I grew up in war torn Lebanon until the age of 17, flying alone to Los Angeles in 2006 to build a new life. I grew up accompanying my physician father on his rounds. Pain medicine is scarce and expensive in Lebanon, if it can be found at all. Many if not most wounds continue to be painful for a lifetime and a majority of the population cannot afford pain medication even when it is available. My experiences as a witness to pain are the primary inspiration and driving force behind my application to your highly distinguished and competitive program in Nurse Anesthesia at XXXX University.
I am an excellent student who loves studying and a learner who puts a high priority on creativity; thus, I am a good fit for a rigorous program such as yours. I have a diverse background in the physical sciences that goes well beyond my classes in nursing; especially since I have taken courses in general and organic chemistry as well as physics as well as completing several continuing educational classes for certifications through my hospital, such as CCRN, TNCC, and stroke education.
XXXX is my first choice to study towards becoming a CRNA because of the fact that you are a Jesuit program that puts a very high value on human rights and the dignity of human life, as well as having a pronounced preferential option for the poor. After I complete your program, for many decades to come, I look forward to participating in medical missions to disaster zones for decades to come; humanitarian missions that I see as my responsibility as a nursing professional who is also a native speaker of Arabic. Since I did not leave Lebanon until the age of 17, I identify very much with the country and the people as my home.
The Lebanese people continue to be threatened from within and without and rapidly filling up with refugees from neighboring Syria. Thus, I anticipate feeling called to my duty as an international, humanitarian CRNA working to save lives of those who have been wounded as a result of the widespread political strife that has afflicted the entire Middle East region for decades, recently worsening as a result of the conflict in Syria and growing strength of fundamentalist groups. I also look forward to supporting research endeavors as a CRNA and participating in clinical pain and sedation management research.
As long as I can remember I have had a special, passion, respect, and admiration for the alleviation of pain and suffering. My first major exposure to disadvantaged communities in need of basic medical necessities was around the age of 13 when I began assisting my father in his clinic after school. Thus, I see a lifetime of participation in front of me in educational activities and collaborating with other health care professionals at the service of the marginalized as the fulfillment of my inheritance and tradition, my calling, vocation, and spirituality.
