Self Authorship Essay Essays Examples

Clarifying the destination

Sometimes, a change of scenery can bring a fresh perspective to a familiar territory. When I came to the United States, my original intention was to study and gain specialized knowledge so that I could go back to my home country, and share it for the benefit of my countrymen. I also wanted to make my people aware of the fact that there is better education and training available across the world, particularly in the United States, for aspirants who want an exposure to a better educational system than the one currently available in my home country, Saudi Arabia. I also wanted to be an inspiration to youngsters of my country to get the best education available in the world today, and to make use of it for the development of my country.
My single life goal since my childhood was to become a doctor. As a little one, I have seen my sick father suffering even to manage his day to day routines. Many times I have tried to help him with his basic needs like fetching him drinking water, taking him to the bathroom and sometimes even changing his clothes. Therefore, even as a child I could realize how important it was for someone to live a healthy life. Also, one cannot always live a healthy life; besides, everyone needs the help of others to make each other’s life easier. It was how my life goal was born. Having chosen my goal, I had a childhood fantasy of becoming one day a multilingual medical officer holding a key position in unraveling mysteries associated with crime deaths. When a criminal kills someone very secretly and leaves no clue as to how the crime took place, it is very difficult for the investigators to find the killer and punish him. Many a time, I got carried away with crime shows in the media that showed how some medical examiners link many small clues together to solve mysteries associated with some complex crimes. In fact, logical and rational thinking drives such professionals to apply the knowledge and wisdom they gain through education and life experience to find the truth. I gradually realized that an effective college educational system should ensure application of the learnt things in real life for the advantage of the deprived sections of the society. No wonder, even when I was little, I started dreaming of becoming a medical examiner one day. According to me, a medical examiner job was the most interesting job I would ever do that would give a meaning to my education. By taking such a responsible role, I could reveal to the world the real culprits who commit crimes, and ensure justice to the families of the helpless victims.
As I grew up, so did my dreams; the desire of solving murder crimes gradually evolved into a passion to help the affected people. I strongly believed that the purpose of education must be to help someone live a fulfilling life by serving the society, particularly the uncared sections of the society. By being a doctor, in addition to helping my countrymen live healthy lives, I can also inspire the youngsters, especially girls to choose medical profession as their career. My strong conviction about my life purpose motivated me to fix my goal and act toward planning for it. I was also aware of the sad truth that Saudi Arabia had a huge demand for doctors that helped me to convince my parents and other family members to morally support my decision. To be frank, even though I had always wanted to become a doctor, the very thought of staying at the medical school for many years scared me. Besides, my father wanted me to become an engineer or a teacher which did not require me to stay at the school for a long time, and I could very well take care of my family without much trouble. Honestly speaking, being a Saudi Arabian woman is hard, for girls here are compelled to get married at a very young age, and are expected to have at least five children and to be a good wife and mother. This is why my father was not happy initially when I expressed my desire of becoming a doctor. The fact that I overcame my temptations of fear and parent’s apprehension to pursue my goal talks much about my self-awareness and purpose about this life. I do believe that if one stands loyal to the suggestions of the inner self or mind, support would pour in from all directions to help him or her ultimately realize the true purpose of life.
According to me, the primary goal of college education is to prepare the minds of youngsters for a new vocation. Sadly, the commercialization of education around the world these days fail to connect higher education with one’s inner awareness and life purpose. Having determined to pursue a college education in medicine right from an earlier age, I did not experience much strain in preparing my mind for my new future role. Currently I am an undergraduate student at George Mason University. I am studying integrative studies with a concentration in Premed. The reason for choosing this major is the first step toward achieving my dream career goal; I believe this will help me contemplate more on my dream field and expose me toward gaining more knowledge about medical school to tame my mind for my future role.
Secondly, college education must prepare and facilitate a learner to gradually face reality and the challenges of the society, and through the confidence it provides, must make the learner put to practical use his knowledge to solve the society’s problems. Even as my passion for helping the sick people has grown over the years and given me confidence in serving the public of Saudi Arabia, while still a student, I am prepared for voluntary services at hospitals. I realize that my passion of voluntarily serving the people while studying would make me one day a great doctor, to whom people freely approach for help. Also, helping a person with a terminal sickness and making his or her life easier would give me immense confidence and happiness to feel proud of my future career. This would give me the additional positive energy to move forward in this foreign land to complete my college education successfully. I am also prepared to learn new things, for example knowing about the government policies concerning healthcare here in the United States so that I can compare the policies prevailing in Saudi Arabia so as to lobby with the government and concerned institutions for better healthcare in the country for the overall development of the country in the healthcare front. Thus, I can contribute more to my own society by properly putting to use my knowledge and influence.
Thirdly, college education system should help someone to be a better human being by helping others to grow. Toward proving this, I will use the knowledge and skills I acquire out of my professional education in the United States to improve the current education system in Saudi Arabia. I also will help my friends in Saudi Arabia who have similar dreams like mine, since they are not likely to obtain much information as I get here about the medical field in Saudi Arabia. The opportunities and facilities I have here in the United States to learn and grow motivate me to promote these facilities in my home country as well. I am also determined to teach my countrymen the new things I learn here in addition to guiding and motivating youngsters of Saudi Arabia to pursue higher education in America. I am also pretty aware that the current opportunity I am enjoying by studying in America is not meant for my personal glory alone; instead, I must make my parents and all my countrymen proud by sharing my professional knowledge with others. I am not for giving my service to my countrymen only for money. I will help the needy and the poor by treating them free of cost, which alone is a virtue on my part to be thankful to my country and all those who are helping me to pursue my education in America now. Thus, I can lead a well-lived life in Saudi Arabia after completing my medical education and training abroad.

