Medical School Personal Statement
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Medical School Personal Statement
My dream to become a doctor is motivated by my hunger for knowledge in science that has helped me exercise my desire to have a positive impact on the health standards of people around me. This desire has grown out of personal experiences and several factors that have played a significant role in compelling me to pursue studies in medicine. Being born from a father who is a doctor, my compassion and desire for human care provision is what made me have a dream to pursue medicine from a tender age up to this point.
I have the qualities of becoming an excellent medical practitioner in my career. As a kid, I was looked at as a minority; once I took an international flight to Haiti when I was disembarking on the plane; all eyes were on me. At that time, I put aside my fortunate beginnings and reflected on the fact that these feelings were infinitesimally small compared to my mission. From body language exhibited by the Haitians at that time, it was clear that they were devastated by the category four hurricane that had hit the country the previous year. This exhibited devastation prompted me to exercise the strength of humanity through the reconstruction of a local jewelry business. At the reopening, a Haitian shed a tear on my behalf, and this made me realize that lifting a person’s morale was far more fulfilling than just building jewelry racks. From this incident, I had learned that I had values such as compassion, empathy, and patience, which are part of characteristics that enhance a doctor’s relationship.
Becoming a doctor has always been my dream ever since I was a teenager. By the time I was a teenager, the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” had already become familiar to me. Usually, a teenager would answer the question based on their dreams without considering the practicality of achieving them. But for me, I had one goal to become a doctor, and frankly, there was no reasoning behind it, besides following the footsteps of my father. Being informed of the burdensome path, all doctors endure made this dream so far-fetched. But all in all, I knew that he was living for a greater course of helping others. This is what stirred my desire for medicine, and I made a promise to myself that one day I would become a doctor so that I may carry on the great deeds that my father had always lived for.
My willingness to learn and thirst for knowledge has been evident for me ever since I was a young child. At my middle school clarinet class, we learned a new song each week, playing them in front of the whole class. I wasn’t musically sound, but I was able to prove to myself I was capable of improvement. Or in the art class, when I was too afraid to tell my teacher I was color-blind, I had to redo multiple projects. Despite my red-green deficiencies, it was so fulfilling to be able to improve my work. I started to bring around a journal everywhere, drawing anything I that popped into my head. Flipping through the pages, my artistic style improved by the day. Seeing improvements only encouraged me to reach further in my art. From these experiences, I believe my desire to learn would come in handy in my medical career.
I would like to pursue medicine because I view it as an opportunity for me to share my passion for creativity. I remember my first time in scrubs, taking thousands of pictures with my best-friend Tucker, and even struggling to put them on; I was a rookie. I remember walking into my father carrying out an operation and remembering how different it looked from my childhood “Operation” game. He made an incision at the top of the forehead; disregarding the smell, I looked over at Tucker, and both of our eyes widened. I didn’t focus on the fact that this women’s face was half-way off her body, but more so her body as a canvas while my father held the brushes, but this time there was no buzzing sound to mimic a mistake. After the surgery, I had already posed a question to my father to know who was next. From this experience, I had developed an understanding of how medicine plays a significant role in human life wellbeing, and I was sure I was meant to become a medical practitioner.
Another experience that depicted the embodiment of my interest in human care occurred when I was 18 years, which made me believe in my dream of becoming a doctor. Aside from reconstructing a jewelry store, in our free time, we were blessed with the opportunity to serve in a nearby orphanage. I met a 10-year-old orphan named Ezekiel, who wanted nothing more than adoption. Unfortunately, due to his sickle-cell anemia, the adoption process was taking longer than usual. I knew I wasn’t the first American to visit the orphanage, so when 8-year-old Paterson said to me that I’m different and he will remember me, I was surprised. Another child called me dad when I was just 18. This made me believe that I had the desire to impact other people’s lives, just like what medical practitioners do.
I understand that practicing medicine requires dedication and discipline, and I believe that my background played a critical in fostering these qualities in me, through my education and experience, I confirm that I possess these characteristics. I am very much aware of the relentless hard work and mental strain that will be needed from me to perform in this field efficiently. I believe that my love for patient care and medicine aligns with my compassionate nature to help me succeed in becoming a medical practitioner.
I, therefore, wish to follow a career in medicine because it will enable me to take care of others, just like my father has been doing in his career. This will allow me to serve humanity, which includes those who are poor and in critical need of medical care. Furthermore, I will be able to take care of my family and make them proud of helping others as well. In-depth, I have gained knowledge and become aware of my capacity to show compassion, patience, and acceptance in patient care.
ng time. The government and other related bodies should invest in this area to determine whether indeed marijuana has the potential to offer medical solutions to society.
Medical marijuana should be approved for medical purposes only. According to history, humans have been using medicinal marijuana since 2900 BC in ancient China. In China, one every popular Chinese medicine man named Shen Nung discovered the healing potential of cannabis. Since then, the drug has continued to be used for its medicinal value. Today, more than 25 states in the US have taken the step to legalize medical marijuana. For instance, Florida Amendment 2 in 2016 allowed the use of cannabis for medical reasons in Florida State. Since then, it has been effective in fighting numerous diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Epilepsy, and other terminal diseases.
