A career in medicine may be considered as one of the most rewarding, prestigious, and important professions available to mankind. Medical doctors are more often than not respected and looked up on in their community. As medical doctors, every time they treat a patient, they practically place the patient’s life into their hands. This is why it is much needed that a medical doctor undergo rigorous training, and actually, never stop learning.
Medical doctors have a huge responsibility and wanting to become one needs more than just the fact that you want to become one. You have to have a serious “about myself” assessment before you decide on entering a medical school. Actually, you should start your “about myself” assessment even before you plan to apply for one. The following are just some of the factors you have to consider when planning to go to med school.
Long work shifts
Emergencies can happen anytime, and that is why medical clinics and hospitals are always open 24 hours a day, requiring medical doctors and the staff to work on longer shifts. Starting from the time a medical student works directly as a trainee at the hospital, he or she is subjected to long, working hours, a usual part of a medical doctor’s shift. It will actually continue well into residency training, where a 36-hour shift is not rare. After all, a medical doctor, whether in the hospital or not, is practically always “on
call.”(1)
Continuous learning
The field of medicine is not an exact science, and it is always evolving and improving for the good of mankind. It is actually evolving very fast that the knowledge of today may be obsolete on the years to come. Therefore, it is important for a medical doctor to be an advocate of learning—always reading the latest medical journals, attending conferences and trainings and the like, aside from being open-minded, of course. That is why even though the interview and the “essay about myself” requirements are important,
the undergraduate scores and the Medical College Admission Test Scores are considered extremely important when admitting students into med school. Your grades and examination scores will show at least a hint if you have the discipline to study well and hard.(2)
Making sacrifices
From medical school to the specialty training, a medical professional will have to sacrifice much for his or her profession. Long, working hours will make you miss affairs and holidays which you enjoyed before entering medical school. That is why the interview and the “essay on myself” requirements are very important, for in it one can see if you have the passion and ability to make sacrifices for the profession that you want.(3)
(1) http://www.bls.gov/k12/help06.htm
(2) http://www.mommd.com/toughdecision.shtml
(3) http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/memag/Medical+Economics+magazine/Reaching-your-potential/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/370383
As a med school applicant, you may have heard several myths regarding the med school admissions process. To know more about the truth behind these myths, read on.
You need to have high MCAT scores and exceptional undergraduate grades.
First things first. Undergraduate grades are one of the most important criteria for acceptance to any medical school. Furthermore, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score, as a standardized examination, should be high—a good indication that you did fairly better than the rest of the applicants from different schools. Your undergraduate scores or your general weighted average (GWA) may reflect the type of student you are—your study habits or maybe even your intellectual capacity. These are important factors that the medical admission panel needs to see to find out if you are fit for the rigorous training that a medical student needs.(1)
However, those are just “numbers,” and they actually can be affected by other things, such as a personal problem before the MCAT, hence, the low score. There are other things that a medical school admission panel looks for, such as your “essay about myself” and the interview. Those things will show them your “about myself” side that cannot be squeezed out of your grades and MCAT score.
You need to graduate from a big school.
This is one of the most common myths and is definitely false. Again, before and after medical school, your “about myself” side is more important than the things around you—it’s you that counts. After all, what’s the sense of graduating from a “big” school if your undergraduate records are not that “big?”(2)
Life experiences are not important.
Again, your GWA and MCAT scores are extremely important, but they are not the only factors for medical school admission; life experiences also count. If your life experiences are not important, then why do almost all medical school admission panels require an “essay on myself” and an interview? The personal statement will let the admission panel know if you have the personal characteristics fit for becoming a good
medical professional, which in the long run, are definitely more important than your intellectual capacity.(3)
(1) http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/preparing/understandingscores.htm
(2) http://youngadults.about.com/od/collegeprep/a/Admissionsmyths.htm
(3) http://www.unmc.edu/Community/ruralmeded/model/preprof/advice.htm
Pursuing a nursing career takes a lot of courage and determination. Not to mention that the admissions process into your dream school is a tough one. To help you land that spot in your dream school, here are some tips on what to discuss in your admissions essay.