The competencies as a compass

The George Mason University has got a well established pediatrics department, and believes in the proper health care of the children. The University understands the importance of well-being as "the lifelong experience of life satisfaction, happiness and purpose." (George Mason University, "Competencies"). Obviously, the University gives much importance to child health since a healthy child alone grows to be a healthy man. Therefore, I have decided to focus on pediatrics and help children in need. I believe that children are our future, and that way they are the wealth of a nation; they will grow and become the future leaders and innovators of the country. Therefore, helping the kids to grow as healthy ones would no doubt prove immensely beneficial to our country in the long run.
I am an outgoing type, interested in interacting with students of different culture, which is also one of the reasons why I am here in the United States pursuing my education. I can easily adapt to any situation or culture, which has helped me a great deal in getting used to the culture of the United States. Interestingly, some of my friends mistook me for an American student when they met me the very first time. This quality of mingling with other people of various cultures prompts me to identify the problems and issues concerned with the societies as well. I also have a flair for learning more languages. Currently I am fluent in Arabic and English, and am learning Korean and Japanese as well. Interest in learning new languages motivates me to go across the world to learn and practice new things in life for the betterment of the society. For example, my new current dream is to study abroad in Korea for a year and know more about their culture and learn Korean language. In addition, I wish to know more about the health care facilities and hospital technologies available in the country.
I am also interested in self exploration, and never miss a chance to equip myself through learning new things as and when I get an opportunity. I wish to make maximum use of my opportunity of studying here in George Mason University and becoming a better human being before becoming a skillful doctor. I am sure this medical education would give me an opportunity to know more about the functioning of human bodies so as to bring awareness among all my countrymen about the importance of proper care of our bodies. I believe that it will give me the opportunity to explore more about myself. I am also thrilled at this opportunity that gives me a chance to explore me further by connecting myself with the international student community on a wider perspective at George Mason University. I can understand different problems faced by communities across the world, while at the same time I can get clues to solve problems pertaining to my own society back in Saudi Arabia.
I also believe in fair treatment of females across the world, particularly in the Middle Eastern countries. Women do not enjoy much freedom in many countries. Because of this, their problems are also not well attended to. I feel women should come forward to pursue higher education, if not to fight against the injustices done to them. Education really empowers people and drives away fear. I am a courageous person, and I have no fear in going back to my country Saudi Arabia as a trained doctor and starting my own practice. Normally, the fear factor obstructs many young women from the Middle Eastern Countries, particularly Saudi Arabia to stay away from pursuing higher education, let alone attending colleges abroad. If I fear to practice after completing my education in my own country, my education is of no use. Thus fearlessness is my primary driving force motivating me to pursue my education in the United States.
I am a gifted memorizer, and I have a special reason indeed to feel happy that I am under the school of New century college. I believe this school will offer me opportunities that a normal major cannot offer to augment my current knowledge and skills. I am well aware that I can work in a field that is approved by the NCLC community and get credits for it. I could not believe it, the reason I am so thrilled is due to the fact that I am a typical hands on person. I am an active person who employs different strategies to memorize new things. For example, if I am to memorize 5 whole chapters, I will write them down so that they get deeply recorded in my brain; I would never forget the information no matter how hard I try to forget it. Since this major offered me a chance to use my memorizing skills for getting good credits, I declared my major under this school.
I always enjoy being in the company of more new people. I cherish the company of even strangers, which is an essential quality of a practicing doctor. After all, who will come to a doctor who reacts angrily to a patient’s complaint? I came to George Mason University with the intention of becoming a bioengineering student. However, the outcome of it was not good, even though I am very good at math and physics. In fact, I was not impressed with what the major had to offer me. I became more secluded and isolated from people; the very reason I hated to do bio-engineering was because I could not communicate with a lot of people, and being a social person, it depressed me.
I am hopeful that all my above strengths and good habits would motivate and guide me toward achieving my dream goal.

