Personal Statement

The sun exploded into a million shades of orange. I sat, friends at each side, atop a monstrous pile of

boulders. I looked over the vastness of Joshua Tree National Park, and saw a glimpse of myself. Love filled my soul;

love of people, love of family. The backcountry has always helped me find this love; it has been my personal north

star, shepherding me toward research and medicine.

I started backpacking at 13, trekking across the winter-harsh lands of Idaho and Montana. It was difficult,

but despite this, a feeling welled within me that pushed me forward. This feeling warmed my numb fingers and

soothed the ache in my thighs. It drew me close to my friends, fostering the teamwork required. Each new trip

allowed me moments of introspection. The teamwork led to trust, trust led to caring, caring led to empathy;

eventually I understood the satisfaction of helping others. This is how the backcountry shaped me. Over the next

year many choices I made would be based on these lessons.

When I was in high school, I had no inkling of where I was going, but I tested the waters. I volunteered at

the Mrs. Tewillegar Wildlife Foundation and did a rotation observing anesthesiologists in San Francisco. I was a

green advocate and spent much of my time reading about and debating the travesties visited upon the environment.

In my young explorations I found that medicine and environmental politics peaked my interest.

In my first semester at Pitzer College, I started to study chemistry, with a developing focus on

environmental concerns. Professor Purvis-Roberts introduced this field to me, and in my sophomore year provided

me with my first research opportunity. I sampled the air in the San Bernardino Basin, usin...

... middle of paper ...

...trip. Medicine

supplies both endless opportunities for research and endless opportunities to help people.

I have been guided all my life by a strong sense of love. In today’s world this sounds naïve or more likely

downright foolish. To me it’s a matter of survival. I know the world is often a harsh and terrible place. However, to

reach the peak of a mountain you must push through cold and exhaustion. Love is what pushes me. It is my pick and

my crampons, and without it I cannot peak life. It has guided me through every experience, putting me in a place

where I know what I want and have prepared to get it. I will soon summit the peak of college, finish my thesis and

graduate. I do not presume to know my exact path in medicine, but I know that passion and love, of people and

science, are the core values I will bring to my explorations and leadership.