Why are you specifically interested in pursuing your medical education at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine? 500 words
As a kid, I had a fundamental urge to understand how things work. I explored this curiosity by taking household items like flashlights apart, and then seeing if I could fix them. My parents let me explore such curiosities even though my method of understanding the world around me often resulted in many broken flashlights.
I carried this intellectual curiosity over to college where I discovered a passion for research. I started a project with Dr. Sturgeon and characterized an alternative mechanism of Acetaminophen induced liver injury. Delving deep into the realm of mechanistic chemistry behind this phenomenon was exactly the intellectual motivation I was looking for. After two years, I was able to provide evidence for this alternative mechanism, which is different from what the medical community currently believes is occurring during Acetaminophen overdose. Coupling this result of scientific inquiry with the clinical connections I had with Acetaminophen overdose as an EMT made this project all the more fulfilling. By interacting with patients regularly and taking that energy back into the lab, I realize I will be able to achieve a balanced and exciting career as a physician investigator.
The Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine provides the means for me to pursue such a career by placing a heavy emphasis on both research and patient care. I understand that I may become a great physician at many different medical schools, but I am drawn to the Mayo Clinic because of its strong record with student research and the progressive curriculum that emphasizes self directed learning. The unparalleled exposure to novel academic and clinical opportunities alongside world renown physicians and scientists makes the Mayo Clinic the ideal place to obtain a medical education. I am most excited for the potential to pursue the groundbreaking field of synthetic biology by completing a Master of Science in Virology and Gene Therapy. Seizing this one of a kind opportunity will allow me to collaborate with clinicians and scientists alike, and ultimately set the foundations for a revolutionizing career as a physician investigator in the realm of gene therapy. In these ways, the Mayo Clinic offers the best preparation to pursue a career at the interface between basic science research and clinical medicine.