Personal Statement

There was never a definite moment in which I knew I wanted to follow a career in medicine. I think for me it was a gradual realization, as if I was born to pursue this dream. I understand that many people feel as though they are destined to become doctors or surgeons, but I believe my determination and dedication to pursuing this career is unique for the many things that have influenced me to become interested in medicine. Some of those influences include my sister, who is now a pediatrician, or the fact that I have seen Grey's Anatomy three times, or the medical mission I went on that gave me a true appreciation for the power of healthcare. I have been lucky enough to have experienced medical care around the world and I have had the chance

I was given many opportunities to engage in patient care and I was always eager to learn and assist the doctors. I had the chance to sit in on patient consultations to ask questions and take notes on the hundreds of patients we were seeing. During our trip, the team that I was working with soon became my family through hours of crammed off-road rides and a shared devotion for helping others. With their patient teaching I learned many skills, such as taking blood pressures and reading EKGs. Although those things may seem trivial, they meant the world to me. The opportunity to interact with patients first hand was surreal, even performing simple blood pressure tests made this trip unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was being able to stand a foot away from an operating table watching a thyroidectomy that not only filled me with knowledge, but with incredible privilege and passion as well. I was able to walk away from that journey as a changed person, and for that I will always be grateful. That mission is a huge reason why I am so appreciative and genuinely interested in the medical field. It was soon after that, that I found a passion for oncology, which lead to an interest in

When I had been accepted to the Harvard Pre-College Program a couple months prior, I was humbled and honored to be able to attend such a prestigious program. When the time came to choose a class to enroll in, my love for science took over. For two weeks, I took the course "Why Haven't We Cured Cancer Yet?", taught by an incredibly talented professor who was also running a research trial on stem cells and their involvement in oncology. Throughout this course, I had the chance to read and understand multiple research papers about cancer. I was able to further grasp the technicalities of research, especially in the unexplored territories of oncology. I was fascinated, filled with questions about the next steps for cancer research. I discussed theories with a classroom of eighteen other high school students who shared my enthusiasm. I was surprised to learn that sequencing technology is still considered a new concept, and that a single biopsy continues to be the method of diagnosis for cancer patients. I had so many questions, and for the first time in my experience with medicine, no one had answers. I absorbed as much information as I could in those two short weeks. My interest in oncology bloomed, and my thirst for answers came home with