Ross Jenkins

I was raised in a house that used to be a community clinic during the early 1900s. A physician named Dr. Simmons treated patients, but not equality. Black patients had to enter through the backdoor and wait until all the white patients had been seen and treated prior to their names being placed on a waiting list. My granddad was one of those black patients. Despite the harsh economic realities and lack of equity and equality that black people endured, my grandad persevered. Eventually, he was able to buy the clinic and remodel it into a home, in which, he was able to walk through the front door. I chose to pursue a career in medicine because I wanted to empower my family and community to live healthier lives. My grandfather’s life was cut short due to chronic heart complications, which led to a massive heart attack. If he were able to afford routine and adequate treatment he would’ve had a prolonged life with less suffering. Pain and suffering became so integrated into his life that it diminished my spirit just to watch him survive. This was the driving factor that influenced me to study medicine.

An opportunity to study medicine will allow me to become an invaluable asset to my family and community. Being able to provide healthcare as a practicing physician would not only alleviate my communities inhibition of “seeing the doctor” but my education would play a pivotal role in establishing trust between the medical system and communities of color. I am an American of African decent; I have seen firsthand how many people in the African American/Black community has suffered due to a lack of access to healthcare in conjunction with intentional medical malpractice, being denied their right of informed consent. My grandfather’s condition progressed rapidly only because of his socioeconomic class. In America, I have learned that having healthcare is a given for the rich and a gift for the poor, but my family taught me skills that will help me to change this sad truth.

My family has been the most important factor upon my personal development. From my mother I learned the value of compassion and love. In the words of Ernesto “Che” Guevara the true revolutionary is guided by love, which is what my mother taught me. Despite adversity, love and compassion is the deepest emotional connection that I have for people. This is key when it comes to being a medical doctor. In order to be a great physician one has to love medicine and have compassion for the people that you are treating. My grandfather gave me the gifts of confidence and hard work. It is my goal to emulate and consistently build these characteristics in order to become a great physician.

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