Medical School Personal Statement Example

In my case, arriving at medicine as a career choice took more time than it typically does for a young adult, but I sincerely believe that everyone’s path towards becoming a physician is unique. Since a very young age, I was an inquisitive and curious individual with a diverse set of interests. I always had a strong aptitude towards mathematics and sciences and never lacked the desire to relate to others on many different levels and positively influence their lives. While in college, I familiarized myself with a broad range of academic pursuits and eventually decided to major in Computer Information Systems, with an intent to work in the technology field. At the time, I thought it would be a perfect career path, as I would be able to work in a rapidly changing environment, where one needs to constantly learn and apply knowledge. However, when planning for the future I didn’t realize how important it is for me to be able to work closely with people and have the ability to help them effectively. It was thanks to my tutoring position at the Student Academic Counseling Center at Baruch College that I noticed how important it is for me to affect the lives of others.

As a tutor and a workshop leader, I've had the ability to work with students from many different backgrounds. Some came to the tutoring center with complicated, well-constructed questions, whereas others had a fundamental problem with understanding of the material. No matter where particular student’s issue was, it was crucial for me to find a solution that would address the underlying reason for academic difficulties and improve performance. To see a struggling student experiencing the aha moment that comes from a sudden comprehension of the seemingly difficult material, was undoubtedly the most satisfying aspect of the job. Since then, I knew that having a profession that provides help to people would be an ideal option. That's also when I gradually realized that to become truly content with my career, it needs to be intellectually stimulating, highly autonomous and primarily dedicated to the lives of fellow human beings. I’ve started to seriously consider becoming a medical doctor, even though I knew training to become one would be a long and difficult path, filled with sacrifices. It became apparent to me that it is the best possible route to personal and professional fulfillment. For that reason, shortly after graduating from Baruch College, I decided to enroll in a post-bachelor pre-med program.

While taking premedical courses, The experience that cemented my desire to pursue medicine as a career path was a volunteering position at New York State Psychiatric Institute, where I assisted Dr. Delaney with her research on biomarkers of psychosis. I had the opportunity to observe multiple psychiatric interviews with young individuals, who were either already affected by, or were in the prodromal phase of psychotic illness. What is more, I've maintained the research database and partook in all of the steps of the scientific process that is crucial in every research endeavor. Additionally, through my involvement, I gained exposure to medical history taking, a psychiatric state assessment, data gathering, and analysis, all of which are critical to the proper delivery of healthcare. Despite the fact that I did not see the treatment process first hand, it was easy to extrapolate from the interviews and learn from my conversations with Dr. Delaney, that treating physicians made a tangible difference in the lives of the participants. After spending over a year of weekly volunteering I finally realized that it would be a great honor and a privilege to learn how to practice medicine and better the lives of others.