Caden Ball, Olive Branch
Northpoint Christian School
Winning Essay
“A legacy gives us an opportunity to live for a purpose that is bigger than ourselves. Legacy is what I think about when I hear the words ‘family practice physicians’. My grandfather left a legacy as a family practitioner in MS. I often hear many stories of how my grandfather positively impacted the lives o that town forever due to the level of care he offered to the individuals he treated. Though the selfless care of a family practitioner that invests in the health and lives of those in his community through hospital rounds urgent care visits, clinic appointments and nursing home assignments, my grandfather left a legacy to not only his town, but to his two sons. Because o the way my dad witnessed his own father administer care and love to every patient he saw, my father became a family practice physician. He caught the passion of not only being a doctor, but investing in a community for the better health of its people. For my grandfather and my father, their purpose was not about the numbers of patients they can see in a given day, but rather it is about how they invested positivity in each person so that their lives were changed. As a family practice doctor, y father has a passion for those in out community to receive medical care. As I grew up, I saw him travel to Church health Center in TN, to spend his Saturdays treating those people who were underinsured. His commitment to this cause has relentlessly impacted out community in Mississippi. My father is now the volunteer Medical Director which was patterned off the example of Church Healthcare System. This system is a healthcare center funded by the churches of out county to provide adequate medical care to those who are underinsured. I have seen the significant impact first hand of how a family physician impacts those i the community. These physicians in life, including my uncle who is an Internal Medicine physician, have shown a level of commitment to their patients as to let them know that they matter. Because of the impact I have seen in the community around me. I also want to move forward into a medical career. i want to influence the lives of those around me with the medical care i have seen my father and grandfather give. Legacy is about valuing and treasuring those things that have been handed down to you. I will always value and treasure the way I have seen positive impact through excellent medical care. I will take this with me through these next years of college as I prepare to treat patients that are entrusted to my care. I can think of no greater legacy than to carry on the principles of a family physician that I have witnessed, being able to improve others’ health an longevity while also being a trusted source of knowledge and understanding to the community. ” – Caden Ball