AnimalArk's Veterinary Medicine Personal Statement (International Applicant)
I have loved animals as long as I can remember. Early evidence was my trying to talk to birds rather like Cinderella, calmly observing lizards while all my friends shrieked and ran away or begging for a pet when I was six. My two Dalmatians are now my most precious companions and while I've stopped trying to talk to birds, I have learnt to understand some of their chirping.
Eighth grade came around and so did conviction about what I wanted to become in the future. I couldn't yet spell veterinary doctor but I was sure I wanted to be one. I took every opportunity to learn more about animals and nature. When I had to make a project about an NGO in 8th grade, it had to be on Friendicoes (an animal shelter). Later, I volunteered there during my summer vacations.
The central dogma of life, the way everything links to everything else, the diversity of living things and how they evolve, and even the thought of all we have yet to discover has kept me fascinated with Biology. My favourite is a pocket book on animal diseases with which I used to try and diagnose every animal I came across. My adventures have led me to white water rafting and cliff jumping on the Ganges, paragliding in the Himalayas, and a scuba diving license from PADI in Maldives.
Last summer, I participated in a workshop on Stem Cells in Dr. Shroff's laboratory where I learnt about embryonic stem cell culture and met a lot of patients benefiting from it. I attended a medical expo in All India Institute of Medical Sciences where I got to touch real samples of organs and learn about common diseases.
I hold the title of Chief Editor of the biotechnology newsletter and am credited as one of the founders of the school's biotechnology club and the annual Young Editor's Summit. In the two years that I have been associated with the club, I have visited the Genetics Department of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, and the Delhi Base of the Indian Space Research Organization. I also recently received the Sardar Bhagwant Singh Award for a project on Neuroscience. One of my greatest strengths is getting along with everybody and hence last year I signed up for the Community Development Leadership Summit (a large scale exchange program) to meet new people from around the globe. I was on the organizing committee and also housed delegates from Russia and Thailand in our home for ten days.
I recently restarted volunteering at Friendicoes, an NGO, where my work ranges from taking the dogs for their walks, helping in feeding and cleaning the animals, to playing with them. I have learnt the importance of neutering animals to control stray populations. My interaction with the different dogs, cats, and monkeys has taught me how each animal is unique and the importance of finding them loving homes. Above all, the personal fulfilment I receive has strengthened my resolve to become a vet.
Riding on this wave of determination, I was delighted to find a vet who allowed me to observe at his clinic. I'm now familiar with most of the common afflictions and have witnessed a few rarer conditions. I've been delighted by the pregnant females, the puppies coming in for their first vaccinations, and seeing the improvement in the patients. I've had the privilege of observing some radiology techniques and minor surgeries. The experience that stands out the most however was on my first day there, when a stray dog badly injured in a road accident was brought in. The vet and the dog's rescuer decided it would be kindest to have the dog put down and while I felt sad, I agreed with their decision. I watched as the dog went limp even before the syringe was empty and I realized how difficult are the decisions that vets sometimes have to make.
I believe studying veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom, in addition to making me a better human being, will help focus my passion to serve animals even further and help me become the animal kingdom's Mother Teresa my younger self wanted to be.
Universities Applied to:
- Edinburgh (Veterinary Medicine) - Offer (85% average in 5 subjects with 85% in Physics, Chemistry and Biology) - Firm
- Bristol (Veterinary Medicine) - Offer ( 85% average in top 4 subjects with 85% in Chemistry and Biology) - Insurance
- Glasgow (Veterinary Medicine) - Offer (85% average in 5 subjects with 85% in Chemistry, Biology and either Physics or Biotechnology) - Declined
- Nottingham (Veterinary Medicine) - Rejection pre interview.
- Imperial (Biology) - Offer (90% average in 5 subjects with 90% in Biology and either Physics or Chemistry) - Declined
Grades Predicted (on UCAS):
- Biology (CBSE Class 12) - 94%
- Chemistry (CBSE Class 12) - 90%
- Physics (CBSE Class 12) - 87%
- Biotechnology (CBSE Class 12) - 94%
- English (CBSE Class 12) - 90%
Grades Achieved:
- Biology (CBSE Class 12) - 91%
- Chemistry (CBSE Class 12) - 94%
- Physics (CBSE Class 12) - 88%
- Biotechnology (CBSE Class 12) - 100%
- English (CBSE Class 12) - 95%
Work Experience:
- 2 weeks at an animal shelter
- 2 weeks at a clinic
- 1 week at a lab
- 1 day at a medical expo
- 1 day at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute
General Comments:
Feel free to message me with any queries. I'm especially happy to help any Indian applicants!
Comments on the statement:
I was quite satisfied with my statement when I submitted it. I now realize my statement is a lot more childish (for lack of a better word) than some of the other entries but I think the simplicity works. Opportunities for work experience are very limited in India and I was lucky to find a vet who finally let me intern at his clinic here. The lack of work experience clearly shows but I think the science oriented extra curricular activities is what pulled me through.
