Malik Barrett

11/28/2014

My name is Malik Barrett, I am student at New York City College of Technology majoring in liberal arts and sciences. I am personally not satisfied with this major because it technically means nothing. A Liberal Arts and Sciences is only useful for getting your core required course out of the way until you finally decide upon what you what to do.  In the future I am planning on transferring to Stony Brook University to major in biomedical engineering to use as a stepping stone in order to become a doctor. I chose this profession because it allows me to constantly learn new things because medicine is always evolving, I would have the ability to help people as a whole, Have the prestige that comes with being a doctor, and finally the salary that comes within this profession  is highly rewarding. By choosing this major and career, I can help people, in any profession that someone chooses you can  help somebody in some way,shape, or form but by becoming a doctor I can do that directly.

Majoring  in Bio medical Engineering it is a promising field, These types of engineers are able to  analyze and design solutions to problems in biology and medicine, with the goal of improving the quality and effectiveness of patient care. This field is also  involved in performance testing of new or proposed products. Government positions often involve product testing and safety, as well as establishing safety standards for devices.Furthermore Bio medical engineer’s salary is very appealing as well since they make up to $94,150 a year, but what I really want to do with my life to be a doctor specifically  ,a surgeon. Doctors, also know as physicians,  diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses whereas surgeons  operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken bones; diseases, such as cancerous tumors; and deformities.Physicians must complete residency  where they are trained in a specialty or a sub-specialty and the time they finish also depends on their specialty. A successful completion of residency training is a requirement to practice medicine in many jurisdictions. Nearly all doctors must complete the pre-med requisites which is comprised of 1 semester of Calculus, 2 semesters of English, 2 semesters General & Organic chemistry with lab , 2 semesters of physics , 2 semesters of biology with lab  and for four years of medical schools . As we all know Doctors are paid  very handsomely . According to bureau of labor and statistics , “physicians practicing in medical specialties received total median annual compensation of $396,233”.

As a person willing to go into the medical field,  I am ready to commit my entire life to helping people. Almost all of us have at one point experienced a sense of helplessness . . Whether it may be close who caught the common cold or something or something more severe . Being a doctor empowers you to be able to do something directly for the sick and ailing instead of just standing by helplessly. The feeling that your knowledge or actions have helped someone is what makes this job so morally rewarding and immensely satisfying. I know that there are times I can’t save everyone this quote resonates with me a lot “After you find out all the things that can go wrong, your life becomes less about living and more about waiting”, To an extent life is all about patience and waiting,and these two words are the hardest part about the job. With his or her one’s  knowledge we can make a difference to the life of many people , Whom otherwise may have keep suffering or even be short-lived. A doctor can change the quality of life for many people.

One of the best things about your path to becoming a doctor is learning medicine, learning what can hurt the body and as well as save from the bacteria. It is interesting to see the insides and outs  of the human body can be fascinating. Knowing how different mechanisms can destroy the body or heal it can be a source of endless research and with new advancements being made every day, there is  always something new to learn and new lines  to cross, which makes it even more intriguing. Not many fields offer this opportunity continued research by biomedical engineers can really open up  doors of possibilities to the point where eventually somebody  might be able to find the cure for cancer or AIDS. That is the dream pretty much everyone will like to be happy to achieve my aunt was unfortunately taken away by cancer, so that moment in my life pretty much set what I want to do and achieve the unachievable .

Just with the name “Doctor” , it gives that person a sense of importance and respect in the world and becoming one . Recognition is another advantage that comes with being a doctor. Doctors are viewed as lifesavers and get a lot of respect in the community, especially from individuals that have provided healthcare to. Doctors build bonds with families in the community as they help to deliver babies and treat sick loved ones. They also attain a level of respect and trust that is incomparable to any other job. It’s a great feeling that even the most modest person is sure to enjoy in . I can’t really speak for most people on this , but how good would it be just to say that you are in this certain profession just makes you feel a sense of accomplishment, I am not saying any other profession is bad it just that  the pride that comes with it is amazing.

For any reason that a person wants to become a doctor, the individual will get paid extremely well. Even if your reasons for taking up medicine are purely selfish, it’s nice to know that after all those years of blood, sweat and tears and the amount of money you would have spent on studying to become a doctor will work out in a big way, there is a high potential earning  to earn a living in this profession. Although, the salaries of a doctor vary depending on their specialization and where they work, even the lowest paid doctors earn a median salary, which is $184,650 annually. Doctors who are in the middle, specifically primary care,  make the median pay is $202,392 annually. The median pay for specialty, such as heart or brain surgeon care doctors is $356,885 annually.

To be honest City Tech has been very helpful in helping people in the medical field, from what I was told by my adviser that city tech offers kids who maintain a 3.0 GPA for those willing to enter the medical field. They supposedly work with Brooklyn college and have kids go to suny downstate and introduce them to certain medical classes to see where their interests lie. Opportunities wise city tech has been exceptional, but educational wise has been very fair. I will not say that the learning aspect  is not there it is just that I will learn a lot more in stony brook university, At this university I will have a lot more opportunities opened up to me that can take me into higher places with their strong medical program and background.

I have recently got in contact with my friend who recently graduated  from stony brook and now is in medical school Kerriann Parchment and I asked her some question:

1.How much personal time is consumed while being in practice? With starting your pre med studies, you will dedicate a lot of time to studying and achieving the highest grades possible. In medical school, you will dedicate even more time. School and your studies will be almost like a full time job.  But it’s is necessary. To be a doctor, you have to have a thorough understanding of the human body in order to safely and effectively help patients. Therefore, you have to work hard to understand the sciences.

1. What was it like doing residency? I haven’t graduated from medical school yet, I graduate in May 2015 so I have yet to start residency. I’m going into Anesthesiology. So I can’t exactly answer this question but I anticipate  working very hard with very long hours on some days.
2. Also is it very mentally draining being in the medical field? Yes it can be draining but rewarding if you are highly motivated to be in the field. You have to dedicate a lot of time to your studies and you often have to prioritize your studies over personal fun in order to succeed. But in my opinion it is worth it in the long run since  I’m in a field I love and I know I will positively  impact many people’s lives

1. How was your path to being a doctor like so far? It’s been long and hard but pretty good. I did well in medical school and have no regrets about entering the medical field. I’m 27 years old and I have dedicated a lot of time to get to point I’m at now. However, it would not have been possible without my friends and family that support me with advice and encouragement when times get difficult.  Now that I’m about to graduate, I’m very happy that I’m in the medical field.

In conclusion, It takes years of study and hard work before you are qualified to work as a doctor and even then you will be continuously learning throughout your career. Nevertheless it will be all worth it when you become one, the satisfaction of saving someone’s life is what can be very fulfilling job. As a doctor they make make a difference to the life of many trying to keep a lot of people alive.

Works Cited

United States. Dept. of. Lab. Bureau of Labor Statics. “Physicians and Surgeons.”  Bureau of Labor Statics. Dept. of Labor. Web. 28 Nov. 2014

Parchment, Kerriann. Personal interview. 24 Nov 2014.

Barrett, Malik “My friend’s  sister prepping for surgery”. Flickr. 7 Dec 2014

Barrett, Malik “Wyckoff Hospital ”. Flickr. 7 Dec 2014

Barrett, Malik”Wyckoff Back entrance”. Flickr. 7 Dec 2014

Barrett, Malik “Hospital’s Hallway”. Flickr. 7 Dec 2014

“A wyckoff Hospital”

“My friend’s Sister prepping for surgery”

“A hospital Hallway”

“Wyckoff back entrance”