Medical Miracles on the Horizon
The world and its inhabitants will face a multitude of problems in the 21st Century,
including drug addiction, deadly disease, violent crime, warfare and hostility, hunger,
and homelessness to name a few. All of these critical issues have been present to some
extent in the 20th Century and, left unsolved, will continue to plague society and
mankind as we enter the new millennium. As we rapidly approach the next era, new issues
of equal or even greater importance for mankind will almost certainly arise. I
personally envision health issues, concerns related directly to medicine, as the central,
most critical and comprehensive problem facing leaders of the 21st Century.
In my opinion, physicians and others associated with the medical profession will
participate in one of the most vital and urgent roles entering into the new era. This is
one of the reasons that I intend to pursue a career in the medical field after I graduate
from The University of Tennessee. Of all occupations in the next millennium, medicine
will be perhaps the most important and influential in combating the problems of mankind
and in solving them.
People in the field of medicine will continue, as they have in this century, to address
and participate in almost all concerns. For example, methadone is currently being used
as a therapeutic intervention for some drug addictions. In addition, various medications
are now being given in the treatment of criminals, like anti-psychotic drugs to curb
aggressive or violent behavior in schizophrenics. A new and improved group of
antidepressants is also being used to treat and reduce the growing rate of suicide in all
ages of our society. Because a very high percentage of homeless people suffer from
psychological problems and/or drug addictions, doctors may also eventually play a larger
role in prescribing medication for these individuals. Concerning warfare that may be
present into the 21st Century, the medical community will be required to detect and treat
a variety of injuries and illnesses, just as they have had to decipher and work on
patients who fell victim to the Gulf War Syndrome. Any future wars may have even more
insidious side-effects due to the use of lethal chemicals.
Cures have been found for many illnesses, such as polio, smallpox, and various childhood
diseases in the present century, but other health concerns are manifesting rapidly. One
of the most important task doctors and research scientists may face is to fight new
strains of deadly diseases in the coming years. Outbreaks of eboli and the emergence of
diseases that are drug-resistant to antibiotics threaten the survival of mankind.
If humanity is to thrive and prosper in the 21st Century, each individual must do his or
her own part to deal with the problems that are presently in existence as well as to
prepare for the potential problems of the future. The path I will choose in solving some
of the current and future considerations for mankind is the field of medicine. In other
words, I want to be a part of the solution for the issues that face my own generation, as
well as benefiting past and future generations. No one person can solve all of the
dilemmas. It will take a concerted effort by a multitude of individuals in a variety of
occupations and by concerned humanitarians who work for their own causes to improve
living conditions and the quality of life in the next era.
Doctors, scientists, teachers, social workers, politicians, leaders, and virtually
every other segment of the population must team up in a joint effort to eradicate the
serious issues facing our society in the 21st Century. For example, the leaders of the
21st Century must seek new methods and alternative plans to ensure the "well-being" of
others as the Preamble of the United States Constitution declares as a basic "right."
The leaders in our government need to go out into society, talk with people, study the
pertinent concerns, and actively participate in finding solutions. They should ask
questions such as: what should we do, how do we do it, and what is working for you?
These leaders need to enlist the help of the medical community so that they may better
realize and more fully understand that the hospitals and research centers need additional
funds for new treatments, better facilities, and updated technology. In addition, a
comprehensive health care program must be developed that is satisfactory to the citizens
as well as to the health care professionals.
In the field of medicine, we have much to look forward to as the new century begins.
Great progress is currently being made in the medical field of genetics. In the 21st
Century, it is very possible that many incurable diseases such as autism, diabetes, and
others may be eliminated. Physicians and scientists are even showing some hope for a
future cure for AIDS, a terrifying and rapidly spreading disease that is now in the top
ten causes of death. Another field of medicine that will be extremely vital in the next
era is that of geriatrics. As life expectancy continues to rise and our society
continues to age, the field will undoubtably become one of the most exciting and critical
of all. Many medical miracles are on the horizon because significant breakthroughs are
pending, for the flu, for spinal cord injuries, for Parkinson's, and for many others. I
truly believe that many diseases will be eradicated in the next millennium, and I look
forward to being an active participant in finding the cures as well as treating the
needy.
I am still in the process of exploring, investigating, and evaluating the various
options of the medical profession and have not yet decided which specialized path to
follow. But I know that the profession of medicine is where I need to be, where I want
to be, and where I will someday be. I am very focused, self-motivated, and determined in
obtaining my goal to become a physician. Being a successful Medical Doctor means helping
other people and solving complex problems in the next era, and this is what I will strive
to do.
I firmly believe that the world and its inhabitants will face a multitude of problems in
the 21st Century, both old ones and new ones. In my opinion, the solution for most of
these critical issues will be in some way related to the field of medicine, either
through diagnosis, research, or treatment. Still, all segments of society must work
together to make the new millennium prosperous and successful for all. My first step in
being an active part of this concerted effort will be to earn my degree from the
University of Tennessee so that I may one day reach my goal to be an active participant
in the medical community and to fulfill my desire to help others.
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