1. Why did you choose your career path?

I choose my career coming out of college based on a few facts. I was good at math being one
and also that i felt that being an engineer was a good job. I felt that I would always be able to
find a job with my degree and That I would never be out of work. I choose my current career, a
teacher, also based on the fact that I was skilled in mathematics. I always wanted to leave my
engineering job at Lucent Technologies and get work as a teacher in order to get more breaks and
spend time with the family. It may have come a little earlier than I expected, but it has worked
out well
2. Who is your biggest inspiration?
I would say that my biggest inspiration is my father, Robert Brooks. My reasoning behind this
being that he was a good father and taught me and my brothers the basics on how to succeed in
life and be a man. I believe my brothers and I have taken this lesson and were able to
successfully educate and prepare our children for life so far.
3. What requirements does your career path require?
My career path requires you to go to college and obtain a four-year degree. I was a math major
and was able to get my original job and later went back to also earn my masters in addition.
4. Do you have any short term goals?
My short term goals would be to successfully put my children through school and properly
enable them to get a job later. Also to prepare them for things that life may throw at them.
5. Do you have any long term goal?
My long term goal would probably be to work until i do not have to anymore. After that I would
like to be able to relax and not work all of the time, but have time to spend with family and travel
to places , like back to California or other places to give my children the same great experience
new things.
6. What are your greatest achievements?
My greatest achievements include football in college, graduating school, getting a job, and being
able to watch my kids do great things.
7. Did you struggle any trying to get where you are now?
Of course, there were always times that I struggled trying to work on school as you know. It can
get hard but you have to keep going in order to finish.
8. What would you tell others who may be in the same situation you were in then, now?
I would tell the that very same thing that it gets hard, but you must persevere.
9. If you could go back and change anything about your life would you? If so what would you
change?
I would not change anything. I like it all as it has happened now.
10. Could you give any advice to me as I try and move forward with my schooling?
I would tell to you the same thing. It is all about doing what youre supposed to do and staying
the course. It will get hard, buts long as you get through it it will be okay. Its not about being the
smartest but the one with the most wherewithal to make it to the end.

1 Why did you choose your career path?

Ive always wanted to be in some form of healthcare and it interested me the most. Hes done a
lot of work in the medical field.

11. Who is your biggest inspiration?

My parents they wanted a profession in which he could do whatever and where he could be
happy. Very supportive. Also Gordon Madison died when he graduated form grad school.
12. What requirements does your career path require?
Degree in basic sciences is advisable. Any major as long as you have prerequisites for dental and
medical and doing well in courses so that he will have a high overall GPA and science GPA.
13. Do you have any short term goals?
Stay on top of profession.
14. Do you have any long term goal? To finish career and put aside enough money for retirement
and taking care of his children
15. What are your greatest achievements?
Starting in undergrad he was in the University of Florida Hall of Fame for student services.
Received scholarship to school. President of the student national medical association. Residency
resident of the year and president of joint council of interns. First African American to perform
official surgery at the Medical College of Georgia. First African American president of oral
society of maxillofacial. Georgia board of dentistry.
16. Did you struggle any trying to get where you are now?
Yes. Being an African American male, but also anyone must work hard to get to a goal. Unique
challenge that African Americans face some that African American females dont. Being at a
majority white institution also causes problems. People scared to address issues of race. There
are differences and we must recognize them to invoke change. Majority of struggles come form
having a goal and everyone must struggle to obtain something.
17. What would you tell others who may be in the same situation you were in then, now?
I tell students all the time that the only person that you cant do something is you. Your mother,
father, boyfriend or girlfriend cant tell you. You cant allow anyone to machete decision that you
can or cant do. Don't become you're own admission committee. Dont make yourself believe that
they will not pick you let them tell you what they want and dont want. Dont come up with
reasons why you cant be successful. When I was in undergrad I had the worst advice if you are
interested in going to medical school or dental school the career center would instruct you on
how to proceed. He took too many credit hours in the first year of college. Trouble you wont be
able to make it three more classes then needed because he did not have proper guidance. Parents
did not know, he did not come from a doctoral background.
18. If you could go back and change anything about your life would you? If so what would you
change?
If he could change anything he would go back and alter the way that he planned out his career
and probably do a few things differently. Taking classes differently took a year and a half to
figure out the system. Also make sure that his father is able to see him finish school father died
while in residency to see his graduation.
19. Could you give any advice to me as I try and move forward with my schooling?
Make sure that you are very careful of who you take council from take advice but with a grain of
salt. Different experiences between eras and also have fun while in school. Friday after class was
time for fun. Studied Saturday in undergrad and also went to movies, hung out, or a party.
Unhappy people dont turn into happy practitioners. Learn balance whatever grounds you
spiritually hold on to that do not do things that you should not do. To each one teach one.