IUPUI Personal Statement

I came to America from Vietnam when I was just three years old. I spent a majority of my life with my grandma, who has always taught me the importance of helping others. She always told me to have; you must give, and if you have nothing to give, you can always give your time. This phase has been a huge guide in my life, and it has truly shaped me into who I am. At a young age, I always felt that my purpose in life was to help people. After attending many doctor visits with my grandma for her health check-ups, I was confident my future occupation would be in the medical field. During these frequent doctor visits, I had the chance to watch the interactions and cooperation among different healthcare professionals in different settings. Being in this inspiring environment, I hoped one day I could mirror them and make a difference in people’s lives and the community. Although I have always wanted to help those in need, I was uncertain of what specific career role would allow me to fulfill my passion for helping others.

During my time at Union County College I have been faced with a lot of difficulties. I’ve struggled along the way but one thing I do believe is that I have the power to do better. My GPA has been affected by my personal mistakes. In my past semesters I have let my job take over my life rather than let school be most important. I have also let my personal family problems affect my work ethic. But through my fall 2014, it was most difficult because of March 2014 I lost my father through an unexpected heart attack. Throughout my fall semester I did struggle and cope with my father not being here anymore. I believed that I wasn’t focused enough because I used fall semester as a time to occupy myself rather that time out to deal with my father’s

Hundreds of schools offer the same programs it is just a matter of finding the right one for yourself, which I believe is much more than the classes you take.The personal connection I have with ISU has created a bond for me that I never thought I would ever have with a school. It gives me the determination and drive to create a successful experience.

Major changes in my life have affected my high school career, but a large impact came from the death of my father in eighth grade. Before his passing, I was an average A/B student in middle school and even elementary school, which quickly changed in 8th grade when my classes became too hard for me to handle. I decided the best thing for my mental health was to drop out of my higher level classes. This lead to being in standard classes throughout my first year of high school with minimal effort from my part. After constantly missing school, I failed my second quarter. Instead of bouncing back from this, it pushed me down, making me believe I would never be able to recover. Without any motivation, I ended my ninth grade year with a grade point average of 1.4.

My mother became depressed, my father became disabled, and my brother was skipping school. I continued going to school from eight until four, which was a big relief in my life because it made me forget the hard times. My grades slowly began to decline, as well as my motivation. I gave up many opportunities such as attending New York’s number one specialized high school. I recognized my mistakes and was able to identify my failure. School was not the only place where I lacked interest in because I also slowly started to push my friends away. As a young teenager, I did not think I would ever make it to college. I became frustrated at my parents because my life was ruined and it was all their fault.

My decision to pursue a career as a physician was not a blinding revelation, being the daughter of two immigrant parents the thought of becoming a physician seemed distant. In high school I pursued to obtain what for me was then the highest education I perceived I would be able to achieve which was going to college and obtaining a bachelor’s degree. As the quote by Ralph Ellison highlights, “When I discover who I am, I’ll be free”. This quote resonates with the start of my second year in college, as I have been able to find my passion for medicine. More specifically, I explored my values and how I wanted to shape my future. I reflected upon the encounters and dramatic effects that physicians have had with my own family. The most impactful

However, my junior year also held some troubles for me. In October, my cousin had a stroke and passed away. Visiting her in the hospital and attending her funeral brought back unresolved issues I had from my brother’s death in 2010. I didn't know how to cope, so I fell into a deep depression. I had no energy; it was like my brain wouldn’t let me do anything I used to enjoy. I stopped playing the piano after having played for ten years. I loved to run, but I stopped completely. I didn’t have the energy for either.

I first learned and introduced to osteopathic medicine by Dr. John Landrum, the director of the FIU Office of Pre-Health Professions. As I begin my undergraduate career here at FIU, I was concerned about my future prospects and curious about continuing my education after earning an undergraduate degree. My appointment with Dr. Landrum in the office was a very informative session. When I told Dr. Landrum of my interest in the study medicine, first question he mentioned to me was “Are you applying to M.D. or D.O. programs?” I was stunned, because at the time I had never heard of osteopathic medicine and thought that there is only one type of medicine, which is allopathic. Then we further discussed about the values and philosophies behind each

