The Importance of Preventative Medicine

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Every decision a person makes in this life has an effect on their health. It may be going for a jog or choosing fast food for lunch; participating in a triathlon or buying a package of cigarettes. Many decisions people make are without any knowledge or regard of the health impact, such as driving a car, using a cellphone, or jumping in Mirror Lake. This all begs the question, are we as a society emphasizing inaugural speech as much we should? Most of today’s health issues are products of a person’s free will and their knowledge of their health. However, such decisions that negatively impact one’s health can be prevented by proper measures and education.

Born and raised in Egypt, I had a rather unique cultural and ethnic background that has dramatically shaped and influenced the values of my life. My father was one of the few town physicians and owned a small clinic; he helped those who were in need of medical care without requiring much compensation. Growing up with my father taught me the impact of medicine on human life and its life-saving aspect. There were many lessons that my father taught, and still teaches, me about health care and medicine. Many of the problems his patients presented him with were easily avoidable; a lesson I have never forgotten. He taught me to be cautious of all decisions I made in life with perspective to my health. His mentoring helped me greatly shape my career pursuit in healthcare. My introduction to primary care medicine as well as preventative medicine was rather early on.

Moving to America and gaining knowledge about its healthcare system, I quickly realized—the issues were the same; people needed healthcare. Irrespective of the country, the human connectivity allowed for there to be a...

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...inly, each of these qualities is quite advantageous for someone pursuing a career in public health; all contribute to a common goal of ultimate dedication to the public and their health.

Through my education, I have gained a rather good amount of knowledge of public health issues such as infectious disease, tobacco cessation awareness, nutrition, mental health, etc. Such topics brought me great fascination and are my inspiration for my career pursuit. It is my intention as a future healthcare provider to prioritize such issues in my future practice. In addition, I hope to create a program that emphasizes the importance of preventative care, as it would better the health of many as well as reduce healthcare costs. The complementation of my passion for medicine with my commitment to public health allows me to achieve my goal in a professional and dynamic manner.

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