To have a career as health professional one has to let go of many other hobbies and dreams. Simply because health professionals are always short of time and always under the pressure of managing patients & academics. But with changing times, we are now witnessing more & more qualified health professionals like dentists (like our reigning Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere) or doctors (like Miss World 2014 Rolene Strauss) working hard to pursue their other passions too. They are ready to work hard to succeed in being a good doctor and also to succeed in their other dreams.

The gorgeous Hannah Uhlig, who'll be competing for the crown of Miss Texas USA 2018, is a dual degree MD/MPH student meaning she is enrolled in two schools simultaneously (1. Medical School 2. School of Public Health). She is currently in her second year of medical school in Houston, Texas, home to the world’s largest medical center.  

She spent this summer researching medical genetics and presented her findings to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Before medical school, she attended The University of Texas at Austin where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition - "Early on in my education I went back and forth between wanting to be a dietitian or a physician, but I ultimately chose the medical field for numerous reasons. That being said, my background in nutrition is already proving invaluable to my medical education and patient interactions. Additionally, my work with underprivileged communities and vulnerable populations is one of the things that led me to supplement my medical education with a Master in Public Health" - she explained.

If she wins the crown of Miss Texas USA the beautiful Hannah will have the opportunity to represent her state in Miss USA 2018. Check my interview about her preparation for the upcoming pageant below!

Have you ever felt like you don’t fit in? Like you are strange, different, or weird? Do you sometimes feel like there is no one else in the world who could possible understand you?

Introverts are especially susceptible to feeling like they don’t belong here … or anywhere.  Everywhere we turn there are advertisements, T.V. shows and influential people telling us to be less of what we are and more of what we aren’t.  Often, the extrovert ideal presses heavily on our shoulders and makes us feel like there is something wrong with us. If we let it.

As Miss Maine USA Stephanie Stilkey would like to make a difference and continues to inspire people by sharing her story to help any one struggling to see that they don't have to "fit in" or be somebody else to achieve your dreams and goals - "Accepting the real you is the most beautiful and empowering feeling you could experience. The thought of anyone just letting their dreams/goals slip by because they're too afraid that they won't be accepted in society or their dream is "too big", makes me strive harder to portray a "real" image of myself and that you CAN achieve your dreams AND be YOU while doing it."

Something Stephanie takes pride in with herself, is that she is a very well rounded individual - "I can change my car oil and be playing in the mud one moment and the next, be able to put on heels and have my own hair/make-up done for a photo shoot" - she explained.

The 2018 Miss New York USA pageant has competitors with exceptional talents every year, but in 2018, a candidate, Melanie Weidman, comes with serious dance experience, she is even a professional dancer.  There is never a day when she doesn't think about dancing - "I've been a dancer all my life from ballet to hip hop and everything in between; including competitions" - she explained.

She would love to one day open a dance studio with more special needs programs as it is underrepresented in the dance community - "Dancing is a great exercise, fun, a confidence boost, and a great way to make lasting friends."

Miss New York USA 2018 will be Melanie's first pageant ever - "It will be a unique experience like no other. In specifics confidence and self-love, I've really had to self-analyze myself in ways that I haven't before."

If she wins the crown she will have the opportunity to represent her state at Miss USA 2018. New York is one of the most successful states at Miss USA, and is ranked third in terms of number and value of placement across all years of competition. New York's strongest run was an unbroken string of placements from 1957 to 1966. New York also had a streak of 3 consecutive 1st runner-up placements from 1972 to 1974. If Shanna Moakler is counted, New York has the third (equal) highest number of Miss USA victories. They also have the third highest number of semi-finalist (or better) placings (33).

I had the opportunity to interview the beautiful Melanie on her preparation for the next Miss New York USA Pageant. Lets know a little more about her below!

"If a problem arises, come up with a solution, and run with it”.  The gorgeous Cynthia Lau, who'll be competing for the crown of Miss Florida USA, lives by this mantra since she was 13 years old, when she was diagnosed with a Gastro Intestinal Tumor - "Utilizing my voice as an outlet to tell my story on behalf of those affected by cancer and life-threatening illnesses has been one of the biggest accomplishments in my life to date" - she explained.

Current estimates for the total number of GIST cases each year in the United States range from about 4,000 to about 6,000. These tumors can start anywhere in the GI tract, but they occur most often in the stomach (about 60%) or the small intestine (about 35%). Until the late 1990s, not much was known about these tumors (and doctors didn’t have good ways of identifying them with lab tests).

Cynthia is currently a senior completing her Bachelor's Degree at Florida International University majoring in Psychology with a certificate in Public Health. In the near future, she will specialize in Health Policy and Management to help find compelling solutions for health care and public health problems on a global scale.

Her biggest and proudest work to date has been alongside the Make a Wish Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the American Cancer Society: Cancer Action Network - "My role as an intern, volunteer, and now ambassador for these organizations have allowed me to go to Congress and speak to legislators on the importance of medical research funding, cancer prevention, and treatments. Furthermore, they have offered me a chance to share my story as a survivor and health student, and for this I am eternally grateful."

Ballroom dance, belly dance, acting, and piano are her favorite pastimes. She has been a dancer all her life being trained in ballroom dance and belly dance. Cynthia's dedication towards her goals, and her success which has been a result of her ambitions and efforts, will surely take her long on the road of victory. Discover more about her story below!

As Miss Texas USA she would like to be of service to others. Stephanie Ludwig, 22, won the title of Miss Kemah USA 2017 only two months ago but it has already given her many opportunities. - "I entered my first pageant because I thought it would be fun but now I compete because it is making me a better public speaker and preparing me for a career in journalism."  she explained. She has a passion for mental health and wants to bring awareness to everyone. So, pageantry has given her chances to speak to businesses and people around our community of the importance of Mental Health Awareness.

Aside from being a pageant queen Stephanie is a Senior at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX; She is double majoring in Mass Communications and Multiplatform Journalism with a minor in Communication Studies.  She plans to be a baseball Sport Broadcaster and hopes to work for ESPN one day.  Here we bring you the untold facts about Stephanie’s life and also her ideas, objectives and opinions… Have a look!

Obviously the world of sports is completely different to the beauty pageant world but you have to be just as disciplined. A great deal of discipline is needed in order to be successful in both, you have to practice tirelessly, stay in great shape, and doing all of the other things that are necessary to be the best prepared for the competition. These values of discipline that are instilled help the competitors to succeed in other facets of their life.

The gorgeous Nicole Renault, who'll be competing for the crown of Miss Florida USA 2018, is an ambassador of the World Boxing Council. She began her local and international professional sport career at the age of six. She is the winner of 160 medals, six plates and 12 trophies in track and field. She is a Central American champion in triple jump and heptathlon where she has won eight gold medals in the Central American Games in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

But she also won 6 beauty pageants, including Miss Teen World Costa Rica 2006, Miss Teenager Universe Costa Rica 2010, Miss Piel Dorada Internacional 2013, Miss WBC 2015, Miss Miami 2017 and Miss South Florida USA 2018.

If she wins the crown of Miss Florida USA Nicole will have the opportunity to represent her state in Miss USA 2018. While Florida has had runners-up, finalists, and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA after Sylvia Hitchcock won Miss Universe. The most recent finalist was Brittany Oldehoff who placed 4th runner-up in 2014.

Here we bring you the untold facts about Nicole’s life and also her ideas, objectives and opinions… Have a look!