VCOM Personal Statement

437 Words2 Pages

My experiences and aspirations have led to my decision to apply to VCOM. I want to pursue a career in medicine, but it was only after speaking to an internal medicine physician did I learn about and seriously consider osteopathic medicine. Not only is the approach taken by osteopathic medicine congruent with my own values, but osteopathic medicine provides a new window of opportunity to consider when pursuing a career in medicine. All of the osteopathic medical schools I have applied to are in the Southeastern United States, including VCOM. For my entire life I have lived in the southeastern United States, born and raised in the state of Florida. Beyond visiting family in other parts of the Southeast like in South Carolina and Texas, I have …show more content…

I know VCOM is dedicated to creating an engaging learning environment to educate the next generation of doctors to provide care of the utmost quality. As someone who grew up in a medically-underserved county and desires to address the needs of my community, I can relate to the mission of VCOM to address the needs of medically-underserved populations When I shadowed Dr. Edwin Chan, we discussed potential research projects I could propose to the professors from the UF Department of Anthropology. We agreed I should propose research on the disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color in Alachua County. While the project unfortunately fell through when returning to UF, addressing these disparities remained a forefront concern which I seek to pursue in the future. I anticipate that VCOM, with a commitment to health equity and addressing the needs of underserved communities, will provide me the opportunity to pursue research assessing disparities in healthcare. Furthermore, I know that the VCOM is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment where I feel accepted and welcome. My values, experiences, and ambitions have driven me to apply to VCOM and to eagerly await my