Topic Proposal: Pediatrics

I have always had a strong interest for the medical field, specifically the field of pediatric
medicine. Through my study this year, I would like to increase my knowledge and improve my
skills required for an aspiring pediatrician.

I have been interested in pediatrics long since I can remember. Growing up in India, I
remember seeing many young children without proper medical care merely because they do not
have the financial means. I was one of the children because initially, my parents weren’t
financially healthy. For us, receiving medical care was a dream only the rich could afford; thus,
one of the main goals in my life is to travel around the world, especially to underprivileged areas,
in order to provide free medical care for children. Moreover, I love spending time with children
and I see myself happier when I am around kids. Children are the future and providing proper
care for a child is like building the future. I also like how they get satisfied and happy for the
little things in life. Often times, I don’t appreciate the things I have and in a way, kids remind me
to be grateful for everything I have: an amazing family, proper education, food, shelter, medical
care, and more. In my opinion, everything has advantages and disadvantages. Even though it
might seem surreal, I can’t find the negative aspect of being a pediatrician. I acknowledge that
children are hard to work with considering their brutal honesty, but sometimes, it is important to
be frank and transparent. Hence, in a way, I like that children are honest and don’t have a filter
when speaking.

According to the Myers-Briggs personality test, I am a Protagonist (ENFJ-T). I am an

extroverted and intuitive person who deeply loves and supports others. People with this
personality type have the best people skills, which is one of the main characteristics needed for
an aspiring pediatrician. In general, it is important for all medical professionals to have good
social skills because we have only one goal: to improve people’s lives. In addition, it is known
that protagonists are natural-born leaders who bring out the best in others. I very much agree
with this statement because when someone feels down (a friend, family member, or a stranger), I
definitely make sure to try to make them happy. It is very unusual but when I make someone
smile, I get a sense of belonging and I feel happy. I want to make a difference in this world and
when I leave, I want to know I left the world a happier place. This is where I can see the
“natural-born leader” inside of me. In addition to that, according to the 16 personalities website,
protagonists know how people are feeling simply by looking at them. This is completely true in
my case because I am known to read people very well and maintain strong ties for a long period
of time. This characteristic will no doubt help me as a pediatrician because children will still be
developing their communication skills and they won’t be able to properly explain how they feel.
Thus, it is especially important for pediatricians to read non-verbal language and determine how
the child feels. Overall, the Myers-Briggs personality test further motivated me to have an
interest in pediatric medicine because the more I learn about my personality, the more I realize I
am the person for the job.