BY: CLAIRE KIM
People always change. Whether it is their favorite food, singers, or even career paths. I always remember and think back to the first moment I wanted to become a doctor. The reason was simple. I wanted to help and heal the people who needed me.
After watching many documentaries on doctors that travel to a variety of places, I felt the truly deep connection between the doctor and the patient. That’s when I realized that I wanted to be in those shoes for the rest of my life. I was very passionate in the field of designing and at one point in my life, I actually wanted to be an architect. I live in an area where innovation happens all the time, so it didn’t seem much of a surprise to me that I would be interested in that field. For a long time, I had no doubt in changing my career path because I felt that being an architect fit in with my boundaries. I never expected that I could change my plans so easily.
Since then, I haven’t regretted my choice to follow the medical path. Cara Lai, a student at MIT, had a very similar experience as me, although of course, I have not been as far as her in my lifetime.
She began her MIT experience, with the initial goal that she wanted to major in mechanical engineering so that she would be prepared for her work in the future. However, once she had the opportunity to see medical involved works, she changed her path. She was inspired to follow the medical engineering field.
Eventually, she was able to see the “sacred doctor-patient relationship” which sparked her view on the importance of human context. I strongly believe that building relationships is very important and influential for us. Being a doctor is just one of those options that will help lead me to become a successful person when I grow up.
I honestly think that Cara Lai is a strong and inspiring woman for everyone out there in the learning world. Her great passion for social interactions is a virtue that I need to develop and learn from her.
claire kim. 