My American Dream

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and begin to sing the notes on the page. The music engulfs me and allows me to escape the challenges around me. My heart is open, expressing the powerful words of the song. I look out into the audience and see a man with tears in his eyes. In that moment, we formed a connection through music. I experience a similar connection when conversing with patients. It has become clear to me that music and medicine have many parallels, and music has led me to realize my dream of becoming a physician.
As a physician, you have the privilege to earn your patient’s trust and be a part of their journey. Throughout my shadowing experiences in several specialties, I realized that physicians can have a very similar effect
I volunteered in Guatemalan health care clinics after my sophomore year of college. While in the Guatemala City dump where hundreds of families live, I met a girl the same age as me who taught me a valuable lesson. We were from two very different worlds, but we formed an intimate connection with each other that day. I remember seeing her walking barefoot towards us as we got out of the van. She complimented me on my pink tennis shoes a couple of times during our conversation. Before we left the village, I took off my pink tennis shoes and gave them to her. While I tied my other pair of tennis shoes, I looked up to see the biggest smile on her face. It may have seen like a simple moment to some, but for us we didn’t feel worlds apart but rather friends. So often in life, our minds are racing with to do lists and thoughts that we don’t notice the beauty in simple moments. I enjoy finding the beauty in every day moments that so many individuals miss. When I sing, my mind is only thinking about the beauty and words of the music. In medicine, I experience this same feeling when I am conversing with a patient. I know that there will be challenges along my journey to become a physician. However, the joy in simple experiences with patients that unite us cross-culturally makes every challenge and sacrifice worth