The Required Qualities for Baylor College of Medicine - Admission/Application Essay Example

Baylor College of Medicine Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information, which you feel would be helpful in evaluating you (200 words). I feel that my unique Spanish heritage has taught to me live with fortitude. From the time I began school until this moment, I persist in the struggle of proving my competence despite my minority status. I am not fortunate to have enough finances to sustain my college education, and this is precisely why I have decided to support myself independently, working perseveringly in a wide variety of jobs to alleviate my family’s financial difficulties, while concurrently sustaining my own education. Specifically, I have had experience working as a bartender, as a laboratory technician at Pharmacology-Toxicology Research Laboratory; as an animal laboratory technician at Pfizer Global Research and Development; and at Tutor Experts and the Making Changes Freedom School as a tutor-educator. These experiences have taught me the value of resilience, the age-old formula of hard work; passion for learning; a very strong sense of independence; and a good work ethic. Despite the ‘sweet’ burden of supporting myself through school, this did not prove an obstacle in being a man for others. I have worked as a volunteer for several institutions, recognizing that neither my ethnicity nor my financial difficulties should inhibit selflessness and an authentic desire to be of service. I have volunteered as a tutor / mentor in two institutions – the Making Changes Freedom School in Richmond, California, and at Tutor Experts in Walnut Creek, California. Through these venues, altruism and charity have been indelibly marked in my person; and I am as grateful for the experience as my students. I have also had the opportunity to volunteer for the California Pacific Medical Center and the American Red Cross Mobile, both in San Francisco California. Creighton Medical School 2.) Please state your reasons for selecting Creighton University School of Medicine. (Limit 250 words). A major consideration in the choice of Creighton University School of Medicine is my strong belief in its vision of “improving the human condition through excellence in educating students, physicians and the public, advancing knowledge, and providing comprehensive patient care.” The mission in itself speaks of service, altruism, physician competence and selfness – values which are remarkably consistent with my own. One other noteworthy feature of the university is its emphasis on Catholicism; I belong to a very devout Catholic family, and service to humanity, especially the underprivileged, has been instilled in me by my parents. Perhaps, this core value has been the driving force behind my strong sense of volunteerism, and sincere desire to help others. This emphasis on reaching out is perhaps the most stark reason considering Creighton as my unversity of choice. Perhaps, a most striking program being proposed by Creighton is their Center for Excellence Program. It is exceptional in its ultimate goal of providing equal educational opportunities for members of minority groups, assisting them financially. This gives us minorities a fair chance at being competent, valued medical practitioners, despite our financial, academic and psychosocial constraints. This program has effectively conveyed a powerful message: Creighton respects and promotes cultural diversity, and I salute that. Apart from my belief in the mission that Creighton advocates, I also see the premium they place in acquiring expertise in the fields of teaching, research and patient / clinical care. I believe that an effective physician does not only have to have a heart for the profession; it is also equally important for him to be equipped with the necessary technical competencies to be an exceptional doctor. On the whole, I feel that the Creighton University School of Medicine will provide the most conducive environment for me; promoting empowerment, equal opportunity, and service to others. These, and the superior technical skills that the institution can surely equip me with, are the reasons for my prudent choice. Mount Sinai School of Medicine 3.) You indicated that there were gaps in your academic record unaccounted for in your AMCAS application. Please explain this more fully here (250 words or less) 4.) You indicated that there were circumstances which you feel might have adversely affected your academic performance during college. Please explain this more fully here. 250 words or less My college years were wrought with much trial and adversity. And yet, it is precisely these adversities that have allowed my metamorphosis into the strong and steadfast person I am today. My most apparent difficulty then was my family’s finances; these constraints compelled me to work. The usual conflicts between the demands of work and school affected my academic performance. My first full-time job was with the San Francisco Red Cross where I worked as a volunteer. This exposed me to the dire situation faced by many underprivileged others; I have also realized that less fortunate groups are more prone to suffer diabetes, high blood pressure, and similar diseases. I came out of the experience with a stronger