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"How has your journey with CF shaped the problems you want to solve and the impact you hope to have on others?"

Living with cystic fibrosis has shaped the way I understand both problems and people. From a young age, my life was defined by routines others did not have to think about, constant awareness of my health, and the uncertainty that comes with a chronic condition. At times, it was easy to feel like something about me was broken, as if my body could not function the way it was meant to. Over time, however, that perspective changed, and with it, the direction of my life. At church, I learned about a Japanese art form called kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired by fusing the pieces back together with gold, not to hide the damage but to transform it, often making the piece stronger and more valuable than it was before. What was once seen as damaged becomes something more meaningful because of its history. One experience during my preparation for the MCAT made this especially clear to me. About two weeks before my exam, my doctor told me I needed to be hospitalized for intravenous treatment. It was the worst possible timing. Those final weeks are when students are expected to take multiple full length practice exams and push themselves mentally for hours at a time. Instead, I found myself in a hospital room with constant interruptions, nurses coming in and out, and the physical toll of treatment. In that moment, I felt like I had a choice. I could see myself as a victim of the situation, or I could decide to move forward anyway. I chose to push forward. I studied between interruptions, worked around the limitations of my environment, and held myself to a higher standard because I wanted to prove that this would not stop me. When I eventually took the exam and achieved the score I had worked toward, it was not just an academic accomplishment. It became one of the moments I am most proud of because it showed me what I am capable of when I choose to keep going. That experience clarified the kind of problems I want to address. I have seen how easily a diagnosis can come to define a person, both in how others see them and how they see themselves. It can feel like a limitation placed on their future. As a future physician, I want to challenge that. I want to help patients understand that while a diagnosis is real and often difficult, it does not have to diminish their sense of possibility. My goal is to care for patients in a way that helps them move forward with hope. I want them to leave not only with a treatment plan, but with a different perspective on what they are facing. Like kintsugi, I want people to recognize that the parts of their lives that feel broken can be fused into something stronger and more valuable than before, and that what once felt like a limitation can become a defining source of strength.