Why/How did you decide medicine...

[justapremed]

For personal statements or pre-med committee application essays, I would have to, in some way, describe why or how I decided medicine.

I heard the tip, start with a grabber. Most of the sample essays I've read so far have begun with a personal experience where they have observed or received help from an amazing physician that have inspired them... or something along those lines. Start the essay with a medical case...


In all honesty though, it really just started with parents deciding right before college that I should be a "pre-med" and I hadn't really given it a special thought then... but then I started volunteering at the hospital and loved the experience.

No special events in particular though: there wasn't a shocking case I saw that all of a sudden made me passionate about becoming a physician... there wasn't a particular physician who inspired me to become a physician just like them... I don't have anyone in my family or myself who went through an extraordinary medical case that fascinated me and inspired me... I didn't go to some foreign country and first-handedly impacted someone's life... It all seemed more gradual for me. Observing doctors on a daily basis, I liked what they are doing.

I do really like science, and I think it's really cool that I have the ability to help others and make a difference in their life, even if it's just treating an ear infection. I like piecing puzzle pieces together and I find the profession very charismatic. And heck, I've even enjoyed bringing toasty blankets to patients in the ER knowing that I could help someone who is in need of something.

But I am at a loss for how to convey this information... I can't seem to find an attention grabbing incident in my journey so far... does anyone else have the same problem and if so, how did you approach your personal statement?

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[armybound]

they want to hear something genuine and personal. tell them which experience made you know you wanted to be a doctor, even if it's not jaw-dropping or whatever. they don't care if it's the coolest thing in the world, they just want to know you have a good reason for being interested.

remember that this is a way for them to get to know who you are, not to show off your story-telling ability.

 

[justapremed]

tell them which experience made you know you wanted to be a doctor, even if it's not jaw-dropping or whatever. they don't care if it's the coolest thing in the world, they just want to know you have a good reason for being interested.

I guess I am trying to say that I don't really remember a particular day, an event, or a case that has made me want to pursue medicine. So could this reason for interest be something more general than a specific day's observation that suddenly shot up an inspiration?

For instance... through observations of physicians, seeing what they get to do for patients, and seeing how patients react, and dealing with patients myself (just on a level that volunteers are allowed, of course), it gradually grew in me that I wanted to do what they got to do... hm, that sounds rather boring, bland, and very uneventful...

 

[milliya]

they want to hear something genuine and personal. tell them which experience made you know you wanted to be a doctor, even if it's not jaw-dropping or whatever. they don't care if it's the coolest thing in the world, they just want to know you have a good reason for being interested.

remember that this is a way for them to get to know who you are, not to show off your story-telling ability.

what if you dont have a good reason. for instance i read a religious novel (non fiction) that made me want to go into medicine. even though the book tapped into powerful emotions that i could take the time to explain but not right now...still...it was just a book. they might not like that. but hey if ONE book led me to go premed, volunteer in hospitals, put every ounce of my being into achieving this then my intentions must be genuine, right?

 

[ChakDeyPhutteMD]

just make it up...read atul gawande and cop a story out of there.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I wouldmention thebook, and then describe how your volunteering, research, and whatever reaffirmed your desire.

 

[leaftye]

Geez y'all, just make something up, but make sure you have the background to make it real and consistent.

 

[justapremed]

Really? Make up ... an experience...?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Really? Make up ... an experience...?

If you dont have reasons for being a doctor,thenyou arein thewrongfield. i am sure you have some reason out there why you like medicine.

 

[brianmartin]

A personal statement does NOT have to read like a case report. It should not, in fact. Write it so the reader can get to know you, easily and concisely in 1.5 pages. You don't have to start off with a "quote" or an action packed code scene ala "ER". That's been done many times before and isn't going to impress anyone. Just make it personal and honest and you'll be good.

It sounds like you have some good experiences to write about, so sit down and make a list of interesting things you've seen/done. The PS is all about the interpretation of the events...not just retelling them and claiming "and thus I want to go to medical school."

 

[leaftye]

Really? Make up ... an experience...?

If your reasons are good enough, but don't sound like a good story, yeah, make up a nice story to tell.

