Hippocrates and Humanity (back to contents)

The American Heritage Dictionary states that Hippocrates “is traditionally but inaccurately considered the author of the Hippocratic oath.”

Traditionally but inaccurately?!? Is nothing sacred?

Historians agree that Hippocrates, a Greek physician who lived somewhere around 460 to 377 B.C.E., was responsible for liberating the practice of medicine from superstition. The oath was modernized in 1964 by Louis Lasagna to emphasize both the art and the science of medicine, the importance of acknowledging when you don’t know the answer, the goal of treating a person and not merely an ailment, and the resistance of the urge to play God. Many medical schools now use the modern version; many students object to any version at all.

As an applicant who has not yet suffered the sleep deprivation and near-impossible classes that come with medical school, you should be filled with a sense of mission. Naturally, many applicants choose to write about their personal passion for the care of human beings. Indeed, most of the essayists in this book cite humanitarian reasons for wanting to become a doctor. The pieces we placed in this section also describe practical experience in public health service and volunteerism, adding credence to the writer’s claims of noble humanitarianism.

For the first writer in this section, medicine is a means to achieve his “highest goal in life: to serve.” His brief essay describing a mission trip to an African leprosy village recalls a famous scene in the film Papillon, and it’s an effective example of his passion for healing and service. (CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ESSAY.)

Taking a different tack, Sarah N. Amarasingham discourses on the Hippocratic oath and what it means for her future practice in an inner-city environment, where she fears there is a “crisis of hope.” Jillian M. Polis, who worked as a dental assistant, discovered her ability to comfort and develop a rapport with patients around the world. The trust that must exist between physician and patient is the focus of her essay and of her determination to be a doctor.

Jennifer J. Kim draws an interesting parallel between her love for the ocean and the compassion that makes her want to combine medical research with direct medical care. Her specific examples of medical experience effectively support her goals. And with her wide-ranging activities and interests, Larissa Malmstadt may indeed be guilty of what her friends call a “save-the-world complex.” Her essay reveals sincerity and genuine compassion.

The next writer presents an essay full of sharp details and anecdotes. His thesis—becoming a doctor will combine “a humanitarian mission to serve our society and an intense intellectual interest in science and research”—is well supported by the specifics of his essay. He also has a provocative opening about the degree to which AIDS is misunderstood in some societies.

Finally, an engineering major, Shelileah Ramsey, summarizes nicely the attitude of most young med school applicants: “A good doctor will provide for a patient’s physical needs. A great doctor will provide for their emotional needs as well.”

Doctors, and particularly medical students, pay a heavy emotional price for their commitment. Your essay is your opportunity to demonstrate that you are ready for that demand and that you can merge the science and the art of medicine into a compassionate career.

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