resolve of helping destitute communities. After this work stint, my family’s finances grew more stable, permitting me to enroll in the City College of San Francisco; however, after only two years, the financial difficulties again ensued. This time, the effects were more manifest in lower grades, caused by my conscientious struggle in balancing my work and academic life. Alas, I had to reconcile with the realization that I had to temporarily stop schooling, to pursue full-time work. Fortunately, my work as an animal laboratory technician in Pfizer did not divert me from my interest in studying – in contrast, it inspired me even more to work towards a medical degree. This tentative lull did not turn out to be as bad as it looked, it had in fact made me more resolute in obtaining a medical degree at all costs to be of service to more people. While I do realize that having a continuous education is conventional and perhaps deemed more socially ‘acceptable’, these gaps in my academic years were, in the end, worth every while. They have taught me lessons about life which are far more valuable than those taught within the four walls of the classroom. 5.) What makes you special, someone who will add to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine community? I believe that I will be able to substantially contribute to the school’s objectives of excellence in “research, education, and patient care”. A requisite to being a good medical practitioner is superior intellectual capability. While I do not consider myself extremely intelligent, I have effectively compensated with a good work ethic and persistence. This may be attested to by the numerous awards for academic excellence that I have received, including being a consistent Dean’s lister at the University of California in Berkeley, and being a recipient of various scholarships – the Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship, the Hispanic College Fund Scholarship, the Doctors Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship, and the Hispanic Fund Scholarship. More than these academic distinctions, I have developed the fortitude entailed by the profession. My values have been molded by my experience as a working student, and as a volunteer for several non-profit organizations. These have taught me perseverance amidst adversity, independence, and an exceptionally strong results orientation. Because I consider myself underprivileged financially, I have put very high premium in securing an education, and feel fortunate that I have finished college despite my financial constraints. Perhaps most importantly, I feel I have a heart for helping others. I have an authentic concern to reach out, and I want to gain the medical competence to do so through the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. 6.) Indicate the reasons for your specific interest in Mount Sinai School of Medicine. 200 words or less One of the main reasons for choosing the Mount Sinai School of Medicine is its “commitment to excellence in research, education, and patient care”. This teaching philosophy gives me particular confidence at acquiring the technical competencies for being an exceptional medical practitioner. It also reflects the value that the school attaches to continuous learning. Its holistic approach to student development is also noteworthy. Not only does it place emphasis on developing technically competent students; it also attaches equal importance into developing compassion in them. More than a school that puts premium in academic excellence, a learning institution that has a ‘heart’ holds equal, if not more, importance. To carry this out, Mount Sinai emphasizes the ‘ethical’ and ‘humanistic’ aspects in its curriculum. Another reason for Mount Sinai’s being a medical school of choice is its strong research thrust. It encourages its students to delve more deeply into the etiology of disease, and explore the possibility of novel, lifesaving interventions or treatments. This atmosphere of learning and discovery may be highly encouraging for medical students to exercise critical thinking, scientific inquiry, innovation and thinking out of the box. It may also be worth noting that it sets trends in the medical field; for instance, it is the first school to ever set up an academic department of geriatrics. Similarly, it has established departments in environmental and occupational medicine. Apart from this, it is an acknowledged leader in several areas, including geriatrics, cardiology, and high-risk pregnancies to name a few. It would be a real honor to form part of such a highly-acclaimed academic institution. Ohio State University College of Medicine 7.) Please define altruism and provide an example or two where you exhibited altruistic behavior in your past activities. (600 words or less) Altruism is an expression of genuine selflessness; it means reaching out to others, without expecting anything in return – not anything material, at least. I have felt a strong sense of altruism in my experience as volunteer at the American Red Cross. I feel blessed in being able to participate in providing relief for victims of disasters, and in helping or responding to people involved in emergencies. Moreover, I feel honored that I was able to use my facility in the Spanish language in explaining