Importance Of Demystifying Medical School Admission

At times I wondered if I belonged, if there was a place in medicine for someone like me—a first-generation college student and Pell Grant recipient. I had difficulty reconciling my experiences at an elite college with my less privileged life at home. In my attempt to gain citizenship in both my provincial hometown and an institution with an endowment of $23.9 billion, had inadvertently alienated myself from both worlds? Like the young biracial girl I once was, I again found myself in that liminal in-between space, belonging neither here nor there—a lonely place to be. I grappled with the task of finding authentic membership in these two communities, but it wasn’t until later that I understood the value of that struggle. Since graduating, I’ve worked with patients at both extremes on the continuum of privilege, and my dual-citizenship in these two worlds has proved an invaluable resource. As a medical assistant at a concierge medicine practice and as a researcher working with low-income cocaine addicts, I’ve drawn upon my experiences to find ways to relate to these very different patient groups, and to quickly build rapport and trust, which is vital for the physician-patient

I was regularly identified and characterized by my teachers as an introverted child growing up. Each year, I had to designate my future career aspirations, and every year until the end of my high school career, I wrote down “MD.” This may have stemmed from the fact that, in my culture, growing up as a child of an immigrant generation, education was the primary emphasis. Having minimal access to delve into possible career options, I assumed that the MD route was the only way to become a health care provider. My parents probably pondered how a quiet, soft spoken child like me would want to become a doctor. My journey did not take me in the track to become a medical doctor, but I am confident that this path is in fact a true blessing in my life. As I prepare to begin the FNP graduate nursing program, I am delighted to announce to my family and friends that I am finally on the road to becoming a primary health care provider.

Just as the institution is eager to continue embracing the ever-changing world of healthcare and medicine, I too embody this same distinguishing characteristic. Throughout my undergraduate experiences I have learned in order to be a steward and servant of the medical profession one must exercise teamwork, service, empathy, accountability, and optimism; all of which coincide with the tenets that are declared by the Meharry Medical College, School of Medicine culture. Attending this medical school would be one of the greatest rewards for my motivation and persistence. I know for certain there would be no greater experience than to be a part of the Meharry Medical College

3. In the practice of medicine, we have the amazing privilege to not only help our patients, but also to learn from them in very unexpected ways. Read the following 2 essays, written recently by students at the University Of Florida College Of Medicine. In the first, a student had a major impact on a young patient on the pediatric surgery service. In the second, the student describes her care for a noncompliant patient. Both made a difference in their patients and both changed and grew through the experience. Pick one, and describe the skills of the author that you notice and think are helpful, then describe how one or both of these stories relate to the kind of physician that you want to be.

Alabama ranks poorly on many health indicators. It is ranked 47th out of 50 in the nation in overall health; 43rd in cancer deaths, 2nd in deaths from cardiovascular disease and 3rd in the incidence of diabetes (Healthy People 2010). Also, Alabama is ranked 5th in the number of residents without health insurance. In my opinion, I believe the greatest challenge that these health disparities present is that very often socioeconomic status determines an individual’s health status. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, I witnessed many people in my community suffer from health issues because compared to other ethnic groups, African Americans, tend to be far less trusting of physicians and their medical advice. Notably, the distrust is rooted in pass corrupt cases, such as, the 40 year Tuskegee syphilis study and the case of Henrietta Lacks. The lack of minority representation in health professions is my motivation for pursuing a career in a health-related profession.

A reformation of the achievement levels of African-Americans starts through the investment of high achieving mentors, families, and friends. It begins with African-Americans straying away from statistical choices, such as placing improper value on education, community involvement, and health. The overcoming of such adversities involved with being an African-American woman has propelled my career goals. By striving to become a pharmacist and non-profit leader I am showing that the accomplishments of African-American women in health and leadership are not abnormal. One of the major causes of minority health disparities is the lack of minority health providers. As a healthcare provider, I will be better able to promote wellness in minority populations.

