Graduate / 'in different capacities' - AMCAS Essay [5]

Looking for honest feedback on essay. First time applying to med school.

My curiosity for medicine materialized by growing up going to Cook County Hospital (currently known as John Stroger Medical Center) and observing how doctors went the extra mile to help patients. When I was younger, my family did not have the luxury of being able to afford medical insurance. John Stroger Medical Center provided my family with all of our medical care. Through this experience I saw first hand how patients in an urban community were treated. The quality of health care is adequate, but the vast number of patients compared to the number of doctors is astounding. Patients either wait long hours or give up and leave without seeing the doctor at all. The realization of this dilemma inspired my current decision to volunteer at a free clinic and my future aspirations of practicing medicine at an urban hospital such as John Stroger Medical Center. John Stroger Medical Center showed me that a true medical professional cares for the patient regardless of race, creed, living arrangements, or employment status. That is what I want to do; I want to be a doctor that gives privileged services to the underprivileged, especially underprivileged children.

Growing up on the West side of Chicago, because of my mom's profession, I spent a considerable amount of time in day care centers and after school programs. During this time I saw first hand how children suffered and died from preventable aliments because of inadequate health care or medical facilities. This observation provoked a concern in me for the well being of children and for underprivileged children especially. While working with my mother in her home daycare, I saw children with all types of medical problems, ranging from . This experience delineated my interest in the medical specialty of pediatric. This concern also prompted me to accept a position at Children's Memorial Hospital in the neurobiology laboratory as a research assistant. To help children with different medical problems and to alleviate many of the medical issues that is plaguing our youth is truly a cause that is dear to my heart.

However, with great dreams comes an even greater sacrifice. In the course of my educational voyage, I made the decision to be employed while in school due to financial hardship. That was neither an easy decision nor road to travel down. For many years prior to this decision, my focus was on my studies and making good grades. For the past couple of years I had to've had to divide my time between work and school. Eventually through trail and error, I developed a schedule that allowed me to complete every task.

Working in different capacities has made me a well-rounded person. I have worked as a private math tutor, library assistant, secretary, waiter, cashier, custodial worker and assistant to professors, all in an effort to ensure that I stay in school and reach my goal of becoming a physician. In the latter part of my undergraduate studies, I had the privilege of being trained and working as an undergraduate research assistant at Chicago State University Department of Biological Science Research Laboratory. This experience propelled me into my current position as a research assistant at Children's Memorial Hospital. For me this is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life, because I never thought I would be doing research that could help cure children of febrile seizures.

I am grateful to God for the opportunities He has placed in my life. Some of the experiences that I have encountered I would have thought impossible when I was younger, but now I truly see that anything is possible if you first believe and then act on that belief. Through the ten years it has taken me to get to this point, I believe I have matured and will develop (with proper medical training) into the physician parents can entrust their child's life into the hands of.

Graduate / 'Patient interaction' - University of Chicago Medical school Secondary essay [5]

This is a very (rough) rough draft of my essay. Here is the prompt and my response.

3A. At the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, we strive to identify students who will be a great "fit" with our medical school. Our Mission Statement is an expression of our core purpose and educational philosophy. Please reflect on its content and write an essay describing why you see yourself as a great "fit" for Pritzker. Please include examples of past service, community, clinical, educational, and research experiences. Please also discuss your future goals.

"At the University of Chicago, in an atmosphere of interdisciplinary scholarship and discovery, the Pritzker School of Medicine is dedicated to inspiring diverse students of exceptional promise to become leaders and innovators in science and medicine for the betterment of humanity."

I have often driven pass University of Chicago on numerous occasions and thought about how I would fit in at the Pritzker School of Medicine, which has a reputation for being a school that has trained many world renowned physicians of different fields of medicine. One mutual endeavor possessed by Pritzker and I, is the desire to serve the community. The University of Chicago campus is positioned between two drastically different communities. On one end you have Hyde Park, an elite neighborhood that serves as home to some of the most prominent figures in the Chicago land area. Then on the other side, you have the Woodlawn community that is home to many low-income families. This unique situation makes Pritzker an ideal location to study medicine because it teaches medical students and future clinicians how to deal with and serve individuals from all walks of life. I myself have been placed in such a unique position as well. Working at Children's memorial Hospital as a researcher, I am constantly surrounding by individuals who are in the top ten of their field of study. I am continuously at the feet of distinguished laureates who take out time to share their own studies in hopes that it will be of help to projects of fellow colleagues. I am daily given the opportunity to persistently seek ways that I can improve my own project to determine the cause of febrile seizures through their findings. When I am not performing experiments, I love to spend my time volunteering at a free clinic. Many of the patients at the clinic are immigrants with low income jobs and are unable to afford health insurance. At this clinic I am given the opportunity to interact with the patient from triaging to performing lab work. I appreciate the experience I gain at community health clinic because when I do laboratory work, it can be a very solitary job, but at the clinic I am given the opportunity to put a face to the work I am doing and also to really see if this is the field that I am willing to spend the rest of my life working in.