Tell them why you want to be a nurse through “about myself” stories
The topic that cannot be eliminated from a nursing “essay about myself” is why you wanted to be a nurse. Some find it hard to express their desire to pursue nursing education since decisions especially about careers are not mainly based on mere reasons. There are a lot of things that are involved when deciding to pursue a nursing career. The best way to express this is to narrate in your “essay on myself” the related experiences and views about how you came up with the decision. Avoid writing general statements on your “essay about myself.” Instead, focus on tying up your values and motivation with your personal experiences. You can discuss about the most influential people in your life including the values that you learned from them.(1)
Discuss your passion and interest in the health care field
Admissions panel members are looking for applicants who are passionate to pursue a nursing career. They do not want applicants who do not have a thorough understanding of where they are heading to. It is vital to show the admissions panel that your decision to be a nurse is a mature decision. Show them proofs such as narrating your past volunteer jobs with feeding programs and medical missions, or your compassion about a sick neighbour. Through such stories, you will be able to effectively convey your deep interest in the field.(2)
Explain why you think you’ll be successful as a nurse
It will also be a good point to discuss about why you think you will be successful as a nurse. Discuss about your strengths that you think will be essential for the pursuit of this career. Entering into a nursing school is a tough competition. Thus, it is essential to prove to the application committee that you deserve one of the most coveted slots in their school by submitting a well-written application essay.(3)
(1) http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/application.html
(2) http://www.careerowlresources.ca/articles/nursing.htm
(3) http://www.atsu.edu/kcom/admissions/preparing_DO_admission/personal_statement_tips.htm
The “essay about myself” for law school is an important requirement to help the admissions panel to decide whether or not you have what it takes to survive law school and be a good lawyer someday. Thus, why not show them that you deserve that precious spot at your school of choice by writing a compelling “essay about myself”?
Express your reasons for getting into law school
One of the main content of a law school admission essay is about the reasons why you wanted to be a lawyer. It will be more effective if you can discuss some areas of the law related to your experiences in order to demonstrate your real commitment to pursue a law career. Another effective way of expressing your desire for practicing law is to associate your interest into your personal skills and values. Provide vivid accounts and details on your experiences to support your claim of being determined to be a lawyer. One of the most obvious mistakes that most applicants commit is the fact that they discuss about their parents, relatives, or their private lawyer’s experiences in a career in law, showing the incapacity to decide independently. You must let your essay reveal that being a lawyer is a dream that you really want for yourself.(1)
About myself: show your passion for a career in law
Definitely, most law school applicants have a passion for law. So it is up to you to make the admissions panel see how deep your passion is. You can include in your “essay on myself” a write-up on how you find genuine happiness in doing the things that you really want to do and how you see law as a career where you will find a sense of fulfilment. You can better express these by citing real experiences. It is vital that your essay will leave the readers an impression that you never imagined yourself doing anything except being a lawyer.(2)
Include your goals as a future law school student
As a prospective law student, you must clearly define your goals. You have to leave a notion to the readers that getting into law school is not just an immature decision. Show them that you have clearly set your goals and the ways of achieving it.(3)
(1) http://www.lsac.org/SpecialInterests/minorities-in-legal-education-applying-to-ls.asp
(2) http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960310&slug=2318569
(3) http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/admissions/FAQ/applying.cfm#CP_JUMP_3318
The nursing school “essay about myself” is a vital requirement for you to be accepted to your dream nursing school. This puts too much pressure for the prospective student to create an essay that really stands out.
Express why you want to be a nurse.
This is the main question that you need to answer through your “essay about myself.” It may be a lot difficult to express since most of us decide on our chosen career not just on mere reasons. Tell them about your views about the nursing profession and your motivation to pursue it. Explain to them that you have made a thorough self-analysis before finalizing your decision. It is not enough to make them feel that you want it, but let them know that you want it very much more than anybody else.(1)
Show your personal side in your “about myself essay.”
Emphasizing the personal aspect of your experiences in the nursing school “essay on myself” requirement is essential for you as a prospective student. Basically, your work entails serving and caring for the patient while attending to their medical needs. It will be effective if you can write a story about your volunteer works to show your commitment and passion. You can also narrate about a person, who is either a relative, a friend, or someone who influenced your decision of becoming a nurse.(2)
Make your essay unique.
In writing your essay, ideas should be concise and not vague. Avoid writing general sentences that everybody can also write. This is to ensure your uniqueness and will give the reader the impression that your essay is not just any ordinary admission letter. Clichés are not advisable. Write concrete experiences that reflect your desire and passion for caring for other people and other relevant characteristics of a nurse. It is important to note that there should be a touch of distinctiveness in the manner of expressing your ideas.(3)
(1) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/nyregion/new-jersey/12Rgen.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=medical%20school%20admissions%20essay&st=cse&scp=1
(2) http://www.latimes.com/ny-liessay1210,0,2363181.story
(3) http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=admissions
Going through the medical school admissions process can be an overwhelming task. One way to go about this is to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally so that you’ll be able to send the requirements on time and increase your chances of getting admitted into your dream school.
Coming up with a winning “essay about myself”
The medical school “essay about myself” requirement is one way of conveying your values and qualities that are of utmost importance to you. However, this “essay on myself” requirement must be presented it a way that it will emphasize the characteristics that will justify your “about myself” side that is suitable for medical school. One of the most important points to discuss here is basically why you want to pursue medicine.
