Lena Kruth

When I was in the 7th grade, I thought that I knew what I wanted to be - a doctor. It was the natural choice for a bright student who liked science and wanted to help people. I carried this dream with me to the University of Virginia where I majored in biology as a pre-med student. With just one year left until graduation, I took a class that required me to research what it actually meant to be an Ob/Gyn physician. Discovering facts like the average Ob/Gyn only spends 51.8% of her time caring for patients made me reconsider my goal (ACOG website).

That is when I starting looking into nursing. It seemed to be more involved with direct patient care and seemed to treat more than just an illness. Consequently, since that time, I have obtained my Bachelor's in Nursing and am currently pursuing my Master's, both from Virginia Commonwealth University. The more that I learn as a nursing student and the more that I work as an RN, the more I love this profession. Its empathetic and holistic philosophy resonates with my own worldview, and, as a result, it has allowed me to connect with people in a way that I do not think I could have as a physician.

Currently I am a nurse at Planned Parenthood, and everyday I that I work, I feel as though I make a difference. Soon, as a nurse practitioner, I will be able to do even more. My ambition is to improve the access and availability of health care for primarily Spanish-speaking patients. By achieving this, I will achieve what has been my goal throughout my circuitous educational career path: helping one person at a time to make this world a better place.