Scholarship Essay Entry – Cecilia M.

Ask people what the happiest day of their lives was and you're bound to get a variety of answers. Convocation. Wedding day. Hearing their child's first words. Those may be some of the more common ones, but because I have not yet experienced them, my answer would be quite different. For me, the happiest day of my life so far would be when I finally discovered an answer to the ubiquitous question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When asked this question as a child, I went from  wanting to become a scientist to a police officer to a teacher. It wasn't until high school that I realized there was a career out there that combined all my interests: medicine. It was a career that I was genuinely passionate about, where I could combine my passion for science, my desire to help others in need and my love for educating others.
 
I am entering my fourth year in the Bachelor of Sciences program at the University of Alberta, majoring in Biological Sciences. I will be applying this year to the medicine programs at both the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary, but the admissions statistics are staggeringly competitive. However, if there is one thing that my journey to medicine has taught me, it is about the importance of perseverance and the power of never giving up. I hope to spread those values to those around me in everything I do.
 
I plan to volunteer in the SHINE Clinic one day as a medical student, providing free services to Edmonton's underprivileged youth. I plan to partake in Doctors Without Borders as a doctor, assisting those victimized by war or poor living conditions. I plan to educate my patients to the best of my ability, as I believe that taking care of one's health is the prerequisite for enjoying everything else that life has to offer. But until then, I can still work on my dreams one step at a time. Currently, I volunteer for the Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre and play a role in brightening up the days of the senior residents. I help out with the Environmental Coordination Office of Student to promote environmental sustainability. I donate my time to the Campus Food Bank so that students can concentrate on their studies without needing to worry about being hungry. I am a peer leader for the University International Centre to ease the transition for international students. I dedicate my time to the Big Sisters Big Brothers organization in the hopes of helping the children realize their dreams. I am a research assistant in two developmental psychology laboratories at the university because I believe that children are the key to a better future.
 
All big dreams have to start somewhere. I know to never give up on my dream of becoming a doctor, but by reaching out and making a difference in someone else's life, I am already partway there.