Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal Statement
As I rested on the summit of Mount Falourde in the Alps of southern France, I looked out over the surrounding countryside and saw the tiny peasant villages that have existed for hundreds of years practically untouched by the passage of time. I began to think that for all of that time, many men have sought to change the face of this environment and searched for a way to make a lasting impression in this world, yet the continuous march of nature has quietly erased all existence of their endeavors from the planet. I realized that the only lasting impression that a person can truly make in their lives is by touching the lives of those around them. This philosophy is what makes me strive to become a doctor, which for me is the profession that allows an individual to make the greatest impression of all: to help others live a healthy and pain-free life. After working this summer at l'Hopital Archet in Nice, France, I was able to closely view the workings of the French medical system as well as improve my French language skills. I shadowed Professor Dellimonica in the Infectious Disease Unit, witnessing the power that a doctor exercises over the lives of his patients. By seeing the course of treatments during my 6 week internship, I saw that the physician's mere presence instilled so much hope and comfort in all of the patients, forever ingraining his work in their memories. My work at the hospital only further solidified my desire to eventually become someone like Professor Dellimonica, a physician who is conscious of the needs of his patients and takes the time to comfort them emotionally as well as physically. Every time that I gently held a patient up for an exam or just lent them my arm to lean on for support, I cherished the little smiles or the simple 'merci' that showed that they valued the aid that I gave them. By empathizing with these patients, I developed the bed side manner that is imperative to the establishment of a healthy doctor-patient relationship. After fully immersing myself in this medical environment, I formed the commitment and passion for medicine that motivates all members of the health profession. Direct interaction with the patients is not the only way that a person can change their lives for the better; the research performed in the laboratory generates information that is the basis for every innovative treatments. Last summer I worked with Dr. Thomas Ferguson in the Department of Ophthalmology at Washington University in St. Louis, researching the effects of blood sugar levels on the development of diabetic retinopathy. This disease is extremely common in many individual affected by diabetes, making it an area of intense interest. Using an animal model, we looked for methods to inhibit the growth of vascular tissue in the eye that eventually leads to the blindness. I analyzed antibody levels in the animals after laser incisions in their eyes induced the growth of the blood vessels. I learned the value of perseverance through the countless trials, knowing that my successes as well as my failures would lead to further understanding and hopefully a cure. This experience taught me to look beyond my personal project and to view medicine as a worldwide institution, integrating knowledge from every corner of the planet for the benefit of all mankind. By reading dozens of journal articles, I became more informed on the status of my area of research and developed the craving for learning. This characteristic inspires me to search out the answer in every aspect of my life, especially those that are the most elusive, and will benefit me greatly as a physician. My summer of research also taught me to evaluate every question from multiple angles, not simply to attack from the first available pathway. While the appreciation that a patient develops for their doctor is a positive consequence of the physicians work, the desire to change the quality of life for that patient remains the physicians principle motivation. This innate characteristic initiated my interest in the field of medicine and my subsequent experiences only solidified my desire to continue helping others. For me, the capacity to ameliorate a patients illness seems a worthier endeavor than trying to make a lasting mark on the entire planet. My aspiration to become a physician is firmly rooted by my desire to touch the lives of all my future patients, thus positively changing their world.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal Statement
I awoke anguished, with one foot severely swollen while the other had a week
old, acute pain alleviated by wearing sandals in winter's frost. Foolishly I
ignored both problems thinking that they would pass with ice and rest. Yet after
my morning classes, the swelling of my foot became unbearable and required a
physician's attention. Suddenly I heard, '[my name]!' A sincere elder friend, S,
inquired about my foot. S was one of many friends I had made at Lafayette Urban
Ministry. As a weekend coordinator at the homeless shelter, I built up a
personal
relationship with my 'guests'. So I joked, 'It's gonna take five years to walk
home,' and he replied, 'Why don't you take this change and catch the bus?'
I was speechless.
His generosity overwhelmed my pain. Although I had served others without
expecting anything in return, it was then that I knew I had impacted another's
life so deeply that he, who could not afford much, offered generously the change
he had to benefit my well being. In time my doctor provided an anti-inflammatory
for one foot to treat the swelling and removed the ingrown toenail on the other
foot to ease the pain. I chose to initially be passive about the pains due to
lack of time, but what about those who may be forced to remain inactive due to
lack of health care or money? Fortunately the government provides healthcare for
those in S's class, yet many that are above the poverty level cannot afford
health insurance for their families.
Events like these and ones far more severe can truly diminish the quality of
one's life and should be treated and prevented in the future. After
deliberation,
this event reinforced my decision to become an active physician in an urban
underserved area instead of a medical research professor. In addition, it
inspired me to pursue a Masters in Public Health. Having both a MD and MPH will
best qualify me to treat the underserved while also striving towards my ultimate
goal of improving healthcare.
Although a medical degree over professorship may have been an easy choice for
others, it was not for me. I internally wrestled between these choices. Since I
was more service oriented, I first challenged myself by immersing myself in
research. After being treated as a graduate student and given my own project, I
was still confused. To help with my dilemma, my advisor and I discussed the
option of a leave of absence to investigate my other choice. Torn between two
sides, I questioned the relevance of research in my career. Hoping to gain
insight into my situation, I conversed with Dr. R, a clinical practitioner,
teacher, and researcher in neurobiology. Our discussion broadened my vision to
encompass further possibilities available with a MD. I changed focus and
explored
my other career choice of a doctor to see if it would fit with my goals. I
pursued my passion for service work by volunteering often, assisting teaching,
becoming involved with various organizations, and writing motivational songs.
