[Student Profile]
[Prompt & Essay]
Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside the classroom.
Growing up in [location], my love for medicine was fostered by a technologically-driven culture. I viewed high-tech advancements, such as synthetic DNA and 3-D digital hearts, as the key to caring for others—until I started volunteering at Lincoln Glen Nursing Center (LGNC). At LGNC, I befriended many residents, one of whom was [name]. During our conversations, [name] revealed her admiration for the ocean’s beauty and unpredictability. Unfortunately, [name] was bedridden, and I was saddened that she would never feel the salty mist of ocean waves again.
I wanted to bring the ocean back to [name]. I found the Music & Memory program, which uses personalized playlists to remind individuals of their past memories. When I discovered that LGNC was a certified Music & Memory center, I rushed to create [name]'s playlist, downloading song after song of waves crashing. [name]'s reaction to the playlist was priceless: as the songs played, an expression of sheer bliss appeared on [name]'s face. She held my hand, closed her eyes, and listened to the ocean I had brought her.
My experiences at LGNC changed my view of medicine and inspired me to look for research internships focused on improving senior citizens’ quality of life. At the Duan Lab at UCSF, I found an opportunity researching glaucoma, which causes eventual blindness. After my experiences at LGNC, where I could see the residents’ instant gratification, I struggled to connect my efforts in the lab with real glaucoma patients. Then, I created a poster about my research. As I wrote the introduction, I learned that the few glaucoma treatments that exist have severe side effects. By writing the conclusion, I understood how my research could advance future glaucoma treatments. Pipetting and running PCR gels no longer felt separated from caring for patients, and I began picturing bringing sight back to people, just as I had
brought the sounds of the ocean back to [name]. Volunteering at LGNC and interning at the Duan Lab have taught me that medicine at its core is defined by caring for others, regardless of whether that is achieved through high-tech accomplishments, iPod playlists, or pipetting.