Illness, diseases and syndromes, all these words symbolize suffering. But for me, the connotation was so different. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay My illness gave me the opportunity to draw inspiration from the field of medicine. My childhood memories of unexplained minor bleeding, skin bruising, and fatigue led to frequent hospital visits and blood tests that ruled out any thalassemia traits. During this period, I had the opportunity to witness the dedication and teamwork of health professionals; leaving a lasting impression on my mind. My desire to explore medicine as a career option was strengthened when my mother suffered a spinal disc injury and how providing her daily care transformed me as a person. Helping her clean, carry heavy items, and reach the top shelves were simple tasks for me, but not for her. Accompanying her during physiotherapy sessions allowed me to interact with allied health professionals and help her memorize and perform exercise routines. The gradual improvement brought about by the cooperative efforts of his doctor and physiotherapist was inspiring. The satisfaction I felt from helping him every day reinforced my decision to pursue medicine. To understand primary health care, I attended consultations with local GPs with a wide age range of patients. Working behind the front desk improved my communication and teamwork skills and gave me insight into the day-to-day running of the practice, including filing, record keeping and interacting with patients. Volunteering for the past four years with the St. John's Ambulance Service has helped me gain first-hand experience in emergency services. My role was to communicate with people, provide them with drinks and fill the first aid trolleys. Running the school color trail allowed me to use my first aid skills while remaining calm. I have helped crying children injured from falling while running by diverting their attention by initiating a conversation. Attending the dementia workshop and working as a dementia friend helped me develop empathy and compassion when listening and speaking to elderly patients. After some thought, I realized that simple things like smiling, talking, and playing mindfulness games were so important to making them feel better. Shaving my hair for the hospice allowed me to raise funds and, more importantly, to develop empathy and courage, and to share the same feelings that any cancer patient would experience in losing her hair during chemotherapy. Helping to run the University Sports Department's Over-60s Exercise Club has strengthened my teamwork and organizational skills. Talking to them and listening would make them smile when they share their health problems. They understood the importance of maintaining good health by staying physically and mentally fit. Leading my college basketball team and coaching younger players has allowed me to adopt different strategies for each ability. I was able to hone my leadership and communication skills and apply them to coaching. It was the best way to give back to the community what I had learned in my institution. My teamwork and organizational skills have been strengthened by my.