the procedure to be followed by donors. This has caused me to take greater pride in my Spanish roots. It is also through this role that I realized that no kind act could be trivial. Most people just wait for a friendly gesture, a smile, a pat on the back, or a compliment, and this may drastically change their perspective of life. My experiences in working as a volunteer allowed me to realize the importance – the ‘ripple effect’ – that such seemingly trivial acts of kindness can instigate. Another experience of altruism would be my volunteer stint at the Making Changes Freedom School. It is a non-profit, grassroots organization, whose operations are mainly carried out by volunteers. Our main beneficiaries are elementary and high school students of Richmond, California who wish to improve their academic performance, and their personal lives in general. This has served as a venue for thorough exposure to people from different walks of life, and addressing a wide array of delinquencies, including drugs, violence, and alcohol. It has allowed me to help them accept their difficulties or their addiction, which is a big, critical first step to recovery. Once there is acceptance, multi-cultural volunteers like myself are given the chance to help them cope with these issues. One particular activity is the ‘Challenge Day’, where I facilitate sessions teaching them how to cope up with violence, peer pressure and alienation. At this very impressionable stage, these youths need to have good role models who may edify them through example. This has inspired me to strive to be the best, self-actualized individual I can be, knowing that part of them relies on the example that I see in me; I am thus accountable for the values that are instilled in them through the program. This realization has made me more responsible and prudent in my decisions and behavior. I have had similar volunteer experiences in teaching, with Tutor Experts, a group that caters to elementary, junior high, and high school students. This experience has given me the opportunity to design learner-centered activities that motivated them to learn more. I also took into consideration the methodologies which I use in imparting learning, making sure that each session was not boring; that examples may be easily related to; and where the student’s creativity and autonomy may be aptly exercised. With this enthusiasm, I feel that I was able to create a positive impression of learning among my students. I also think of small ways to motivate them or reinforce good behavior, which somehow helped enhance their self-esteem. 8.) In the space provided, describe your motivation for a career in medicine and experience you have had that helped confirm this desire. (600 words or less) My keen desire to have a career in medicine started early on during my fifth grade. My teacher then has vividly relayed to us stories of poverty, suffering, hunger and disease, during the Vietnam War. The vividness with which she has described these scenes left a lasting mark in my mind, and soon after, a few years out of high school, I had the opportunity to witness these scenes in a trip to Southeast Asia. True enough, in this part of the world, you will experience how dire and real poverty and suffering is. I saw the pressing need of providing quality healthcare, basic sanitation, and medical facilities to these depressed areas. Some remote barrios in the rural areas have not seen a doctor in their entire lives! These have been the experiences that planted the seed of wanting to pursue a medical career. I believed then that I have to help them in a concrete, tangible way – and what best means to help them than in addressing their medical needs. During my college years, the financial hardships that my family has experienced compelled me to work to sustain my education. It was then that I worked as a laboratory technician at PTRL West. My main task then was to provide assistance for environmental research studies that focused on radio- and non-labeled pesticides. A similar experience, this time as an animal laboratory technician, was with Pfizer Global Research and Development, where they aim to explore new treatments for various diseases. Both of these experiences have exposed me to the tedium and rigor of scientific inquiry and the research exercise. Despite the financial difficulties which I then experienced, I was resolute at pursuing a medical career. Apart from directly helping them with their sickness / disease, I also wish to conduct researches along these lines – to discover new treatments for disease. At the end of the day, my natural inclination towards the profession, my desire to help others directly, my heart for the sick and the suffering, empathy for the poor, are the reasons which have driven me to become a doctor. University of Michigan Medical School 9.) Select one experience from your list of post secondary experiences and describe in a brief essay how it impacted on your decision to go into medicine. