This applicant of this personal statement is now attending one of the top 20 medical schools in the U.S. See how he went from first draft to final product - subscribe to the Footenotes Newsletter and receive a complimentary copy of Three Revisions, a 14-page e-book that walks you through the editing process from start to finish.
It was a routine 2am call, a robbery and assault, and my team of firefighter/paramedics arrived amidst a sea of blue and red police lights. I had just begun assessing the patient when I heard him say, "Tom, it's me, Josh." My classmate, my friend, was now my patient! He'd suffered blunt force trauma to his head, arms, chest and legs, and as blood poured down his face, Josh began repeating himself; his mentation was also quickly declining. Moving as fast as possible, we transported him to the local Level II Trauma Center where the trauma surgeon was able to save Josh's life. Being there for Josh was one of many experiences that paved my way toward becoming a physician. Seeing what the trauma surgeon did to save Josh hammered home the impact of what doctors do every day for real people--not just for patients, but for friends and families.
My first step down this path was taken years earlier, however, during my required EMT training to become a firefighter. I grew up hearing my father's amazing stories about fighting fires, and I thought EMT school would be just a hoop to jump through as I followed in his footsteps. Instead from my very first clinic with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, I was hooked on medicine. During that shift, we treated symptomatic bradycardia, an opiate overdose, and cardioverted an unstable atrial tachycardia. All of our patients looked like they were about to die when we arrived; when we left them, they'd literally been brought back to life. And for the first time, I was part of a team that made a real difference in people's lives.
I quickly realized that this was more than just a hoop to jump through. I was really enjoying medicine and I wanted to learn more. I pursued paramedic training, where my ambition to become a doctor began to take hold. My professor, Capt. Bryan, an EMS captain and live organ harvester, tried to infuse the class with his passion for medicine. Working for the medical examiner, he was able to bring pictures and slides of diseased tissues to the classroom. Capt. Bryan also gave us access to autopsies, which offered an unmatched learning experience. While my classmates complained about having to learn "doctor stuff", I was curious about it all and wanted to learn about everything.
When I finished paramedic school, I remember thinking, "This is it? This is as much education as I'll get?" I began working at the fire department and studying fulltime, but something was missing. I knew by then that I wanted to cure, not just treat. To further test my commitment to medicine, I started working in the emergency room at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. Unlike working on the rescue, my care for some of these patients was definitive. It was so gratifying to know that we were sending patients home with definitive care. This might be a plan of action, a referral to a specialist, or a number of sutures. Or it might be conscious sedation to stop a young girl's screams after she'd dislocated her shoulder. But whatever the doctors did, patients always left in a better state than when they arrived--sometimes with a sling and a smile, as this young patient did. This was what I had been looking for--this was what I wanted to do with my life.
At the hospital, I honed my paramedic skills and learned some new ones. The doctors in the ER were constantly teaching and challenging me with questions and treatments. Soon I became the fire department's "go-to" guy for hard IV sticks, intubations, blood draws, and NG tubes. These clinical skills will go a long way in medical school towards making me a better doctor. But perhaps the most important thing I learned in the hospital and through the fire department is how to talk to patients. Years of interacting with patients in crisis situations will help me become an outstanding doctor after medical school. Recently we were called to treat a seizure patient after an altercation with her spouse. Despite her hysterical screams when we arrived, I hoped to avoid sedating her if possible. It turned out that what she really needed was communication. I brought her into the rescue and talked to her gently, reassuring her that she was going to be okay and would be able to get help. She was calm by the time we arrived at the hospital's psychiatric unit, and thanked me for talking to her "like a human being."
Once I asked a former paramedic/now surgeon about his choice to pursue medicine. He told me, "Only become a physician if you can't see yourself happy doing any other job, but it was the best decision I ever made." This is the position I find myself in now. As a firefighter, I make critical decisions affecting others' lives. This parallels the physician's role in patient care, but medicine offers so much more. I enjoy the puzzles of diagnosing disease and illness, I enjoy the technical challenge of performing complex procedures, I enjoy spending more time with patients, but most importantly, I want to know I made a difference. Treating Josh really brought this home to me. Seeing what the doctors were able to do for him convinced me that medical school is worth the commitment. With my skills and experience as a paramedic, along with my determination to excel as a physician, I am committed to being there for future patients like Josh.
and receive your complimentary copy of Three Revisions.