Career decision-making does not necessarily lie on pure reasons. That is why most aspiring medical students find it hard to express their desire to be a doctor. And most of the reasons will be like that of every other applicant. Thus, there is a need to show your uniqueness in conveying your ideas. Avoid clichés and ideal ideas that are so vague. It will be better to describe your most influential experiences and the message will just unfold naturally.(1)
Acing that med school exam
Another requirement for medical school is the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). This is a tandardized entrance examination required by medical schools in the United States and Canada. It gauges the rospective applicants’ academic ability for medical school. Thus, every applicant should definitely give their full efforts in preparing for this exam. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the layout and types of questions that will be asked. Develop a plan about your target score and divide your time to study each subject area. Try answering sample questions to determine what your weaknesses are so you can work on them prior to the exam. It will be better if you answer sample questions under the prescribed length of time just like the real exam so you will be used to think better and faster under time constraints. Remember that practice is the key in learning this invaluable skill.(2)
Submitting your requirements on time
It will be more beneficial on your part if you submit your requirements earlier than the deadline, at least two weeks before the deadline or as soon as you have completed them. By doing so, you can have more time to process any deficiencies. Since you have completed your requirements, you will be able to properly mange your time for other application-related activities such as preparing for the MCAT or doing some volunteer works.(3)
(1) http://209.85.173.132/custom?q=cache:JfUpKz550QsJ:www.jhu.edu/admis/pdf/2009/universal_app_supplement.pdf+application+essay&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&client=google-csbe
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MCAT
(3) http://www.swarthmore.edu/x8890.xml
Getting into your dream school is a long and tedious process. That is why it is a common sight to see the sad and frustrated look at the faces of students who did not see their names on the admission list. Well, it is normal to mourn over the loss but it should not hinder you to go on and pursue a college education.
About myself: analyze your mistakes.
If you fail to get admitted at your dream school, take this as the opportunity to assess yourself and have a good “about myself” session. It will be a good chance to analyze your mistakes that you may have committed during the application process and learn from those mistakes to do better next time. Examine carefully what went wrong; is it your “essay about myself,” your interview answers, or your grades? Read again your “essay on myself.” Was it too dramatic or desperate? There are many different factors; what is important is that you will be able to acknowledge them and give room for self-improvement.(1)
Look for other options.
Not getting into your dream school is not the end of the world. There are still many schools out there that offer similar features that you want from your dream school, whether it is the calibre of education, the environment, or tuition rates. You can still find other schools that offer the same curriculum or degree that you want. Just be patient enough to look for them because who knows? Maybe you will find your new school as enjoyable as your dream school or even more.(2)
Inquire about transfer programs.
Never lose hope. If you really want to be in that school, then wait for the next school year and apply again. It will be better if you maximize your options by looking into the possibility of transferring to your dream school after a year. Look for the schools that have the same degree that you want to pursue to avoid taking subjects that will not be credited as you transfer. After all, maybe this year is not just for you. Remember, patience is a virtue.(3)
(1) http://www.actstudent.org/college/mistakes.html
(2) http://www.morehouse.edu/campus_life/
(3) http://www.brcc.edu/services/advising/transfer/Default.htm
As a prospective college student who is going into the process of writing your “about myself” essay, it is common that you will browse the net to search for a sample “essay about myself” that will guide you and give you ideas on how to write an effective essay. But not all sample essays are worth your time. The following are just to site a few characteristics of a sample essay that you should be wary of.
The sample essay contains unforgivable grammar errors
It is imperative to note that in an “essay about myself,” there should have no room for grammatical errors. One of the objectives of writing this essay is to show the admissions panel that you know how to write well. So why will you waste time looking at sample essays full of grammatical errors? Well-written essays contain no errors whether grammatical or typographical. Knowing this one common mistake in writing an essay can help you in avoiding such lapses when making your own.(1)
The flow of ideas is not that clear or logical
When you notice that the sample “essay about myself” that you are reading seems to be too redundant and pointless, then it is definitely not a good example. Essays should be vivid and rational in presenting the topics that are being discussed. The essay’s structure should have a coherent flow of arguments, experiences, and accounts so the correct message will be conveyed to the readers. To develop a sense of spontaneity, thoughts should be organized properly in a narrative form to keep hold of the readers’ attention.(2)
You lost interest in it after reading the first paragraph
The introduction part of the admission essay is the most crucial part. Time and effort should be devoted in creating an introduction that will capture the attention of the readers. As you read those sample essays with dragging first paragraphs, try to put yourself in the shoes of the application committee. How will you find the interest to read further when the introductory part displeased you already? It is only then that you will be able to appreciate the value of the introduction and for sure, you are not going to repeat the same mistake in your own essay.(3)
(1) http://www.acm.edu/uploads/cms/documents/acm-writing-essay.pdf
(2) http://www.gradschools.com/Article/essay-writing-lesson4-transition/989.html
(3) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14347374/
Let’s face it, the doctors almost always take the credit. When somebody is treated in a hospital or a clinic, it’s always because of the good doctor. But it is also a fact that there are other people who have helped a lot in the process—particularly the nurses. As independent, allied medical health professionals, nurses are not a doctor’s assistants; they have an entirely different and important function in patient care. After all, it’s the nurses who are almost always at the patients’ side. Nursing schools have the noble and difficult task to mold students to be the professionals who are truly fit for a nursing career.(1) Want to know if you’re meant for this career? If you can deal with the following issues aside from having the passion to help patients, then a nursing career may be perfect for you.
