We meet a lot of people. Most of them are like the colored leaves that dance toward the ground on an

autumn day. You hardly notice them. Then there are those that stay with you; your family, friends, loved

ones, and every once in a while, complete strangers. Since beginning my journey toward becoming a

Registered Nurse, the people that have stuck with me the most have been met through a common

experience- the field of medicine and specifically over the past several years, family medicine which I

have grown to love.

My patient experiences are the catalyst behind my zeal to advance my nursing career. Their willingness

to be vulnerable and open up to nurses and share some of the most intimate detail had clearly

exemplified the foundation of that relationship. It was more than just excellent bedside manner,

knowledge and great skillset or triage; it was trust. During the last fourteen years of my life, working as a

Registered Nurse, I would witness patients, empowered by nurses whom they’ve trusted, turn their

vulnerability into resilience, focus and optimism to improve their health. Time and time again, it has

resonated with me; what an honor it would be to dedicate my life to creating such enduring connections

and be part of such extraordinary moments. How appropriately this field was named, with the word

family before medicine, as it is only after creating such family-like bonds that a Family Nurse Practitioner

can provide patients with a renewed appreciation and perspective on life, and profoundly impact their

health.

Throughout my nursing career and daily interactions with patients, I have learned that vulnerability lies

at the heart of fear and anxiety. In a family Physician’s office, adolescents cringe at the mention of safe

sex practices, parents worry about their sick children, and Menopausal women deal with hot flashes and

issues with incontinence as their bodies change once again. The wide spectrum of patients you

encounter are brought together by the fact that their experiences leave them feeling exposed in every

sense of the term. As an aspiring Family Nurse Practitioner, I want to help my patients find answers to

their questions while treating them with dignity, and never losing sight of the fact that medicine is a

form of service before science. This leads me to another lesson my patients have taught me: that

vulnerability can also be the birthplace of joy. When an empowered patient succeeds in taking control of

their health with the help of a trusted health care provider, that is a moment of true vulnerability and

simultaneous joy. Bringing patients to this point and witnessing their gratification has provided me with

an immeasurable sense of accomplishment. I cannot imagine anything more productive or satisfying

than dedicating my life to navigating the complex dynamic of preventative medicine and continuity of

care that family medicine embodies, all the while making real, lifelong relationships with patients.

My desire to practice family medicine only continues to grow as my exposure to the field increases, and I

am confident that this is my calling in life. It is my hope that my training will allow me to become a

competent and compassionate Family Nurse Practitioner who never fails to realize what a privilege it is

to share in extraordinary moments of vulnerability.

My purpose in life is to advocate, impact, teach and practice family medicine with integrity.