Rewriting Medical School Admissions essay
“It is time to go to bed,” my grandma would call out as she served as my guardian and caretaker throughout my childhood because my parents were employed overseas. From the traditional Indian dishes she would cook for me, Dosa and Chutney, taking me to school early every morning, and comforting me when I was scared at night, my grandmother became a second mom to me. As time went on, I observed her health declining quickly and dramatically to the point where she could no longer take care of herself, much less of me. Once I turned six, my parents had to move me out of my grandmother’s house and into their home. One night, my parents were sobbing, as they shared the news of my grandmother’s death. While this shocked me at first, it led me to start thinking about how I could have helped. This opportunity was granted when I moved to the U.S. at the age of 11 and pursued my B.S degree at the University of Texas at Austin.
During my undergraduate experience, I had multiple opportunities that exposed me to the medical profession and allowed me to reflect on my decision to enter this career path. I was humbled to have the opportunity to follow Dr. John Uecker, a general surgeon at Dell Medical School. I recall a long evening while shadowing Dr. Uecker, as I observed him perform an operation on a patient with a Meckel diverticulum. While I did not know much about Meckel diverticulum initially, I took it upon myself to do some brief reading on the condition. I witnessed key traits that Dr. Uecker represented: perseverance, communication skills with team members, and precision within his work. I believe these key traits I witnessed with all surgical operations are an essential part to the optimal physician-patient interaction. I aim to uphold these standards with my future work. I recall the joy that each patient exhibited at the conclusion of each operation due to the high-quality service each doctor portrayed. No words can describe how grateful I was to be in the audience, and I vowed to apply these same attitudes to my everyday tasks. I believe that working with Dr. Uecker has inspired me to work very hard in my premedical studies so I can be the one aiding in diagnosis and treatment one day.
As I continued to gain exposure to the medical profession, there were instances in which I did not always know what to do or what to say. I noted the scrub nurses would skillfully prepare for the surgery. I was not even sure where to stand during my first days in the operating room. Dr. Uecker would turn to me and ask me questions from time to time. Oftentimes, I did not know the correct answer, but I would push myself to keep thinking about anatomy. One day he asked me what organ we were visualizing during the laparoscopic surgery of the abdomen. My knowledge of anatomy helped me to determine what the organ was, I luckily guessed and identified it as the gallbladder. Seeing the medical students, residents, and surgeons work together inspired me more to become a physician. I had an urge and desire to become an important part of the team. I hope to learn more in medical school about anatomy so that I can one day use that knowledge to impact and care for patients just like the surgeon was able to do on a daily basis.
In addition to my clinical exposure, I had the opportunity to participate in research as an undergraduate. I started research with Urban Ecosystem Lab and started studying the environmental effects of urbanization on leaf decomposition. While working, I was placed on time-sensitive demands to ensure the poster would be developed on time. I worked with multiple lab members, all working together to arrive at a conclusion. I recall two of my team members who were absent due to critical family emergencies shortly before the due date. While they had roles that were other than mine, I decided to find a way to complete their tasks in order to ensure the entire team did not fall behind. The end results were immaculate as we ended up finishing on time with a superior project result. Having the opportunity to help my classmates through this time is what I hope to do in medical school as well. I hope to help my classmates, helping people stay on track despite what may be happening in their personal lives, and helping them achieve their ultimate goals of becoming productive physicians. Through my experiences in the medical field, I understand how important teamwork is in the medical profession and strive to be a team player.
Reflecting upon my experiences through medicine, it was my grandmother who led me from nowhere to my current success. From research teaching me the fruits of virtue to witnessing top-tier physicians, to helping the underserved citizens, had it not been for my Grandmother’s illness I would not have been in this position. While I am unsure of which field I hope to specialize in specifically; in medical school, I aim to have an open mind, evaluating what I am best suited for based on my skills and strengths. I hope to be in a position where I will inspire a future generation of successful physicians and help the underserved.
