Medecins Sans Frontieres are my role models. They are doctors who weave their way through the battlefields with medicine jars on their hands. They have chosen a life in adversities to save lives that are in despair rather than enjoying a comfortable life in the city hospitals. The fact that they are endangering their lives does not stop them from entering the battlefields. I want to be such a doctor. I have a dream that after my course, I will be an important member of the Medecins Sans Frontieres, weaving my way through a third world village in an unknown land.
Be a doctor who the poor can call a real friend. This is my dream and to achieve it, I must go to U. C. The dream to become a doctor dates back to sixth grade. Then, my father was a professor in one of the college hospitals, always surrounded by old and sick people. There is this particular day that however changed my perception on the importance of a doctor. I looked into the eyes of a dying grandmother. To her, my father was a kind of a savior, a beacon of hope. In the patients’ dying moments, they looked like they depended upon my father more than on God.
I saw an ardent desire for life and insurmountable faith in my father in her hollow eyes. I have now come to recognize the importance that an individual’s jobs choice has on him/herself and society. I have always wondered why my father chose to take care of the old and the poor instead of going to work in a hospital with better pay. My father’s answer to these questions was simple. “Choose a job that is worthwhile to your life” echoing the famous quote by Albert Einstein, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile”.
(Jone J. L. , 2006) From that moment, my dream was to become a doctor, just like my father. To achieve this requires dedication and commitment. I started doing this by preparing for the medical school exam and focusing on the science courses. This effort bore fruits and I managed to come third in the national chemistry competition in my senior year of the high school. After graduating from high school, I worked in my mother’s pharmacy preparing for the medical college entrance exams.
Looking at my mother preparing medicine used to remind me of my goal. Although it motivated me to study harder, my exam results were not satisfactory. After that, I volunteered to work at my father’s hospital every week. As I looked at the immense suffering of the sick, my desire to become a doctor would be renewed. I decided to study abroad to achieve my aspiration. I arrived in the U. S. A. in 2006 full of expectations. I entered the SMC in 2007 to study chemistry. My focus was on the subjects relating to my major.
I did all that was necessary to achieve high grades. I began attending the chemistry classes in spring of 2007 and later joined a chemistry club called “We Want More. ” I tried hard to lay a strong foundation of fundamental theories and experiment with a wide range of techniques of chemistry by conducting relatively safe experiments or watching videotapes on dangerous experiments. This effort and commitment enabled me to achieve the highest grade possible, a 4. 0 out of 4. 0. I have chosen U. C.
to be the vehicle for achieving my personal goals for its many world-class chemistry schools such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD. The two quarters I spent in the ESL class at a UCLA extension convinced me that U. C. was the right place for me. As I walked through the UCLA’s campus and studied in the Powell Library with my brother who transferred to UCLA last summer, I knew in UC I would fulfill my dreams. 2. When I was young, I was shy and would find it hard to have any meaningful conversation with people.
However my timid personality changed once I joined high school where I became a class leader and a member of the students’ association. At first I found it difficult to lead a group of more than 40 students, but I later found that I could successfully accomplish all of my duties. During those two years, I was able to polish up my interpersonal and leadership skills. It is in the army however that boosted my confidence in public. I started to have faith in my abilities. I was a squad leader of 7 members for 10 months.
During this time, I successfully mediated conflicts and integrated my squad members. As a result, my ability to help new recruits adapt quickly in the training was recognized and I was given a model squad leader award. Later, these skills I developed would see me become an FNBA president of the Korean community basketball club of Los Angeles and a vice leader of the tennis club. With the self-control, breakthrough abilities and the leadership skills I have gained over the years of experience, I have no doubt that I will be a great member of your learning community.
I pride myself of having excellent interpersonal skills, this I believe will be a great contribution to the U. C. During my two years in the army, I came to learn and enjoy and with people of diverse cultures. When I first came to the U. S. A. , my interpersonal skills went a helped me to bridge the gap between cultures. While living at Reiber Hall at the UCLA’s dormitory for three months, I communicated well with students from all over the world due to these skills.
I currently can interact with foreigners from various cultures and have been successful in school club activities in the Santa Monica College. These experiences have also deepened my understanding of cultural differences and enabled me to enjoy a higher level of familiarity with American friends. I believe that these qualities will be of great help in my academic life at U
Reference
Jone Johnson Lewis, 2006. Wisdom quotes. Quotations to inspire and challenge. Retrieved on 26/11/2007 from: http://www. wisdomquotes. com/cat_life. html