Were there any circumstances that you feel may have negatively affected your academic performance during college? Being raised by a single mother, I worked three jobs to support myself and contribute to my family while overcoming significant challenges. With my father absent due to alcoholism, I was shocked to learn that my only brother got involved with prescription drugs and then heroin during my freshman year of high school. After going to rehab centers to no avail, he turned to crime to support his addiction which led to him being sentenced to 6-15 years in prison. Although this was difficult, I became empathetic towards the needs of others and learned how to help others in difficult situations. Please tell us about a passion (professional or personal) you have had in your life so far. My teaching and learning experiences enrich my lifelong passion for education, both as a teacher and a student. As the first class of a medically focused middle college, I matured to understand the rewarding nature of teaching as a researcher, mentor, and supplemental instructor. I became a more organized thinker, writer, and student, pushing myself to better myself as an educator. Developing analogies and providing examples led students to discover information on their own, while also deepening my understanding of the course material. In addition to learning more, I became better at mastering any topic quickly. For example, I learned to develop my interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills to have more meaningful interactions with my mentors, patients, and friends. I love learning indirectly from those around me to help me make the right choices to become a well-rounded and empathetic person. Integrating teaching… half the work… continues to challenge and encourage me to work collaboratively with colleagues to create projects to improve the health of our community. Hoping to expand on my previous work, I wish to conduct translational studies of endocannabinoids under the guidance of the acclaimed researchers who are currently at the forefront of the field. Having the opportunity to disagree with these researchers during my research, I am excited to hypothesize my own ideas to advance our understanding of the endocannabinoid system. Considering myself a polymath, I would limit myself to focusing only on cannabinoids; therefore, I want to explore multiple research areas at Mount Sinai, including cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. With the resources and mentors needed to develop each of my research interests, Mount Sinai is the best school for me to grow as a physician, scientist, and healthcare leader.