Another major concern is the growing cost of healthcare. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has helped somewhat, but doctors are opting out of this insurance due to the low reimbursement rate available to physicians for the medical care provided. For patients who locate a doctor that will see them under the ACA, they often find themselves waiting weeks to months before securing an appointment. This long wait again forces patients to use the emergency room and urgent care centers as a means to address primary care issues.

Furthermore, the rising cost of medical care is forcing many employers to lean on employees to supplement their insurance and as a result, patients are foregoing timely medications and doctor visits because their budget just won’t allow for another bill. This results in many patients doctoring themselves, which rarely leads to a good outcome.

In addition, the lack of understanding on how to best navigate the healthcare arena is a growing challenge. Questions include, “Which doctor should I see for my intestinal issues or my skin problems or my ongoing back pain?” Many patients find it difficult to pick the right specialist for their medical complaints.

The good news is health care technology is advancing. All testing is faster and more sophisticated. The treatment options are improving and it is my hope we will soon have cures for some of the medical issues that have plagued us for centuries.

Overall, medicine is a great field with heroic measures and a career path that is life-lasting. Many of these concerns along with healthcare opportunities, I discuss in my recently published book by Random House, Living and Dying in Brick City, An ER Doctor Returns Home.

It is also vital to stress health campaigns and teach tools to navigate the healthcare system better, as early as grammar school. Allowing youth to become familiar with medicine will improve overall community health and increase their appetite for a medical career. With newly earned healthcare degrees, these young professionals will likely return to serve the same population from which they were born, making for a lasting win for their neighborhood.

Thanks to my mother, who always gave time to the community, I knew I wanted to give back and help others. In my first year of emergency medicine residency, with student loans on the books, my two best friends and I created The Three Doctors Foundation. The foundation set out to help others rise above their circumstances. Built on the premise of H.E.L.M. – Health, Education, Leadership and Mentoring, a series of programs began in our first year and has continued since its inception. Centered on healthy living and education, these programs consist of: an annual walkathon, a mentor day, a positive peer pressure challenge and a holiday health benefit event. These free programs are open to the community and have included tens of thousands of participants over the past decade plus.

Through my speeches, I am able to connect with audiences mainly because I can relate to the struggle, challenges and disappointments many individuals face. I grew up in Newark, NJ and dealt with a variety of hardships including poverty, single-parent home, violence, crime, drugs, mental illness, health ailments, inadequate educational structure, etc. I firmly believe that since I was able to rise above and pursue a future, so can anyone. In my talks, I deliver real life steps one has to take to better their circumstance and increase their odds of success. The audience embraces my story because it is authentic.

Through my New York Times Best Selling books, The Pact, We Beat the Street and The Bond, I share stories and lessons that many can read and relate to. It is always a humbling moment when a person informs me that one of my books made a lasting impact in their life.

One thought to keep in mind is that a bad day is only one day and tomorrow starts anew, however quitting is forever and will have ongoing ramifications. Don’t quit, keep pushing as the finish line is there, hidden right at your feet, waiting for you to cross.

When I’m delivering a speech, I see the desire and determination in students’ eyes. They want success. They want achievement. They just have to be told it is within their reach. In high school, I made a then unpopular pact with two of my best friends to become doctors. Through tough moments, we fulfilled our pact and are practicing doctors today.

Practicing medicine is one of many areas I take part in professionally. I’m also a New York Times Best Selling Author, a professional speaker, and frequent contributor on The Today Show, CNN, and Dr. Oz. I have appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she named me “the premier role model of the world.” Education was my foundation not a basketball court. And overall, it is a cool way to go. Let’s give education that same stardom because it deserves it and our children need to know it has rock star status.

When pursing a goal, you can’t allow distractions or doubt to enter your space. You must remain determined, dedicated, and disciplined. Never give up regardless of how daunting the task may appear. Reach for the 3 D's in time of need.

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To bring Dr. Sampson Davis to your organization to motivate and inspire your audience, please contact Michael Frick at: Mike@Speaking.com.