Failure Produces Character, Character Brings Success. by John

Failure Produces Character, Character Brings Success. by John - August 2014 Scholarship Essay

The academic failure that has probably impacted me the most was being rejected from medical school not just one, but two application cycles in a row. However, I believe these failures gave me an opportunity to become a stronger person. When I first did not make it into medical school after the 2010-2011 application cycle, I was disappointed, but I saw that it was an opportunity to gain more experience and come back stronger for the next year.

However, after graduating with a bachelors degree and working incredibly hard to gain experience in my first year out of college, I again did not make it into medical school during the 2011-2012 application cycle, even though I thought that I was a very strong and competitive applicant. Nevertheless, I did not let this second round deter me from pursuing my dream of becoming a physician.

By the third year I applied to medical school, I gathered a great amount of clinical experience. I have travelled to both Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, where I volunteered in medical and surgical settings and grew in my knowledge of Spanish. I also participated in two different clinical research projects, one with alcohol detoxification patients and one studying emergency intubation. I also worked full time as an emergency department scribe by assisting the physicians with procedures and caring for patients, and I learned about medicine hands on every day.

I was finally accepted into medical school after three years of applying and am now pursuing my dream of becoming a physician. However, I have realized that the multiple failures along the way allowed me opportunities to grow in life experience and to demonstrate perseverance in pursuing my dream. Traveling to other countries gave me awareness of the condition of healthcare in developing nations, and working in research and in the emergency department I became confident working with patients. Now that I am in medical school, I am thankful for my initial failures because they made my character stronger and prepared me for the challenges that still lie ahead. Will I fail again in the future? Most certainly. I look forward to the challenge though, because I know that overcoming the challenge produces a great reward.