Example 4

Music has been a major force in my life since learning the piano at the age of seven. Studying
and playing music have taught me many valuable lessons relevant to a career in Urology. As a
freshman in high school, I began learning jazz piano, excited by the challenges and beauty of
improvised music. My instructor would give me tapes of solos by great jazz artists and my
mission was to transcribe the solo. These projects were daunting, as I did not know the songs
key or the solos first few notes. Yet, dissecting a complicated piece of music using only my
ears, intuition, and previous musical experience was thrilling. Motivated by success with the
piano, I next taught myself the guitar. Playing the guitar was mentally and physically
challenging, but I loved forcing my hands to do unnatural, awkward movements that slowly
became graceful and produced aesthetically and functionally pleasing results. The manual
dexterity, hand-eye coordination, focus, and problem solving skills I have developed through
twenty years of musical experience will be valuable in a career as a urologic surgeon.
As an undergraduate, I enjoyed similar problem solving challenges in the study of mathematics.
Math is like a foreign language, mysterious and complex at first, but fully of beautiful patterns
and logic once proficiency is obtained. Whether solving problems with differential equations,
matrixes, or number theory, I always ended the semester with pride and accomplishment, looking
forward to future classes and deeper levels of understanding.
The variety, breadth, and intensely personal nature of urologic disease are qualities that draw me
to the field. My urology patients have ranged from a two week old boy with posterior urethral
valves to an 85 year old male receiving his third penile prosthesis. Volunteering at a local nursing
home for the last five years, I have also grown close to many residents whose lives are
profoundly impacted by incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and chronic urinary tract infection.
One day, a resident with debilitating incontinence requested an explanation for his distressing
diaper dependence. Diabetes, history of stroke, and childhood polio were likely culprits, and
while I could not treat the residents incontinence, he was extremely grateful to understand the
factors contributing to his condition. The ability to engender comfort and ease in patients with
highly personal and often embarrassing clinical conditions is an important adjunct to the
urologists surgical skills.
Urologists with whom I have worked have been passionate, dedicated teachers, a quality that I
strive to emulate. For the last three years, I have tutored medical students in physiology and
pharmacology, taking students through problems and helping them work towards solutions. As a
fourth year sub-intern in Urology, I actively taught third year medical students during quiet
moments of clinic and on the wards. It was easy to make Urology relevant to other disciplines,
motivating students to discuss urologic diagnoses and treatment. Teaching attracts me to
academics, and I look forward to being part of an institution where educating and developing
talent are an everyday occurrence.
After my third year of medical school, I pursued a masters in public health in epidemiology to
better understand the basic analytic tools of studying disease in populations. My masters work
examined racial difference in disease-free survival following diagnosis and treatment of
clinically localized prostate cancer in the Surveillance-Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)Medicare database. Currently, I am preparing a manuscript for publication describing earlier
prostate cancer recurrence for African Americans when compared with other racial/ethnic
groups. During residency, I hope to apply epidemiology and biostatistics to clinical research on
the patterns, determinants, and outcomes of urologic disease in different populations.

Example 4
Attention to detail, focused problem solving, and mastery of physically and intellectually
challenging tasks have drawn me to Urology. I am fascinated by the subject matter, and I am
driven to master the techniques of the urologic surgeon in order to meaningfully impact the lives
of a wide variety of patients. The discipline and skills I have developed through music,
mathematics, volunteering, tutoring, and research will readily translate to a successful and
meaningful career in Urology.