BS/MD applicant

Northwestern Statement: What are the unique qualities of Northwestern - and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying - that make you want to attend the University? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified? (300 word maximum)


I live a life without boundaries. My cerebral hemispheres fail to distinguish between "left brain" and "right brain," leading me to a world of interdisciplinary thought -- precisely why Northwestern Engineering embodies my ideal counterpart. 

 

Through its distinctive "Whole-Brain Engineering" foundation, McCormick innovatively rejects the stereotypical divide between the arts and sciences, emphasizing communication, design, and collaboration. The Engineering First curriculum offers the perfect platform for me to combine the theory and art of engineering into a culminating service project with real-world applications. 


I eagerly anticipate continuing my inclinations for circulating-tumor-cell research under renowned professors, such as Chad Mirkin, with whom I recently conversed regarding his nano-optics lab. Yet, at the same time, McCormick's Social Science/Humanities Theme requirement will enable me to extend beyond engineering principles, through fascinating courses such as "Media and Message Delivery" and "Perception," as I engage in my interests of journalism and philosophical thought. 


Northwestern’s unparalleled commitment to civic-engagement will allow me to then apply my academic learnings and rehabilitation experiences to my zeal for social medicine, through the Global Healthcare Technologies program, aimed at developing medical devices for underprivileged South African communities. 


Outside of academics, I look forward to joining Northwestern's Happiness Club -- the club that inspired me to start a similar organization at my school, titled Project Smile, to spread laughter and wellness through random acts of kindness. I also aspire to immerse myself in my passions for dance and culture by performing with the Bollywood dance team, aNUbhav. 


But, ultimately, it’s the community that attracts me to Northwestern -- the connections across disciplines and the overarching sense of unity. After speaking with students and visiting campus, I cannot imagine myself anywhere else. So, color me purple, and call me a Wildcat, because this is where I am meant to be. 



Explain the factors that are driving you towards a career in medicine.


I have been seeing patients ever since I was 11 years old. Chest pain, fever, shortness of breath, fractured bones, strokes, lacerations; I have encountered it all. Month after month, year after year, I would sit in the Emergency Department of Aultman Hospital, my eyes glued to the stories unfolding around me. I excitedly watched and followed my father, an Emergency Physician, as he treated patients with exceptional swiftness and unmatchable calmness. That, my young mind learned, is how one makes a difference in this world - fully immersed in and fully committed to healing one patient at a time. 


As I matured, this spark of intellectual curiosity flourished from a fascination with the biological sciences. I was especially captivated by the world of genetics, transporting me to a laboratory setting, where physics, chemistry, and biology converged around my cancer biomarkers research. While my work allowed me to intricately devise answers to the "why's" and "how's," I longed to stretch my learnings to answer the "so what's" – involving not only the genesis of innovation, but also the face-to-face delivery.


Through clinical experiences in shadowing physicians, I witnessed procedures ranging from blood pressure monitoring to cardiac defibrillation, intrigued by the capabilities of technology. Yet, I also observed the power of medicine to relieve the pain caused by a kidney stone and to reassure an anxious mother. I learned that medicine goes far beyond pure research – it is the perfect amalgamation of science and art; and that is precisely why my heart is set on it. I crave a career that pushes me past sheer analytics, into the realms of emotion, communication, and ethics.


My own realization began with a pinch of glitter, a flurry of stickers, and the simplicity of a smile, during my volunteer shifts at a local hospital.


For most, handmade cards form a tradition, long lost to Hallmark; however, for me, they symbolize my journey into the art of medicine. Last summer, I initiated a volunteer-based program to create and distribute greeting cards to admitted patients, offering a lighter moment in an otherwise difficult time. The heartfelt smiles I continue to receive solidify my aspirations to pursue the true essence of medicine: compassion and care.


As physician-author Abraham Verghese puts it, the most important innovation in medical history is "the power of the human hand." I, too, hope to attain an acute sensitivity to the nuances of disease through personal connection, a sympathetic ear, and a warm human-touch – a feat that only medicine can fulfill.


This semester, role-playing a physician in my Medical-Problem-Solving class offered a particularly memorable case involving a teenager diagnosed with tetanus, whose parents denied treatment. As I dealt with this ethical dilemma and strove to balance science and humanity, I confirmed my desire for an interdisciplinary path towards a career in medicine.


So, while I enjoy the logic and problem-solving behind medicine, what I truly aspire to achieve goes far beyond that – delivering compassion through the art of healing.



Why do you think being part of a BA/MD program is the best path for you?


When I was six, I played with a toy stethoscope. When I was 11, my favorite board game was Operation. When I was 15, I was reading Complications, by Atul Gawande. 


I have always wanted to be a doctor; I've never been so sure of anything in my life. For some, the ends may justify the means, but, for me, the journey is indeed as important as the destination. With my intense interest in medicine, firm confidence in career choice, and diverse set of passions, I can think of no better way to achieve my goals than through a combined BA/MD program. 


By exposing me to exclusive research, shadowing, and clinical opportunities, such as the Medical Student Summer Research Program, HPME will put me one step closer to translating my fascinations with science and communication to the art of healing. 


With a reserved position in the Feinberg School of Medicine, I will not only have a chance to deeply explore my enthusiasms for medicine, but also to continue pursuing my varying interests both in and out of the classroom. 


I will have the freedom to study both engineering and communications as an undergraduate, through the specialized biomedical engineering tract and the Integrated Marketing Communications Certificate program, an opportunity I would likely forgo as a pre-med student applying to medical school. 


The interdisciplinary education that HPME allows for cultivates the ideal platform for me to engage in all of my academic interests without having to pick and choose between fluid mechanics, neuroscience, and investigative journalism. 


Beyond classes, I eagerly anticipate performing with Northwestern's aNUbhav dance team, which I have shamelessly spent hours watching on YouTube. Alleviating the pressure of medical school applications, HPME would enable me to commit to the team during my undergraduate years, allowing me to immerse myself in my passions for dance, culture, and expression. 


Ultimately, the cross-disciplinary flexibility, collaborative community, and overarching sense of unity are what attract me to HPME, and I truly cannot think of a better fit for me. 



Write about a time when your friends saw a situation or problem one way, but you saw it differently. How did you handle that?


Ancient philosophers never had time for it. And, when they did have something to say about the subject, it was largely critical, or worse, dismissive. My friends were just as skeptical; I've become accustomed to their raised eyebrows, hesitant nods, and well-disguised intrigue. But, it was what mattered to me. More than anything else: Laughter.


Three years ago, I recall standing in the middle of a park, surrounded by strangers of all ilk. Suddenly, the elderly lady on my right burst into a forced chuckle that rapidly evolved into a genuine laugh. One by one, everyone followed with full-throated laughter, and I could not help but join in. 


My immersion in laughter-yoga was both liberating and exhilarating. The positive energy I felt was surprisingly real. A conscious effort to embrace the unknown led to vistas that would have otherwise remained unexplored.


Many of my peers justifiably questioned how such an apparently artificial exercise could be so therapeutic. I, however, learned that at some point we must all suspend the temptation to succumb only to the known.


To share my learnings of happiness and gratitude, I started an organization, aptly named Project Smile. Through it, my friends were exposed to a perspective that is often lost in the hubbub of daily-life. Wherever my future takes me, I have confidence that I will boldly follow my own conviction – even when the unfamiliar leads to the unexpected.