Biographical Statement:
The professors, faculty and staff in Human Ecology have continuously presented challenges, offered advice, and encouraged my creativity and independence of thought. It has been a privilege to attend a small school with such a strong sense of community, while being part of a large university that offers endless opportunities to meet amazing, diverse people, and provides all of the resources I need to reach my goals.
I chose my major because I have always enjoyed learning about the human experience, from the large-scale social and cultural aspects to the small-scale physiological, biochemical, and microbiological aspects. I have dreamt of attending medical school since junior high school, and my major was clearly designed with the needs of pre-medical/pre-health career students in mind. My major has exceeded my expectation, proving to cover all of these subjects and more.
Having the opportunity to work directly with professors, faculty, graduate students and peers has greatly enhanced my appreciation for diversity? diversity of people, of life goals, and of paths toward reaching those goals. My experiences in this College have shown me that it is possible to have a great deal in common with individuals whose backgrounds and pasts are so completely different.
My independent research experience has made me more confident in the belief that anything is possible if you have a vision and put your mind to it. My classes have trained me to deal with the sense of uncertainty that characterizes the fields of nutrition and health, and have taught me how to interpret the ever-expanding body of knowledge, search for answers and draw my own conclusions.
Following graduation, from August (2005) through May (2006), I will complete a Dietetic Internship. Working as a Dietetics student, and later as an R.D., will give me experience in providing patient care, in educating individuals about their health, and in counseling individuals to make dietary changes that will promote overall wellness. Within a year or two following graduation, I plan to attend medical school. I expect the R.D. degree will give me flexibility in taking time before (and perhaps during) medical school to work as a professional, while gaining valuable clinical experience in the health field. I hope eventually to practice medicine as a physician in general or family medicine, cardiology, or psychiatry. I plan to use my nutrition background to take a more holistic approach to treating patients; a great awareness of how nutritional status affects overall health will enable me to educate individuals and to encourage lifestyle changes that will promote a long-term sense of well being. As I have always enjoyed writing, I also hope to use my nutrition knowledge to contribute articles to magazines or newspapers that cater to the general public. |
