My Aunt's Story by Kalpana

My Aunt's Story by Kalpana - September 2013 Scholarship Essay

As much as one would hope otherwise, the path to achieving one’s goals in life is laden with setbacks. Often, there is even the occasional failure before one ever comes close to reaching success. To overcome these obstacles requires constant perseverance and the highest level of effort. 
When my aunt was a little girl, she knew she wanted to be a doctor. However, growing up in the bustling city of Mumbai, India, she also knew that this would not be easy. Her first obstacle came when she reached high school. At the time, the public school system of the city lacked quality teachers and resources, such as books. Always striving to gain more knowledge, she searched for local businesses to financially support her high school education at a private school. Throughout school she also worked as a tutor to support the cost of her attendance. She graduated high school at the top of her class, and went on to attend university to get her Bachelors of Science in Botany and Zoology.
After completing her undergraduate studies, she went to medical school for four years. During that time, she also worked at a doctor’s office in the evenings to pay for school. Through her unwavering standard for hard work, she then completed four years of residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and started her own private practice in India.
Yet just as her life was beginning to settle, she got married and she moved to the United States. She sold her practice in India, and came to New York City with nothing. However, she accepted these challenges as a chance for her to learn and adapt to a new country. Through sheer resilience she redid her four years of residency and completed a fellowship to again start her own private practice.
It has been over 40 years now that my aunt has run her own practice, delivering many adorable babies along the way. As I too hope to become a physician, her story inspires me to always do academically better. When I become discouraged by how difficult my science classes are or by how rigorous the MCAT will be, talking to her inspires me to learn from my mistakes and to keep studying. Because of her I know that these obstacles can be overcome with a sense of optimism and the willingness to persevere.