Personal Statement

Anyone who has ever visited a hospital knows the characteristic atmosphere: the sterile scent, the beeps of heart monitors, and the bustling medical staff. Anyone with elderly family members, rambunctious kids, or a sickly loved one is familiar with this setting, but knows the varying personalities of medical personnel. When someone we care about is diagnosed with a terminal illness or is suffering a confounding sickness, doctors can be the closest earthly things to gods. We turn to them for answers, reassurance and assistance making life-altering decisions. Unfortunately, the persona of the physician is often disconnected and cold. Although these medical experts put forth their best effort to help their patient, it can be difficult to trust

My mother did not finish high school and my father is a retired middle school teacher. I am the seventh out of eight and my older siblings went to the local college near our home. As I grew older, I realized that to fulfill what I knew to be my destiny in the medical field I had to embrace hard work and determination. I devoted myself to studying and decided to move abroad to attend college in the United States. I chose to pursue my education in this country for the opportunity to learn medicine under the highest world standards. I knew it would be a struggle, leaving my family and community I had known to pursue an intensive education alone in a foreign country. When I first came to the United States, my poor English threatened to destroy my dream. I worked arduously to meet university English language proficiency standards. I was able to enroll at the University of Washington Bothell as a freshman after one year. As a UW undergraduate, I have applied myself academically, socially, and professionally. I have worked as a tutor, an intern, and learned to be part of a team. All of these experiences have helped me to identify my unique role in medicine as one who empathizes with others and works to solve problems to attain a shared goal. I feel that I owe my accomplishments to the balance I seek in the academic, spiritual, and social spheres of my life. These things define me as a passionate individual who takes necessary risks and overcomes challenges to achieve my