Sofia Y

I am a student majoring in Health Studies at the University of Washington. I am pursuing a career in medicine and aim to become a physician in the future. I am passionate about women's health and improving women's health across their lifespan. As a Black woman , there aren't many doctors who look like me. In fact, only about 2% of doctors in the US are Black. A statistic that I'm hoping will increase in the coming years. My own experiences in the healthcare field along with the knowledge I'm being taught while in school has given me the motivation to pursue a career in medicine. I began volunteering at a local hospital during my first year of college and was exposed to a number of specialties. Each specialty had their own set of procedures their did as well as how they interacted with the patients. Patients in more critical situations required more care from the health professionals than stable patients and the doctors and nurses worked as a team to make sure everything was done in the best interest for the patient. I admired how they worked long hours daily and still managed to keep a smile on their face even when things got tough. The healthcare professionals I learned from as well as the patients I interacted with really helped me solidify my decision to become a physician. It's amazing how someone could come into the hospital with so much pain and walk out of it pain free in a matter of hours or days. That's the beauty of medicine, it's about problem solving and creating a plan that will benefit the patient the most. Someone's life is in your hands. Although medicine is one of my greatest passion, I also love to travel, listen to music, and try new foods.