RE: Story time/introduce yourself -contest (free SBD and get exposure) -Making steemit more inclusive and welcoming!

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Story time/introduce yourself -contest (free SBD and get exposure) -Making steemit more inclusive and welcoming!

in introduceyourself •  7 years ago 

Hello you can find my introduction post at to learn a little bit about me:
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@brogowsk/introduction

Below I have written about an autobiography about my desire to pursue medicine:

I was born and raised in Beaver, Pennsylvania; a very small town with approximately 4,500 residents, an hour northwest of Pittsburgh. Neighborhoods are nestled among the beautiful landscape of the Ohio and Beaver Rivers as well as many historic buildings. It’s a very old town with long standing traditions. To this day, Beaver is still a “dry” town and while alcohol may be consumed in town, it cannot be purchased. It is one of the only waterfront areas that does not have any industrial sites or steel mills on its banks that were so popular in the early 1900’s. There is a main road through town where the majority of businesses are located, and if you stop at a restaurant or store, you will mostly likely know the majority of the people.
My parents relocated to the area so we did not have extended family nearby, but living in a small town is like being part of a large family. Everyone knows everything about you, so I always felt supported and cared for. Growing-up in this type of environment, I learned the importance of honesty, integrity and community service. These values are what make me who I am today and define my moral compass. I also understand that a community thrives when individuals positively contribute and give back and one day, I hope to enrich my community by being a physician.
Growing up, my favorite word was “why”. I questioned the world and everything around me by constantly searching for information and examining things from different perspectives. Toys and games were routinely taken apart to see how they were made and how to make them work better. Over the years, this natural childhood curiosity developed into my best traits: a strong work ethic and the ability to identify weaknesses. When faced with a task, I assess each component and identify weak points that can be improved. Constantly seeking new knowledge as a child developed my deep appreciation for science and nature.
As a high school freshman, I wrote a research paper about the theory that humans only use 10% of their brain potential. Although a bit outdated, it sparked my interest in neuroscience immensely. What attracted me to the topic was how much was known about the brain, but also how much there was still to learn. I saw this as an incredible opportunity to make new discoveries. While in high school, I received sports related concussions that resulted in headaches, disorientation and fatigue. To combat the symptoms, I was prescribed three months of vestibular therapies. There’s a part of me that is glad I had to deal with my symptoms and the exhausting therapy because I was presented with the best case a budding neuroscientist could ask for, myself. Additionally, my grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Watching him lose his identity was one of the hardest things I have experienced. The feeling of helplessness knowing there is currently no cure drives my passion to combat neurodegenerative disease and I look forward to making a difference.
To obtain a quality undergraduate education, I chose to study Neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University, which provided exposure to rigorous and diverse courses. Every student, from every major, was required to enroll in a computer programming course. I chose the infamously difficult one to challenge myself on a subject I found interesting. Programing introduced me to the fields of computer vision and machine learning, tools that are invaluable in an ever increasing technological world. As a freshman, I joined the lab of neuroscience professor Dr. Aryn Gittis. I thrived under her supervision and received funding for a variety of projects that culminated in an honors thesis. I was also able to collaborate with students from around the world by being involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities that included: intramural sports, traveling to Nicaragua with the Global Medical Brigades and membership in the organization, NeuroSAC. I am most proud of my involvement with Donut Dash, the largest Greek life fundraiser in the country, completely organized by Sigma Alpha Epsilon. My fraternity was inspired to participate after learning our advisor was diagnosed with the disease. As a three year team leader, I assisted in increasing the participants and money generated from 500 and $20,000 to over 1500 and $175,000. Coming together as a group to raise more money than any other fraternity chapter nationwide, was an incredible team effort I will never forget.
Following graduation, I spent time traveling with friends. One of the highlights was driving the California coast from San Diego to San Francisco. Upon returning to my hometown, I began working as the head coach for the Beaver Area Middle School boys’ soccer team. I have played and excelled at soccer for many years and enjoy giving back to my community by mentoring young players.
Additionally, I volunteer by presenting youth neuroscience outreach programs to local students once or twice per month. I will also serve as an Alzheimer’s patient volunteer at St. Barnabas Beaver Meadows after the soccer season. I dedicate at least ten hours per week to further my education by reading scientific literature, learning computer programming languages, and learning to play the piano. I am currently applying to Heritage Valley Health System to begin working as a Physician Office Assistant following the soccer season. These experiences will improve my leadership and communication skills and I will gain valuable clinical experience by working closely with physicians, learning medical terminology and observing how a medical practice is managed. My motivation to become a physician began with a passion for the brain and wanting to help others. Shadowing physicians confirmed my desire to dedicate my life to medicine.

Thanks for reading!

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