Let's see who can tear my PS apart the most
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 9:10 pm
I had always strived to become a physician. I took AP science classes in high school, fulfilled most of the pre-medical requirements in college, and was actively looking for a doctor to shadow when one of my professors informed the class of an internship available over the summer at the local pro bono office. I initially scoffed at the idea, as I wanted to be a doctor, not a lawyer. After a couple of sleepless and pensive nights, I decided to interview for the position. I never considered a career outside of medicine, and I believed that this internship would be a great way for me to expose myself to another profession. I accepted the offer and a few days later began the internship that would change my life.
My first week at Lackawanna Pro Bono played out nothing like I thought it would. I was neither bored nor regretful for accepting the internship. What I felt instead was a sense of fulfillment that had been foreign to me until this point. Examining legal documents, screening potential clients, and printing out dockets might not seem like interesting work, but I loved it. Part of this enjoyment came from helping people who are in need, but part of it also came from intellectual stimulation. A lawyer once told me that starting a case is akin to “going down the rabbit hole” and this concept succinctly sums up why I find the law so fascinating. Rather than following a prescribed path to meet the objective, a lawyer generally must carve out his own path. I may not have been working on cases during my time at the Pro Bono office, but my exposure to the law was adequate enough to assure me that I will be stimulated intellectually while I practice it. My subsequent internship with a local judge reaffirmed my passion for the law by providing me with the opportunity to observe trials and examine how the law is practiced. I am fully cognizant of the dismal state of the legal job market today, but my time spent interning in the legal field so far has assured me that this is what I want to do.
I do not regret spending my first three semesters on the pre med track. The hallmark of the Jesuit liberal arts education is the general education requirement that mandates taking courses in a variety of disciplines. This facet of my education forced me to think critically like a philosopher, reason like a mathematician, empathize like a theologian, and employ rhetoric like a politician. My natural science classes augmented this balanced skillset by providing me with a fluency in science that can prove invaluable in a legal world that encompasses many different disciplines. This balanced approach, while embodied in the courses I have taken, has been a guiding principle in my life since childhood. In an age where a growing number of people choose to focus on a small number of activities, I eschewed specialization in favor of generalization. I may not have excelled in one particular area, but what I lost in commendations I gained in experience and diversity. My time playing the piano and the violin, hitting a ball with a bat and a racquet, and working at a construction site and in an office all helped contribute to who I am as a person today. My comprehensive upbringing has engendered abilities to thrive in a variety of environments, think on my feet, and quickly adapt to change.
My first week at Lackawanna Pro Bono played out nothing like I thought it would. I was neither bored nor regretful for accepting the internship. What I felt instead was a sense of fulfillment that had been foreign to me until this point. Examining legal documents, screening potential clients, and printing out dockets might not seem like interesting work, but I loved it. Part of this enjoyment came from helping people who are in need, but part of it also came from intellectual stimulation. A lawyer once told me that starting a case is akin to “going down the rabbit hole” and this concept succinctly sums up why I find the law so fascinating. Rather than following a prescribed path to meet the objective, a lawyer generally must carve out his own path. I may not have been working on cases during my time at the Pro Bono office, but my exposure to the law was adequate enough to assure me that I will be stimulated intellectually while I practice it. My subsequent internship with a local judge reaffirmed my passion for the law by providing me with the opportunity to observe trials and examine how the law is practiced. I am fully cognizant of the dismal state of the legal job market today, but my time spent interning in the legal field so far has assured me that this is what I want to do.
I do not regret spending my first three semesters on the pre med track. The hallmark of the Jesuit liberal arts education is the general education requirement that mandates taking courses in a variety of disciplines. This facet of my education forced me to think critically like a philosopher, reason like a mathematician, empathize like a theologian, and employ rhetoric like a politician. My natural science classes augmented this balanced skillset by providing me with a fluency in science that can prove invaluable in a legal world that encompasses many different disciplines. This balanced approach, while embodied in the courses I have taken, has been a guiding principle in my life since childhood. In an age where a growing number of people choose to focus on a small number of activities, I eschewed specialization in favor of generalization. I may not have excelled in one particular area, but what I lost in commendations I gained in experience and diversity. My time playing the piano and the violin, hitting a ball with a bat and a racquet, and working at a construction site and in an office all helped contribute to who I am as a person today. My comprehensive upbringing has engendered abilities to thrive in a variety of environments, think on my feet, and quickly adapt to change.
