Hello everyone,
This forum was helpful when I first started my personal statement, a lot of other UW's transfer personal statements got me inspired and going. So let's keep this inspiration going. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, and don't even worry about being a grammar nazi. English is not my first language.
MY PERSONAL STATEMENT:
"I want to be a doctor," I look gravely at the person who has just casually asked me about my future plan, and say firmly "A neurosurgeon." My routine answer then ends with a huge smile and confidence beaming in my eyes.
I didn't always have that confidence. In September 2010, after eleventh grade, I left my home country Vietnam with an U.S student visa - a milestone entirely orchestrated by my parents. An educational agency was hired to pick my school - South Seattle Community College (SSCC) and some unwanted major. Educated in French my whole life, I was a total stranger to English, let alone the idea of studying in the U.S. It was hard for me to understand why my parents sent me away with limited linguistic skills and without a high school diploma.
My most valuable possessions then were my thirst for knowledge and my determination to conquer challenges. They are good deeds nurtured by my family. Being lifetime educators, my grandparents passed on their passion to me. Schooling was joyous since I was taught that every piece of knowledge could be useful, every subject is equally important, and learning is fun and fulfilling. On the other hand, my parents were examples of defying difficulties. Despite growing up poor during the Vietnam War, they fought their way through colleges and made their fortune off their education. Born to highly achieved people, I was naturally motivated to succeed. I did not and would never allow myself to academically struggle. Even so, I could only imagine how painful college would be.
Immediately upon my enrollment at SSCC, I was lucky to get in highest-level classes of the Intensive English Programs (IEP). I quickly found my fondness for English. My initially linguistic barrier soon became an essential part of my life. My good grades in IEP got me direct admission to academic English classes. On the eve of college, re-declaring major became obviously inevitable. Wanting to explore different options, I picked the major that gave me the freedom of choice: Associate in Liberal Arts. It allowed me to have wonderful learning experiences in different subjects: English, Philosophy, Design, Drawings, Drama, History, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering Physics, Calculus, etc. My time at SSCC was worthwhile when I always maintained a 3.8+ GPA, was often on Dean's/President's lists, and was recognized at a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I also obtained my Washington State high school diploma through High School Conversion program offered to international students. Aside from academic success, I became more active in the community by becoming a part of SSCC Student Government. It was amazing how leadership changed my life: it taught me the word "selflessness": to give more than receive, to love and take care of people. I also took on several jobs: photographer for the college's newspaper, assistant at the art gallery, marketing associate for the international programs; these jobs not only made me more financially independent but also helped me to build discipline and professionalism.
Through studies, I found my passion for medicine. It wasn't until after I'd had 60+ credits did I take my first science classes. But it was the spark that lighted up my career path ever since: whatever I'd become would be tied greatly to science subjects. Mathematics and Physics taught me how to use critical thinking to solve problems. And the most mesmerizing subjects were Biology and Chemistry. When it came to Biology, I was fascinated with living organisms, molecularly and anatomically. Chemistry explained the processes and reactions of these organisms. Medicine is the place where the two subjects tightly entwined. But I knew it took more than just passion for science to become a doctor. Fate came into play when I met with my husband's (then boyfriend's) family - wonderful people with their own misfortunes. I learned that his sister was fighting some congenital mental illness for years left her in agony with seizures, exhausting screams, mental retardation. His father had suffered from a stroke that left his left side paralyzed. Something was in common: they both suffered neurological disorders and they were in pain. My heart broke over how little help there was to alleviate their pain. Doing more research, I started to realize how limited our knowledge is about the nervous system and neurological disorders like neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, MS, stroke, etc. Those diseases are so brutal and damaging. Some of them have no known cures, but some of them can best treated with neurosurgery. With great interest in science and the compassion I possessed, I felt driven to become a neurosurgeon. My talent and energy should be used to make more discoveries about human's nervous systems and the cure for neurological diseases.
University of Washington stood out to me as having one of the nation's elite medical schools with leading research and clinical facilities. The school has since become my foremost choice for future education. Being admitted to UW Medical School would mean the world to me. But before that, I'd have to finish my bachelor degree in something relevant to healthcare. And since I greatly enjoyed Biology and Chemistry, I thought about Biochemistry. After reading about UW's Undergraduate Biochemistry Program, I fell in love with it. Studies of chemical and physicochemical processes of living organisms, genetics, DNA, RNA, etc. would enhance my knowledge for my pursuit of medicine. So I started taking classes at SSCC that would serve as prerequisites for the programs. In late 2012, however, my progress was hindered when I had to quit school without completing all prerequisites, due to strict regulations on international students with 90+ credits. I opted to work - the only option allowing me to take one class per quarter during winter and spring quarters 2013. Starting September, I would continue taking classes at Seattle Central C.C. I further acquired real-life experiences in the medical fields by volunteering for Physical Therapy department at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Maintaining rooms and equipment sanitary, taking measurements, organizing charts, and observing treatments sessions - the baby steps that I'm taking towards medical school.
Then came something that shaped my path forever. In January 2013, I was ecstatic to marry the love of my life. But tragedies soon struck us. In the same month, my sister-in-law's illness unexpectedly took a turn for the worst, and she passed away. Her death ripped our hearts and took a toll on my father-in-law, who had a second stroke soon after. Up until now, he still struggles with the long, painful recovery process. Mental illnesses serve once again as a reminder of why I have to become a neurosurgeon, not only for the patients, but also for the people who love them. Now an U.S permanent resident, I have the best opportunities to become what I'm destined to, and I know that University of Washington is the school for me.
