Summer Undergraduate Research Program - Fred Hutchinson ...

Why MD/PhD Essay Example #2
Why MD/PhD Essay Example #2
Research has rewired my way of thinking. Entering a research lab has been the most
exciting catalyst of my college career; it has deepened and broadened my conception of science
and strengthened my understanding of my role in the academic and medical communities.
One of the turning points of my research career occurred when my mentor, Dr. XX, asked
me to lead a collaboration with XX College in photochemistry. Tasked with the responsibility of
representing our lab and meeting a hard deadline, I traveled to XX to bring back both vital
compounds and skills I needed to complete the project at my home institution. The
disappointments and successes allowed me to recognize the culture in which I excel: one infused
with the spirit of collaborative investigation and discovery.
As I stretched my thinking to attack concepts from the level of the human to the molecule
in order to predict the effects of my compounds, I realized that my commitment to research
stems from an appreciation for both molecular science and its clinical applications. My personal
and professional experiences have revealed to me the complexities and frustrations commonly
experienced among patients and the physicians, and I am intrigued by the relationship between
laboratory science and medicine and the current gaps in practicing bench to bedside research.
On the surface, my prior experiences as a research scientist and a physician seem
incongruent. Upheld by the rigor of the scientific method, research operates on a level greater
than the individual. Scientific discoveries have a global impact, and I am excited by the potential
of laboratory science to affect an entire population. Yet, as a young adult with diabetes, I rely on
the expertise of my endocrinologist to lead a normal life, and, as a result, I recognize the power
of the human connection between doctor and patient. While I am depending on scientists to find
a cure for the disease that affects me, I need my doctor to provide reassurance when I am
anxious, impart knowledge when I am uncertain, and offer additional resources when prospective
solutions fail. To be a physician is to be an active caregiver. This, too, is a role that I aspire to
fill.
I once believed that science and medicine were separate and distinct realms; similarly, I
assumed my professional career was limited to one occupation that suppressed all the integrated
questions I have. Yet, beneath the juxtaposition of bench scientist and practicing physician, I
believe that there exists an underlying motivation and energy that are conjoined. By transcending
the rigid professional boundaries, my studies as an MD/PhD student will allow me to translate
and cross-link language, data, and solutions. The distinctive cross-training and remarkable
intellectual resources offered by the MD/PhD program will allow me to combine two deeply
connected realms and resonate with my firm commitment to contribute in both the scholarly and
clinical realms.
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