Why did I choose to pursue a career in nursing?
This is an excellent question that viewers of my blog have asked me. So, I decided to share my response with all of you!
I am not going to pour out my personal statement here. Rather, I am going to openly discuss with all of you my process in choosing this profession.
First, some backstory --
I was not your star student. Far from it. I knew this from the start of my freshman year. As a science major, I was genuinely fascinated in the subject. I thought it was fascinating how much are bodies were capable of, biologically and chemically. But... unfortunately, my grades never matched my enthusiasm for the courses I took. :(
Going into UCSD, I had my mind set on becoming a physician. In particular, I was set on going into pediatrics and potentially opening my own practice one day. Ambitious freshman, yea? I would say! However, something that I learned a little too late in the game is... AIM HIGH, BUT ALSO KNOW YOUR OPTIONS. There are tons of professions in the health and medical field that make a difference in someone's life other than being a doctor. This is something that I needed to let go a lot sooner. Knowing that I wasn't that straight-A student, I knew I had to explore other options. This is when the nurse practitioner career came to light. As a freshman, I started to look into it to see what types of requirements were needed, but I continued to strive to apply to medical school.
Now, fast-forward to my senior year of college. Having taken a few prerequisites for nursing school the past few years, but still thinking about applying to medical school.. I finally re-evaluated what my interests and goals were in life... and this led me to researching the role of a nurse practitioner, and falling in love with it.
NOW, I can get to answering the coveted question -- Why did I choose to pursue a career in nursing?
My four years of undergrad led me to incredible experiences and opportunities that shaped my passions and career goals. I no longer wanted to focus my career solely on the tiny little humans (pediatrics). I grew a passion for women's health and reproductive health issues... which led me to choose to become a family nurse practitioner (FNP). As a FNP, I am able to diagnose, prescribe, and treat my own patients. I did not have to go through the strenuous medical application process and schooling to do so. This was a great profession for me! As I did more research, I learned about how NPs focus on preventative health, holistic care, and a patient-centered approach, all such things I was greatly exposed to throughout my undergraduate career. From my interactions with current nurses and NPs, I am excited to embark on my journey as they speak only of high reward for this profession. NPs have this approach to medicine that make me fall in love with the profession all over again when I explain to people why I chose to be a NP. Because they are being taught from a nurse background, NPs focus so much on quality of care of an individual, they take the time to understand a patient as a whole, and to educate them on health promotion and disease prevention. Also, with a DNP degree that I will obtain at Columbia, I will also have opportunities to explore other areas of healthcare and education, including health policy, clinical research, and teaching. I am eager to see how much the NP career grows in the near future and cannot think of a profession more well-suited for my goals, interests, and passions, both professionally and personally.
Best wishes to you all! Fuel your passions!
Sincerely,
Meagan