Personal statement writing and self-presentation

Personal Statement

I've had a life tougher than most. A woman born and raised in Afghanistan, I have been a refuge more than once. In pre-Taliban Afghanistan, I eagerly finished high school with a clear and decisive career objective: to become a pharmacist. When I was still in grade school, I thrived in chemistry classes. Because of positive personal experiences with medicines and pharmaceuticals in general, I had no other dream than to pursue pharmacy as a career. Before the Taliban came to power, such a dream was realistic for a young woman, and I did not foresee that political situations might somehow prevent me from fulfilling my goal. I entered pharmacy school in Kabul, a freshman with eager eyes and an energetic heart on her way toward becoming a pharmacy professional. Still young and just beginning my studies at the academy, I was suddenly barred from continuing my studies at the pharmacy school in Kabul, as were all of the other females in my class. Like many, I fled with some family members to neighboring Pakistan, where we could find refuge and solace we thought would be temporary. While we appreciated the relative peace in our lives, we had little money. Bereft of our jobs, our schools, our homes it was as if we were starting over with blank slates. I did not have enough money to enroll in a local pharmaceutical school in Pakistan. To keep my mind stimulated and my goals on target, I enrolled in all the classes that I could afford: English language, computer skills, and other practical classes that would serve me well, if not indirectly, to eventually picking up where I left off with pharmacy. My dream never died; I never once considered changing life paths because I had hoped that my living situation would change and I would eventually be able to pursue pharmacy as a career once again. That time has come.

While in Pakistan I fell in love with my current life partner, my husband Jamil Faryadi. An American resident who had lived in Virginia for almost twenty-five years, Jamil soon encouraged me to move with him to the United States. I did, as I wanted to be with him and also envisioned new opportunities to get back on track with my career. For the second time, I found myself to be a stranger in an unfamiliar territory, starting my life anew. For years I felt acute anxiety, fear, and even despair. With my husband's support, I began taking college classes here in the United States. I was forced to repeat many of the core courses I had already taken in Afghanistan, on track for the pharmacy college. It felt like I was on a treadmill: running furiously but getting nowhere. Knowing I would have been halfway toward my professional degree if I had not been forced out of school in Afghanistan, I found it nearly impossible not feel frustrated. I eventually decided to quit school entirely because of the psychological stress. Jamil, who had supported me financially and emotionally during these tough times, persuaded me to continue my studies when I felt ready.

For nearly a decade I struggled to redefine myself in a completely foreign culture. It has been difficult but after we had our first son a year ago, my perspective shifted and life situation has become more stable. Now that I have also become more proficient in English and rooted in my community, I am well-prepared to meet the challenges of university-level courses here in the United States. I am therefore applying for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program, to complete the education I started years ago in my home country.

My academic background will illustrate that I am nothing but focused and dedicated and that I will make an ideal candidate for the program. Because I have already taken many of the prerequisite courses here and in Asia, I have a solid scholastic foundation from which to draw on. However, I still require the rigors of the doctoral degree program in order to become a working pharmacist. I look forward to working with the faculty at the university, learning about their personal projects, their ongoing studies, and hopefully helping them to perform laboratory research. At the same time I look forward to learning the hands-on work of the pharmacy industry.