ACareerPath

To
Medicine
By:LuceritoLopez

Everypersonhasadreamtobecomesomeoneinlife.Somemaywanttobecome
firefighters,teacher,scientist,andastronauts.Itallbasedontheinteresttheydevelopthroughout
theirlives.Myinterestordreamisbeingabletopursueacareerasadoctor.Notjustanydoctor
butspecializedintheheart.Iaminterestedinlearningaboutthefunctionsoftheheartandbeing
abletohelppeoplethathaveheartproblems.Thistypeofdoctorisreferredasacardiologist.A
cardiologistisabletotreatanddiagnoseanydiseaseorconditionoftheheartandbloodvessels.
Alongwiththat,theyareabletoinformandhelppatientsknowtheriskfactorsofdifferenttypes
ofheartdiseases.Someexampleswouldbecoronaryarterydisease,heartrhythmproblems,and
heartdefects.
Inordertobeabletosucceedbecomingacardiologistthereareseveralthingsyouhave
todo.Peopletakeclassesinafouryearuniversityasanundergraduateandreceiveamajoreither
inbiologicalsciencesoranyothertopic.Mostpremedstudentscantakeanykindofmajorbut
amajorregardingscienceisadvised.Soonaftercompletingthosecoursestheyareabletoapply
tomedicalschoolforfouryears.Mostmedicalschoolrecommendtobeabletoreceivea
bachelorsdegreeincollegeandtakerecommendedcoursessuchaschemistry,biology,physics,
etc.Also,beabletopreparetopasstheMedicalCollegeAdmissionsTest(MCAT).Usually
medicalschoolswillaskforrecommendationlettersfromprofessorsandbeingabletoformgood
relationshipswillhelp.Applyingtomedicalschoolcanbeverycompetitivesostandingoutis
key.Inordertobecomeacompetitivecandidateitwillberecommendedtohavegained
volunteeredorpaidclinicalexperienceandparticipatedinextracurricularactivities.
Duringmedicalschool,studentstakebasicmedicineandphysiologyfortheirfirsttwo
years.Theirfinaltwoyearsstudentstakeclassesindiagnosingillnessesandtreatingpatientsin
clinics.InthesefouryearstheyareabletoreceivetheirMedicalDoctorDegree(M.D).Also,
medicalschoolisacombinationoflecturebasedcourseworkandclinicalrotations.Cardiologist
arethenabletoreceiveamedicallicensetobeabletopracticemedicineintheUnitedStates.In
ordertodosoacardiologistwilltaketheUnitedStatesMedicalLicensingExam.Thiswill
determinehowmuchknowledgeyouhaveaboutthefieldandhowyouapplyittothepracticeof
medicine.
Soonaftercompletingmedicalschoolpotentialcardiologistgoontomoretraininginthe
field.Theyareabletotakearesidencyprogramforabout26years.Potentialcardiologistwill
starttheirpostgraduatetrainingworkingwithinternalmedicine.Thiswillincludeaseriesof
clinicalrotationsinseveralmedicinespecialities.Somemedicinespecialitieswouldbeoncology,
respiratorymedicine,andendocrinology.Oncologyisinternalmedicineandthestudyoftumors.
Endocrinologyisthestudyofdiseasesrelatedtohormones.Also,respiratorymedicinewhich
consistoftreatmentandstudiesregardinglungdiseases.Iftheywantacertificateincardiology
youareabletoearnaboardcertificationininternalmedicineaftercompletingresidency.Finally,
thelaststepwillbetocompleteafellowship.Thismostlytakeupto3yearstocompleteand
duringthistimestudentswillbegainingclinicalskillsbydoingcardiologyrotationsand
conductingclinicalresearch.
Ibelievethatthebestcollegethatsuitsmeintopursuingmycareerpathwouldbe
HarvardUniversity.Itoffersover3,900coursein48undergraduatefieldsofstudy.Itknownfor
itsleadershipineducationwhichallharvardstudentsareabletoobtainleadershipskillsthrough
thecourseandorganizationsthattheyparticipatein.FacultymembersinHarvardarepassionate
andcuriousaboutanindividualstudentwhicharedoingresearchwhileteaching.theaverage
classsizesthatHarvardhastoofferarebelow40withonly10orfewerstudentsenrolling.This