 

[flaahless]

I don't believe you should make up a story or try and tell the adcoms what you think they want to hear. Instead, tell them what you think they should know about you. This is your opportunity to speak to them, what do you want to tell them? Be as creative as you want. Pimp yourself.

 

[RoadRunner17]

Be as creative as you want. Pimp yourself.

Nice, pimp yourself. Definitely agree with that, though. The process predominantly involves you selling yourself as an applicant, so you should be doing that in your personal statement.

 

[xFr3nLixPhYr3x]

I became a doctor for the same four reasons everybody does: Chicks, money, power, and chicks.

For personal statements or pre-med committee application essays, I would have to, in some way, describe why or how I decided medicine.

I heard the tip, start with a grabber. Most of the sample essays I've read so far have begun with a personal experience where they have observed or received help from an amazing physician that have inspired them... or something along those lines. Start the essay with a medical case...


In all honesty though, it really just started with parents deciding right before college that I should be a "pre-med" and I hadn't really given it a special thought then... but then I started volunteering at the hospital and loved the experience.

No special events in particular though: there wasn't a shocking case I saw that all of a sudden made me passionate about becoming a physician... there wasn't a particular physician who inspired me to become a physician just like them... I don't have anyone in my family or myself who went through an extraordinary medical case that fascinated me and inspired me... I didn't go to some foreign country and first-handedly impacted someone's life... It all seemed more gradual for me. Observing doctors on a daily basis, I liked what they are doing.

I do really like science, and I think it's really cool that I have the ability to help others and make a difference in their life, even if it's just treating an ear infection. I like piecing puzzle pieces together and I find the profession very charismatic. And heck, I've even enjoyed bringing toasty blankets to patients in the ER knowing that I could help someone who is in need of something.

But I am at a loss for how to convey this information... I can't seem to find an attention grabbing incident in my journey so far... does anyone else have the same problem and if so, how did you approach your personal statement?

 

[YehudeiAshkenaz]

I decided on medicine when I heard some good advice about choosing your career. It was to think back to when you were ten years old, and whatever you wanted to be when you were ten is what you should do. They say ten, because by that time, most people have grown past the "fireman" or "ballerina" stage.

Anyway, when I was ten, I wanted to be a surgeon--not just a doctor, but a surgeon. I don't even know why. I just know I used to be in an after-school program, and I'd do pretend operations on people. I also owned a lot of those operating room legos. I didn't know about the pay or anything really, I just wanted to be able to cut people open and make them better. Ha.

 

[MedicineMan168]

i was dropping a fat **** and i had an epiphany - probably from pushing too hard.

o yea, when i wiped my ass, it spelled medicine on the toilet paper

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I decided on medicine when I heard some good advice about choosing your career. It was to think back to when you were ten years old, and whatever you wanted to be when you were ten is what you should do. They say ten, because by that time, most people have grown past the "fireman" or "ballerina" stage.

Anyway, when I was ten, I wanted to be a surgeon--not just a doctor, but a surgeon. I don't even know why. I just know I used to be in an after-school program, and I'd do pretend operations on people. I also owned a lot of those operating room legos. I didn't know about the pay or anything really, I just wanted to be able to cut people open and make them better. Ha.

should I drop medicine and continue with my dream of becoming an NBA player??? haha

 

[YehudeiAshkenaz]

Haha. The point was that for *most* people, they don't have any dreams of doing something that is unrealistic for them. Obviously, it doesn't apply to everyone, and obviously, I confirmed my interest in medicine by doing other things. That was just when I decided that it was something I should seriously consider.

 

[GoldShadow]

I became a doctor for the same four reasons everybody does: Chicks, money, power, and chicks.

I remember in the last thread like this, Law2Doc expressed disdain for the constant repetition of this phrase, so I'm going to go in a whole new direction and post something completely, 100% original:

When I was 14, my father was stationed in Japan. I went rock climbing with this kid from school, and he fell and got injured and I had to bring him to the hospital. We came in through the wrong entrance and passed this guy in the hall, the janitor. My friend came down with an infection, and the doctors didn't know what to do. So they brought in the janitor; he was a doctor. And, a buraku, one of Japan's untouchables. His ancestors had been slaughterers, gravediggers. And this guy, knew that he wasn't accepted by the staff, didn't even try. He didn't dress well, he didn't pretend to be one of them. People around that place didn't think he had anything they wanted. Except when they needed him, because he was right, which meant that nothing else mattered. And they had to listen to him.


