Application Essay: Pediatric Surgeon Aspirations

My most wonderful and unforgettable trip was a summer music tour to China when I was eight years old. My violin teacher, Mr. Zhou, took our “String in Motion Ensemble” music group to visit and play in several cities with local middle schools. In a small city in the poor remote province of Guizhou, a local boy was deeply printed in my memory because of the uniquely shaped lips. His upper lip was disfigured with a facial deformity that created a gap, allowing me to see his tongue whether his mouth was open or closed. He was so afraid to face us that he would turn his face down to floor each time I looked at him. When I returned home my dad, a pediatric nurse, explained that the boy had a cleft lip and palate. Followed by my dad and his pediatric surgeon friend, Dr. Wang, I observed the cleft palate and lip repair procedure in our local Children's Hospital. This congenital disease is very common in poor areas of the world. The repair can be simple, requiring just one surgical procedure. It can also be complex, requiring several procedures over time.

There is a pressing financial need to address this issue because most of those affected are unable to pay for surgical repairs. There are several charity organizations that help support this cause to raise money for those with cleft palates to receive reconstructive surgery. The “Smile Train” charity program collects money for repair procedures. Every $275 makes one repair procedure possible by the program. After the trip, I started donating my monthly allowance ($35 to $50 per month) to the “Smile Train” in the hopes that I could help a child with cleft palate and lip to smile again. I also organized a small fundraising activity in our community last year, but I was unable to raise a significant amount of money. After turning 16 in December, I started working weekends in a local McDonald’s restaurant in order to donate my wages to the program. So far, I have donated almost $1000 to the program! While my busy high school schedule keeps me from working some weekends, I try to work as much as I can.

The Smile train has four missions to China each year but only one during the summer, when I would be able to attend. Unfortunately, my mission trip to China with my dad was canceled last year, forcing me to reschedule. Despite this disappointment, I am excited to continue my contributions to the “Smile Train”. It is on my top list of charity organizations, and I intend to support it for a lifetime. Sometime in the future I may be able to contribute more than money, becoming a pediatric plastic surgeon specialist in repair of oral-facial deformity. While I have not yet decided on a career path, I will keep this option in mind as I consider the next steps relating to higher education and professional pursuits.