Manan S. Mehta

I first became aware of my Personal Career Hero by online research. My hero works at The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation, an inspiring foundation focused on “providing superior, compassionate and state-of-the-art medical care to our patients. We offer programs to help our patients and families cope with the challenges that are brought on by cancer and strive to optimize their quality of life,” states the foundation. This is a great and motivating mission because it shows the positive attitude that can be shown even with something as life-altering as cancer. I admire the fact that Mehta chose to go into the unique and challenging field of oncology. This inspires me to follow my dreams and proves how you can become successful, no matter how far away success seems at the time. Also, I want to be very similar to him in my career. He does a lot of research and studies for his work. I would like to do the same thing and hopefully find advances in the cure for cancer some day in my studies. As you can see, Manan S. Mehta is the devoted research oncologist whose footsteps I strive to follow in.

Mehta, as mentioned previously, is an oncologist. This is a profession that takes much schooling to get into. Instead of taking only four years of college, to get a M.D.—like Mehta—you actually need to go to school for two additional years. He actually got his medical degree from a school in India, South Gujarat University. He then moved on to the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles. Lastly, Mehta finished his education at UCLA, majoring in hematology and oncology and specializing in clinical and basic science for breast cancer. He has a salary similar to most M.D. doctors, which is high compared to most other professions. He has a very positive and helpful outlook toward work. “A highly compassionate, hard-working and talented physician, Dr. Mehta cares deeply for his work and his patients,” The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation has to say about him. Evidently, my hero’s positive attitude and willingness to work has helped him finish much schooling and find a job he has passion for and supplies him with a very good salary.

Also, Mehta showed signs from the very beginning that he was going to be a success. He demonstrates the ability to work hard and hope that anything can get better. “Dr. Mehta, who resides in the community, is proud to be a family man, and greatly enjoys spending time with his wife and child,” states his biography. This shows he cares about others, a skill absolutely necessary in the career he selected. In school, he was a stellar student, which led to him getting into very good colleges and medical schools. He clearly followed a rigorous and challenging path in school to get into a career this tough to find success in.

Finally, Mehta helps others and contributes to society by his commitment and determination to help make cancer a less atrocious ailment. He helps treat women with breast cancer. “While committed to treating a wide variety of malignancies, including solid and liquid tumors, he specializes in treating Breast cancer and atypical proliferative breast disorders,” says the Institute. Also, since he researches a lot, he actively finds new ways to treat cancer. The Institute reports, “His research involves the creation of a tissue bank, cell and molecular biology, genetic screening & counseling, detection, diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of Breast cancer. His research is focused on prevention of the disease, prevention of recurrence after surgery, and treatment of recurrences.” He helps others because though he could just be an ordinary oncologist and treat cancer with chemotherapy or radiation—a method not always successful, he instead puts more effort into his career and becomes both a doctor and scientist. This ideal overachiever invents new ways to help society with his extensive research.

There are many steps I must take in order to achieve success the way my personal career hero did. For example some important goals must be reached in high school, college, and my lifetime. First in high school I plan to get mostly A’s and a few B’s; taking ATMS classes, at least one or two AP classes each year, and the IB program in my final years of high school. I am working to graduate with a GPA over a 4.0. Also, another one of my goals is to get in to a four-year university, such as UCI or UCLA. I play softball, so a goal of mine for college is to play at that level. I hope softball will either provide me with a scholarship or at least help me get into the school. Lastly, an achievement I would like to call mine within my lifetime is to find an advance in the cure for cancer. Following these goals and aspirations, I hope to succeed in my career as an oncologist just as Manan S. Mehta, my personal career hero, did.