How will I get there?

Currently I am at George Mason University, investing my time in Integrative Studies with a concentration in Pre-Med. However, I am thinking of eventually switching my concentration to Conservative Biology. The reason I am not studying biology in the same way as other aspiring medical students do is because I intend to differentiate myself from the other applicants when I apply to the medical school. In other words, I choose to be different in the sense that no other applicant will have the same major as I do. It will also provide me with a better competitive advantage.
As far as my short and long term plans are concerned, I choose to continuously concentrate in my studies at George Mason University while developing other skills simultaneously. I prefer to attend relevant seminars and workshops concerning the medical and health fields to update my practical knowledge. I also would explore the possibilities of establishing contacts with leading medical practitioners outside the campus and enroll as an intern or part-time helper to enrich my knowledge on how to deal with the patients. I would enroll myself with all possible student organizations and as a student member with all the societies and colleges available for medical professionals, and closely follow up their activities. If eligible, I will participate in their activities. I also would effectively utilize the state-of-the-art library facility available in the campus.
Korea is known as the best place for plastic surgery. Their technology is far more advanced than that of the western countries. I choose to go there to gain more experience as well to introduce modern plastic surgery in Saudi Arabia. This is in line with my desire to improve my competency in global understanding (George Mason University, "Competencies") Moreover, I have already joined the Korean Student Association, the International Friendship Connection and the International Student Advisory Board that help international students fit in well with the Korean system. I also want to get to know them and about their culture better. I intend to apply this knowledge to the medical field. I will treat anyone I can, regardless of nationality or ethnicity. I believe this indicates a penchant for group collaboration or the ability to work well with others (George Mason University, "Competencies").
One of the other competencies I wish to develop is communication. I know doctors need to travel sometimes. The ability to communicate clearly and effectively with individuals or groups is a critical skill, especially if others cannot speak a universal language like English. As a doctor, it would be a disservice to patients if I could not share important information with them due to language barriers. That is why I started learning English, Arabic, Japanese and Korean. I also wish to concentrate on non verbal communication. Sometimes, it is what is not said that speaks louder than what is said. It is also one of the hallmarks of an effective communicator (George Mason University, "Competencies"). Critical thinking is another important competency that I am still working on.
I know future doctors are required to learn on how to work with machines, such as x-ray machines, MRI and CT scans. I need to develop digital literacy competency since understanding and ethically resolving the privacy, security, accessibility and identity-management issues are associated with the integration of digital literacy into everyday life.” (George Mason University, "Competencies"). I have an attitude for continuous learning and development that would help me in always keeping my eyes and ears open to imbibe the latest knowledge available in the field of medicine to give quality service to my patients.
Leadership skills are highly essential for a medical practitioner. Being a woman born and brought up in Saudi Arabia, I need to control my emotions while dealing with my patients. Nor should I take home the worries and feelings I come across at my clinic to my home, since it would interfere with my family life. I need to master my work- life balance for which I have to train myself starting now here in the University itself, where I have many inspiring teachers. I make it a practice to read books on leadership and biographies of great medical practitioners, particularly women medical scientists and practitioners. I would use my influence to organize young female school students in Saudi Arabia and guide them for pursuing medical education in the United States and other developed countries since a leader is one who creates many other future leaders.
I will also take the time to get to know people on a deeper level by interacting with them in a befitting manner. That may mean carving out time to practice whatever communication skills I have learned in spite of my busy schedule. It may also mean deliberately setting up "social time" devoted purely to human engagement and interaction with no academics involved. This may be a challenge for me given my desire to get things done. However, I feel it is a necessary step in my growth as a medical professional.
Honestly speaking, currently I am not doing my best at George Mason University as I wished earlier even though I am doing the best I can given my family situation of having to take care of my brother and sick uncle. Of course, I do believe such fairly hard circumstances alone facilitate my true growth into a more matured and responsible medical practitioner. In the past, most of my interactions with other persons were mostly superficial since I was into focusing on my studies. Now, I am more aware of the importance other people play in my chosen field. If I want to be an effective medical professional, I must know how to connect better with my patients instead of just treating their conditions like a human machine. I am learning to empathize with others. My treatment would be effective only if I am ready to step into the shoes of my patients and listen to them with an empathizing heart. Thus I am training myself to become a medical practitioner in Saudi Arabia who always exudes warmth, compassion and empathy while treating her patients. I choose to take inspiration from my aunt, a gynecologist, who helps people as best as she could.

Reference

George Mason University New Century College. (n.d.). Competencies. Retrieved from
http://ncc. gmu.edu/current-students/competencies