Although I have always considered medicine as a potential career by listening to my mother's frequent inspiring tales of being a dentist, it was my volunteer work that awakened my sense of responsibility towards the world and my desire to help patients heal. As a volunteer at UCSF Medical Center, I rushed through the hallways with a patient rushing to find his wife in the maternity ward, minutes before giving birth. Witnessing the newborn with family was a heartening experience, and fostering trust with patients at UCSF Medical has enriched my life immeasurably. Such interactions improved my ability to build strong interpersonal bonds, and I was awarded the HEARTS Award from UCSF for exemplary patient care. The hospital became my second home and I realized that I would like to work in a healthcare environment. While volunteering at UCSF, I also discovered the important role that language plays in connecting with patients and the social-emotional aspects of healing that can be overlooked in a field that tends to prioritize biological mechanisms. Growing up as a second generation In...