Medical School Application - Essay Example

My childhood in Ukraine seems like a blur. Waiting in long lines with my mom for clothing, for bread, and for just enough Kovbasa (sausage) to feed amouse. Unlike many working class people, my parents chose not to join the communist party and because of that we did not receive healthcare or large varieties or amounts of food for that matter. We had to wait for years to get our own apartment and had to live with my grandparents so that my parents could sustain our living. We are not wealthy and we are not privileged, but we have been given a tremendous opportunity. Our lives took a sudden turn when we moved to Canada when I was ten years old. It was as if someone turned the color on and the world seemed like a bigger place. Filled with possibilities that I have just begun to see, hear, taste and feel. Finally, I had options and now set before me are varieties that could only let me grow as an individual. It was nothing less than like being a kid in a candy shop. Wide-eyed and brimming with joy, exultant to the colors and shapes all around. I actually had the opportunity to become a pilot - my childhood ambition. My fondest memory is waking up on my first morning in Canada with the smell of bagels that my father brought home from work. However, it was to be our new family doctor in Canada who would make the deepest impression on me as I grew up. Since my experience in Ukraine, I feared doctors. They were rough and in the first grade I almost died of a drug overdose due to a doctors miscalculation. With this in mind, I was petrified on my first visit to a Canadian doctor. However, to my bewilderment the doctor was not only gentle but she was also polite. Dr. Frina Gofman changed my view of doctors. I was no longer scared of needles, checkups, and I actually looked forward to seeing her. Nevertheless, my fascination with planes proved to be something too hard to resist. As I entered high school I also joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets (RCAC). In the RCAC I learned many lessons but discipline was the most profound. As high school progressed, I became more and more fascinated with science and since my parents moved and I could no longer attend RCAC, my career as a pilot slowly drifted away. After high school I volunteered in a chiropractic clinic for a year. It was at this point that I knew I wanted a career in healthcare. I went to Centennial College to study general sciences while still deciding what exactly it is that I wanted to do in healthcare. At that time I began working at the chiropractic clinic as a trainer. My job was to create programs for patients to speed up their recovery after car accidents. My future career began to evolve as I studied biology, and became intrigued with anatomy, specifically, with the mechanics of the heart and its functions. Enthusiastic with my newfound calling, I began to watch thoracic surgeries online. This further intrigued me and increased my interest in cardiothoracic surgery. I grew up accustomed to being different. As a minority, there had been difficulties that come along in which I would feel inadequate, even jealous with others. At times I have to work extra hard and go the extra mile just to prove myself. Where others had been blessed with the financial stability that makes life easier, I had to earn to help sustain my education. But I learned to come to terms with it. More than that, I have learned to cherish it and embrace it. As a result, I am more appreciative and grateful for the things I have. To be able to see beyond myself and think of others. After graduating from Centennial College and before transferring to Harvard University Division of Continuing Education, I took a summer to study abroad at Commonwealth of Dominica. I studied anatomy & physiology, but I ended up learning more about Dominica’s culture as well as their general medical quality and healthcare policies. As I finished my premedical courses at Harvard, I have maintained my interest in cardiology and wrote my thesis on "Magnetically Targeted Drug Delivery" specifically for cardiac valve transplants, which is currently awaiting publication. Throughout my time at Harvard Extension I volunteered as a representative at government hearings for Action for Boston Community Development ABCD, which is an organization that specializes in healthcare education for underprivileged and minority neighbourhoods. I also worked as a peer leader with a subgroup of ABCD Entre Nuestras Familias, a program dedicated to providing safe-sex education to high school students in minority communities. My experiences from childhood up to this moment in my life have only enriched me to become passionate in all my endeavors. I grew up wanting to conquer the skies. To be a master of the air in maneuvering colossal man-made birds capable of transporting people at rapid speed. Now, my dreams have taken me back to the earth. To the desire of being able to serve those who need me to alleviate their sickness and to remove their fears, of needles, of checkups and of strangers in clean white coats. But the setbacks that I have experienced did not deter me in pursuing what I was in fact meant for. They have led me to determining what I really long for. Though I was not able to pursue my dream of becoming a pilot, it has taken me directly to the heart of what I really want to be. Simple as it is, I believe that everything happens for a reason. That it was meant for my family to leave Ukraine and find a life with so much more in store for us. I have not forgotten those memories from my childhood. They are an amalgamation of the good memories that I treasure every day of my life along with the reminder of the blessings of today. Because of them I have learned to be grateful for opportunities. These things have taught me compassion. They have taught me of the value of hard work and of discipline. But most importantly, they have taught me to believe that I can be whoever I want to be. And who I want to be is a doctor. To be part of the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine would be a tremendous boost in my anticipation of being a Medical student. The time I have spent studying in Dartmouth High School has been sufficient enough to allow me to get acquainted with the hospitality of the people. The friendliness and warmth of the people of Novascotia has made it a most memorable part of my life. I know that what I would be entering is demanding as it is, but being around affable people would make it manageable. To stay grounded and serve others the best way I know how would be my life’s greatest achievement. The knowledge that I will gain in my years as a medical student will help me become the complete person that I have dreamed of becoming. I consider my experience with patients at the chiropractic clinic and my advocacy for the underrepresented, minority communities as invaluable tools for my future career not only as a physician but one who is thoroughly focused in the proper administration of health policies. These experiences have molded me to be a person who refuses to quit. My determination will get me through the adversities that I will face and empathy will further mold me as a competent and compassionate doctor. Read More