February 27, 2020 at 5:01 pm, I received an email beginning with the most long awaited phrase that I had been looking forward to for over 10 years..."Congratulations on your ad
mission to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine!" My pharmacology class had just wrapped up and I could feel my smile stretching from ear to ear. I was ecstatic, in shock, and most of all speechless because was that really my name at the beginning of the email?! Was that email addressed to the correct applicant?! Was this real life?!
After speed walking through UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) to find one of my professors to solidify the email's validity, a feeling of warmth that originated from deep within began to consume me. All of the hard work, lectures, labs, the late nights, no's and yes's, tears and triumphs had all paid off. I was standing in the midst of a dream come true. It was so surreal that my mind kept thinking, "You're awake. This is real. This is happening and it's happening now."
On the bus ride home, I went through waves of emotions from great, bubbling joy that brought tears to my eyes to belly-aching laughter as I reflected on the moments where I doubted every bit of my intellectual ability. Now, you may wonder, "How could you ever doubt yourself? You must have been doing something right to get into medical school?!" Yes, that is correct. In undergrad I studied hard, tried my best to prioritize, and sought experiences to challenge myself and give me a well-rounded flair (sprinkled on top with a lot of prayer and faith). However, what many didn't see were the days where I walked out of ASU's Pre-Professionals office completely torn down and discouraged with tears in my eyes where I was told that I wasn't "enough" to be a doctor or simply should coast on my "applicant demographic". Many also didn't know of the days in Pittsburgh where I was one ticket away from packing my bags and heading home for the semester because it seemed like everything was a constant uphill battle.
Though I had good days and not so good days, I believe that every one of those days shaped me into the person I needed to be in order to stand where I am today. From those experiences and the people that I have met along the way, I am resilient and I also believe in myself more than I ever knew I could. And since I've been spreading the good news, I realize now, more than ever, of the support system that I have to seek guidance from and rely on during this journey. With reminders of those days, I'm ready to face whatever these next four years bring my way! Let the adventure begin!