There is a need for more research to done in this area to find a sustainable solution. Today, the medicinal potential of cannabis has not been fully recognized, and that is why there is a need to invest in more research in this area. Today, medical marijuana has remained prohibited in many countries across the globe. Still, those states that have invested in research have made some amendments, which have allowed the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
The medical professionals should ensure that marijuana is used for medical proposes rather than recreational uses. Studies have shown that consumption of medical marijuana can help in reducing the use of prescription drugs. This is because research has shown the use of medical marijuana has fewer side effects compared to common painkillers, which are sold in the shops and hospitals (Park & Wu, 2017). According to science and medical professions, the use of drugs such as Morphine and common opioids can have a dangerous effect, especially when used continually (Lucas, & Walsh, 2017). More so, there are high chances of taking this drugs overdose. In comparison, the use of medical marijuana should be legalized because the chances of taking the drug as overdose are very minimal.
The medical marijuana is effective in treating different illnesses and should there be approved. In fact, research has shown that the approval of using marijuana for medical reasons has not led to increase us of this drug. With the legalization of marijuana for medical use, there is a need to educate society and even call for more stringent regulations. According to a study that was done in Colorado, the use of marijuana among teenagers has reduced significantly since the laws were amended to allow the use of this drug for medical reasons.
Medical marijuana has been effective in treating Epilepsy, cancer, Crohn’s diseases, and eating disorders, among others. Research has proved that medical marijuana has many benefits and fewer adverse effects on human health. For instance, in states such as Florida and California, medical marijuana has been used to successfully treat patients with Aids, Arthritis, and cancer, among other illnesses.
More research has shown that medical marijuana can help patients with mental health issues, schizophrenia, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders (Hall & Lynskey, 2016). In a nutshell, it now clear that the use of medical marijuana is significant and this fact cannot be ignored. This drug has shown how effective it can be in dealing with many diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s, Seizures, Glaucoma, and Epilepsy among others (Lucas, & Walsh, 2017). Truly, the medicinal value of the marijuana continued to be realized across the globe. With proper approval, the use of medical marijuana seems to be something that will shape the future of the human health. And it is also clear that use of medical marijuana has fewer negative health effects, which is why this drug should be approved for medical uses (Park & Wu, 2017).
Medical marijuana needs licensing and proper regulations. If medical marijuana is to be legalized, there is a need for proper measures and regulations to ensure that the drug is used for the correct purposes. To start with, medical professions must have proper guidelines and licensing to ensure that the use of medical marijuana is restricted and used for the correct purpose. For instance, in Florida today, people can only attain medical marijuana for medicinal use once they have certifications from the approved bodies. A state-certified physician has to determine and approve that indeed, you need to use marijuana for medical reasons. Once this has been approved, an individual is then issued with a certificate, which will make it easier for them to acquire the drugs. Certification is fundamental because it will limit people from using drugs for other reasons that are not medical related.
If medical marijuana is regulated, then it will be possible for the society to get the benefits sustainably. The need for regulations and certification is relevant and this step will go a long way in ensuring that the drug is used appropriately and adequately (Hall & Lynskey, 2016). Lack of regulations and certification of this drug will cause young people to abuse this drug, which can cause harmful effects on society. It is essential for all people that have the certifications or approval to use medicinal marijuana for other reasons rather than recreational purposes (Lucas, & Walsh, 2017). Anyone that has been prescribed to use this drug should always go to the approved centres alongside their licenses. Such measures will ensure that only people who have been prescribed to use cannabis for medical use have rightful access. Without proper measures, teenagers will misuse the cannabis and continue to expose others because of peer influence.
Conclusion
The issue of whether to legalize medical marijuana or not is something that must be researched properly. Medical marijuana should be legalized but all users should have certification from medical professionals to ensure that the drug is used only for medical purposes but not recreational reasons (Park & Wu, 2017). With proper measures and regulations, the use of marijuana will be managed and people will gain the benefits (Hall & Lynskey, 2016). Young people have been known to abuse this drug and therefore, regulations and education will be equally important so that the society can get the medicinal benefits from cannabis. The government, hospitals, and other bodies should work together to ensure that legalization of medical marijuana does not affect the society negatively, rather, it will bring sustainable health development to all people globally.
References
Lucas, P., & Walsh, Z. (2017). Medical cannabis access, use, and substitution for prescription
opioids and other substances: a survey of authorized medical cannabis patients. International Journal of Drug Policy, 42, 30-35.
Hall, W., & Lynskey, M. (2016). Why it is probably too soon to assess the public health effects
of legalization of recreational cannabis use in the USA. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(9), 900-906.
Park, J. Y., & Wu, L. T. (2017). Prevalence, reasons, perceived effects, and correlates of medical
marijuana use: a review. Drug and alcohol dependence, 177, 1-13.