Gene Denton Essay 38

In my community one of the most pressing needs is economic stability, greater support for our young people and access to opportunities for students at our Title I school, where there are predominantly black and brown students. I have become aware that many of the families face economic challenges whether that is continuing their education post-high school or navigating through school because of said obstacles. There is also a limited access to healthcare, and systemic inequities that directly affect student’s academic performance and well-being. Although our school is filled with many talented and success driven students, outside of the classroom, many of us still face challenges. Throughout the area in general, a primary need within the community is access to basic necessities, specifically food and housing stability. These struggles added on to the mental burden of making ends meet, with high-priced groceries, housing, and other basic needs, our community begins to derail further from the goal to thrive. After high school, I plan to pursue a career in medicine, attend undergrad university, and pursue med-school afterwards. As I hope to become a future physician, I will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to be of service and help the residents within my community. Through my purse of medicine and education as a physician, I hope to return to my community and provide in more areas than one.I hope to provide support and guidance as a healthcare provider by promoting health education, mental health awareness, and addressing economic barriers within my community.  As a physician I want to leverage my medical expertise in order to bridge gaps in resources, healthcare, and education. I plan to partner and establish more community service events in schools and establishments in the Ruskin Heights/raytown area where people are accessed basic living needs. By partnering with school nurses and health teams, I can provide free vision/hearing screenings, immunizations, physical check-ups, etc. for community members and students; I am able to target multiple disregarded needs regarding health. Bringing in more mobile units where I am able to attend to community members for blood pressure, cholesterol checks, diabetes and glucose testing; that tend to be major health risks in communities with an increase in poverty and low quality nutrient lacking foods.Educational inequity in my community is heavily tied into the health inequity that is shown. Therefore providing information for our youth is also vital when it comes to establishing a thriving community as they are the upcoming generation expanding the community. I would provide educational programs for both students, parents, and other community members  to teach about hygiene, healthy habits, menstrual health as well as building group events to pass out hygiene and care kits. These events would include asking volunteer members to gather and bring in food cans and groceries to provide. By using my platform, when it comes to housing stability and advocacy, I would plan to partner with local legal aid organizations in order to help families fight housing conditions. Along with that I would use my role to connect with HUD exchange to identify surplus in order to provide and identify housing vouchers for members in the community. Mental health often goes unnoticed or disregarded in times of need and instability, with my platform I could partner up with organizations that provide mobile or walk-in mental health services direct;y to schools and the community. This would follow up with crisis/mental campaigns and advocate for ACT teams that provide community-based care. Lastly, something I’ve always dreamed and promised to continue as an alumni and member of my community, is to always give back. As a one day physician, I would offer and provide scholarships for students in my community planning to attend college or trade school upon graduation; removing that financial barrier the youth in our community faces and giving them black, brown, white, and anyone in between chance at success. Sometimes all you need is a little help. In the position I hope to be one day I promise to fulfill that. Everyone needs help, whether it is said out loud or not. Healthy and stable families create stronger communities for our youth and overall population in the Ruskin area. By addressing these health, economic, and mental barriers that often go unnoticed and unattended for Title I schools and communities where poverty is high, My goal would be to build a foundation where my community thrives and is being attended. When providing accessible and curated opportunities we are no longer limited by inequity, but empowered by opportunity.