Please be as critical as you can. The prompt did not give a word limit either..
This is my first draft and I have not gone through it for grammatical errors yet. But any criticism on organization, thought process, etc. is greatly appreciated.
This essay is for LMU-DCOM:
Prompt: Medical school requires a huge commitment in time and energy. How have you prepared for this commitment?
I had just transferred to the University of Tennessee to begin my sophomore year of college when I received the news that my mom had been diagnosed with cancer. Shortly after, I arranged to finish the fall semester at UT and transfer back to the University of Rhode Island. With her being a single parent, and as close as we were to one another, the decision to act as her caregiver was a simple one. The two years that followed were trying for both of us.
The load on my shoulders felt too much to bare at times, but I managed one way or another. For the next three semesters, I split my time commuting to classes, and caring for my mother. We went to so many doctors it was hard to keep track of them all. There were week-long stays at the hospital for chemotherapy, appointments for radiation and regular check-ups. At first, she maintained her independence. But as the disease progressed, it became tougher for her to do things that used to be routine. I managed her medications, prepared meals, helped her get changed, and sorted through bills. After the scans came back post-chemotherapy, the treatment had proved to be futile.
Being the fighter that she was, she refused to let the disease get the best of her. We enrolled in a clinical trial at Dana Farber and were making the trip up to Boston once a week, sometimes more. There were days when I was drained, emotionally and physically, but there was no other choice but to push through. Her determination to fight on fueled my own. She was constantly worrying about how my involvement in her care was affecting my schoolwork. I studied twice as hard and stayed up twice as long to maintain my GPA, and made every effort to ease her concerns.
About halfway through the Spring semester of 2014 she passed away. It was then that I took a leave of absence and returned the following Fall. I knew that this was the best option for me as I needed time to grieve. These were the toughest years of my life, and to this day I wonder how I made it through. One thing I inherited from my mother was her determination. I am confident that after this experience, I will undoubtedly succeed in the rest of journey to becoming an osteopathic physician; not only for myself, but for my mom.
This is my first draft and I have not gone through it for grammatical errors yet. But any criticism on organization, thought process, etc. is greatly appreciated.
This essay is for LMU-DCOM:
Prompt: Medical school requires a huge commitment in time and energy. How have you prepared for this commitment?
I had just transferred to the University of Tennessee to begin my sophomore year of college when I received the news that my mom had been diagnosed with cancer. Shortly after, I arranged to finish the fall semester at UT and transfer back to the University of Rhode Island. With her being a single parent, and as close as we were to one another, the decision to act as her caregiver was a simple one. The two years that followed were trying for both of us.
The load on my shoulders felt too much to bare at times, but I managed one way or another. For the next three semesters, I split my time commuting to classes, and caring for my mother. We went to so many doctors it was hard to keep track of them all. There were week-long stays at the hospital for chemotherapy, appointments for radiation and regular check-ups. At first, she maintained her independence. But as the disease progressed, it became tougher for her to do things that used to be routine. I managed her medications, prepared meals, helped her get changed, and sorted through bills. After the scans came back post-chemotherapy, the treatment had proved to be futile.
Being the fighter that she was, she refused to let the disease get the best of her. We enrolled in a clinical trial at Dana Farber and were making the trip up to Boston once a week, sometimes more. There were days when I was drained, emotionally and physically, but there was no other choice but to push through. Her determination to fight on fueled my own. She was constantly worrying about how my involvement in her care was affecting my schoolwork. I studied twice as hard and stayed up twice as long to maintain my GPA, and made every effort to ease her concerns.
About halfway through the Spring semester of 2014 she passed away. It was then that I took a leave of absence and returned the following Fall. I knew that this was the best option for me as I needed time to grieve. These were the toughest years of my life, and to this day I wonder how I made it through. One thing I inherited from my mother was her determination. I am confident that after this experience, I will undoubtedly succeed in the rest of journey to becoming an osteopathic physician; not only for myself, but for my mom.
