Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make...
Of My Own Will
I awoke to the sickening smell of isoform, antiseptics, and the scent of "Get Well" flowers. My eyes slowly adjusted to the bright lighting and I made out one stark silhouette, a teary, worry-stricken woman clutching my hand so tightly that it would seem I would disappear if she didn't. I began to make sense of my situation. The heavy breathing of people, constant beeping of monitors, and low buzzing noises from the television attacked my ears from all directions. As I lay on the rigid, hospital bed, I could not help regret the fact that I could have avoided all this mess if I only went with my gut.
As a child I was diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease that spontaneously attacks the healthy tissue damaging my body internally. As a result, I was a frequent visitor to clinics and hospitals meeting an array of physicians. I looked up to these omniscient, passionate, and self-less individuals and aspired to follow in their example. My view through rose-tinted glasses would soon end.
When I was fourteen-years-old, my physician had recommended me to get the HPV vaccine, a preventative measure against cervical cancer recommended for females. I had my reservations on account of possible side effects I had read about. My doubt stemmed from the fact that if these symptoms were occurring in healthy women, someone with a compromised immune system would have an exacerbated reaction. However, my physician insisted it would be safe and so I trusted her recommendation. Before I knew it, I wounded up in the ER with heavy bleeding and crippling fatigue.
To err is human and physicians are no exception. I believe that patients should not always take the doctor's word for granted. In a recent CNN article, ProPublica reporter Tracy Weber revealed data about doctors over-prescribing drugs and promoting brand-name medications. From Weber's interviews it revealed that the representatives from the pharmaceutical companies persuade the doctors to prescribe a brand name medication. Meaning patients must now realize not to place all their trusts on their physicians whose main job now is to make money. Patients should be more proactive, learn how to make their own decisions, and decline offers when they need to.
A year passed since my hospitalization, and I visited my pediatric rheumatologist with a rash on my face as Lupus also attacks the skin. While the recovery was slow, my skin was healing quite well on its own. My doctor recommended a newly released skin medication to speed up the recovery process, but I decided against it, still recollecting what happened the previous time when I took an offer I was dubious of. Surely enough, I searched in the Internet the effects of this medication and knew I made the right decision when I found out the risks outweighed the benefits. Thankfully, my skin was back to normal in spite of the fact that it took a bit longer, which I did not mind at all.
In this instance, my decision to trust my body's ability to handle the skin rash on its own was fortuitous for me. As per my experiences with physicians, I have become an individual who does not take suggestions at face value and would rather acquire all the evidence before proceeding forth, a skill which I feel has carried over into other aspects of my life. I know I will come to repeat this decision in the future as well, because it is integral for everyone to take ownership of crucial choices before reaching a final conclusion. Although I have strayed off the path of becoming a medical practitioner, I have acquired new interests in pursuing Business, an area where... (contrast to Medical Field)
[I need some honest opinions on my common essay and suggestions to improve it, especially the last paragraph as I do want to tie in Business since I want to major in it. The limit is 650 words and I have 619 so far. Thank you in advance!]
Of My Own Will
I awoke to the sickening smell of isoform, antiseptics, and the scent of "Get Well" flowers. My eyes slowly adjusted to the bright lighting and I made out one stark silhouette, a teary, worry-stricken woman clutching my hand so tightly that it would seem I would disappear if she didn't. I began to make sense of my situation. The heavy breathing of people, constant beeping of monitors, and low buzzing noises from the television attacked my ears from all directions. As I lay on the rigid, hospital bed, I could not help regret the fact that I could have avoided all this mess if I only went with my gut.
As a child I was diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease that spontaneously attacks the healthy tissue damaging my body internally. As a result, I was a frequent visitor to clinics and hospitals meeting an array of physicians. I looked up to these omniscient, passionate, and self-less individuals and aspired to follow in their example. My view through rose-tinted glasses would soon end.
When I was fourteen-years-old, my physician had recommended me to get the HPV vaccine, a preventative measure against cervical cancer recommended for females. I had my reservations on account of possible side effects I had read about. My doubt stemmed from the fact that if these symptoms were occurring in healthy women, someone with a compromised immune system would have an exacerbated reaction. However, my physician insisted it would be safe and so I trusted her recommendation. Before I knew it, I wounded up in the ER with heavy bleeding and crippling fatigue.
To err is human and physicians are no exception. I believe that patients should not always take the doctor's word for granted. In a recent CNN article, ProPublica reporter Tracy Weber revealed data about doctors over-prescribing drugs and promoting brand-name medications. From Weber's interviews it revealed that the representatives from the pharmaceutical companies persuade the doctors to prescribe a brand name medication. Meaning patients must now realize not to place all their trusts on their physicians whose main job now is to make money. Patients should be more proactive, learn how to make their own decisions, and decline offers when they need to.
A year passed since my hospitalization, and I visited my pediatric rheumatologist with a rash on my face as Lupus also attacks the skin. While the recovery was slow, my skin was healing quite well on its own. My doctor recommended a newly released skin medication to speed up the recovery process, but I decided against it, still recollecting what happened the previous time when I took an offer I was dubious of. Surely enough, I searched in the Internet the effects of this medication and knew I made the right decision when I found out the risks outweighed the benefits. Thankfully, my skin was back to normal in spite of the fact that it took a bit longer, which I did not mind at all.
In this instance, my decision to trust my body's ability to handle the skin rash on its own was fortuitous for me. As per my experiences with physicians, I have become an individual who does not take suggestions at face value and would rather acquire all the evidence before proceeding forth, a skill which I feel has carried over into other aspects of my life. I know I will come to repeat this decision in the future as well, because it is integral for everyone to take ownership of crucial choices before reaching a final conclusion. Although I have strayed off the path of becoming a medical practitioner, I have acquired new interests in pursuing Business, an area where... (contrast to Medical Field)
[I need some honest opinions on my common essay and suggestions to improve it, especially the last paragraph as I do want to tie in Business since I want to major in it. The limit is 650 words and I have 619 so far. Thank you in advance!]
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