Early last May, as summer was approaching, I faced many questions about how I would spend it. Should I focus on academics, work, lie under the sun or catch up on my soap operas? There were so many alternatives; I found the whole situation overwhelming. However, later that month I was introduced to a program that would change the course of my whole summer.

In my chemistry class I came upon the solution to my predicament: a pamphlet that described a summer program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. This caught my attention since I had always been interested in medicine. I learned that their Volunteer Career Exploration Program offered high school students the opportunity to work in a specific department at the hospital to gain experience and work skills in the medical field.

Soon after applying, I went in for an interview. To my surprise, I did not spend the afternoon being interrogated about my skills and talents but rather I met other young people from all over Massachusetts who shared the same interests in medicine. Also, as I talked to the coordinators of the program, I learned that I had been assigned to work in the burn unit.

These six weeks became a period of my life that I will never forget. I was given the opportunity to observe, learn and work under the guidance of medical professionals. My mentor was Tony Giovine, a registered nurse. Throughout the summer he and many other professionals trained me in various skills including burn dressing, running blood tests and administering to other needs of patients. Above all, they encouraged me to explore different interests and pursue a career in medicine. I am grateful for all their support and guidance, which has helped me to work toward becoming a doctor.

In addition, every Thursday morning the volunteers gathered for a program that was specifically designed to expose us to various career options. These presentations sometimes consisted of a trip to the operating room or an interview with a physical therapist. This gave me the chance to experience the excitement of working in a health care profession as well as exploring future medical occupations.

My summer at Mass. General enabled me to further my education outside the classroom and in the working world. Although there were thousands of other programs, not many would have allowed me to prove to myself what I could do and help me to reach these long-term goals. I feel that attending this program not only challenged me, but left me with an experience that will last a lifetime.