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words) My keen desire to have a career in medicine started early on during my fifth grade. My teacher then has vividly relayed to us stories of poverty, suffering, hunger and disease, during the Vietnam War. The vividness with which she has described these scenes left a lasting mark in my mind, and soon after, a few years out of high school, I had the opportunity to witness these scenes in a trip to Southeast Asia. True enough, in this part of the world, you will experience how dire and real poverty and suffering is. I saw the pressing need of providing quality healthcare, basic sanitation, and medical facilities to these depressed areas. Some remote barrios in the rural areas have not seen a doctor in their entire lives! These have been the experiences that planted the seed of wanting to pursue a medical career. I believed then that I have to help them in a concrete, tangible way – and what best means to help them than in addressing their medical needs. 10.) At the University of Michigan Medical School, we are committed to building a superb educational community with students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions, and backgrounds. What would you as an individual bring to our medical school community? Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words) I believe that I will be able to substantially contribute to the school’s objectives of excellence in education, research and patient care. A requisite to being a good medical practitioner is superior intellectual capability. While I do not consider myself extremely intelligent, I have effectively compensated with a good work ethic and persistence. This may be attested to by the numerous awards for academic excellence that I have received, including being a consistent Dean’s lister at the University of California in Berkeley, and being a recipient of various scholarships – the Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship, the Hispanic College Fund Scholarship, the Doctors Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship, and the Hispanic Fund Scholarship. More than these academic distinctions, I have developed the fortitude entailed by the profession. My values have been molded by my experience as a working student, and as a volunteer for several non-profit organizations, including the American Red Cross, the Making Changes Freedom School, Tutor Experts and the California Pacific Medical Center. These have taught me perseverance amidst adversity, independence, and an exceptionally strong results orientation. Because I consider myself underprivileged financially, I have put very high premium in securing an education, and feel fortunate that I have finished college despite my financial constraints. Perhaps most importantly, I feel I have a heart for helping others. I have an authentic concern to reach out, and I want to gain the medical competence to do so through the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. 11.) Describe how your Hispanic heritage, family upbringing, and/or any role models have influenced your academic and personal long-term goals? 600 words or less My parents are both Mexican immigrants who, despite their poverty, have set out very ambitious goals for their children. Both of them barely finished sixth grade education and were wanting in terms of English proficiency. Despite this, they were successful at helping me imbibe the values of faith, pride, and responsibility as a first-generation Mexican-American. These values have been key to helping me maintain my self-esteem, acknowledge and respect cultural diversity, and set lofty goals for myself. Having grown in a poor family, I have been taught the importance of securing a good education; I have always felt fortunate that I have access to learning, through the financial assistance I avail of through scholarships. I was also brought up with exposure to poverty, suffering, hunger and disease. In fact, a few years out of high school, I had the opportunity to observe these as experienced by people in Southeast Asia. True enough, in this part of the world, you will experience how dire and real poverty and suffering is. I saw the pressing need of providing quality healthcare, basic sanitation, and medical facilities to these depressed areas. Some remote barrios in the rural areas have not seen a doctor in their entire lives! These have been the experiences that planted the seed of wanting to pursue a medical career. I believed then that I have to help them in a concrete, tangible way – and what best means to help them than in addressing their medical needs. Since then, I have had that natural inclination to help people in need. My strong sense of volunteerism may be seen in the non-profit organizations I am involved in, including the American Red Cross Bloodmobile, the California Pacific Medical Center, the Making Changes Freedom School, and Tutor Experts. These volunteer stints have strongly influenced and reinforced my desire to have a career in medicine, and be a man for others. 12.) Describe how you contribute to your community (for example: school, family, church, volunteer work, etc.) and what you have learned from your experiences. 