These experiences have shown me that medicine is the marriage of science and
people as it requires fantastic academic and social skills to excel as a
physician.
It is this career path that I would like to explore, as I feel more inclined
towards using my abilities to gain trust and persuade others for the betterment
of urban healthcare. Being a product of an urban environment then relocating to
the suburbs made me realize that although the need for health care is universal;
there are salient differences in health care provision between the two
environments. While working with an urban healthcare organization, I observed
many opportunities for progression. To be able to treat disease is an honor, but
I feel that prevention is also as vital to keep health from deteriorating to
that
point. I note the healthcare attitudes and policies of today and am saddened as
healthcare is a financial, and not civil, right for some as I remain hopeful
that
they can be reformed. As our population ages, a shift towards prevention is
crucial. I firmly believe that if we improve how our minds and laws perceive
medicine and healthcare, our quality of life can also improve. I actively
engaged
in an attitude change course and will enroll in healthcare systems and urban
sociology classes to broaden my knowledge base. Education occurs in the
classroom
and the street. Since I adore learning, I avidly will pursue teaching with an
MD/MPH whether educating patients, society, and/or medical students. What is the
purpose of learning if one cannot teach others?
I further explored the role of a physician by shadowing and volunteering at an
urban clinic and cancer unit of a hospital respectively. I see the importance of
the patient as an individual and effect of attitudes on healing and quality of
life. I am confident that an MD/MPH fits my personal and professional goals as
it
allows for intellectual and social excellence while serving society. My
enthusiastic, creative, and committed leadership all signify my potential to
become a professional. Yet it is my optimism, passionate, mature, quick and
critical thinking that qualify me to become a successful physician. Regardless
of
the hardships of medical school and beyond, my dream to be a physician would
still shine as brightly.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal statement
I step up to the line, left foot forward, right hand on my wristwatch. I look to my right and see my six teammates lined up, but I don't hear the words coming out of their mouths. It is as if I have pressed a mute button to the world around me. I think back to our interval training sessions, sometimes beginning before the sun started its day. Side by side we would sweat, our hearts pounding, and lungs gasping for air. I am confident that we have put in the work needed to accomplish our goals. We are a team. We all know this could be our last race of the season. As the lone senior, I know this could be my last race ever. I look to the ground. Our feet make a uniform row of mismatched racing spikes. Some are clean and flashy, others covered in mud. Mine are the same pair I've been wearing since I began as a freshman four years ago. Focus. I hear the whistle, less than five seconds until the start. This is it. My heart racing, the gun goes off. My mind goes blank. I can't see any of my teammates but I know they are not far behind me. The race is a blur; I feel no pain. I can see the crowds of people cheering and yelling but I don't hear any sound except for my split times at miles one, two and three. In what feels like thirty seconds I am coming up the last stretch. Inside my head I am screaming, 'Less than a half mile to go. Go faster, push yourself! This is it-your last chance. Don't let yourself finish with even one drop of energy left.' My legs turn faster and faster. I don't know where it's coming from, but I'm doing it. I see myself passing more runners, gaining speed and all I see is that finish line. In an instant it is over. I'm done. And I won. No, I did not place first in the race. I placed twelfth. I won because I never gave up. I watch my six teammates finish. And then I wait&did I qualify for nationals alone or will my whole team go? That was one of my most memorable races during senior year. I helped lead my team to become the first in school history to win the Women's Cross Country NCAA Regional, which automatically qualified our whole team for nationals. The sacrifices we made, the 6AM practices, running twice a day, missing classes to travel for races& nothing in the past seemed to matter anymore. I put in hard work for months and years leading up to this; I was dedicated. It didn't end up being my last race. We competed again at the NCAA Nationals against the best teams in the nation, only to find that we were one of them. We placed fourth. I placed 42nd in the nation, nine seconds from being an All-American. I came home with a trophy, but more importantly I will forever have memories from four years of being on that team. What does all of this have to do with my desire to pursue a medical career? One might look at my transcript and think that I should have spent more time studying and less time running if I wanted to pursue a career as a physician-scientist. I beg to differ. While I might have increased my GPA by spending all my time on academic pursuits, I would not trade a perfect 4.0 GPA for my experiences as a collegiate athlete. My experiences as a runner have shaped me into the person I am today and I believe they will be invaluable to my future as a physician-scientist. Through my four years on the Cross Country and Track teams I have not only gained physical and mental toughness, but I have also learned to deal with both success and defeat, to perform well under pressure, to manage my time well, and to work with and trust teammates. I believe all of these are essential for a successful career in medicine. Above all I have discovered the inner joy that comes from pursuing my passions. Running, however, is just one of my passions. Various experiences throughout my life have instilled in me a passion for biology and medicine. Through clinical and other volunteer experiences I have confirmed my desire to interact with and help people. In addition to being exposed to medicine through my father, a physician, I have spent time volunteering in a Hispanic health clinic, and in The Siteman Cancer Center. I love the satisfaction in knowing I made someone's life easier or better. Almost by accident I stumbled upon another passion, my love of research. I was hired to work in a microbiology lab following graduation from Wash U. After a month of working in the lab I realized how much I enjoyed research. This led me to delay applying to medical school until I had fully explored this opportunity. I found myself choosing to work extra hours, wanting to finish an experiment because I couldn't wait one more day for the results. I love the challenge of my research and the excitement of a new discovery. I want to spend my working life doing something I enjoy while constantly being intellectually stimulated and challenged. My goal is to be at the interface of medicine and basic science research, where I can combine both of my passions. As demonstrated in my commitment to one passion, running, I will do whatever is required of me to accomplish my goals and I believe I can excel as a professional student, physician, and scientist.
