My goal is to practice medicine in a rural setting, and I feel my educational needs would be best served at the Permian Basin, the most rural campus of the Texas Tech system. At the Permian Basin, I will have access to rural opportunities such as a family medicine rotation in a small town. Let me tell you why I want to be a rural physician, and how I can help out my rural patients.

Originally, I came to medical school because of the shortage of physicians. I grew up in a small town that had the only psychiatrist in 100 miles, my father. Frequently, my after-school activity was to spend time in his office. I was inspired by the dramatic difference he made, by the gratitude of patients who said they felt better than they had in years, and by the fact that my humanitarian father treated uninsured patients for only twenty five dollars. I have joined my dad many times, driving hours through strings of small towns to reach a patient for an emergency visit. So I understand the hardships, rewards, and obligations involved.

Regarding my choice of specialty, I am strongly considering practicing emergency medicine, which would be especially useful in a rural setting, as it serves a wide variety of medical needs and ameliorates life-threatening situations for those who would otherwise be without access. My goal, like the original goal of TTUHSC, is to stop the shortage of primary care physicians in rural areas.

I love my country and I bet you do too. We celebrate Independence Day each year with fireworks and patriotism. But independence is meaningless without the rules that hold our nation together: the Constitution. It's amazingly well written, and has survived the test of time with comparatively little revision (see Texas constitution for comparison). So here's to you, Thomas Jefferson! Happy Constitution Day!

P.S. I once had a stuffed animal named Thomas Jefferson.

Disclaimer: The USA is not perfect nor do I agree with all of the actions of our leaders.