Life

When a pod of 55 pilot whales recently beached themselves on a stretch of Cape Cod, vacationers and beach-goers came to the rescue. By high tide, they managed to save 46 whales. In explaining his motivation for jumping in to help, one volunteer simply answered, “Life.” The same purpose inspires my ambition to become a physician.

Medicine appeals to my deep appreciation for human life, inculcated by studying man as both a human being and biological machine. The decision to practice stems from a perpetual fascination with science combined with this basic love for life. I grew up capturing insects and watching PBS, always questioning the complexities of how the body works. Through academics and medical research, I have begun to answer this question.

My passion for knowledge of the inner workings of the human body led to proactive involvement in medical research, enriching my view of medicine as well as nurturing the desire to continue research endeavors throughout my medical career. For the past two years, I have studied the relationship between structural damage and preserved clinical function in multiple sclerosis patients through functional MRI, under the tutelage of Drs. Cranston and Mahoney. Although unsure how these two factors correlate, we hypothesize that a critical period exists when the brain undergoes reorganization. In a concurrent study, I am investigating the role of the pelvic veins in cryptogenic stroke, funded through a grant awarded by the American Heart Association. The objective is to determine, via MRV, whether the pelvic veins are the source of thrombolytic emboli in cryptogenic stroke patients who also harbor a patent foramen ovale. The results of these studies not only will contribute to the advancement of medicine, but may also hold therapeutic benefits for those afflicted with such neurological damage.

The rewards of medical research lie in its practical application, and there is no better place to observe the miracle of life than in the NICU. Each day, newborns struggle to survive, illustrating the inherent advancements and limitations of medicine. I have witnessed preemies, from 24 weeks of gestation and on, live and die. Exposure to patients revealed that people are much more than collections of cells and organs -- we all share the special gift of life. My role in helping to care for them abounded with both challenge and joy.

My first patient, Baby S, arrived nine weeks prematurely and spent the first month of life in the NICU. Due to the presence of an extrachromosomal fragment, he suffered slight mental retardation. His mother, who had the same condition, visited infrequently during his hospital stay. When she did, her visits were brief and inattentive. I grew quite fond of Baby S, often watching him snuggle into the blankets like a small burrito. Although his sky blue eyes moved in a spastic manner, they gave life to his somewhat immobile body. He rarely showed signs of discomfort, whether hungry or needing a change. I tried to give him the extra attention he lacked. At times, he rewarded my efforts to interact with a smile; other times, he gave me a dirty diaper.

Reflecting on my experiences, I realize that the practice of medicine entails more than remembering and dispensing scientific facts. It requires exercising both mind and heart, along with a genuine respect for life. Baby S and my other NICU patients instilled in me a sense of how precious life is, and I am certain that my current EMT training and planned medical mission to southeast Asia will reaffirm my conviction to improve the lives of others.

The career of a physician will allow me to balance an intellectual curiosity with my desire to help those in need. By helping man at his best and his worst, combining a passion for life with the pursuit of scientific knowledge, I can help heal and comfort others. I eagerly anticipate a vocation in which my patients fuel my search for knowledge, and that search embodies reciprocal benefits to my patients. When asked why I have chosen a medical career, I can confidently respond, “Life.”

點(diǎn)評(píng)：

這是一篇臨床醫(yī)學(xué)生的Essay，從文章的內(nèi)容以及最后一段的宣言可以看出，作者想要申請(qǐng)的也是臨床醫(yī)學(xué)，并且立志當(dāng)一名醫(yī)生。

1、主題思想：

對(duì)于一個(gè)醫(yī)生來(lái)說(shuō)，什么是最重要的呢？當(dāng)然是最生命的重視，并且是發(fā)自內(nèi)心的珍愛(ài)。因?yàn)樽鳛橐幻玫尼t(yī)生，最首要的是醫(yī)德，其次才是醫(yī)術(shù)。文章就是緊緊地抓住了這一點(diǎn)來(lái)寫(xiě)的，動(dòng)之以情，從一開(kāi)始闡述自己當(dāng)醫(yī)生的理由、到后來(lái)文章中所提到的在醫(yī)院的實(shí)習(xí)經(jīng)歷，都可以看出，作者想要強(qiáng)調(diào)的首先是自己對(duì)于醫(yī)學(xué)事業(yè)的一份熱忱和對(duì)于生命的高度尊重。試問(wèn)，這樣一份對(duì)于醫(yī)學(xué)的赤誠(chéng)之心，有那位教授不會(huì)為之感動(dòng)呢？

