My personal journey toward medicine is not very pleasant, but I share it here to illustrate my

perseverance and determination. My two little sisters and I spent our early years in an environment of
addiction and abuse. Despite never knowing my mother when she was sober, the soft spot in my heart
for her remained, and we continued to see each other even after I was removed from her custody.
When she overdosed in my lap on my 13th birthday, I resolved to follow a different life path. I decided
to become a physician. My personal journey toward medicine is not pleasant but I share it to illustrate
my perseverance and determination, especially as a surgical residency candidate.
 
Growing up and learning to function successfully within chaotic surroundings naturally led me to
surgery. The OR continues to take my breath away; in almost no other setting could I witness a 300-
pound sleep-deprived man perform a bedside ECMO during a code with the utmost grace of a ballerina.
He didn’t blink an eye as the chest compressions I was performeding caused an arterial spray on his face
shield. Ultimately, the patient’s life was saved, and I was left simply in awe of how deftly the
cardiothoracic surgeon had orchestrated a room of 20 people. Calming, confident, and adaptable
myself, I have flourished during rotations as a team member. That said, I know my place as a student,
but I will always speak up when necessary and when I am sure of my reasoning.
 
Recently, a 59-year-old pilot, who managed to do more pushups in a day than I could in a year,
presented to the ED with typical signs of stroke. I saw him later in the night after his admission to the
hospital for observation and blood pressure control. During rounds the following morning, I perceived
an acute change in his slurring of speech and unilateral weakness, so I immediately alerted the
residents. They assured me that the patient’s symptoms were consistent with his notes--. Tthere was no
need to escalate care. Respectfully, I insisted we consult neurosurgery – I had been on the admitting
team and knew the man’s condition had worsened even though it looked the same on paper. To this
day, I am grateful for my proactivity. Neurosurgery ordered a STAT CT scan that revealed a hemorrhagic
subdural hematoma that required an immediate craniotomy. Thankfully, due to our urgent intervention,
the pilot recovered quickly and returned to his workout routine within a few weeks.
 
My confidence, conviction, and dedication to teamwork will help me on my journey toward becoming a
great surgeon. I am also bubbly and positive, so I can keep things light while remaining focused and
efficient in pressure situations. Further, my compassion ensures I communicate well with patients.
During my internal medicine core, I encountered a 55-year-old male recovering in the ICU from his first
seizure secondary to glioblastoma multiforme. I soon realized the man was frustrated that he did not
know the original circumstances that led to his hospitalization. With a smile, I sat down and explained
what had happened and that his seizures were now being controlled on the proper medications. As our
conversation concluded I smiled, thenI noticed he was slowly lifting his right arm. He was using all his
concentration and strength just to pat my hand in appreciation for my empathy and patience.
 
I will always treat patients and their loved ones with the respect and care they deserve. I will also always
draw strength and humility from my past; rather than allowing my difficult childhood to determine my
future, I choose to be empowered by it. For surgery residency, this means I will leverage my
perseverance, adaptability, and intentionality as I work tirelessly to become the most competent
surgeon I can become. As nothing is guaranteed in the OR, I am committed to proactive learning,
methodical preparation, and the perpetual growth of my skills and knowledge. I envision pursuing
trauma surgery one day. However, that is a long way off, and I know things can change a lot over the
coming years. Thus, taking one step at a time, I am seeking to join a residency that has supportive
members and leadership, a focus on teaching hands-on techniques, and opportunities to continue with
research. In that environment, I will put everything I have into being a dynamic and impactful asset for
my institution, teammates, and patients.

Kaylee,

Please see my notes in track changes. This draft is promising and includes just enough about your
backstory without relying on it. The main skills discussed are being detail-oriented, proactive and
compassionate. These are all wonderful traits to have but not exclusive to clinicians. Since you’ve used
language that shows readers you have experience, leverage that by also including a brief example of a
hard clinical skill related to surgery.