As I look back to my undergraduate career at UIC, I realize that it was a time of unparalleled growth and maturity. Also, it was a time of great opportunity. Our years as undergraduates formulate and strengthen our character, and to a certain extent, they dictate the direction we will take in life. Because we all have the similar goal of being future health care practitioners, we share a similar lifelong aspiration. However, the path that many of us will take towards the fulfillment of this most noble goal will be different. Ultimately, it is our differences that add to the diversity, depth, and comprehensiveness of healthcare as a whole. With this knowledge, I set out to bring something extraordinary to the field of medicine.
Like many of you, I have a very wide interest base. Although medicine is my passion, there are a great number of things that I would like to see and be able to do in addition to being a doctor. Thus, as an undergraduate, I took measures to pursue another passion of mine, business. As an economics major, I learned a great deal about the world in a practical sense. Personally, I believe that sometime pre-medical students can become so engrossed in the pursuit of scientific knowledge that they forget there is an entire world full of ideas and concepts separate from medicine. I believe that it is essential to devote time toward understanding phenomenon distinct from health care as well. Using the model of the Renaissance Man, we must strive to be well versed in many disciplines because the best doctors are those who are willing to acknowledge, appreciate, and offer several different perspectives to solve a problem.
After graduating from UIC in May 2001, I decided that I wanted to further enhance my offerings to medicine. Thus, I sought out the opportunity to earn a Masters in Business Administration from the College of Business at UIC. I am convinced that this was one of the best decisions I have made in my academic career thus far. Not only am I now more knowledgeable about a lifelong interest of mine, but also I am a much more competitive medical school applicant for the upcoming year. Best of all, for the astute, intelligent, and dedicated student, the MBA degree can be acquired in one year.
With the propagation of managed care, the field of medicine is becoming more of a business-like endeavor than it has been in the past. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important for doctors, especially those in private practice, to understand business in addition to medicine. Upon acquiring an MBA degree, I will be in a unique position where I can serve as a bridge between these two great disciplines. Furthermore, the MD/MBA combination allows one to have the prospect of health administration and medical consulting. Bottom line, it will increase your options no matter what your ultimate goal is and it will surely help you to achieve it.
All in all, advocating and pursuing a wide interest base is a practice that will serve as your best friend when it comes time to apply to medical school. Medical institutions love to see diversity and well roundedness on a student's application. For this reason, it is to your advantage to pursue your interests. Personally, I recommend the MBA program, because it offers a very different perspective of which the majority of medical students are not aware. Take that for what its worth. Well roundedness with a sincere devotion to medicine wins when it comes time to apply to medical school. That said, I will see you in Accounting 500.