Dealing With bodily parts and secretions
The nurse is the first to assess the physical and emotional condition of the patient at his or her bed before the doctor comes. The nurse also sometimes assists by helping the patient clean himself or herself or his or her wounds. It is therefore inevitable that a nurse would be exposed to bodily parts which are often times, well, not on their perfect conditions. The nurse will have to endure blood, pus, urine, stool, and other bodily fluids and secretions on the job.(2)
Working on graveyard shifts
Taking care of a patient requires a 24-hour watch. After all, emergencies do not select a particular time of the day when they occur. Medical facilities have interns and more junior residents to fill in for the attending physicians at night, but nurses have to rotate among themselves. The nursing career entails sacrifices, especially in terms of working schedules.
Stubborn patients
As mentioned before, it’s the nurses who first face the patient at his or her bedside to assess his or her conditions before the doctor starts the rounds. Furthermore, it is also the nurses who implement the doctor’s treatment plan to the patient, such as the giving of medications. So as a nurse, you should be prepared with patients who will not cooperate during the physical assessment or who will not take their medicine. Just remember that however stubborn they are, they are still your patients and it’s your job to enforce the treatment plan on them.(3)
Aside from preparing yourself to face these challenges, you can start preparing for your admissions essay or “essay about myself.” The “essay about myself” is your tool to land that spot in your dream school. When writing your essay “about my self,” you can read an online sample essay about myself to get an idea on how to begin yours.
(1) http://www.nursingsociety.org/Education/SchoolsOfNursing/Pages/schools.aspx
(2) http://stats.bls.gov/OCO/OCOS083.HTM
(3) http://www.marylandhealthcareers.org/html/student/nursing.html
Going into medical school is not an easy decision to make. There are several factors you have to consider. Plus, making sacrifices is part of pursuing a career in the medical field. To help you make the right decision, the following are the advantages and disadvantages of getting into med school.
Pros
Most of the people who became medical doctors or are currently medical students have been dreaming about it ever since they were young. As a very prestigious, rewarding, and established profession, a medical career surely is one of the best careers out there.(1) Furthermore, you will have the capacity to serve humanity by providing good medical services to your community. Pursuing a medical career also entails continuous learning, which means that your mind will not deteriorate. As a medical doctor, you will invariably be a leader and teacher of health in your community. And of course, once you are established, you can expect financial gains. Furthermore, it may be the most gratifying endeavour that you will do in your life.
Cons
Do not forget that as a medical doctor, you will literally be handling people’s lives. That is why studying medicine is one of the most gruelling, demanding, and extremely difficult academic paths you can ever take. The medical school will get the best out of you, and it will be very stressful.(2) It will also take much time to reach your goal, which is an established, high-earning practice of course. Usual attendance to a medical school would be four years of undergraduate studies, plus several years of internship, residency, and fellowships depending on your specialty. You will also be sacrificing much when you are in medical school, such as spending time with family and other affairs. Lastly, in the absence of a good scholarship aid, it is financially draining.
Do you really want to?
With the advantages and disadvantages of both studying in medical school and eventually practicing a medical career, you might think twice before pursuing it. If it is really your passion, and if you really believe that it is your calling, then it will be worthwhile. Just imagine yourself in other careers and if you still think that it’s medicine, then so be it. Just prepare yourself, physically and emotionally.(3) Another preparation you can do is to come up with a good essay about myself or admissions essay. To help you out, read a sample essay about myself online. A reliable sample essay about myself should help you come up with a concise and engaging med school admissions essay about myself.
(1) http://gradschool.about.com/od/medicalschool/f/advdoc.htm
(2) http://fmignet.aafp.org/online/fmig/index/medical-school/surviving.html
(3) http://www.phd-survey.org/advice/advice.htm
