Sports Medicine: Personal Statement

Currently enrolled as a junior of Smithfield High School, I plan to graduate in June of 2017 and will then begin to pursue my degree in health science. I plan to one day, with hard work and dedication, receive a doctorate in Sports Medicine and become one of the best providers available. Persistence and patience are only a couple of characteristics that I must possess while going through the process of earning a doctorate in my preferred profession. In my case, thirteen years of public school, eight years of university studies, and a several more years of residency will be required to to reach my goal. This sounds like a pretty distant objective, but it is continuously getting closer to becoming a reality. Soon enough, I will possess the ability of providing my assistance to people in need and I will have the capability of sharing my knowledge with the world. Having questions asked repeatedly through my middle and high school ages like “What do you want to be when you go grow up?” or the occasional “What are you planning to do after you graduate?” really made me think. After years of speculation, I knew Sports Medicine was the career path that I was destined for. Sports Medicine has been a big part of my life for years and continues to inspire me. You could say that I am bound to follow a medical profession because of my mother. She has shared numerous stories of patient care, experiences amongst patient family members, and coworkers that she has encountered. While she is not in the Sports Medicine field, hearing about her great experiences and immense achievements that she has accomplished in her nurse management career, have all had a considerable impact on me. She has helped so many people fight to live another day, and I am very optimistic that one day I will be able to make a difference in the lives of others just as she has. Another impact on my career choice began in the year of 2012. I developed a neurological condition called RSD, also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This caused tremendous pain in one of my knees and led to an inability to maintain my normal lifestyle. I could not bear weight on my leg because of this condition, and it had a detrimental effect on my middle and high school activities. I also had to drop my passion of competitive dance on a Nationally-Ranked team because I could no longer maintain the necessary high standards. After nine years of preparing for recitals and competitions my dancing activities came to an unsettling halt. I felt as though my favorite activity that I had been loyal to for most of my life, including the family and friends I had grown up with, all diminished because of this unknown problem. After a large portion of my life ended, I was left with an abundance of time. During this period of time, I became very curious about my RSD and often consulted my physical therapists and doctors to investigate further. I experimented with ice rubs, kinesiology, and vibration units to find relief, but medical professionals were still unsure of my condition. We even experimented with these things called contrast baths. For months, I would submerge my leg into below freezing temperature ice water, then quickly switch into almost boiling water. The doctors were hoping that it would shock my leg into correcting itself, but unfortunately this was not the case. Each one seemed to be unable to obtain answers after over three years of different treatments. My problem was unique to others that the doctors had seen …show more content…
This may have been because I had been a patient of four different centers in the Hampton Roads area and experienced different views on my trauma. Each therapist tried different procedures and have led me to where I am today. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, and courtesy really encouraged me to pursue a Sports Medicine career to help athletes recover to their best potential ability. After continuous doctor visits still lingering today, I am determined to find out more information about my problems and help others who may be suffering. I am excited about the opportunity to obtain the knowledge and ability to help solve other athlete’s issues. I will do my best to make sure that athletes can participate and grow stronger in their desired sporting