Nicole Obialo said she was 17 years old when she knew she wanted to physician after witnessing a young boy undergo cardiac arrest and watching the disruptive effects of her grandmother’s battle with Type-2 Diabetes.

HOUSTON, TX – The SignatureCare Emergency Center Scholarship Award Committee is pleased to announce that it has awarded the 2023 Fall Semester Medical and Health Scholarship to Nicole Obialo, a University of Houston Psychology major.

Nicole was selected the winner of the $1,000 scholarship award from among the hundreds of applicants due to her passion and commitment to the medical and healthcare field. 

The scholarship award which is aimed at helping students pay their tuition, room and board, books, and other college-related expenses, is given twice a year to qualified U.S. college students who demonstrate strong passion and commitment to the healthcare and medical field. 

To be considered for this highly competitive award, students are required to meet certain criteria, and submit a 500-word essay that answers the question: Who or what inspired you to enter the medical field? More information about the scholarship is available here.

While accepting the scholarship award, Nicole Obialo said receiving this scholarship will contribute to her success and provide the means to continue her education. She thanked everyone at SignatureCare Emergency Center for granting her the scholarship.

“Knowing that the scholarship committee read my personalized story, recognized the hard work I put into my academic career and gave me an opportunity to further my education has put me a step forward towards my career goals. 

“This scholarship has allowed me to put an investment towards my future, and for that I am incredibly grateful. Thank you to everyone at the SignatureCare Emergency Center for granting me this scholarship,” she said.

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From that day, I knew I wanted to pursue emergency medicine. I aspire to be on the frontline of treatment and have the confidence and willpower to save many lives. I want to be able to treat patients when other medical professionals can’t. I strive to be able to treat life-threatening conditions at any given moment and be given the opportunity to understand the many complexities of the human body.

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She said she was 17 years old when she witnessed a traumatic event that changed the course of her life.

“I was 17- years old when I knew I wanted to practice medicine. Growing up with a Type-2 diabetic grandma has let me be exposed to ways the human body can naturally be disrupted. At times it was controlled and others uncontrolled. Many trips to the emergency room curated my early fascination of the nurses and doctors that worked in the ER, but it was not until witnessing a young boy undergo cardiac arrest in front of me that forever changed my perspective on reality and inspired me to pursue a career in the healthcare field.

“We were a group of kids outside playing a game of tag when suddenly one of the boys fell to the ground, as if he had fainted. I ran to him, and my first instinct was to call 9-1-1 and turn him to his side since the only knowledgeable techniques I knew at that time were those of someone having a seizure. 

“I knew that turning someone onto their side will aid in clearing their breathing passage. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. Checking his neck, his wrist, and even putting my head to his chest, he had no pulse. Fear ran through me heavily as I was trying to remain calm. Many kids quickly began to crowd around me and the boy, looking at me for guidance since I was the only person that ran to his aid. 

“Many thoughts were racing through my mind, even those of CPR but, ironically, my fear of doing the wrong thing and hurting him overpowered me. I did not have the confidence to act but it was instinct to take control and help. The ambulance arrived and the boy was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest. 

“The guilt of me not performing simple CPR compressions and saving this young man’s life has forever stuck with me. Knowing what to do in a timely manner would have saved him. Having confidence in myself and in what I knew would have saved him. 

“From that day, I knew I wanted to pursue emergency medicine. I aspire to be on the frontline of treatment and have the confidence and willpower to save many lives. I want to be able to treat patients when other medical professionals can’t. I strive to be able to treat life-threatening conditions at any given moment and be given the opportunity to understand the many complexities of the human body. We are all a heartbeat away from needing emergency care and I want to be able to save those lives since I was not able to save that young man's life,” she added.

Dr. Christopher Langan, MD, an Emergency Medicine Physician and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SignatureCare Emergency Center, congratulated Ms. Obialo for winning the award.

“Nicole’s future in the health field is bright and we are happy to help her along the way as she journeys towards this future,” Dr. Langan said.