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Physicians are in many ways like engineers. On one side, engineers look at a process, determine what the problems are, and figure out ways to fix them. On the other side, physicians see patients, examine their complaints, and then decide on the best course of treatment. What I wish I had known, when I was torn between them during my time in college, was how different they were in spirit. I always felt that the chemical machines, the mixtanks and distillation columns, had a mind of their own. What was missing was the voices, the faces of people with their stories and emotions and complex histories. I recall the day at a youth recreation center, where I helped the kids construct a sprawling cardboard maze on the turf of a basketball court. I took pleasure not in how the maze was designed, but in the children’s smiling faces and laughter. When I think about why I want to be a physician, I realize it is not only because of the scientific role they play in eradicating disease, but also because of the impact they have on the lives of the people they see.

In my research I dreamed of being able to use the foundations of biochemistry and engineering to create new medical devices or techniques, though the immediate results were indirect. I reveled in the idea that research in silicon semiconductors would eventually lead to better solar storage. At the time, gas prices were rising almost inexorably, and I thought this was a great way to make an impact on the world by providing a different outlet for energy. I continued my scientific curiosity by working in a microfluidics lab, building devices with the futuristic goal of identifying proteins within minutes from blood or urine samples. My mentor and I went through 13 different designs over the course of 2 years before achieving a workable product. And even though it fell a little short of the original goal, the problem solving and thought of contributing to the welfare of those around me kept me going.

Still, despite all the hours I worked pressing chips, mixing SDS-page solutions, and creating MATLAB programs, I knew the results of my work were still far and away in the future. Physicians are able to see the direct impact of their work on a day to day basis, in the smiles and "Thank Yous" of the patients they see. Being able to contribute to the future, while also contributing to the lives of the present, is a capability that I know only a medical education can provide.