Any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them

Brown's Open Curriculum application

Brown's Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar. (200-250 words)

I saw a brownie and thought of Brown, or rather, thought of the way Brown "probably" sees brownies. I remembered how Brown challenges its students to be intellectually curious and think creatively so that their brownies can be more than the product of a Betty Crocker mix. Similar to how Brown believes in the power of a liberal approach to education, I believe medicine is more than a science. Particularly, the political nature of medicine has always fascinated me. However, it was only through a Model UN conference where I represented the delegation of Uganda at the WHO that I learned the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare.

Although I want to major in biomedical engineering at Brown, I also want to study politics, computer science, anthropology, and so much more. Research akin to Dr. Tobin-Tyler's work on how laws serve as a social determinant of public health inspires me to think critically about how politics shape healthcare. This is why I love how, through Brown's Open Curriculum, I can take classes, such as "Using Big Data to Solve Economic and Social Problems" and "Unequal From Birth", that will enable me to see my patients as more than their disease(s) but as products of their environment, society, and government. Not only that, its freedom and flexibility will allow me to explore my passions while gaining the knowledge necessary to be a better physician and treat my patients holistically.

Is the intro too "quirky"? Should I narrow it down and focus more on the main topic?

Quirky is good. It made an interesting hook. The Betty Crocker reference is a bit overkill though. More attention should be paid to the MUN connection with the Brown University ideals instead. With 250 words maximum the essay can use more of a preliminary connection to the Brown Open Curriculum. Consider showing how you have always been a Brownie at heart. That way you prove to be the embodiment of a Brownie. There is a slight reference to that in the first paragraph. Build on it so that it will appear that the open curriculum is a natural learning extension for you. That way the discussion will enhance the learning path you have always been comfortable with.