Sample
Medical School Admissions Essays (Courtesy of EssayEdge)
Med
School Essay Two
I firmly
believe in the powerful message of Ecclesiastes 3:1, which
states that every endeavor man can undertake has its own time
and meaning. Looking back on my own life, I see these different
seasons as stages of growth that have helped me to understand
my own potential and the path that I wish to take in life.
I feel that I have lived deeply and fully, and now wish to
apply the valuable life lessons I have gained to what I feel
is my true calling. Now is the season to explore the fascinating
world of medicine, and to finally make that dream a reality.
As a
child, I never believed that I could succeed. Growing up
in one foster home after another, I lacked the stability
that a youth needs in order to excel in classes and build
a proper foundation for the future. I was pregnant by the
age of eighteen, and dropped out of school to try to forge
a future for my children. Life was difficult but fulfilling,
and I found much joy in being the mother of two lovely children.
The day my second child was diagnosed with Krabbe’s disease,
however, all of my happiness seemed to vanish before my
very eyes.
Krabbe’s
disease is both terminal and debilitating, and the doctors
gave my daughter a life expectancy of eighteen months. Swallowing
my shock and sorrow, I devoted myself to making the most
of the precious time I had left with my child. I researched
intensively on Krabbe’s disease, learning as much as I could
about its mechanisms and the course it would run. I applied
these lessons to caring for my daughter, and provided her
with the twenty-four hour a day care that she required.
Because I was afraid she would die at any moment, I never
left her side, even to go to work. In order to pay the bills,
I took in outside sewing and odd jobs. But no sacrifice
was too great for my daughter. She lived to the age of four,
long past her expectancy, which the doctors attributed to
my constant care.
Being
such an intimate witness to the struggle of life and death
left me with a deep sense of human fragility. I realized
that the human body is so very intricate and beautiful in
its complex delicacy. Working closely with doctors, studying
medical texts, and nursing a very sick little girl gave
me my first taste of medicine. I was too numbed with pain,
however, to focus my thoughts on any plans to enter that
field. I instead tried to deal with my grief while providing
for my remaining child as a single mother. During the next
few years, I worked as a secretary and a beautician, and
eventually opened a beauty salon of my own. As a business
owner, I entered a new world of innovative ideas and social
responsibility. Running the salon taught me the valuable
lesson of “people pleasing,” and I gained the confidence
and communication skills to fight for my rights as a businesswoman.
I also devoted much time and funding to my community. I
knew full well the horrors of poverty, and often performed
services for the local nursing home and charities. My life
was finally beginning to stabilize, and I decided that the
time had come to think about the dream of medicine that
had grown during my daughter’s illness.
Because
my days were devoted to running the beauty salon, I attended
college during the nights. I was hesitant at first; although
I felt drawn to medicine, I did not know if I could handle
the coursework. I therefore decided to explore the field
before committing myself to it. I found part-time work in
the medical office of a local prison, which gave me much
exposure to the rigors of health care. Working with prisoners
was an amazing experience, for it taught me that all humans
need compassion, no matter what their past or their crimes.
Whenever a man walked into the clinic, I saw him not as
a prisoner, but as a human being in need of help. I poured
all of my compassion into my work, and did my best to ensure
that these men were receiving the care that every human
deserves.
Because
I was in a prison environment, the office granted me much
more opportunity for hands-on care than I could have found
in a public setting. For instance, I often changed bandages
and assisted in minor surgeries. On one memorable day, I
helped treat a young boy who had nearly cut off his thumb
while working in the kitchen. The knife had bitten deep
into his palm, and his thumb seemed to be dangling by a
thread. Far from feeling repulsion, I was fascinated by
the sight of his hand’s internal parts. I realized that
I was viewing the physiological structures that enabled
movement, and found the experience to be breathtaking. My
resolve snapped into place. I knew then that medicine was
my true calling, and I enrolled in Georgia Southern University
immediately as a full-time student.
Attending
college at this point in my life has not been easy. I live
seventy miles away from campus, and commute every day. The
distance always seems so tiny when I think of the wealth
of information I am gaining in my classes, and the many
noble goals that are now within my grasp. College is certainly
not the only aspect of my life right now. I revel in white
water rafting, horseback riding, and cabinet making, and
enjoy the challenges and hard work that fill these activities.
Having been married to a farmer for the past ten years,
I also know the basics of running a farm. I am an advocate
for birth control, and have devoted much of my time to convincing
sexually active adolescents to seek family planning services.
Additionally, I have striven to prepare myself for making
meaningful contributions to my community. Because I am from
a region with a large Hispanic population, I spent a summer
in Costa Rica strengthening my knowledge of the Spanish
language, as well as broadening my cultural awareness of
other peoples and customs. I believe that a physician must
be attuned to all of the needs of the community, be they
physical or emotional or cultural.
Now
is the season for me to tackle my true goal of medicine.
I believe that all of my life experiences have been necessary
to bring me to this point. I am mentally prepared and persistent
enough to excel at any endeavor, and have developed the
compassion and commitment to medicine that will drive me
through the years to come. I look forward to my future with
great anticipation, and know that the time has finally come
for me to realize my dreams.
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