I am extremely interested in obtaining a position in the summer internship program offered at Baylor College of Medicine. I am currently a Junior Pre-Med student at the University of South Carolina pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biological Sciences. This internship is ideal for the career path that I have chosen. Two main reasons that I chose this path is because of my desire and willingness to help people and the constantly new developments being made in this field. I believe that the reward of helping others outweighs the many obstacles that are faced before actually pursuing a career in medicine.
I’m sure that many students who are interested in a medical career have this same quality, but how they gain this desire is what sets us all apart from each other. I never truly experienced what it was like to help someone in dire need until I was in the 6th grade. I remember coming home from school one afternoon and hearing the news that my dad was in the hospital because a roof fell on top of his head during a fire. He is a retired fireman now, and has had a total of 3 spinal cord surgeries, each with a very high risk of him becoming paralyzed.
When I visited my dad at the hospital, he would constantly talk about how amazing the hospital staff were and that his surgeon would forever be his hero. When my dad spoke so highly of the people who work at the hospital, I was sure of my career goals more than ever. During such a difficult time, I gained an underlying appreciation for people who work in the medical field, and since then I have had the desire to work as hard as possible so that one day I can possibly be someone’s “hero.”
I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to earn this degree because I know that it’s one that I will always be putting to good use, no matter where my future takes me. Throughout my college career, I have joined organizations that have enhanced my experience in the biology field through research and volunteering. Also, this semester I was granted the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research with my former Genetics professor, Dr. Alan Waldman. The general research focus in his lab is to increase our understanding in a particular area of progeria, a disease in which symptoms of aging manifest themselves early on in the life of an individual. Although I’ve only been working in the lab for about 2 months now, it’s already been an incredibly rewarding experience that has allowed me to shed light on an area that I could potentially pursue and study in the future.
I am confident that my experiences, interests and skills in obtaining a career in the field of medicine have prepared me to be a strong intern for this program. Being that my goal is to attend Medical School after I graduate from USC, I firmly believe that this internship would not only assist in consolidating my career choice, but also aid in providing certain skills and experience that I can use in the future. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be exposed to the administrative roles that support the various missions of the institution, as well as learn about the different career paths I can take in the medical field.
