In what way(s) did you personally grow this year? How did you demonstrate or rebuild the resilience needed to move forward during this time? How will you utilize resources and your support network to hold yourself accountable in continuing this growth?
This past year was full of unexpected events and therefore provided me many opportunities for learning and growth. The most prominent example is the COVID-19 pandemic that prompted life as we knew it to shut down and scale back. Thankfully, I was able to stay at home safe with my family. Being home most of the time also allowed me to reflect more on what is important to me and what I want to achieve. One of these realizations was cherishing my family and other relationships more, so I connected with people virtually while also spending more time with my family. Later in the year when discussion of vaccine distribution began, I felt more appreciation and fascination with scientific research for human health. Overall, seeing healthcare workers continue to serve the population in times of need was inspiring, giving me more motivation to pursue a career in medicine. Developing and maintaining relationships, personal or professional, was more challenging with the shift to online. However, I was still able to reach out and make those connections. When I returned to campus, I was able to work through the new circumstances for college life and work during the pandemic. Adjusting to mainly virtual classes went relatively well, although I missed interacting with people in person. One positive aspect was the online lectures being recorded, which gave me the flexibility to go back and rewatch segments for better understanding of a topic or clarifying my notes. I felt especially grateful since I took some intense and content-heavy scientific courses this past year, and I found ways to study more effectively. My genuine enjoyment for classes such as biochemistry or anatomy and physiology reassured me of my love of science and desire to work in healthcare. The material I learned also allowed me to understand the mechanisms of the new vaccines, which was an exciting real world application. Outside of the classroom, practicing safety measures enabled me to return to my research lab to continue working. This also allowed me to continue learning with more hands-on experience and see more applications of what I learn in class. In the coming year, I will continue to delve into my scientific interests whether through my lab work and discussing its significance with my mentors or talking with professors on current issues and discoveries. I will also continue to value my friends and family and college community as they support me on my journey to becoming a physician.