Makayla Grison - Future Neurologist by Makayla

Makayla Grison - Future Neurologist by Makayla - June 2023 Scholarship Essay

A fishy smell swarmed the room as I entered the doorway. Who would have thought the
The University of Chicago Medical Center could smell like this. As I walked in the room, I
realized where the smell was coming from. 5 lifeless pigs laid on top of a table. Their usual pink
the skin was no longer pink. They were also flipped upside down with their mouths facing the
ceiling. Each group of students were assigned one to work on. As my group and I approached
our specimen, there were various reactions to what we saw. The usual reaction of a 9-year old
seeing a dead pig is usually fear or disgust. I felt neither. I was fascinated. And it was in that instant moment, I wanted to become a physician.
Fast forwarding 10 years from now, I see myself becoming a successful neurologist. As an African American female doctor, I will be a unicorn in my community. I am from the south side of Chicago, in a community where I do not see many doctors or nurses that look like me. Seeing this all my life, I committed early to changing that dynamic and serving the communities that have the least number of resources and opportunities. I will pursue college in the fall of 2023, majoring in biology pre med to chase after my dream and passion of becoming a neurologist. I will begin my journey at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, a premier liberal arts college in America. I will successfully complete 4 years of undergraduate and 4 years of medical school, and an additional 3 to 4 years of fellowship, internship, and specialty training to begin my career as a neurologist.
Although most people go into medicine purely for money, my interest in becoming a physician goes deeper than having a prosperous profession. Instead, it is about becoming an example for young black youth by letting them know that there are doctors who have the same skin color as them and they are there to uplift and enhance the community.
It is the lack of black doctors that contribute to the inequalities in healthcare that affect
people of color. It is a fact that black men have the shortest life expectancies, black women have the highest maternal mortality rates, and black babies have the highest infant mortality rates. There is often racial bias in pain assessment. From Henrietta Lacks to the Tuskegee experiment, black patients do not have confidence in the medical system and would rather see doctors that look like them in the medical office assessing their medical needs. I will provide hope for future doctors and future patients alike.
With my STEM focused education, I will be successful in the future and impactful to the Chicago community. I hope to set the standard for young black youth and give them significant exposure that there are doctors who have the same skin color as them and can make a great contribution to this world. It is with my education that I shall prevail and triumph in supporting and encouraging the next generation of medical professionals and providing the community with people who look like them to take care of their health and longevity.
My choice to obtain my education is less about enhancing my life, but more about improving the lives of others. It means nothing to me to gain riches and prestige, if I cannot use my gift, talent, or education to help others. My legacy will be cemented by what I have done for others and how I became the change that I wanted to see in my neighborhood, community, and world. I look forward to continuing my development, dedication, and preparation to be impactful and powerful in my future. As a student coming from a low-income family, it is hard to achieve a dream like becoming a neurologist when the system is sometimes not created for my benefit. Becoming a neurologist is my dream profession and it's going to take a lot of time, money, hard work, dedication, perseverance, and patience to get there. But I am prepared, ready and motivated to take on the challenge. This scholarship will allow me to fulfill my dreams and be the change in my community and in this world.