Admission

Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date
Admission into the UCSD Medical School
I regard my experience in the emergency room at Scripps Memorial Hospital as the ultimate motivating factor for my desire to become a physician. The ER used to handle many cases, especially at night, thus making the volunteer experience memorable and exciting. Prior to the experience, I used to hear captivating stories about the demanding nature of roles carried out in emergency rooms. The stories revolved around physician experiences with either critically ill patients or patients that required urgent medical attention and the role that each member of the healthcare team had to play in managing the condition of the patient. I greatly anticipated the day when I would be given the opportunity to have clinical experience in the ER. As a volunteer student that aimed to become a physician after completing my medical school, I could not hide my joy when I got assigned to an alcoholic patient that had been admitted into the ER for alcohol poisoning.
While I also helped the doctor whenever he required my services, taking care of the patient was my primary responsibility. I assisted in administering the medicine that consisted of an antibacterial agent, a synthetic antiprotozoal that had to be administered orally, and Metronidazole. The doctor had already passed the nasogastric tube through the nasopharynx and esophagus of the patient into the stomach to assist in getting rid of the stomach’s content.

This proved helpful in removing the toxic alcohol that the patient had taken a few hours before being rushed to the facility. Even though extracting the stomach’s content was a seemingly quick and easy process, the doctor reminded me to exercise care and caution to avoid causing any harm or injury to the patient.

While that was an easy experience that left me yearning for something more critical and demanding, I will never forget another horrendous experience in the ER that sent cold chills down my spine. While I was used to the fast-paced environment of the ER, the pace was extraordinarily fast when several victims of a fatal road accident were rushed to the room. While I did not play an active role in providing emergency care to the patients, I suddenly understood how the ER environment could quickly change depending on the situation at hand. However, I found it somewhat surprising to note that I enjoyed the fast-paced environment and felt fascinated with the bursts of adrenaline that sent cold chills around my entire body whenever the facility had to deal with an emergency case.
From that experience, I also learned that incoming patients are at a higher risk of getting infected or infecting the healthcare team since they do not pass through any diagnosis before being rushed into the ER. I also felt back pain and musculoskeletal issues whenever we had to handle heavy patients for extended periods. Regardless of these challenges, I still cannot extinguish the desire to join a medical school and become a medical doctor. This explains why I have chosen the UC San Diego medical school as the platform that will train and nurture me to become a professional medical doctor. The institution has turned out to be one of the most reputable medical schools in the country and boasts of 50 years’ experience in training medical students. While I understand the difficulty associated with securing admission into the school, I look forward to such an opportunity.