makesiteasiertobeabletointeractwithpeersandbemoreconnectedwithprofessors.Along,
withthatprofessorsarealwayswelcomingtostudentsneedinghelpoutsideoftheclassroom.
ThefacultyinHarvardhaveanopenenvironmentwherestudentsareabletoconnectwiththeir
professorstomakeitagreatacademicexperience.
ThemajorthatIwouldconsiderwouldbeHumanDevelopmentandRegenerative
Biology.Harvardoffersthisconcentrationmajorwhichconsistof13halfcoursestotal.During
freshmanyear,studentswillbeenrollingintobasicsciencecourses.Aftertheyareenrolledinto
StemCellandRegenerativeBiologywhichisaprecourseforthemajor.Thiscoursewillfurther
helpthestudentwhentopicsarestudieddeeper.After,theywillbeabletogodeeperinto
focusedtopicsthroughupperlevellecturesandlaboratorycourse.Thecoursesthatarerequired
totakeforthismajorareLifeScience1aandLifeSciences1b,QuantitativeSciencesinclude
aboveMathematics1awhichisMath1b,Math19a,Math21aoralsoStatistics,Chemistry:
PhysicalSciences1orPhysicalSciences11,MolecularBiology,Physics:PhysicalSciences2,
andOrganicChemistry:Chemistry17andChemistry27,orChemistry20andChemistry30.
Alongwiththatstudentsarealsorequiredtodoonesemesterofundergraduateresearch.This
majorwillhelplearnmoreaboutthehumanbodyandhowitisdeveloped.Itwillhelpprepare
formedicalschoolthroughlabworkandcoursework.Also,thereareadditionalHonorsand
AdvancePlacementcoursewhichastudentcantakemorechallengedwork.
Thismajorwillhelpastudentskillinbeingabletohaveknowledgeaboutthewhole
humanbodyworksandhoweachfunctioninteractswithoneanother.Also,itwillprovidehands
onlearningforallfouryears.Aspursuingacareerincardiology,acardiologisttypesofskills
thatareneededisbeingknowledgeableabouttheheart,beabletoperformandinterpret
specializedproceduresandtest,haveexcellentcommunicationandinterpersonalskills,self
motivation,compassion,beingabletoworkunderpressure,andbeingresponsibleandhaving
couragewhenmakingdecisions,etc.Thismajorwillhelpwithgainingthoseskillsthrough
furtherresearchonatopicandbeingabletoworkinlabswithlabequipment.Alsothemajor
helpsstudentsinterestedinmedicinebecauseitgivesthemanunderstandingofthehuman
biology.
Humanbiologycandefinitelyhelpusunderstandthewayapersoniscapableoflearning
andobtaininginformation.Agreatmechanismtobeingabletosucceedandaccomplishmy
dreamisbyunderstandinghowthebrainisabletoobtainnewinformationandbeexcellentat
newskills.Thebrainisasingleorganthatisabletotocontroleveryaspectofourbody,from
heartrate,toemotion,learningandmemory.Themainquestionishowarewecapableof
learning?Throughoutcenturiesmanypeoplehavedrilledhardonbeingabletosucceedanddoa
greatcareersuchastheonepreviouslymentioned.
Themainstudyofthebrainisneuroscience.Neuroscientistarespecializedinthestudyof
thebrainandnervoussystem.Therearemanyaspectscontributingtothefunctioningofthe
brain.Startingwiththebasisofthebrain,Intheoutsideofthebrainiswhat'scalledthe
cerebrum.Thecerebrumisthelargestpartofthebrain.Itisassociatedwiththecontrolof
voluntarybehavior,thinking,perceiving,planning,andunderstandinglanguage,Itisdividedinto
twohemispheres.Thetwohemispheresaretherighthemisphereandthelefthemisphere.
Betweenthesetwohemispheresthereisthecorpuscallosum.Thecorpuscallosumisathick
bandofnervesfiberthatdividesthecerebrumleftandrightofthebrain.Itisacommunication
toolfortheleftandrightsidehemispheres.Also,itisabletotransfermotorsensory,and
cognitiveinformationalsoitmaintainsthebalanceofarousalandattention.Followingthatthere