Another Question: Is it better to have less word or should I try to get as close to the word count stated as possible. 3500

Graduate / 'the eldest of three girls /the research industry' Supplement for Rush Medical School [3]

1. Describe two examples of working with people, one of which highlights your leadership skills and one which highlights your problem-solving abilities. (1000 characters max)

I believe being the eldest of three girls for most of my life minus one year; I was thrust into the leadership role. I was and am constantly scrutinized and followed. I am proud of the fact that because of my leadership and example that both of my sister finished high school and one recently graduated college and my youngest sister will be finishing next year. Since I was the first in my family to receive a bachelor's degree, it took me a while to accomplish this feat, but through my mistakes and shortcomings I was able to instruct and steer my sisters away from the pitfalls. What it took ten years for me to accomplish, it only took them four years. I didn't have mentors to help me through my undergraduate years and because of fear I never asked for help. However I have since learned that if I didn't ask questions I was forever ignorant , but if I did ask questions I was only ignorant up until the moment I learned the answer. So because of me becoming more inquisitive, I was able to lead my sisters through their undergraduate studies with greater ease and knowledge than I had.

2. Describe 1-2 experiences you have had in the last 3 years working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and what you have gained from these experiences. (1000 characters max)

Working in the research industry has really broadened my horizon culturally. Growing up my family, school and church was all predominately African American. My first exposure to individuals of another culture was at Loyola University. Many times I was the only African American in my class. At first I was very conscientious and quiet when I was around different individuals. I would stay by myself, and become easily offended and defensive by remarks or attitudes that I did not agree with. However, when I began working in research and going to different conferences I saw that there was so much you could learn from individuals from diverse backgrounds if I would put down the guard and just listen. I began to become exposed to different activities that I thought I would never experience. And now since I have been working at Children's Memorial Research Center, I have really learned so much about different cultures. Many of my colleagues come from all parts of the world and have many different views and opinions. I have learned that I do not have to accept other individual's views but I do have to respect them without being offended or opinionated myself.

3. Describe the path you took to prepare, both academically and personally, for a career in medicine. (1000 characters max)

When I was in high school I had my plan all figured out. I would graduate from high school, attend college for four years, go on to medical school, and then become a doctor. This plan sounded really good at the time; however what actually happened was a bit different. Yes, I did graduate from high school and I did attend college, but instead of choosing a college that would suit me I was thinking about what my friend would say and decided to go to another school. I didn't last a year at the college because of financial reasons. I eventually end up going to the school I was initially advised to go to. Once I received my associate, once again I took it upon myself to choose a university instead of asking for advice or guidance. I ended up attending two schools, both of which I could not afford to attend and had to find a job in order to stay there before I finally asked for help and was directed to a school that I finally graduated from with a bachelors. Personally I learned so much from my experience; for starters life doesn't always turn out like you planned, but in the process try to learn from your mistakes so that you do not find yourself repeating them. Academically I feel that I could have done better if I would have taken the responsibility of asking for help or listening to those who offered their advice. My undergraduate years academically was a rollercoaster ride, one I promised myself I would not repeat in graduate school.

4. Describe one crisis/problem you worked through yourself, or helped someone else work through in the last 3 years. (1000 characters max)

When I am by myself I often wonder what it is about me that individuals constantly come to me with their problems. From high school all the way up to today, I can remember different individual coming to me for advice. One incident comes to mind that occurred in my undergraduate years, a friend of mine was contemplating dropping out of school because her husband was complaining about her not fulfilling her duties to him and the children at home. Although I did not have a husband or children, I thought about how my mom handled the pressures of going to school for her associates degree, working and taking care of my father and two sisters. I began to explain to her that my mother began to train my sisters and me how to cook, clean and help out around the house and she would study at night when everyone was sleeping. I began to tell her since her children were of age to start taking some responsibility that she start to train them. She took the advice and instead of dropping out of school, she took a semester off and did what I told her to do. She returned to school, graduated and was accepted to the University of Wisconsin medical school and is now entering her third year of medical school.