2、開(kāi)場(chǎng)：

應(yīng)該說(shuō)，文章一開(kāi)頭引用的一個(gè)實(shí)例是非常好的，因?yàn)閷?duì)于那些被擱淺的鯨的拯救行動(dòng)，完全是出于一種對(duì)于生命的尊重，并且每一個(gè)前去救助的人，都是出于自愿的。這樣的精神可以說(shuō)是一名醫(yī)生的最高道德標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，也是對(duì)于立志向要做一名醫(yī)生的來(lái)說(shuō)最難能可貴的精神。

3、中段：

文中的一段實(shí)習(xí)經(jīng)歷，對(duì)于一名智力低下的嬰兒的照顧，也很好地體現(xiàn)了這樣一種精神，那就是對(duì)于生命都有一種平等的尊重的態(tài)度。

總結(jié)：

從整篇文章來(lái)看，作者強(qiáng)調(diào)的并非是自己學(xué)術(shù)上的東西，而最主要的是對(duì)醫(yī)德、對(duì)于醫(yī)生這個(gè)職業(yè)的理解，這一層面上來(lái)重點(diǎn)來(lái)描述的，而這樣寫(xiě)的好處也就是能打動(dòng)人心。總的來(lái)說(shuō)，由于醫(yī)學(xué)是一門(mén)比較特殊的學(xué)科，它結(jié)合了科學(xué)的謹(jǐn)慎態(tài)度與人文的關(guān)懷，還需要一份社會(huì)責(zé)任感，所以在臨床醫(yī)學(xué)的Essay總，除了冰冷的學(xué)術(shù)闡述和探討，也非常需要有人性的溫暖參與其中，這樣寫(xiě)出來(lái)的效果會(huì)好很多。

譯文：

生命的意義

前不久，55頭巨頭鯨在位于科德角的一段海灘上擱淺了，周?chē)诙燃俚娜藗円院托腥硕技娂娗叭ソ饩取?在漲潮的幫助下，他們得以解救了46頭巨頭鯨。別人問(wèn)起，究竟出于什么動(dòng)機(jī)使得你們?nèi)ソ饩冗@些鯨時(shí)，其中一個(gè)志愿者簡(jiǎn)單的回答道：“因?yàn)樯?。是的，同樣是因?yàn)檫@個(gè)原因，使我想要成為一個(gè)醫(yī)生。

對(duì)于生命的感激讓我對(duì)醫(yī)學(xué)產(chǎn)生了興趣，也促使我不僅學(xué)習(xí)人類的醫(yī)學(xué)也包括生物醫(yī)學(xué)。而這一切都是源于我對(duì)于生命的熱愛(ài)。過(guò)去我捕捉昆蟲(chóng)并且觀察PBS，總是對(duì)于它們復(fù)雜的身體構(gòu)造以及工作方式充滿了疑問(wèn)，通過(guò)醫(yī)學(xué)的研究，我開(kāi)始尋找答案。

