I would like to share a number of personal experiences that contributed to my decision to become a physician.
I first became interested in science in high school when an extremely talented teacher introduced me to the study of biology Although the course was only an introductory one, this teacher went far beyond the standard curriculum. Not only did the class dissect frogs, grasshoppers, and worms, but it also proceeded under his direction to dissect cow eyes, and the brains and hearts of sheep. As the course progressed, the teacher’s enthusiasm for his subject made me, in turn, eager to learn more. Thus my introduction to science at the high school level was very positive, and I looked forward to pursuing a science-related career.
Another high school experience was also to prove instrumental in my future career choice. I was involved in a program in which students volunteered at Suffolk Development Center, a state-run mental institution in Melville, New York. Each volunteer was assigned to one patient on a regular basis. My charge, Joey, was a nineteen-year-old boy, who was blind, mentally retarded, and crippled. Quite frankly, the experience at first made me uncomfortable—I had never before been exposed to such severely handicapped people—but my initial feeling subsided as I became more involved with helping Joey perform simple tasks which, for him, were major accomplishments. This experience made me sensitive to the need to provide facilities for those whose health is mentally or physically impaired, and taught me that patience, care, and determination are needed to help such people. It was at this time that I began to focus on a career in medicine.