User #5579

Undergraduate College: UCLA
Undergraduate Area of Study: English/Literature

Institution: Harvard Graduate School of Education
Area of Study: Other
Degree Obtained: EdM

Institution: Colorado State University
Area of Study: Premedical Studies

MCAT: BS 11, PS 9, VR 11, Q
Overall GPA: 3.59
Science GPA: 3.79

Brief Profile:
post-bacc GPA: 3.99

AMCAS submitted: 6/5/2011

Application Complete, Rejected

Accepted

Summary of Application Experience

6/5/11 submitted my AMCAS, still waiting for transcripts and letters
6/20/11 so frustrated, one transcript still missing
6/27/11 AMCAS finally complete
7/21/11 AMCAS finally verified
7/22/11 received U of Connecticut secondary
7/28/11 received U of Vermont secondary
7/28/11 submitted U of Vermont secondary
7/29/11 submitted U of Connecticut secondary
8/3/11 received U of Colorado secondary
8/3/11 submitted U of Colorado secondary
8/6/11 retook the MCAT
9/7/11 MCAT scores finally released
9/19/11 added Med Coll of Wisconsin to my AMCAS
9/20/11 received Med Coll of Wisconsin secondary
9/21/11 submitted Med Coll of Wisconsin secondary
10/5/11 "pooled" at Med Coll of Wisconsin
11/9/11 "pooled" at U of Vermont
11/17/11 interview invite at U of Colorado
12/19/11 attended interview at U of Colorado
12/21/11 accepted to U of Colorado. I'm going to be a doctor!!!


PERSONAL STATEMENT -- DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!

We knew for six weeks that my unborn baby had only a slim chance of survival. In many ways my life stood still during the wait to learn her fate as, restricted to bed rest and consumed with worry, I watched the minutes tick by like hours. Twice a day I put the fetal Doppler to my belly and prayed to hear her heartbeat, knowing all too well that eventually, the serious placental complications that limited her supply of oxygen, nutrients, and amniotic fluid would likely prove too much for my fragile baby girl. With each new ultrasound exam she slipped further behind on the growth curve, and yet our tiny baby astonished my doctors by hanging on much longer than anticipated. Agonizingly slowly we reached that magic "age of viability" and, with the hope that she might somehow overcome her serious challenges, we named our little girl Victoria. Unfortunately, the lack of amniotic fluid irreversibly damaged her lungs, and when it became clear that our daughter would be unable to live outside the womb, we made the heartbreaking decision to induce labor early.

Little Victoria died about an hour before her birth, but in many ways she taught me more about life than anybody else. In the months following our loss, I focused a great deal of energy on re-evaluating my priorities and aspirations. I gained a greater appreciation for the miracle of life and the special people in my own. Ambitions I had earlier dismissed as impossible or impractical suddenly became achievable and deeply meaningful. My interest in medicine had been growing for years, but it was my experience with Victoria that finally gave me the "permission" I needed to pursue it.

Like many women today, I had postponed childbearing until after I established my career. After earning a master's degree in education from Harvard, I went to work producing innovative educational software for large corporate clients. I loved advising clients on various instructional strategies, directing cross-functional production teams, and combining creativity and practicality with sound design principles to produce effective adult learning tools. I enjoyed my work and excelled in my career, but the corporate training field never gave me a strong sense of purpose nor the satisfaction that comes from directly improving the lives of others.

My desire to practice medicine came about in part through personal experiences as my husband and I struggled to build our family. If it weren't for modern medicine, I might never have fulfilled my dream of becoming a mother... I will be forever grateful to the gynecologist who removed my ovarian tumor and preserved my fertility, the obstetrician who delivered my son via emergency c-section following signs of fetal distress, and the team of doctors who diagnosed a blood-clotting disorder and successfully guided me through a high-risk pregnancy after several losses. Recognizing the direct impact each of these physicians had on my life, I envied their ability to make such important and deeply personal contributions to the lives of others. My maternal-fetal medicine specialist, in particular, profoundly influenced my desire to become a physician. I was so inspired by Dr. Hobbins' intent listening, thoughtful explanations, and depth of caring that at each appointment I found myself wanting to BE him!

Through my own experiences as well as those of several close friends, I have learned more than I ever anticipated about infertility and assisted reproductive technologies, pre-natal testing, and pregnancy complications. As the mother of two children, one of whom has had a number of medical issues, I am intimately involved in their healthcare and have had the opportunity to meet with specialists in several areas including metabolics, genetics, and endocrinology. I find myself fascinated by the human body and almost always engross myself in the relevant literature of each medical field that I encounter.

Acquiring knowledge often fosters a desire to learn even more, and over the past several years I have confirmed the depth of my interest in medicine. I have taken the opportunity to shadow a physician, and as a volunteer at our local hospital, I regularly interact with patients, nurses, and doctors. Although I have seen firsthand the miracles of modern medicine, I understand that satisfactory solutions are not always obtainable. When we lost baby Victoria, Dr. Hobbins taught me that sometimes the most important thing a physician can do for a patient is simply to squeeze her hand.

My path to medical school has been longer and perhaps more circuitous than that of most applicants, but the detours along the way have only served to clarify my most important destination. Since a large part of doctoring involves advocating for and educating patients, I believe my own experiences as a patient, which have taught me the importance of careful listening and true compassion, combined with my background in adult education, will serve me well as a future physician.