As I recall this memory, the stench of necrotic tissue and bodily fluids is as putrid as it was a year and a half ago. While I was cleaning a skin avulsion on the heel of my patient's left foot with saline, the emergency room doctors gathered around and used an ultrasound machine to detect if there was a dorsal foot pulse in his foot right. They found one after a few minutes of searching, but that didn't ease the tension in the air as the patient groaned in pain. The orthopedic surgeon came down to the emergency room all hairy. He blamed the other doctors for not alerting him sooner. To my surprise, this square-jawed man, whose coat was a little whiter than his whitened teeth, turned to me and explained the situation. This patient who “claimed” to have fallen down a flight of stairs had tibia-fibula fractures in his right leg and would need immediate surgery if we were to prevent compartment syndrome from claiming his leg. I would be in charge of cleaning the leg and applying a pre-operative soft cast. Standing over the patient to lift his leg, the smell of his mutilated limb is etched in my memory. After my EMT clinical shift, I went to the nearest computer lab and searched "compartment syndrome", the thrill of learning on the fly was as fresh as the plaster droplets on my shoes from the casting . Although I can never forget the smell I smelled that day, it remains one of my most treasured memories. At the age of 21, I made the decision to become a doctor. My initial idea was that I wanted to “help people” and that patient care fit my generous nature and social skills. Through my clinical experiences, I have discovered that patient care is much more than a desire to “help people.” Patient care is middle of paper.....I am a set that will help me in my patient care, but more importantly, it has shown me that in order to achieve my goals, I must be willing to giving and receiving help. A computer is programmed to draw from a bank of knowledge. It can only respond to what it contains. The same could be said, on a much broader level, of course for the human mind. You can only draw the experiences you have had. My reasons for wanting to become a doctor will change as my experiences grow. The experiences I shared in this essay shed light on high-pressure emergency care, patient advocacy, and teamwork. These are memories that I cherish because they allowed me to grow as a person in a field that I am passionate about. I understand that medical school is not something to venture into lightly, but I see myself moving forward and enjoying the experience, regardless of the smells involved..