From day one, my focus and goal was always on becoming a surgeon until

I had my psychiatry rotation. It was during this rotation that I figured out
what my passion truly is. I know it can seem crazy to go from surgery to
psychiatry considering they are on different ends of the spectrum. However,
I found connections between the two that now make me understand why I
switched my focus and goals.

Surgery and psychiatry are both very intimate. You are dissecting
someone in ways that most people cannot. Whether actual surgery or
treating a mental illness that requires digging deeper into the person's mind
to get the whole picture. We can talk with patients about their most
personal subjects, whether it be a cancerous mass that needs resected or
how depressed they are feeling. This is how we connect with them in ways
that many people will never be able to. This is where the trust comes in.
This is when we must show compassion and empathy.

It only took a couple of days during my psychiatry rotation to realize it was

the only specialty that would allow me to interact with my patients
constantly, solve problems, and find creative ways to help them.

Towards the end of my rotation, I would meet Zariah. Zariah is a 17-year-

old female who had been hospitalized for suicidal ideation. She is a very
intelligent kid who just didn’t feel like she was being heard. After many
conversations, I was able to get Zariah to envision her best self. She would
describe this as someone who was in college succeeding in life. This led to
the conversation of how you get there. At first, she stated she did not know.
I told her I would let her think about it and come ask her again the next day.
The next day, she had this big smile on her face and said I figured out how
to get to my best self. She then explained that she would get there by
making better decisions and weighing out the benefits and consequences
of every situation. She stated I get to my best self by the choices I make. At
this moment, I knew Zariah had the breakthrough we were trying to help
her reach. This is also when I knew that helping these kids is exactly what I
wanted to do.

Mental health in the US is currently in a crisis, especially teens and

pediatrics. I come from a rural area in Tennessee where this is a major
issue. In a local hospital, recently there was not a psychiatrist available or
on call for pediatrics and teens when needed. Not only hospitals, but
schools are also ill-equipped for mental health needs. I truly believe if we
can start helping kids at these ages, then we can get a jump start on the
mental health needs in adults.

With this being said, I believe my ability to communicate with these

patients, show empathy and compassion, coupled with my desire to learn
and work ethic give me the keys to becoming a great psychiatrist. My
journey has been far from easy, but I am thankful for every bump I have
encountered because it has fully prepared me for the rigorous and
demanding nature of a psychiatry residency. This journey has also allowed
me to develop a persistent drive that pushes me to the best at everything I
do and be the best for everyone including my patients. If given the
opportunity, that is exactly what I intend to do. I am ready to give myself to
it with all my heart.