Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? (500 words) Count: 480
Biomedical Engineering has been my passion; a gateway of sorts that I believe will constitute the future of medical and health sciences. It is in this dynamic field that I hope to someday make my mark in society.
The Biomedical Engineering program, at the University of Michigan, is a very multi-faceted program with an interdisciplinary nature, combining a challenging in-class curriculum with research opportunities across a wide range of technologies to provide better healthcare. The focus of the BME curriculum, specifically, is very closely aligned with some of the areas I wish to work in such as biomaterials, biomechanics and biomedical devices.
Dr. Figueroa’s work in the field of patient specific surgical planning with blood flow simulations has fascinated me. Based on my experiences from these past few summers at the Clinical Anatomy program and the Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills Summer Internship at Stanford School of Medicine, I am able to appreciate some of the challenges faced in clinical situations. I recognized the increasing need to leverage concepts of physics and software engineering to improve pre-surgical guidance systems for surgeons.
Also, the “Bench to Bedside” concept of the Biointerfaces Institute particularly resonated with me because of my own efforts in this space over the past few years. My interest in science first started in the summer of 2010 when I read an article in the National Geographic magazine describing the possibility of “de-extinction”, a process where scientists could revive recently extinct species by acquiring viable fragments of their DNA. Of course, the first thought that came to mind was Jurassic Park. In the coming weeks, I pored over articles on de-extinction, leading me to a treasure trove of information on genetics and cell biology. Yet, the innocence of this interest transformed into a passion when my grandfather lost his battle with cancer in the summer of 2011. My objective then became to learn everything I can about science and medicine in and out of the classroom. My efforts took a long route, starting with exploring nanotechnology and homemade organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells, to building a point of care device for early diagnosis of degenerative conditions using auto-fluorescence of biomarkers and smartphone technology in my own garage. This project won second place at the California State Science Fair this past May. I strongly believe that the BME program at the University of Michigan will strengthen my own “Bench to Bedside” efforts that I had embarked on that summer day in 2010.
Finally, an appeal of Michigan, in general, is the study abroad program. Upon getting my B.S., I would like to take my interests to different parts of the world, potentially through the Peace Corps or the Doctors Without Borders program. Michigan’s support for Engineering students to pursue education and research abroad reflects the Wolverine holistic view and my own.