College Admissions Essay: A Career In Pursuing Medicine

For all of my life, I knew that I wanted to help people. I didn’t know how or when I was going to, but I knew that I needed to do something that helped others. We see people helping each other every day, but I knew that I was not like other kids who wanted to be a fireman or a police officer. At the same time, helping people to me wasn’t going to be me becoming a surgeon and saving lives; I do not have a strong enough stomach. For a very long time, helping people meant that I was going to teach high school classes in the sciences. I continued looking around for other career paths and began diving more into the medical field and it fascinated me. Eventually, I came across pharmacy, a career where I can exhibit my need of helping others and my interest in science.

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing”- Pelé. When I think about my future, quite frankly, I’m not sure where I’ll end up. I truly believe my future will depend on my personal happiness no matter what career I end up in. However, that’s not how life goes. In a career, it’s not all flowers and daisies; you sacrifice, you endure, you persevere, and sometimes, you suffer but in the end you are rewarded with a life only dreamed by some. I’m not looking at the medical field for money, I’m looking at it for how it fits to my characteristics. The medical field is a group of people willing to suffer, sacrifice, and endure for the well-being

Where do you think you will be doing in 10 years? In 10 years I at least want to be in medical school. I know it is a lot of school, but I will go through it to help people. If one day I could help someone through cancer or something it would make me feel amazing. I don't care about money or anything I care about the person's life. Some people don't end up with a job they love. I am willing to go through anything to be a surgeon. I am sure a lot of people are willing to go through anything to have the job they want. Being a surgeon is a lot of work and responsibility. The only way I won't become a surgeon is if I don't try and I will try until it happens.

I have always been passionate about medicine, but I unconsciously took the non-traditional path to fulfill this goal. I loved

I have always wanted to be in the medical field. I have always wanted to help people. My problem was I never knew what exactly I wanted to do and how I wanted to accomplish my goal. It was always clear to me from my love of medical dramas as a teenager and as a young adult that becoming a clinician was in my future. Growing up I always thought I would be a doctor but it wasn't until the end of my undergraduate career that I learned about PAs (Physician Assistants), what they do and what they mean to the medical team as a whole.

If I could have any dream job, I would be a surgeon for a number of reasons. Some things I am interested in are helping people and science. In fact, science is one of my favorite classes. When we dissected frogs in seventh grade science, I was very intrigued and interested. While it is much more important to be happy with your job than to be making a large sum of money, money is still very important. Surgeons are one of the highest-paid people in the work force. As you can see, surgeon would be a very good job fit for me.

After completing graduate school, I heavily researched the right medical career for me. While becoming a physician was enticing, I continued to gravitate

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” These words by Ralph Waldo Emerson represent more than a quote to me. They are my life philosophy, and they have been my faithful guides on the ever-evolving, ever-enriching path to a healthcare career. I had no family members or close acquaintances to introduce me to medicine, but what I did and will always possess is a diligent determination to set my own meaningful course. As a triplet and a member of a large family, standing apart was not easy, but I discovered my unique dream and purpose when I fell in love with healthcare. Since then, I have not let any challenge – including financial struggles and the loss of one of my parents – deter me. Rather, each hardship motivated me more, and I subsequently found my way. Starting this journey as a medical transcriptionist may not have been the traditional route, but it is my route; I have no doubt that my work ethic and perseverance will fuel me along this new,

During my first two years of medical school, a constant question I’ve had is: What is my role in medicine? The day-in and day-out fountain of knowledge that I’ve acquired so far has enlightened, shocked, and humbled me and will continue to do so as I learn even more. On one hand, I’ve learned how to memorize (somewhat) and ‘play the game’ of medical school exams, but it has left me yearning for more. I wonder with awe how my classmates can remember every little fact and pathway while I try to make sense of why and how everything matters—the context. As invested as they are, my classmates have searched for the same in different ways such as intramural sports, music, free clinic, and more.

Quitting high school at age 14 was the start of my journey towards medicine. While seemingly counterintuitive, this act altered my course by paving a path of opportunity through challenge. After stumbling through life for two years with little direction, I realized that I needed to change my behaviors to change my life. Learning of a residential military school for at-risk youth, I volunteered to commit myself to the rigors of the program and work towards reclaiming my potential. For five months, I marched, I ran, and I followed orders as I persevered through the grueling program, and in turn, I grew into a confident and productive young adult.

“You can't do passion halfway. Living your passion means you're all in. You trust your heart and trust your gut wherever that takes you.” This quote by Joe Plumeri portrays my journey that led me through medicine. What attracted me to medicine was a combination of everything I loved doing: critical analysis, science, and patient interaction. As an adolescent I loved the challenge of solving puzzles and reading detective books which allowed me develop critical thinking skills. However, my passion for science was strong as well. As I did my Internal Medicine rotation I was ecstatic at finding the path I was searching for my entire life. It lit a fire in me that burned bright and I knew that internal medicine was my calling.

Every night, as I sat on the table with my younger brothers assisting them with their homework, I hear a familiar sound at the door. As she walks her heels click, and I can hear her searching her bag for her keys, the next thing I know the keys are in the lock and as it turns me and my younger brothers’ jump. We run to the door and indeed we scream in unison “Mommy’s home”, one by one she gives us a hug and a kiss. My mother asks us how our day was, and if we finished our homework, she then looks to me and said “did you cook and assist your younger ones with their homework”; I replied “yes mom”. As I warm the food, I take my mother’s purse, jacket, and shoes put them away and prepare the table for her to eat dinner. As I glance at the

Two decades and many existential crises later, one single aspect of my life has pulled me through: that passion I experienced as a child. I have questioned the source of this motivation more than once, and have sought out to put myself in all possible situations that would predict how I would feel later in my life as a doctor to make sure this passion was not mere infatuation.

For most of my childhood I was convinced that I wanted to be a doctor. But as I grew older, I began to question myself. Why exactly was it that I wanted to become a doctor? I realized that my wish to become a doctor was no more grounded in my knowledge of what it means to be a doctor, than that of child’s fantasy to become a firefighter. The only thing separating my childhood dream of becoming a doctor from that of a firefighter was that society had deemed becoming a doctor as a more respectable profession. I realized that if I wanted to have a career in medicine, I needed to know more about the role of doctors. I decided that I would do everything possible to see if my dream of becoming a doctor was anything other than an ungrounded fantasy.

My dream of studying medicine is not a volatile one based on rumors of the fulfilling life of a physician , but rather based on research, an understanding of the profession and close-up experience. The complex structure of the human body is a unique beauty. Astrid Alauda once said "Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one". There is no truer fact in life, I appreciate this so much I always do my best to look after myself and I want to be able to do the same for others .From an early age I have been fascinated by the workings of life. The human body is a remarkable machine with many diverse systems. My love of science is just one of my reasons for choosing medicine. I enjoy a challenge particularly towards a rewarding objective and although medicine is a tough career it can be enormously gratifying, highlighted by the doctors I