It was a routine 2am call, a robbery and assault, and my team of firefighter/paramedics arrived amidst a sea of blue and red police lights. I had just begun assessing the patient when I heard him say, "Tom, it's me, Josh." My classmate, my friend, was now my patient! He'd suffered blunt force trauma to his head, arms, chest and legs, and as blood poured down his face, Josh began repeating himself; his mentation was also quickly declining. Moving as fast as possible, we transported him to the local Level II Trauma Center where the trauma surgeon was able to save Josh's life. Being there for Josh was one of many experiences that paved my way toward becoming a physician. Seeing what the trauma surgeon did to save Josh hammered home the impact of what doctors do every day for real people--not just for patients, but for friends and families.
My first step down this path was taken years earlier, however, during my required EMT training to become a firefighter. I grew up hearing my father's amazing stories about fighting fires, and I thought EMT school would be just a hoop to jump through as I followed in his footsteps. Instead from my very first clinic with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, I was hooked on medicine. During that shift, we treated symptomatic bradycardia, an opiate overdose, and cardioverted an unstable atrial tachycardia. All of our patients looked like they were about to die when we arrived; when we left them, they'd literally been brought back to life. And for the first time, I was part of a team that made a real difference in people's lives.
I quickly realized that this was more than just a hoop to jump through. I was really enjoying medicine and I wanted to learn more. I pursued paramedic training, where my ambition to become a doctor began to take hold. My professor, Capt. Bryan, an EMS captain and live organ harvester, tried to infuse the class with his passion for medicine. Working for the medical examiner, he was able to bring pictures and slides of diseased tissues to the classroom. Capt. Bryan also gave us access to autopsies, which offered an unmatched learning experience. While my classmates complained about having to learn "doctor stuff", I was curious about it all and wanted to learn about everything.
When I finished paramedic school, I remember thinking, "This is it? This is as much education as I'll get?" I began working at the fire department and studying fulltime, but something was missing. I knew by then that I wanted to cure, not just treat. To further test my commitment to medicine, I started working in the emergency room at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. Unlike working on the rescue, my care for some of these patients was definitive. It was so gratifying to know that we were sending patients home with definitive care. This might be a plan of action, a referral to a specialist, or a number of sutures. Or it might be conscious sedation to stop a young girl's screams after she'd dislocated her shoulder. But whatever the doctors did, patients always left in a better state than when they arrived--sometimes with a sling and a smile, as this young patient did. This was what I had been looking for--this was what I wanted to do with my life.
At the hospital, I honed my paramedic skills and learned some new ones. The doctors in the ER were constantly teaching and challenging me with questions and treatments. Soon I became the fire department's "go-to" guy for hard IV sticks, intubations, blood draws, and NG tubes. These clinical skills will go a long way in medical school towards making me a better doctor. But perhaps the most important thing I learned in the hospital and through the fire department is how to talk to patients. Years of interacting with patients in crisis situations will help me become an outstanding doctor after medical school. Recently we were called to treat a seizure patient after an altercation with her spouse. Despite her hysterical screams when we arrived, I hoped to avoid sedating her if possible. It turned out that what she really needed was communication. I brought her into the rescue and talked to her gently, reassuring her that she was going to be okay and would be able to get help. She was calm by the time we arrived at the hospital's psychiatric unit, and thanked me for talking to her "like a human being."
Once I asked a former paramedic/now surgeon about his choice to pursue medicine. He told me, "Only become a physician if you can't see yourself happy doing any other job, but it was the best decision I ever made." This is the position I find myself in now. As a firefighter, I make critical decisions affecting others' lives. This parallels the physician's role in patient care, but medicine offers so much more. I enjoy the puzzles of diagnosing disease and illness, I enjoy the technical challenge of performing complex procedures, I enjoy spending more time with patients, but most importantly, I want to know I made a difference. Treating Josh really brought this home to me. Seeing what the doctors were able to do for him convinced me that medical school is worth the commitment. With my skills and experience as a paramedic, along with my determination to excel as a physician, I am committed to being there for future patients like Josh.
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