The Health-y Passion

What?
I have a passion for health. Now, when I say health, I am not solely
defining it as eating the right foods, exercising, and the other components of
physical health. I believe that health is a large encompassing term that also
includes mental health, emotional health, spiritual health, moral health, and
social health. The pinnacle of health is happiness, and to the greatest level of
happiness, people must have optimal health in all disciplines of its term.
So What?
My passion for health was found when I took greater responsibility for my
physical health. When I began to play soccer for my high school, I did not
give my much attention to my physical health. I didnt eat too well, and I did
not exercise often. However, when I realized what my high school soccer
program demanded from me as an athlete, I became more aware of my
physical health. Seeing my transformation from a lazy to a dynamic athlete
made me feel better about myself and made me more confident around
others. In sense, the improvement of my physical health led to the
improvement of the other aspects of my health.
From then, I became exposed to different experiences and opportunities that
opened my eyes to the other areas of health. I was part of a leadership
program, Junior Leadership Medina County, which exposed me to the
socioeconomic issues of healthcare, and from that program, I realized how
ones social status influenced their mental, emotional, and social health. I
feel that I, as a leader who understands that he has been blessed with
privilege, have to advocate for those who did not have as much privilege as I
do. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I am able to make others
happier, specifically by improving their health.
Another past experience that led to my interest in health, particularly public
and global health, is my participation in my high schools Diversity Club.
Through this club, classmates of different backgrounds and cultures taught
me about their culture, and I gained new perspective their experiences. I
remember one of the experiences shared by my classmate who was from
Egypt. She explained how as Christians, she and her family were greatly
discriminated against. Their social health was strained by this situation, and
because of this discrimination, they left for the United States. I was so moved
by her experience that I knew that I wanted to help those around the world
who do not have the right to health. I want to be a voice for the voiceless.
Now What?
All aspects of health are connected, and I believe my time at the University
of Cincinnati is meant to discover and understand those connections. For the
physical aspect of health, I hope to get involved in the Triathlon Club. I will be
participating in a Honors Seminar experience called Public Health in
Southern Africa, which will teach me about transmission of disease and the
social/ethical issues present in Africa. GlobeMed is another way for me to

develop my sense of cultural health, as the chapter works with an

organization in Thailand called Social Action For Women (SAW). My own
major provides courses that look at the meaning of health in all aspects.
Right now, I am taking a class called Exploring Health Professions, and
from it, I have become more aware of the social disparities of Cincinnati
healthcare and the ethical issues of medicine in general. By graduation, I will
have made many connections between the many aspects of health, and my
passion for health will only grow from making these connections.