Scholarship Essay Entry – Desmond K.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, fought for equality, multilateralism and an end to poverty resulting in a Nobel Prize. My name is Desmond Kong, I’m 18, and Archbishop Tutu is my namesake. I only hope that by my upcoming attendance of medical school, I am able to achieve a fraction of his legacy through patient care.
I was born and raised in Jasper, Alberta. While filled with young party goers during summer months, the demographic of permanent residents illustrates that Canada’s population is aging. I used to take a home economics course during every Thursday’s last period in high school. Afterwards, I would visit the local old folks’ home, bearing treats from the class before. I loved to chat with these ‘more experienced’ individuals. However, it was terrible to experience their battle with mortality; their constant aches and pains didn’t compare with the mental loss. I truly sympathized with their daily struggles. I came to learn that aging comes with increased health problems so more elders require a larger number of medical professionals. Realizing this, I felt compelled to aid the members of this growing trend. So, fuelled with this knowledge and my ambition, I worked hard and eventually made my way into medical school.

I hope that after completing my GP degree, I may end up specializing in geriatrics. In geriatric medicine, I’ll be able to have greater affect to the care of our elders. Having witnessed several hospital settings, there seems to me a great neglect of elderly, especially in small towns. This stems from a lack of professionals willing to reside in rural communities. To cope, I wish to further attend to demand by travelling amongst rural areas in Alberta. In the words of an elderly friend, at his age we aught to be “taking it slow so [he] can wait it out a little bit longer” and I want the best for him. To most, prodding old people isn’t the most glamourous business, but I feel that it is fulfilling and I wish to help my friend stick around a while.