isthecerebralcortexwhichisathingraymattercoveringthesurfaceoftheleftandright
hemisphere.Itiscrumpledandfoldedformingnumerousconvolutions(gyri)andcrevices
(suici).Itismadeupofsixlayersofnervecellsandnervepathwaysthatallconnect.The
cerebralcortexisresponsibletoprocessofthought,perception,memory,motorfunction,social
abilities,language,andproblemsolving.
Thecerebralcortexcanbedividedintosections.Thelobeswhichconsistofthefrontal
lobe,parietallobe,occipitallobe,andtemporallobe.Thefrontallobeisabletocoordinate
movements,problemsolving,thinking,planning,organizing,alongwithpersonalityand
emotionalmakeup.Theparietallobeisinvolvedwithsensoryprocess,attention,andlanguage.
Itisdividedintotwosections,thefirstinvolveswithsensationandperceptionandtheotheris
abletocreateaspatialcoordinatesystemtobeabletorepresenttheworldaroundus(sensory
input).Nextistheoccipitallobewhichisabletoprocessvisualinformation,includingbeingable
torecognizeshapesandcolors.Itisabletoworkatarapidspeedtounderstandwhatoureyesare
seeing.Finally,isthetemporallobewhichisresponsibleofprocessingauditoryinformationand
integrateinformationfromtheothersenses.Thisisjustabriefintrototheunderstandingofthe
brainfunctions.
Inunderstandingthebrainweareabletounderstandthekeycomponentsneededtobe
successfulinacareersuchascardiology.Sincecardiologyisalongprocesstakenstartingfrom
fouryearsofcollege,tofouryearsofmedicalschool,upto6yearsofaresidentialprogram,and
upto3yearstocompleteafellowship.Thisisarigorousjourneythatwilltakeeveryaspectof
thelearningtobeaccomplished.Startingfromthemedialtemporalregionwhichisclosely
connectedtothecerebralcortexresponsibleforthinkingandlanguage.Itwillhelpduringthe
yearsoftrainingandmasteringskillsbecauseitwillhelpacardiologistbeabletothinkontheir
feetandalsobeabletolearnnewterminologyfast.Alsoitisimportantforbeingorganizedand
beingabletoretrievememories.Thiswillhelpwithbeingknowledgeableofthehumanbodyand
theheart,Themedialtemporalregionalongwiththehippocampuswhichalsoisresponsiblefor
memorywillhelptoknowtermsandremembertermsthatwerestudiedwhilebeingincollege
andmedicalschool.Anotheraspectofthebrainwouldbethecerebellumwhichisresponsiblein
motortaskandcoordinatingtiming.Asacardiologistthereismanypatientsthatarebeingseen
andbeingabletouseyourtimewiselyandbeingabletocoordinatetimeiscriticalwhenworking
inabusyenvironment.Thesearethefewwaysthatthebrainisunderstoodtobeabletohave
thoseskillsasacardiologist.
Theimportanceofknowingandresearchingabouthowthebrainworksisbecauseweare
abletoseehowtomastertheseskillsandbeknowledgeableaboutwhatishappeninginsideour
brainwhenwearelearning.Thiswillalsohelpusunderstandhowimportantitistomastersuch
skillsandtohaveconfidencethatweareabletodoit.
Knowingthisinformationwillhelpussuccedwhileachievingourcareerbutalsooverall
inlife.AfterbeingabletograduateoutofcollegeandaccomplishgoingintomedicalschoolI
willwanttobeabletoworkatRadysChildren'sHospitalasacardiologist.Atthishospitalthere
isalotofinteractionwithchildrenandmanyarebroughtinbecauseofcardiacproblems
involvingheartmurmursuptoheartdiseaseeitherwhentheyarebornorwhiletheyaregrowing.
IwillbeabletoapplyeverythingthatIlearnedthroughoutmycareerintothisjob.Iwouldnot
onlywanttoworkwithchildrenbutalsowithincardiologynarrowdownmyresearch.My
researchwouldconsistofworkingwithprematurebabiesandhavingcardiacproblemswhen
theyareborn.Mostofthesebabiesarebornearlyandnoteveryaspectoftheirbodyisfully

developed.Someofundevelopmenthavetodowithintheheartfromhavingpatentductus
arteriosusandlowbloodpressure.Iwouldlovetoworkwithchildrenandalsobelearningabout
theheart.
ThroughoutthisprojectIwasabletolearnalotmoreaboutlookingintoacareerpathbut
alsobeingabletoconnectittotheprocessoflearningthatgoesoninthebrain.Startingthis
projectIalreadyknewwhatcareerandmajorIwantedtofo.AsstatedbeforeIaminterestedin
pursuingacareerincardiology.Iknewsomeofthemajorsthatareneededtosucceedinthis
career.Examplesofthesewouldbetakingchemistry,biology,andotherscienceclasses.
Although,Istillneedtolearnthenecessarystepsthatneededtobetakentogetmycareerand
withinthisprojectIwillbeabletolearnthem.Also,beingabletolookatdifferentuniversities
thatprovideavarietyofclassesthatwillhelpmegettomygoal.SofarIplantolearnmore
aboutthestepstobeabletoattendacollegethatmeetsmyneedsandalsowhattypeofdegrees
andtrainingthereistosucceedinmycareer.

Resources:
http://learn.org/articles/Cardiology_Become_a_Cardiologist_in_5_Steps.html
http://educationportal.com/articles/Cardiologist_Career_Profile_and_Educational_Requirements
.html
http://healthcareers.about.com/od/physiciancareers/p/cardiologistpro.htm
https://www.aamc.org/cim/specialty/list/us/341270/oncology_internal_medicine.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248679.php
http://www.walesdeanery.org/index.php/en/highertraining/respiratorymedicine/214whatisres
piratorymedicine.html
http://handbook.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k104674&pageid=icb.page673493
http://www.neuroskills.com/braininjury/parietallobes.php
http://brainmadesimple.com/occipitallobe.html
http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PEAnatBrain.htm#.VMnfTtLF8uE
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/prematurebirth/basics/complications/con20020
050
https://college.harvard.edu/academics/fieldsstudy/concentrations