Homeopathic Versus Mainstream Medicine: A Personal Statement

My interest in science started at an early age from excelling in my STEM courses to furthering that interest through rigorous AP and honors level classes in the subjects I most enjoyed. Over time, I noticed my particular passion for learning when it came to medicine through the numerous medical seminars I attended that were hosted by hospitals and online shadowing programs on the various specialties of medicine. One such eye-opening experience was Brainterns, a medical internship program hosted by Lenox Hill Neurosurgery, which focused on neurosurgical shadowing and clinical research innovation. In addition to learning about the vast number of medical specialties, I particularly fell in love with the clinical research aspect that was discussed

My goal through participating in this opportunity was to get a glimpse into what it takes to conduct research and the logistics of pursuing such a career in the future. After gathering a group of two other passionate students, I became the team leader for our research project on the effectiveness of homeopathic versus mainstream medicine approaches to treating migraines for which our group received an honorable mention from the panel. As freshmen in high school, my team and I came up with a research project from the topic to the hypothesis and conducted trials with data to form a conclusion. Due to the restrictions of the pandemic, we were unable to complete this trial in person and rather conducted our data through online means with the help of fellow students and adults in our community who suffered from migraines. It was through this experience that I fell in love with the research process and solidified my passion to pursue medicine through research

In pursuing a career in research, I hope to target medical issues that are the most prevalent in the world today and join the several scientists that work to devise treatment methods for those conditions. I know that cancer is one of the leading causes of death and that there is still much to be done to find cures for this vast medical issue. The focus of this research program on cancer additionally drew me to apply as I have witnessed the deteriorating effect this condition can take on those in my own family. With exposure to the enriching resources at UCI and working in a lab I am truly interested in, this program will allow me to take a glimpse into the career path I wish to pursue and advance my knowledge of cancer research. I also look forward to meeting and collaborating with other passionate students who align with my interests and getting the opportunity to learn under mentors at UCI, while I embark on my research journey through this program. The opportunity to present my work to the faculty and students at UCI is something that I am looking forward to as it prepares students to practice essential skills in speaking on the topic of their interest and provides the opportunity to experience defending their work. This is something I find to be important since a major part of a