Abstract
Description As a first-year medical student when the COVID-19 pandemic found a foothold, I felt an overwhelming amount of emotions that accompanied the pandemic's spread. Fear, although a reasonable choice, was not the first emotion that I experienced. In fact, it was a general feeling of paralysis. I had not six months prior taken an oath to commit my career and life to the service of the public's health care needs, yet I could provide little more than the textbook knowledge of biochemistry or genetics from my first semester of learning. My hands felt unarmed and unskilled for the fight. What could I do to alleviate any of the suffering? This writing was my response to that question. I found myself watching and seeking to emulate the selfless bravery of the health care workers who I saw facing the battle head on. This is for all the frontline heroes who gave everything. The next generation was watching, and we hope we can honor you in our lives' work.