And that's why I want to be a doctor.

 

[xFr3nLixPhYr3x]

That's pretty cool. Watch a pre-med student start studying japan and copy this story.

I remember in the last thread like this, Law2Doc expressed disdain for the constant repetition of this phrase, so I'm going to go in a whole new direction and post something completely, 100% original:

When I was 14, my father was stationed in Japan. I went rock climbing with this kid from school, and he fell and got injured and I had to bring him to the hospital. We came in through the wrong entrance and passed this guy in the hall, the janitor. My friend came down with an infection, and the doctors didn't know what to do. So they brought in the janitor; he was a doctor. And, a buraku, one of Japan's untouchables. His ancestors had been slaughterers, gravediggers. And this guy, knew that he wasn't accepted by the staff, didn't even try. He didn't dress well, he didn't pretend to be one of them. People around that place didn't think he had anything they wanted. Except when they needed him, because he was right, which meant that nothing else mattered. And they had to listen to him.


And that's why I want to be a doctor.

 

[BlitzSleep]

i was dropping a fat **** and i had an epiphany - probably from pushing too hard.

o yea, when i wiped my ass, it spelled medicine on the toilet paper

That happened to you too?

 

[brianmartin]

I became a doctor for the same four reasons everybody does: Chicks, money, power, and chicks.

Hey, there is some element of truth to it

 

[RySerr21]

i'm kind of in the same situation as the OP in the sense that there wasn't an experience or a day i can remember being like "this is what i wanna do w/ my life." however, it started with my love for sports and eventually mixed with my fascination for the human body and my love for the san francisco 49ers (ill explain).

at some point in my high school sports career (maybe sooner) I realized that I wouldnt be playing sports for a living, but I knew that sports were something that I always wanted to be around, not as a coach though. I play sports in college, football and rugby, but those days will end soon too. to me, one of the worst feelings as an athlete is being injured, especially for extended periods of time. its seriouslyl awful to sit there during practice every day and watch everyone play the sport you love. the joy of finally making it back to the game is amazing though. i figured that after my career in playing sports was over, i could still have an impact on other athletes lives by practicing sports medicine, helping athletes heal so that they can get back to the game they love. i imagine that that feeling is just as great. so then i became interested in sports medicine. i became increasingly more interested in the sciences, specifically subjects related to the human body, how it works, what types of things could go wrong, etc. all that stuff fascinates me. if i can gain all that knowledge (through med school) and share it with other people in a way that will help change their lives for the better, well that sounds like something i'm willing to sign up for. through shadowing and volunteering i became interested in orthopedic surgery, most likely b/c of its application to sports medicine, and thats how that all started.

my interest for learning about science and how the body works and sports medicine kind of mixed with my passion/obsession with the 49ers. my dream/goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon for the san francisco 49ers. that would be amazing.

so yea thats my answer!!!

 

[Lokhtar]

I chose medicine because it is the only field which will enable me to make lots of money while allowing me to exhibit a highly pompous altruistic attitude.

 

[135892]

I chose medicine because it is the only field which will allow me to make lots of money while allowing me to exhibit a highly pompous altruistic attitude.

, yeah, pretty much sums up my reasons as well

 

[gsquared]

I initially was interested in medicine for reasons other people have mentioned; it seemed like a career that is respectable, profitable, and gives you a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy at the end of the day.

After a fair amount of clinical exposure and meeting some absolutely amazing doctors and nurses, my motivations have changed significantly. I know I could make more money for less effort in other fields, and I understand that I will have to make many sacrifices if I pursue a career in medicine (hobbies, personal time, social life, etc.) With that said, I don't see myself being happy in any other career; I would feel like I was wasting my life if I wasn't affecting the lives of people in a positive manner and constantly challenging myself.