Hey, HO. I realize I'm going waaaay overboard on the December updates, but whatevs, I got shiz to say.
I realized, talking to New boy last night, that I hadn't updated this thingie on my status in the med school process. As a matter of fact, I realized, I hadn't even posted my final version of the personal statement I decided to go with. So here that is:
Famous car capitalist Henry Ford once said, “Genius is seldom recognized for what it is; a great capacity for hard work.” As a small overstatement, according to this I believe that I am the next Einstein. My background story is not one of pity or impossible tasks or anything that would make a good movie; but it is a good tale that might make you smile, and it is mine to tell, so tell it I will.
The best place to start would be junior year in high school in Rolla, Missouri. It is here in my life where a lot of things converged. For instance on any given Wednesday, I would open the pool at 5 AM for the assiduous lap swimmers, and guard them until I bolted for school at 8 where I soaked up the wisdom and knowledge until 3 PM. From there, I swung by my house to grab my cleats, a twenty dollar bill, and a sandwich from my mother quickly so that I could make the 2 hour drive to practice in St. Louis by 5:30. After practice was over at 7:30, ten dollars went into the gas tank, and ten dollars worth of food went into my body for the trip home. This was my regime three times a week for two years. If you know any high schoolers, you will realize just what a feat of endurance this was. Let me tell you the reality of necessity behind my drive. I needed the job because my parents had just divorced and money was short. I needed the elite training because I traveled to soccer showcases that exposed me to collegiate athletic scholarships. Lastly, I needed high school, to quell my urge to learn, to study for the ACT, and well, because it is illegal not to attend public school five days a week. For me, no other option than to go to college on a scholarship of some kind was available. So I was extremely aware that I needed to capitalize on every possible opportunity that I could in high school. In hindsight, I realize just how rare my mentality was back then. None of my friends put as much effort into their prep for college as I did, and even today I find it hard to muster the endurance that I enjoyed then.
Due to the drive that led to my good grades, athleticism, and admirable ACT score, I was recruited to play soccer at Newberry College in South Carolina. The challenges I faced during this stage in my life, gave me more emotional and mental strength. While in college my grandmother was diagnosed with ALS, but she absolutely insisted that I stay in class. At the time I had decided to double major in Biology and Chemistry. This decision was a difficult one, heavily affecting much of my free time. Between my rigorous Division II soccer schedule, my classes and lab schedule, my days were literally non-stop. But, through her unselfish actions, my grandma taught me to work despite my emotion. She hardened my resolve that I should pursue a career involving heavy thinking. She passed away one month before I graduated cum laude and received a rather prestigious award. The W.L. Laval award is presented to one male and one female senior student athletes per year. Its winners are acclaimed to be outstanding in athletics, scholarship, character, and leadership. The award served as a reminder of how much work it takes to shine in crowd.
Which brings me to now; a rather uncertain period of my life that is failing to fulfill my strongest yet unusual desires. Most of my peers want that rewarding job which yields the top salary, fancy cars and other tangibles. I, on the other hand, possess an insatiable thirst for knowledge; despite my inability to regurgitate such intellect on the MCAT. Nonetheless, success in life for me is defined by the daily pursuance and acquisition of a higher level of acumen.
I am used to putting the effort into a task and reaping the benfits.. My perseverance is being challenged in the application process for medical school. I have not been accepted for a couple of years now, which has been getting mentally, emotionally and financially exhausting. My desire and determination to be accepted has brought me back time and time again. Since graduating college I have been putting in a forty hour work week as well as a full time MCAT study schedule and I maintain such a rigorous workout schedule that I was able to complete a marathon. I have shadowed numerous doctors, specifically surgeons such as Dr. David Lee, of Columbia, SC in preparation for the day that I am accepted into medical school. I am not certain of the exact qualifications of the people accepted, but I do know that a demonstrable ability to handle a stifling workload is smiled upon. Let me reassure you that my drive and ability for consistently going the distance and beyond is unwavering. I have already prepared myself for the hardships that every matriculate struggles with. The only thing I ask of you is to recognize my potential and allow me be your next genius, as Mr. Ford would say.
More on the process of application paperwork later, when I feel like it.
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