對(duì)于人體內(nèi)部結(jié)構(gòu)運(yùn)作方式的熱忱，使我全身心地投入了醫(yī)學(xué)研究中，在這期間豐富了我對(duì)于醫(yī)學(xué)的眼界，同時(shí)也更堅(jiān)定了想要投身醫(yī)學(xué)從而不斷的作相關(guān)研究的決心。在過(guò)去的兩年中，我通過(guò)運(yùn)用MRI，對(duì)大量肝硬化病人做了研究，學(xué)習(xí)了結(jié)構(gòu)損傷以及臨床性防御機(jī)構(gòu)，在Cranston 教授以及 Mahoney 教授的指導(dǎo)下，盡管對(duì)于這兩個(gè)因素是如何關(guān)聯(lián)的還不清楚，但目前的猜測(cè)是大腦在危急時(shí)刻所進(jìn)行的信息重組。在最近的研究中，我研究了在遭受不明原因的撞擊后骨盆腔靜脈會(huì)有所變化，研究所用的基金是來(lái)自美國(guó)心臟協(xié)會(huì)的資助。目的是用來(lái)研究，對(duì)于遭受過(guò)不明撞擊并且是卵圓孔未閉的患者來(lái)說(shuō)，是否骨盆腔靜脈是造成溶血栓栓賽物的原因。這些研究的結(jié)果不僅對(duì)于醫(yī)學(xué)進(jìn)步做出了貢獻(xiàn)，并且很大程度上使遭受此類神經(jīng)性損傷的患者造福。

對(duì)醫(yī)學(xué)研究最好的回報(bào)就是能運(yùn)用于實(shí)踐，再也沒(méi)有比在NICU更好的地方了，因而在這里總能發(fā)現(xiàn)生命的奇跡。每一天，都有不少的新生嬰兒必須努力掙扎著才得以生存下去，醫(yī)學(xué)既有其進(jìn)步的一面也有其局限性。我曾經(jīng)親眼看到孕育了24周的早產(chǎn)兒，出生然后死亡。也曾經(jīng)向患者解釋道，其實(shí)人類只不過(guò)是細(xì)胞和器官的累積——生命是上天賜與我們的一份特別的禮物。作為我來(lái)說(shuō)，在幫助和照顧這些患者的過(guò)程中，既充滿了挑戰(zhàn)也得到一種滿足感。
 
我的第一個(gè)病人，是個(gè)早產(chǎn)9個(gè)星期來(lái)到人間的嬰兒，叫S。他在出生的第一個(gè)月里是在NICU度過(guò)的。由于存在染色體的多余片段，他有一些輕微的智力低下。他的母親，和他有同樣的病癥因此很少在S住院期間來(lái)看望他。每次母親到來(lái)都很短暫和匆忙。而我漸漸開(kāi)始喜歡上了S，經(jīng)常去看望他，看他在小小的籃子里努力掙扎著。盡管他天藍(lán)色眼睛的轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)和一般人不同，上天賜與他生命卻給于他不太靈活的身體。他很少表現(xiàn)出任何的不舒適，比如饑餓或者需要換姿勢(shì)。有時(shí)我會(huì)給于他更多的照顧，而他會(huì)給我一個(gè)微笑作為回報(bào)；當(dāng)然，更多的時(shí)候，他給我的是一片臟尿布。

回顧我所經(jīng)歷的一切，我意識(shí)到醫(yī)藥的實(shí)際應(yīng)用不僅僅對(duì)科學(xué)原理的熟識(shí)以及運(yùn)用，還有對(duì)精神上以及內(nèi)心的歷練，以及對(duì)生命發(fā)自內(nèi)心的尊重。嬰兒S以及我在NICU的其他病人，讓我漸漸明白了生命是多么的珍貴，而我現(xiàn)在也正在進(jìn)行急診醫(yī)師的實(shí)習(xí)，并且，我打算去東南亞的決定也可以證明我想要救助更多人的這份決心。

職業(yè)醫(yī)師的職業(yè)讓我在對(duì)于知識(shí)的好奇以及對(duì)幫助別人的渴望之間找到一種平衡。在別人最好或最壞的狀態(tài)下幫助他們，并且抱著對(duì)于科學(xué)知識(shí)探索之情以及對(duì)生命的熱情，我想我能幫助極撫慰別人的能力。我渴望在與患者的相處的過(guò)程中，尋找真理，而在這探索的過(guò)程中，同時(shí)也反過(guò)來(lái)造福患者。每當(dāng)別人問(wèn)我為什么選擇醫(yī)學(xué)作為一生的職業(yè)時(shí)，我會(huì)自信得回答：“因?yàn)樯薄?BR>