Within every community, needs exist that may go noticed or unattended. While reflecting over my community, I came to feel an urgent need that is a problem for so many: access to humane healthcare, particularly for the female gender. My realization stemmed not just from my time at my church and dance but also from seeing the broader challenges faced by women in my area.

Like many others across the United States, my community has considerable gaps in women’s healthcare. Many women simply do not receive quality healthcare services tailored to their special needs during their life. The women who most often face these inequities to greater care are women of color and those below the economic thresholds.

Healthcare for women’s comprehensive wellness requires much more than mere medical treatment; it must include check-ups, family planning, charge of prenatal and postpartum care, and assistance with various gynecological problems. The healthcare system is, unfortunately, often unable to offer such holistic care, leaving a number of women in the regions to leave their healthcare needs unaddressed and unmet.

To address this critical need, I plan to pursue a career as an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) after high school. An OB/GYN would provide plenty under the healthcare umbrella for women, from preventive care to intricate problems, building upon the principle of continuous healthcare for women throughout their lives. My medical training will allow me to  have the knowledge to provide good healthcare to women, spanning from adolescence through menopause and beyond. 

I am committed to providing care that goes well beyond treating the” disease”. Through my community work, such as volunteering at my church nursery and working as a Summer Youth Worker, I have learned just how incredibly valuable this can be. I learned that to be effective, one must create a caring environment for the patient where he or she is listened to, understood, and valued. My goal is to be not just a caregiver but also a steadying presence, always listening, offering either supportive guidance or rejoicing in how far it is that every one of my patients has come. This notion is sympathetic to the emerging consensus that women’s health care shall be inclusive, sex-aware, and gender-sensitive.

Moving beyond direct patient care, I want to educate health programs in the community. This will give women knowledge, clarity of thoughts, and resources that entail information about personal health, preventive care, and support systems. This will not only help women enhance their health literacy, but also make informed decisions concerning their health and well-being. I will create mentoring schemes for young teens and adults, especially girls willing to consider careers in health care. These would lay foundations for future health care workers who will appreciate the importance of compassionate culturally sensitive care. Bringing up the next generation of caregivers would ensure my community’s healthcare needs continue to be met with empathy.

Combining my medical education with the learning of service, mutual support, and mentoring values from my community, I believe I can create a powerful impact. Just as my community shaped my identity and values, I hope to also contribute to ensuring a community where every woman has an equal opportunity not only to enjoy quality health care but have access to a support network that would put its arm around her. 

In conclusion, my future training as an OB-GYN will prove pivotal in meeting the health needs I have identified in my community. With this medical training, I will be equipped to provide medical care as well as critical emotional support and understanding in completing women’s health requires that. I aim to become a beacon of support and caring so that every woman in my community can receive the complete health care that they deserve, and increase health equity for everyone.