HELP!! Need help with letter of intent for grad school!

[ORRN1989]

Hi! I have decided to apply for grad school! All of the applications required a goal statement/letter of intent... I am not sure what they want to hear, so I would love any feed back on my first rough draft I have here... I know some people have made it more personal, others professional.. I just don't know what a good in-between is! Thanks for any feedback, it is SO very much appreciated!!

Ever since I was little I have had a passion for the medical field. Growing up my grandpa suffered from chronic kidney disease and had to endure dialysis treatments, frequent doctor visits, and all the other atrocities associated with such a disease. My grandparents often babysat me, so I was always along for the ride. My grandma still tells stories of doctor visits and when I would play with the stethoscope and the flash light playing doctor” for my grandpa. At home, I was able to help” her change my grandpa's dressings for the wounds on his feet and watch her clean them out. She says that ever since those days, she always told people my little girl is going to be a nurse when she grows up”, and thankfully she was correct in that statement.

Upon graduating high school and applying to colleges, I knew instantly I was going to apply a nursing program. I have always loved caring for and nurturing people. Helping the sick, the needy, is a part of who I am and who I continue to strive to be. Nursing was and is a perfect fit. The compassion and care provided by nurses is unremarkable, and I wanted to be able to provide such care to others myself. I obtained my BSN from *** in 20**. I have been a nurse now for four years, and though it may be difficult and stressful at times, I still love what I do.

My love of nursing has inspired me to continue in the field and advance my education to obtain a graduate degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Being from ***, I have always known the University of *** to be a reputable school that provides excellent education. I have seen before my eyes how the university has grown and flourished. I value the diversity of the school, the astounding research work it has done such as aiding in the discovery of the first oral polio vaccine. The distance learning FNP program would be a perfect fit for me. I know that taking this path will be challenging, but I am eager to take it on and believe that I would be able to excel in the program. I would love and cherish the opportunity to be a part of such a well-known program at **.

As I have been researching different colleges and the various nursing graduate degrees offered, I continue to feel the gravitational pull towards the FNP program at **. As my time as a nurse in the hospital I have had many encounters with medical doctors as well as nurse practitioners. Outside of the hospital I have also encountered medical doctors as well as nurse practitioners, for myself and for others. My experience with both has shown me the compassion and the rapport that is exemplified by nurse practitioners. The care and concern they have for their patients, the way they intently listen to the patient and their family, has only reconfirmed and reiterated my respect for nurse practitioners and my desire to become one. To be able to get to know my patients, to listen, diagnose, formulate a plan of care, treat, and watch them get better or maintain a particular health status is something I long for. Watching those I care for in the hospital get better is such a rewarding experience, I would love to even have a bigger better impact on their lives directly.

If I am fortunate enough to be accepted into the FNP program, I can assure you I will do nothing but put my utmost effort into my school work and clinical time. I am aware that the program can be grueling, but I am eager to take on the challenge of graduate school and furthering my career as a nurse practitioner. Upon graduating the program, my goal is to help better the health of the community and those who are in need of any sort of medical assistance. I am certain throughout the clinical rotations I will experience so many wonderful, awe-inspiring, miraculous, awful, ludacris experiences and I cannot explain how much I look forward to those. I believe that being a part of such a program as the one that UC offers, I will excel in my nursing careers, I will be shaped and reshaped only to become a better nurse and ultimately a family nurse practitioner.