Personal Statement

Since this is the Graduate Edition, I felt it appropriate to include one of the documents that ensured my admission into graduate school. For those of you who are unclear, I am going to graduate school in the fall (not medical school yet) where I will have an opportunity to earn a Master's of Arts while I strengthen my academic merit for medical school. Below is the statement I submitted to Georgetown University, but you can expect to find me at Boston University. I think it's a little dry here and there, but here goes:

I have always enjoyed studying math and science, but two years ago my intellectual and social concerns came together to compel me to pursue a career in medicine. After researching career options and consulting my professors and mentors, I decided that a medical career would best allow me to combine my love for science with my desire to improve life for disadvantaged people in my community as well as our broader society. Volunteering in the Emergency Room of the University of California, Davis Medical Center and experiencing the hospital environment first hand solidified my desire. Becoming and being a doctor in our society is a tremendous challenge, and I have the energy and motivation to rise to it. I believe the student support and courses offered in the Georgetown University Special Masters Program in Physiology will not only add depth to my undergraduate education in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at UC Davis, but will also enable me to further demonstrate my eligibility for medical school.

A significant part of my personality has been positively influenced by my participation in bhangra, a form of North Indian folk dancing. I started dancing when I was six years old, and in college, my extensive experience allowed me to assume a leadership role on my team. As captain, I motivated my teammates to unleash their potential and creativity. Together, we competed across the nation from San Jose to Boston, thrilling audiences everywhere. I mastered the art of time management by choreographing routines under tight time schedules. I successfully balanced a full-time course load, twelve hours of laboratory research, four hours at the UC Davis Medical Center, and eight hours of dance practice each week. Winning and losing dance competitions taught me the importance of direct communication, team work, personal dedication, and of constantly pushing my limits and learning from my mistakes. I approach each of my activities believing that I can succeed; my involvement in dance proved to me that I can.

Dancing keeps my body healthy, and laboratory research exercises my mind. Through active participation in research, I have gained an increased respect for life and an amplified appreciation for the physiological mechanisms that enable us to adapt to our dynamic environment. Presently, my laboratory is concerned with physiological responses to pulmonary injury; we aim to understand mammalian responses to ozone and derive effective means by which we may protect ourselves from this harmful pollutant. I spent nearly a year learning to perform surgical techniques and immunohistochemical protocols with precision and consistency; I now use these skills in my independent research. Consequently, Professor Schelegle offered me a paid position with the title Assistant IV, the highest research position an undergraduate student can hold on our campus. My current project explores the distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors and neurokinin-1 receptors in the airways of ozone-exposed rats. I expect my project's completion by June and I plan to submit an article for publication soon after.

Aside from my interest in research, I am deeply concerned by gender-related social issues. Specifically, I am disheartened by the increasing incidence of sex-selective abortion within the Punjabi Sikh community. I already socialize and relate with impacted individuals through youth camps where I mediate forums that allow parents and teenagers to bridge communication gaps. As a physician, providing quality healthcare and sound medical advice will bolster my qualifications and allow me to use my influence to ensure a positive and bright future for our girls.