Oliver Sacks Personal Statement

It was Doctor Oliver Sacks who convinced me to study psychology.

I never met him in person, but that doesn’t stop me from attributing to him my passion and drive, my goals for my future and my desire to help others in the fight against mental illness. A genius of psychology, Dr. Sacks spent his life helping people to understand and deal with psychological disorders, and then did the rest of the world a favor by putting pen to paper. Dr. Sacks’ journals compiled his most bizarre encounters with mental illness and all the things he tried to help those afflicted. Where other books had failed to pique my interest in fields of science, the humanities, or a dozen other career paths, Dr. Sacks kept me engaged from start to finish. This is the man who awoke in me a passion I did not know I possessed – a fierce desire to help those who have been affected by psychological disorders.

Following in Dr. Sacks’ steps, I am currently earning my bachelor’s degree in psychology, but my plans don’t stop there. To become a practitioner for those with disorders of the mind, I plan to earn a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. This will allow me to one day work in a hospital psychiatric ward or other mental health center for those with severe mental illness.

There’s a lot of school ahead of me, but I’m up for the task.

I am currently lined up to help with home-visits for the mentally ill as an intern, and in the next couple years I hope to have the opportunity to sit in on psychological sessions at the nearby Leavenworth Penitentiary. I am also involved in the Psychology Club on campus and have met with several professors to talk about the best ways for me to pursue my ambitions. To prepare for the financial burden of my education, I write scholarships on top of working summers and, starting next year, during the school year. I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that I am prepared to follow in the footsteps of Doctor Oliver

Sacks.
Clinical Psychology is the only career for me. The writing of a professional who dedicated his life to helping people with psychological disorders has inspired and ensnared me, leading me down a path that I am determined to follow. I work hard, take every opportunity that comes my way, and keep moving forward no matter what happen. The path I’ve chosen is more than an academic or career goal – it is the way I plan to give my life, time, and study to the aid of those who fight an endless fight against mental illness. Every time I sit down to meet with my psychology professors, talk with someone who has dealt with psychological disorder, or re-read an Oliver Sacks book, I rediscover my zeal for making a positive change in the lives of people who suffer from mental illness. If I can spend my life helping even one person to overcome depression, learn to work with their schizophrenia, or fight against PTSD, whatever it takes will be well worth my while.