PRE-MED PERSONAL STATEMENT

Barely visible in the darkened stadium, the crowd was deafening. One hundred thousand people cheered wildly as I marched onto the track with Team Canada for the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. We were peppered with the flashes of a thousand cameras. I could feel it; the sense of togetherness and community with the world was palpable. Our smiles transcended language and culture. Time stood still as each of us took our place at the center of the field, the world’s best athletes standing together, side by side, to witness the opening of the Olympic Games. For me, this moment marked the culmination of six years of focused preparation and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

Six years earlier, I had made a bold decision in my choice of colleges; I would go to the University of USA, which boasted the best running program in the United States. Although I was committed to running, I had a mind to compete in the classroom as well. Despite an exhausting training schedule that included running 100 miles per week, I sharpened my will, managed my time, and learned to study effectively. In the college of arts and sciences, I found many interests, including quantum mechanics, mythology, genetics, and anatomy. Pathogenic microbiology, one of my favorite classes, involved researching case studies. Studying the effects of infection from a physician’s point of view was both exciting and challenging. I was also drawn to the problem solving aspects of scientific research. My honors thesis involved the selective purification of antibodies to Clostridium difficle membrane protein from the eggs of a chicken.

My efforts in scientific research were not limited to the classroom. On the trails or on the track, or wherever I was training, daily experiments in physiology, psychology, and physics were well underway. While some athletes simply followed a generalized plan, I was compelled to experiment with many theories in the hope of producing better training effects. I tried sleeping in a hypobaric tent to mimic the effects of altitude training on my red blood cell levels. I also endured the ridiculous discomforts of standing waist deep in a barrel of ice water, aiming to increase capillary circulation and flush out lactic acid.

After graduation I pursued my Olympic dreams as a professional runner. Through dedication to my sport, I traveled, met inspiring people, and continued to learn the multi-faceted aspects of functioning as an athlete: nutrition, anatomy, physiology, kinetics. My interest in the human body, and in medicine, developed in large part from my experiences in athletics. Over time, this interest in medicine was strengthened through the relationships I made with caregivers. Pushing physical limits on a daily basis, I often found myself in various stages of injury, in the role of a patient needing help, needing someone to trust. From this vulnerable perspective, I learned tremendous respect and gratitude towards those doctors who were taking the time to make real contributions to the well being of others.

As I developed into a seasoned athlete, I was able to use my experience to help other runners avoid injury, better their training, and push the limits of their ability Perhaps my favorite part of this experience was the one-on-one interaction. I remember an inspired 16-year-old asking if he should quit smoking, as he weighed the difficulty of breaking his addiction against the possible seconds he would likely take off his 800m time.In a poignant moment, I recollect gently explaining the virtues of calcium to a gifted 12-year-old ball of energy. Tiny for her age, she was already presenting with image problems and a stress fracture. I thought I had succeeded as a coach to guide her in the right direction, but I could not be sure. I wanted to do more.

I’ve always known that my time on the track would be limited. When pondering avenues beyond running, I come back to the career that to me is the amalgamation of all my long-term interests and values. Speaking with students in medicine, as well as established physicians, has helped me finalize my choice. Dr. D, my family doctor, wide-eyed and radiant as ever, explaining his passion for medicine in terms of the lasting relationships he has made with his patients, in some ways mirrors the lasting relationships I have made with fellow athletes over the years. And Dr. N, proudly sharing with me that after years of practice, he still experiences the same profound feeling of satisfaction when he comes out of surgery, reminds me of winning a race, and that thrill of achievement that never subsides. In my path to becoming a doctor, I hope to be among such people, always curious and motivated to be better at what they do.

With my running career nearing its end, it is my wish to continue to explore the extraordinary possibilities of the human body and to help others enjoy the richness and quality of life that comes with peak health. With today’s younger generations at unprecedented levels of inactivity, it is evident that our society needs to better understand the benefits of exercise Exercising for health does not entail Olympic level competitiveness, but I believe doctors need an aggressive long-term strategy to move their patients toward more active lifestyles. I look forward to combining the knowledge I acquire as a physician with my experiences in sport to face this challenge.