Becoming the Doctor I Wish I Had by Stella Marie

Becoming the Doctor I Wish I Had by Stella Marie - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

Black women are 34% more likely to say their health concerns are dismissed. I am a part of that thirty-four percent.
At sixteen, I experienced debilitating knee pain after a meniscus repair surgery. Despite numerous visits to my healthcare provider, each time I was handed a new brace and sent on my way. I felt unheard and unseen; why was nobody listening? It wasn’t until my knee completely gave out while walking down the stairs that the MRI I had been previously begging for was provided. Then I learned the extent of my damage: the original surgery had failed, a large piece of cartilage had detached from the back of my knee, my meniscus was shredded, and I needed emergency surgery. The doctor dismissed me, my diagnosis was delayed, and I was left to deal with the consequences. I was told at seventeen my knee was like one of an eighty-year-old man, lacking cartilage, resulting in sped-up arthritis.
This experience, like so many others, could have been avoided. But it was rooted in something bigger—a systemic issue in healthcare that disproportionately affects Black women. I had always been fascinated by biology and medicine, but this experience set fire to a new passion, one that addressed the intersection of medicine and discrimination. I want to know, What are the roots of these disparities? And, How do we fix this broken system?
My dream is to rebuild this system, pursue a healthcare career, and advocate for marginalized voices. To be a doctor who will listen and care for the black girls who like me, are often neglected in our healthcare system.
That is why I decided to major in Philosophy at the University of Southern California with a pre-medical emphasis. I will be provided with the scientific foundation while simultaneously challenging myself with critical thinking skills with the exploration of ethical and system issues in medicine and the healthcare system. This route will help me tackle all questions that constantly challenge my mind, providing me with the skills needed to challenge inequalities in healthcare.
My experience within the healthcare system was heartbreaking, but it taught me an important lesson: sometimes you must struggle to prevent others from struggling. The path of philosophy and medicine will equip me with the tools to turn my dreams into reality. I am ready to tackle racial injustices and disparities in healthcare through critical thought and meaningful action. I will be the doctor that sixteen-year-old Stella needs: one who listens, advocates, and cares.