At Dodge City High School I was in many activities such as The Pride of Southwest Kansas, varsity tennis, drill team, enriched learning, and many other honors classes, I was even the president of the decoration committee my junior year. After my sophomore year I added another egg to my basket, and was hired at my first job. With my first job I helped my mom by getting my own phone, paying for the bill, and buying my own items and necessities. But with all these activities and work, I started to get tired, but more than anything, I got lazy, and careless. I started to spend more time procrastinating and doing things last minute. I started showing up late to class which led to not even showing up at all. At this point in my life, everything was going down hill. I got dismissed from drill team, I went from first chair in the band, to dead last, and my grades reflected my attendance. I pushed everything to the side and blamed it on “senioritis”. I thought I was doing everything right and I did what I wanted, but it wasn't until I got called down to the office for a meeting, that I realized that I was putting to shame every effort and all the time my mom spent on raising

Adversity has only improved my tenacity, focus, endurance, and problem solving abilities. Various circumstances have affected my academic performance negatively, but I use that as motivation to continually improve myself. I want to be a part of the solution to the family physician shortage and serve the community in the most effective way. My drive to improve the lives of others will help propel me through the difficulties of medical school and beyond. The personal experience I have with my immersion in the field of primary care gives me unique characteristics that will translate into creating a successful physician that focuses on building meaningful relationships with patients. I continually witness how my grandfather is positively impacting the community through medicine and it is my goal to be granted an opportunity to do the same. My belief in lifelong learning and continual self-improvement consistently drives me towards the study of medicine. Because of my life experiences, I now have the balance, endurance, clarity, and tenacity needed to be a successful medical

During my sophomore year, I became depressed and antisocial due to problems in my life. My mother has been sick with a brain tumor since 2009 and she was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2012. It has been very hard on me and especially for my mother. I worry about her because she has shown signs of severe depression, she often talks about that she would rather be dead than alive anymore. After all of the pain, all of the humiliation of not being able to walk well, the embarrassment of not being able to write well, all of the staring and comments I would hear about my mother, she is still strong. After 6 years of pain and suffering along the way, I do not blame her. Everything seems to get worse. She now needs surgery due to avascular necrosis that was caused by many years of chemotherapy. I began to lose motivation slowly because I did not have any friends in any of my classes and I felt like I was stuck in a

After a valiant attempt of fighting cancer, my mother passed away. As for many before me, it was a difficult transition to endure. Yet, her words still resound in my soul. She told me to live my life without any regrets. There is only one area of my life that I regret. I regret not achieving my educational dreams, goals, potential. My transcript as the track record of my educational journey fails in comparison to my life journey. I am a responsible and hardworking person. I have worked for Grossmont Union High School District for over 27 years. I have been happily married for over 23 years with two sons in college. I have had the privilege of being the care provider for my family members. I am a survivor of my own medical issues and surgeries. I will continue to give all my energy to supporting my family, church and community. I have given “A” work in the classes that I have completed, since my freshman year. I have always put everyone else first in my life. If I could do it all over again, they would still be first. I have done a lot of things in my life. However, I have to do this for me. I am not just older, but healthier and wiser. If given the opportunity, I have to attain my

WPI has always stood out as a perfect university for me. All its features — from its diversity of students and staff to its exceptional academics — make it a perfect match for me. Its urban location facilitates both academic and social networks, promoting a steadfast environment, and the campus creates a very comfortable learning and living environment. Academically, I hope to pursue my interests in bioengineering, where I can collaborate with other students and professors to create and develop artificial tissues, organs, and other organ components that can be used to replace damaged or missing limbs. By attending WPI, I know that I could work hand in hand with some of the best professors, doctors, and hospitals in the country, researching

The seeds of this project start with reflecting on my grandmother, Lumida Rodriguez Viscal. In my family, she was the first person to enter a medical profession when she became a licensed physical therapist in 1953. I remember her telling me stories of her work with polio patients. However, by all accounts, she did not particularly want to become a physical therapist. My mother says she really wanted to be a doctor; my aunt says that she wanted to pursue further studies in chemistry, an interest she developed as an undergraduate. Both, however, remember hearing from her that “the scholarships that year were for physical therapy.” So this project starts with trying to understand why and how my grandmother became a physical therapist.

My choice to attend FIU was one of the easier ones I’ve made so far in my academic career. I was drawn to the university as I felt a sense of community here that has only been further enhanced as a legacy, with both my mother and stepfather having completed their Bachelor degrees at this institution. The relationships and connections my parents were able to build here were a testament to FIU’s ability to bring together people from so many different backgrounds and create a family. I experienced an even greater connection as my stepfather found a lifelong friendship and mentor in an FIU staff member and honored him by making him the godfather of one of my younger brothers. Thus, FIU has been a special part of my life even before college was