-
Why I Want to Be a Doctor
Many
people
look
back
in
time
to
find
the
moment
of
their initial
inspiration.
Some people have wanted to be a doctor so long
they do not
even know what originally
inspired them. T
o incorporate this
theme, look
back
to
the
material
you
gathered
in
the
last
chapter,
specifically
in
response to
“
The
Chronological Method,
”
“
Note Major
Influences,
”
and
“
Identify Your
Goals.
”
Ask
yourself these questions: How old was
I
when I first wanted to become a doctor? Was there
a defining moment?
Was
there
ever
any
ambivalence?
Was
I
inspired
by
a
specific
person?
What
kind
of
doctor
do
I
want
to
be
and
how
does
that
tie
into
my
motivation?
Here
are a few of the common ways that students
incorporate this
theme:
“
I
’
ve
Always Wanted to Be a
Doctor
”
AKA:
“
I
’
ve
Wanted to Be a Doctor Since I
Was
…”
and
“
Everyone
Has
Always Said I
’
d Be a
Doctor
”
This
is
perhaps
the
most
common
approach
of
all.
The
secret
to
doing it well is to show, not just
tell, why you want to be a doctor. You
cannot just say it and expect it to
stand on its own. Take the advice of one
admissions officer:
“
The
“
I
’
ve
always wanted to be a
doctor
”
essay has
been done
to death. I think candidates
need to be careful to show that their decision
was not only a pre-adolescent one and
has been tested over the years
and
approached in a mature
manner.
”
Supply believable details from your
life to make your desire real to
the
reader. One secret to avoiding the
“
here we go
again
”
reaction
is
to be particularly careful with your
first line. Starting with
“
I
’
ve
wanted
to be a doctor
since
…”
makes the
reader cringe. It
’
s an easy
line to fall
back on, but admissions
officers have read this sentence more times than
they care to count;
don
’
t add to the statistic.
“
My Parents are
Doctors
”
This
approach
to
the
“
why
I
want
to
be
a
doctor
”
theme
is
dangerous for a different reason. Says
one officer:
“
It
’
s
a prejudice of mine, but the legacy essay, the one
that reads,
“
My dad and my
grandpa and my great-grandpa were all doctors so I
should be too,
”
makes me suspect immaturity. I envision
young people
who
can
’
t think for themselves
or make up their own minds.
”
This is not the opinion of
every officer, though. The point is not to
avoid admitting that your parent is an
M.D., it is to avoid depending on
that
as
the
sole
reason
for
you
wanting
to
go
to
medical
school.
If
a
parent
truly
was
your
inspiration,
then
describe
exactly
why
you
were
inspired.
“
My Doctor Changed My
Life!
”
AKA:
“
Being a
Patient Made Me Want to Become a
Doctor
”
Some people claim to be motivated to
become doctors because they
have had
personal experience of illness or disability.
Notes an admissions
officer:
“
I had a student
who grew up with a chronic illness. She spent much
time
with
physicians
and
other
health
care
providers
throughout
her
young life. In her essay
she wrote about this continuing experience and
how the medical professionals treated
her. She wrote of her admiration