The COVID-19 pandemic has been exhausting for the world’s health care workers, who have spent the last year-plus putting their lives on the line to keep the rest of us safe and healthy. Now, their tireless efforts are inspiring a new generation to join their ranks: applications to U.S. medical schools shot up nearly 20% in fall 2021, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Individual schools are reporting similar spikes—New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing saw a 33% increase in applications this year over the previous year, for instance.

To learn more about the people who will shape the future of medicine, TIME spoke with current and incoming medical and public health students who were influenced by the pandemic to pursue their …