Junior Joy Song’s lifelong dream blossomed from the digestive system.

Joy first discovered her interest in the medical field during the fifth grade human body unit in her science class. Once she had learned all of the information about the body system, including the intestines and the stomach, she realized that her path would move along this track.

“In fifth grade, [when we learned about] the digestive system—[that’s] what really caught me,” Joy said. “I’m really interested in the human body type.”

Not only has Joy’s own education helped direct her, but her brother’s has as well. As a medical school student himself, Joy’s older brother left footprints on the trail Joy has begun to hike.

“Since my older brother is in medical school, I think that really cleared my thought of oh, I really want to go as well,” Joy said. “It looks fun and interesting.”

However, this is not to say that Joy is completely influenced by her brother’s choice. Since he has been busy and away at school, Joy has had lots of time to make her own choices and find her own way to success.

Joy has joined clubs such as HOSA and Science Olympiad to help her climb the mountain to the summit of medical school. She has participated in a variety of events—from dental terminology to chemistry laboratory—to expand her horizons. Since Joy is still considering her options within the medical field, the extracurriculars have opened her eyes to the wide variety.

“In order to get that experience beforehand, I feel like high school clubs, like science clubs, are really helpful for me,” Joy said. “It gives background information.”

Joy isn’t only interested in the medical field because of the scientific element. Joy’s aim in her career is to be able to help people of all different backgrounds and bring happiness to their lives.

In this way, Joy believes that it is crucial for her to get to know different people, which is something she can effectively do in the clubs she participates in. Joy loves to get to know people anyway, so being able to talk to people in the medical environment is a very valuable asset she possesses.

“I really like helping people, [especially] new people. I also like to socialize a lot, so getting to know new people is also my hobby in a way,” Joy said. “In order to communicate well with other [people], regardless of gender, religion, race, or something [else], you really have to communicate and understand what the patient is telling you or how they feel. I think that’s really important.”

Joy’s desire to be the candle in the dark for some extends further than her passion for medical science. Joy helps people in other forms as well, such as volunteering at Kids Food Basket, helping out at the Kent District Library, and playing her violin at nursing homes. But however happy Joy makes people feel, she can’t help but wish she could do more.

“I have mixed feelings at nursing homes; you want to do more [for the patients], but you can’t really provide anything,” Joy said, “but the fact that I can use my skills and I can provide something [and] see their smiles really makes me happy.”

Despite her strong social skills and willingness to bring light into the lives of people around her, Joy doesn’t think of her volunteer work and dealing with multiple strong emotions as a preparation for her future but rather as just something she enjoys doing.

“I think instead of preparing [for the future], I think of [volunteering as] my enjoyment and my hobby,” Joy said. “Not everything is about education; it’s also about you as well. So each one of my skills itself can really [connect] to my path as well, but my intention was to use my hobbies to help people. It makes me happy as well, and I want to continue that.”