Graduate / 'A better physician / Communication in research' for Northwestern Medical school [2]

Describe the personal characteristics that distinguish you from other applicants and tell us how they predict success as a Feinberg School of Medicine medical student and as a future physician.

I believe what distinguishes me from other applicants is my perseverance. I have been waiting and pressing toward this moment for a long time. I refused to give up on my dreams because of road blocks and pit falls. Sure, I will not tell you that it was easy because it most definitely was not. I worked hard and long and sometimes to no avail, but I kept on going. I helped, encouraged and seen my friend go on to medical school. Sometimes I thought, was it really worth the tears, heart ache, disappointment and discouragement, but every time any of the former tried to take over my life, something on the inside would tell me to keep on going. All my life I have been going against the odds, and each time I came out on top. If you would have told me when I when I graduated from college that I would be doing research at one of the top children's hospital in America, I would not have believed you, but yet here I am at Children's Memorial Hospital working for the Division Head of Neurology. My road to this point has not been what I expected or dreamed it would be. At 31, I honestly thought I would be a doctor by now, but that was not the case. I see now that I needed time to mature and become a stronger individual. I really needed to grow up. Even though my life did not turn out the way I planned when I was in High school, I am grateful for the road I have taken because I know without a shadow of doubt that it will make me a better physician than if I had become a doctor earlier. So I have learned to keep pushing even against the odds and not to just settle for the obvious. I believe this attribute will be of great benefit to my future patients because when the situation seems bleak, I have learn not to just give up and let be, but keep on going and just maybe something will work out and if it does not work out at least all of the options were exhausted.

(Limit your response to about 400 words)
Describe how you coped when confronted with a difficult personal (non-academic) situation.
When confronted with a difficult personal situation, I cope with the problem by talking to someone and praying. After experiencing the lost of love ones and difficult obstacles in life, I have learned that I have to communicate, preferably with someone that is older and wiser than I am. Many times that person is my mother. Whenever I am confronted with a problem or have to make important decisions, I talk to her because I know that she will tell me the truth. Many times the truth hurts, but I know that is what I need to hear. If it is not my mother, I find individuals who will tell me what I need to hear not what I want to hear. Another method I use to cope with difficult situation is prayer. I pray to the Lord that he leads and guides me to make the right decisions, to behave myself appropriately and that I do not speak unadvisedly. Both of these methods have gotten me through some really tough times in my life. I now understand that keeping things bottled up can be detrimental to your health and social life.

(Limit your response to this space or about 400 words.)
Describe your experiences away from traditional educational pursuits, such as travel or time spent in the work force (other than summer or part-time employment). Specify the time frame. If you have been in school continuously, then describe a non-academic activity which has been formative.

Research for me has been a beacon of light that has illuminated a path in my life I never fathom would occur. Growing up I had one set of directions in which I would live my life. I planned on going to school, graduating and becoming a doctor. Those goals are still my main focus, but along the way I found a companion to keep me occupied until I finally reach my destination of becoming a physician. Research has been an outlet for me since I decided not to pursue a master's degree. Research keeps me busy by allowing me the opportunity to work in the field of science and provide beneficial information to help someone else. Every day I go to work; I am potentially making a change in someone's life. I get to ponder the unknown and search for answers. I think of myself as a detective on the prowl for a most wanted criminal. Working in research has enhanced my social, verbal, and mental abilities. Socially, I am surrounded by individuals of different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds. I am grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to such a diverse group of people. In medicine a physician must be able to get along with other individuals and I am glad for the exposure before I got to medical school.

In research communication is crucial. What good are results if no one can understand the importance of my findings? Because of presentations at conferences, lab meetings, and journal clubs, I was forced to stand in front of educators, colleagues and students and present my work. Mentally, I have changed since entering the field of research. I believe that I am a stronger individual than I was prior to research. I would often feel that I was not capable of doing certain things. I was often afraid of failure and was always trying to be and do everything perfect. However, research showed me that I could do everything perfect and the results still may come out bad, wrong, or contaminated. I learned to deal with failure and fear. Fear of the unknown was also eradicated because every day there was something new. A protocol that worked today may be of no use tomorrow. In the process, I have learned to be patient because everything is not going to go my way all the time.

(Limit your response to about 400 words.)