I am a lifelong Virginia resident, and since 1999, I have lived less than 30 minutes from the University of Virginia. Ever since then, the Seaton family’s ties to UVA have exponentially increased. My father is a UVA physician. My brother is a third year studying computer engineering. Now I am going to UVA medical school! You could say we are a triple-hoo family.
I attended Grove City College and majored in biochemistry. While at Grove, I debated as to whether I wanted to become a doctor, a researcher, or a teacher. So naturally, I explored each avenue. During my first and second undergraduate summers, I researched for UVA’s Department of Pathology. During my third summer, I researched for Roche Pharmaceuticals in Basel, Switzerland. During my semesters at Grove City, I pursued teaching opportunities. I became a chemistry tutor and a teaching assistant for biology and physics labs. In the end, I decided to become a physician because of one particular primary care doctor I shadowed.
I had the opportunity to shadow the same doctor both in his office and on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic (DR). I witnessed him using his medical training as a tangible means to deliver hope. He genuinely cared about the long-term well-being of his patients. In his office, I witnessed how he had developed strong physician-patient relationships. In the DR, I observed the value of his understanding his patients’ cultural and personal backgrounds when formulating a treatment. In the same light, I want to become a primary care physician, so that I can come alongside my patients, follow through with their therapies, and monitor their progress over the long-term. In the future, I hope to use my medical training to minister to underserved, rural populations in the United States.