medicine in later years to come. Having no desire for college debt but also not wanting to be a product of my impoverished environment of South Carolina; I joined the United States Navy in 2006. It was the only option available since I had no guidance on career paths. My parents had no formal education past high school, and that drove me to take a different path in life. Thanks to that decision, eight years of my life was spectacular, but also a grueling ordeal. My occupation in the Navy was to serve as a Hospital Corpsman. Corpsman are the frontline of medicine in all aspects for both the Navy and Marine Corps. I want to be a physician’s assistant because its next logical step to further progress as a clinician.
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Four Navy corpsman were the first to graduate from the Duke program and start this profession. Just like my predecessors, I want to use my current knowledge, and expand it to help those in need. My Navy experience help me grow from a youth to a man. Learning ethics and core values such as honor, courage, commitment, and teamwork shaped me to become better as a man. In Japan (2007-2009, 2010-2013), my role as a corpsman was to be a dental technician and a emergency medicine technician. As a junior personnel, I learned the ropes of the clinic. Performing dental x-rays, prophylaxis cleanings, sterilization of medical and dental equipment, proper documentation of patient 's records, and assisting in oral maxillofacial surgery procedures. Everyday I provided hands on patient contact which helped with one of my weaknesses. Being from the south, I was very shy and reclusive. With time,hard work, and patience I developed public speaking skills and overcame that fear, especially in interactions with children. This skill was very crucial because parents and patients can be very difficult at times when emotions are high. Being that healthcare is a customer service industry, I learned how to assure and appease parents and patients of their worries--showing empathy and offering assistance to alleviate their pain. Being an EMT on the weekends prepared me for my role as a combat medic in Kuwait and Iraq (June 2009- March 2010). This time period was the most profound in my career. This is when corpsman earn the title “Doc” by their marines. This title is given because we are the sole medical providers in a combat theater. Higher echelon medical facility for assistance could be thirty minutes to two days away. Besides being a main medical provider for 150 personnel, I also assumed roles of being the chaplain, psychiatrist, brother, marine, and mother for company morale. The men and women see you as a figure they can confide in. It 's your job to be as honest as possible without affecting their mental status. The goals are to have them devoid of their mental problems, to be able to operate efficiently, and to make sure everyone returns back to their family. Wanted or not, that is the responsibility placed on you as their medical provider. Even though I received exceptional training, nothing could actually prepare me for what I would experience. This was a heavy burden, but I accepted it because my comrades believed I was the deciding factor between life and death. During my fifth combat patrol, we encounter hostile insurgents. Like the other marines, I returned suppressive fire power in the direction of attack. Some time elapsed and I remember the call that made my heart throb even harder as adrenaline was coursing through my body. A marine in the distance shouted out, “ Corpsman”! That 's when i knew someone was hit
Four Navy corpsman were the first to graduate from the Duke program and start this profession. Just like my predecessors, I want to use my current knowledge, and expand it to help those in need. My Navy experience help me grow from a youth to a man. Learning ethics and core values such as honor, courage, commitment, and teamwork shaped me to become better as a man. In Japan (2007-2009, 2010-2013), my role as a corpsman was to be a dental technician and a emergency medicine technician. As a junior personnel, I learned the ropes of the clinic. Performing dental x-rays, prophylaxis cleanings, sterilization of medical and dental equipment, proper documentation of patient 's records, and assisting in oral maxillofacial surgery procedures. Everyday I provided hands on patient contact which helped with one of my weaknesses. Being from the south, I was very shy and reclusive. With time,hard work, and patience I developed public speaking skills and overcame that fear, especially in interactions with children. This skill was very crucial because parents and patients can be very difficult at times when emotions are high. Being that healthcare is a customer service industry, I learned how to assure and appease parents and patients of their worries--showing empathy and offering assistance to alleviate their pain. Being an EMT on the weekends prepared me for my role as a combat medic in Kuwait and Iraq (June 2009- March 2010). This time period was the most profound in my career. This is when corpsman earn the title “Doc” by their marines. This title is given because we are the sole medical providers in a combat theater. Higher echelon medical facility for assistance could be thirty minutes to two days away. Besides being a main medical provider for 150 personnel, I also assumed roles of being the chaplain, psychiatrist, brother, marine, and mother for company morale. The men and women see you as a figure they can confide in. It 's your job to be as honest as possible without affecting their mental status. The goals are to have them devoid of their mental problems, to be able to operate efficiently, and to make sure everyone returns back to their family. Wanted or not, that is the responsibility placed on you as their medical provider. Even though I received exceptional training, nothing could actually prepare me for what I would experience. This was a heavy burden, but I accepted it because my comrades believed I was the deciding factor between life and death. During my fifth combat patrol, we encounter hostile insurgents. Like the other marines, I returned suppressive fire power in the direction of attack. Some time elapsed and I remember the call that made my heart throb even harder as adrenaline was coursing through my body. A marine in the distance shouted out, “ Corpsman”! That 's when i knew someone was hit