This is kind of a lengthy one, but I thought that given the time of year, it might be nice to share my Personal Statement. I wrote this to share with schools why I wanted to pursue medicine. I’m excited to see how this will evolve over the years and how my calling in medicine will develop.
“Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord.” I do my best to follow my faith where it leads me. Although the path can feel serpentine at times, I have found that it always prepares me for where I am headed. The winding journey of my faith has led me to pursue a career in medicine. I am confident my past experiences have strengthened and enriched my ability to become a skilled and effective physician.
I started my professional life in marketing and advertising, spending time specifically focusing on arts and arts non-profits. While it was ultimately an industry that I chose not to pursue, it taught me many great skills for future use.
The most important thing I learned while in marketing and advertising was the ability to think creatively on demand. Creative problem solving was an integral part of my work. The industry operates on short production schedules, with deadlines constantly looming. Due to this, I gained the ability to operate under high pressure, as well as to efficiently time and project manage, which is a valuable skill. Marketing and advertising also taught me how to see form as well as function, finding a balance between creativity and science.
While I enjoyed much of my work, I realized God was calling me to make a significant change. A series of unrelated events sparked the idea of exploring healthcare. I decided to attend EMT school. This was an opportunity for me to study and experience the medical field. I loved it. I earned my certificate as an EMT and resigned my position as Creative Director to become a nurse assistant on a medical/surgical floor. I was quickly cross trained to monitor and interpret ECGs, and I have been working in a central monitoring unit associated with the cardiac floor of my current hospital.
Through my experiences in healthcare, a passion and love of medicine has evolved. I find great joy and privilege in being part of someone’s recovery. Healthcare has granted new access points to my faith. As I study, I frequently pause in scientific amazement at the world around and within us, such as the complex perfection and singularity of enzymes or the intricacy of cellular respiration.
While I couldn’t find God in the meetings and deadlines of my previous life, I now see God regularly in my daily work. I have seen Him at a patient’s deathbed, as the man would smile and ask how our day was, allowing me to witness the dignity of his death. I have seen Him as I stayed up with a confused alzheimer’s patient singing hymns. I have seen Him gathered around the bedside of an 18 year old who had just lost his leg in a rollover.
I am excited to use my gifts of critical thinking and logic in the science of medicine. I look forward to thinking creatively and imaginatively, using new ideas while incorporating solid traditional standards. A physician once told me that medicine is the perfect combination of science and art; the logic of science and the creativity of art. I am confident that God has given me this path to serve Him as a skilled and compassionate physician.”