Write about a subject, outside of medicine, which has held your interest:

Jesus Christ. Even today it is a name that demands reaction. To some it is a name that invokes visions of an antiquated past. Others think of the ravings of modern cults. Still others recall the evils practiced in the name of religion. But to me, Jesus means "the LORD saves." Jesus has not only held my interest, but has gripped my life.

In the spring semester of my freshman year in college, I joined a yearlong study of the Gospel according to Mark. Mark Study, offered by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, is a small discussion group led by InterVarsity staff and students. I have just finished my third Mark Study, once as a student and twice as a leader.

What about this book has warranted more than 250 hours of close study? By studying Jesus' life and his interactions with other people, I am learning about the compassion and love which motivate healing. A physician's life is more than patients and treatments. It is about lepers and tax collectors--touching the untouchable and loving the unlovable. It is about going out of your way to meet people where they are.

Jesus models holistic healing. He not only rejuvenates a man's shriveled hand but also rejuvenates his understanding of service. He not only stops the hemorrhaging of a suffering woman but also stops to listen to her woes. Healing is not only physical. The modern physician must be prepared to invest in the emotional needs of his patient.

Jesus is saving me from my simplistic view of medicine. Medicine is not a career so much as an attitude, a way of living. It is approaching the world in such a way that every action I take is effective in serving and touching someone's life. I am eager to follow in his footsteps. I am eager to become a healer.