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

When planning my pre-medical schedule at the University of Iowa, I found a first year seminar titled “Journey to Medical School.” All of the fears, ambitions, and everything I could think of regarding my journey to medical school was covered in the seminar. I left the class feeling terrified, but more than that, excited and prepared for what was to come within my next 8 years. One of the class periods was filled with the intellect of students who currently attend Carver Medical School. During that class period, I was mesmerized by the way the students carried themselves. They talked with poise and grace. Listening to them talk about how their journey was going made my heart putter – I was terrified, yet excited to continue on my own

On February 9th, I attended an event where Dr. Renee Navarro was giving a speech about her personal story into the field of medicine and the obstacles she overcame as a Black woman. After she finished, I was in awe at how inspiring and encouraging her journey was. Dr. Navarro is a woman full of passion and resilience. Her journey was not easy in the slightest and being a minority made it harder for her to achieve her dreams. With all the odds against you, one is likely to give up. But, this was never the case for Dr. Navarro. She held an unwavering confidence and determination in herself that drove her to success and become the inspirational role model she is today. After listening to her path to success, I realized that some of my current

Poor first-generation college students are underrepresented in medicine, despite their wealth of experiences giving them a unique and significant perspective into the challenges of patients. Even through tireless work and perseverance they may be only a few steps away from achieving their dreams. I am one of those students and I intend to become a physician. My interest in the ABLE Program is rooted in two main reasons. First, its focus on disadvantaged students. Second, ABLE aligns with my long-term goal of service to underserved communities across Michigan.

For a split second I caught myself reconsidering my future that I have thought for so long I had all figured out. As the President of the Ole Miss chapter of AMSA began the meeting, I found myself starting to relax a little. I listened to all the things that most medical school reviewers look for on a transcript and application, and all the things she talked about were offered through this organization or were made much simpler with the aid that it provides. The speaker went on to say that AMSA was not simply a “medical school prep”, but it was heavily involved in community service. Following the speech by the President, Dr. Gray got on stage to tell us about his experience as a member of the review board at the University of Arkansas Medical School, and he shared some of the things that he, as a reviewer, found as positives and negatives in an application. When the meeting was coming to an end, we were encouraged to join the national chapter of AMSA as well as the Ole Miss

I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation to give my highest recommendation for Richard Nguyen for the position of a Research Associate at Hennepin County Medical Center. As the leader of our Organization, the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS), I have had the privilege of working with Richard for over a year now. The aim of MAPS is to support the needs of scholars from underrepresented communities and prepare them for challenging careers within medicine. Richard has demonstrated exceptional leadership within the organization, and continues to amaze me with his accomplishments.

Before I had come into high school, there was no way for people who wanted to pursue health to get involved with any other students with that same desire. When this club, called the Health Organization for the Students of America (HOSA), was finally created, I wanted to join and maintain a leadership position immediately. I was elected as chairman and was ready to make a mark on New Albany High School. As a chairman, I was responsible for making the school become involved in interscholastic competitions with clubs similar to ours. By performing in these interscholastic competitions, the students of our school would gain an application to the breadth of knowledge learned in classes to the practical field of medicine. In our first year, we were

Therefore, last year, I connected with other soon-graduating pre-health students to start Pre-Health Society. In the past year, we have mentored four students to apply and also be accepted to a program that supports underrepresented minorities in medicine and dentistry, hosted workshops to expose to students their intended fields (suturing workshops, etc.) and many others.”

Recent reports have noted that the racial/ethnic composition of our nation is projected to transmute drastically in the coming decades. Given this information, it is ergo consequential that our nation’s health professions amend their efforts to provide culturally competent care to all patients. My contribution to advancing diversity in the medical field includes expecting volunteering opportunities where I was not in the majority, but where I was the minority. You will note that throughout my years of giving back, I have always served in areas were I could reduce health-care disparities and/or serve in underserved communities.