600 words or less I have felt a strong sense of altruism in my experience as volunteer at the American Red Cross. I feel blessed in being able to participate in providing relief for victims of disasters, and in helping or responding to people involved in emergencies. Moreover, I feel honored that I was able to use my facility in the Spanish language in explaining the procedure to be followed by donors. This has caused me to take greater pride in my Spanish roots. It is also through this role that I realized that no kind act could be trivial. Most people just wait for a friendly gesture, a smile, a pat on the back, or a compliment, and this may drastically change their perspective of life. My experiences in working as a volunteer allowed me to realize the importance – the ‘ripple effect’ – that such seemingly trivial acts of kindness can instigate. Another opportunity for contributing to the community is my volunteer stint at the Making Changes Freedom School. It is a non-profit, grassroots organization, whose operations are mainly carried out by volunteers. Our main beneficiaries are elementary and high school students of Richmond, California who wish to improve their academic performance, and their personal lives in general. This has served as a venue for thorough exposure to people from different walks of life, and addressing a wide array of delinquencies, including drugs, violence, and alcohol. It has allowed me to help them accept their difficulties or their addiction, which is a big, critical first step to recovery. Once there is acceptance, multi-cultural volunteers like myself are given the chance to help them cope with these issues. One particular activity is the ‘Challenge Day’, where I facilitate sessions teaching them how to cope up with violence, peer pressure and alienation. At this very impressionable stage, these youths need to have good role models who may edify them through example. This has inspired me to strive to be the best, self-actualized individual I can be, knowing that part of them relies on the example that I see in me; I am thus accountable for the values that are instilled in them through the program. This realization has made me more responsible and prudent in my decisions and behavior. I have had similar volunteer experiences in teaching, with Tutor Experts, a group that caters to elementary, junior high, and high school students. This experience has given me the opportunity to design learner-centered activities that motivated them to learn more. I also took into consideration the methodologies which I use in imparting learning, making sure that each session was not boring; that examples may be easily related to; and where the student’s creativity and autonomy may be aptly exercised. With this enthusiasm, I feel that I was able to create a positive impression of learning among my students. I also think of small ways to motivate them or reinforce good behavior, which somehow helped enhance their self-esteem. With regards to helping my family, I was able to help them directly by supporting myself financially through college when I worked as a laboratory technician and as an animal care technician at the Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Laboratory and at the Pfizer Global Research and Development, respectively. Despite the tight financial constraints, I was able to simultaneously support my schooling, and lend financial assistance to my family. This experience has effectively instilled in me the values of having a good work ethic, independence and accountability. 13.) Describe an academic challenge, and how you have overcome it. 600 words or less Perhaps, my biggest academic challenge was trying to acquire English proficiency. Since I am of Mexican lineage, I grew up in a Spanish-speaking household, and both parents then had difficulty conversing in English. This difficulty has then forced me to stop formal schooling up until I was able to converse at the language with relative ease. However, young as I am then, I had a strong resolve to learn the language because it is a critical first step at achieving my dreams of a decent education. I worked really hard and put all my effort at learning the language, and true enough my fortitude was not in vain. While I do not consider myself extremely intelligent, I have effectively compensated with a good work ethic and persistence, as with patiently learning English. My initial difficulty at the language did not preclude me from reaping awards for academic excellence, including being a consistent Dean’s lister at the University of California in Berkeley, and being a recipient of various scholarships – the Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship, the Hispanic College Fund Scholarship, the Doctors Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship, and the Hispanic Fund Scholarship. These were my humble beginnings – and I take pride in saying that I have gone a long way since then. Using English, I am able to volunteer for teaching students who aim to improve their academic performance or who wish to be helped at coping with challenging issues such as drugs, violence or alcoholism. Apart from these, I also tutor fellow students in the sciences. Now that I consider myself proficient at the language, I have realized that there’s more to it than just proficiency. The exercise and process of learning it has taught me much more. It taught me how to endure difficulty. That nothing was impossible so long as you put your mind and heart to it. And to live carpe diem, siezing the day, and being the best individual that you were meant to become. Valuable, hard earned insights about life that have certainly come a long way. Read More