Daphne asks:

Why do you want to be a doctor?

Nearly every pre-med student has a story about a death or illness of a family member or a close loved one. I’m definitely no exception, but I was once told that to use such a story as your sole motivation is selfish. Yes, the experience may have profoundly motivated and changed you, but using that as your sole reason relies on the emotions inherent in the type of event it was.

So while the death of someone important to me did influence my decision to pursue medicine, there are also multiple other factors that have weighed in on that choice. Unlike some, I never actually thought I wanted to become a doctor. In fact, I distinctly remember telling my parents that I would never pursue medicine because I didn’t think I was cut out for it. I applied to college thinking that I would be a business major, but things ended up working so that I would enter the University of Texas at Austin as a freshman pursuing a biology degree. (I got the short end of the stick — the McCombs School of Business passed up my application, and I got into my second choice major. Hah.)

I’ve always held a love for the sciences, never really thinking I would make something out of it, so I took my fundamental science courses just to get them out of the way under the impression that I would be applying to transfer into the business school at the end of my freshman year. At the same time, I also got into a program that would allow me to start working in a research lab in my first year of college — working in this lab changed my mindset a lot, and I found out that I really enjoyed the kind of critical thinking skills I developed and used. At this point, I liked it so much that I became interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the sciences.

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So, I’m setting here at my desk, and suddenly I realize something: I go back to Austin next week for school.

What?? Did 2 and a half months of summer really pass by?? A fitting tune –

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Unfortunately, my summer wasn’t as epic as Hans Zimmer’s (beautiful masterpiece of a) song might make you believe. Highlights of my summer:

• Seeing part of a brain surgery — the patient’s actual brain was exposed and pulsating (giving me a brief feeling of “Oh my god, that’s a brain — what do I do??”), and I watched electrodes being put in for an epilepsy/seizure study.
• On a similar note, seeing part of someone’s sensory nerves being pulled out of his calf during a biopsy. Unsurprisingly stringy.
• Realizing that I like working with kids a lot more than I like working with adults. Heh.
• The Tiffany & Co. story — and I’m still harboring a secret jealousy of my sister, if anyone’s keeping track.
• As of August 4, 2010: I am complete at all medical schools I’ve applied to, save one. I’m slowly working on that last secondary — then it’s waiting time for interviews. I wish I could say that I feel accomplished having done so, but I won’t be placated until I (hopefully) receive my first medical school acceptance. Crossing my fingers!

I’ve never really had a summer during college where I sat down and completely bummed — my past two summers were spent in Austin, where I conducted research and mentored my peers. Last summer, I also dropped 2 grand and took an MCAT class. And while this was the first summer I’ve spent at home, I was actively shadowing doctors near my home and in the Texas Medical Center (paying for parking blows) and took two online courses at my local community college while also applying to medical school. I’m really looking forward to next summer, where I can hopefully be a certified couch potato before embarking on a new chapter in my life.

Rules: Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

1. The Alchemist, Paolo Coelho

• Easily one of my favorite books of all-time, if not my all-time favorite. You’d think a book so small would be a light read, but The Alchemist is jam packed with such profound statements that I was so surprised by the end of my first run through. (“What the heck did I just read? SO AMAZING.”) I’ve read some of Coelho’s other novels, but none of them have lived up to this one, in my opinion.

2. Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen

• It’s basically the mother of all chick lit…and everyone needs themselves a little Mr. Darcy.

3. The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger

• Picked it up in an airport bookstore on a whim on the way to Asia. It’s a really different kind of love story, but a really easy read. I recommend this book to every girl looking for something to pull at her heartstrings :)

4. Something to Someone, Javan

• I’m not one for poetry, but Javan has such captivating prose that I can’t help but be sucked in by his words. I have all four of his published books of poetry, but this one strikes me the most. (Off note: e.e. cummings is my all-time favorite poet, but I don’t have hard copies of any of his poetry. Must buy soon!!)

5. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling

• Harry Potter is one of the benchmarks of my teenage years, and this was my favorite installment because of one character: SNAPE.

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