Personal Statement
Program: Nutrition

“Is nucleic acid a nutrient?” This was the topic for a biochemistry group discussion two years ago. Though even now I do not know the exact answer to this question, it triggered my interest in nutrition. By consulting relevant technical literature, I come to realize that nutrition plays an important role in strengthening people’s physique, enhancing their immunological functions, and reinforcing health. This realization has changed my view that medical means and therapeutic measures are the fundamental alternative in the treatment of all diseases. When I used my basic knowledge in nutrition to give treatment to my grandpa suffering from the diabetes II through a controlled diet, I managed to maintain a stable level of his blood sugar. This indicates that a scientific diet and a proper composition of nutritional ingredients can effectively control the occurrence and development of many chronic diseases, hence my increased interest in the science of nutrition.

The outbreak of SARS in the first half of this year has given us an essential warning, that is, human health is the result of extended efforts, including the efforts designed to fight off various infectious and epidemic diseases, and prevention is the best approach to a sound physical condition. Obviously, nutrition plays a vital role in enhancing the immunity of the human body and promoting human health. But what makes me worried is that, at present, the importance of nutrition as a scientific discipline has not come to the serious attention of the medical profession and the general public in China. The general public simply follows its conventional diet habits, without sufficient scientific guidelines. Therefore, the study of nutrition becomes one of the most effective ways to improve human health and the quality of life.

This has led me to develop a serious interest in nutrition and it now appears that this interest is becoming a major career objective. For this reason, I am anxious to undertake a Master’s program in Nutrition Science at your esteemed university. I believe that I have a sincere motivation for an advanced program in Nutrition Science and I have an important foundation for such a program—my solid knowledge in biology and chemistry, and important potential for carrying out academic research. Those factors will ensure my successful completion of my proposed program and achievement of important research results in a subject I am so strongly interested in.

When, more than three years ago, I was admitted into XX (arguably one of the top-ranking universities in China) with the privilege of being waived of the otherwise requisite entrance examination (a special honor for senior middle school graduates with exceedingly outstanding academic performance), I opted for the specialty of bioengineering at the Life Science and Technology School as the subject could provide me with unique opportunities to probe into the mysteries of human life. My systematic education in this subject has allowed me to receive comprehensive academic training across a diversity of fields including biochemistry, microbiology, and cell biology and I have been able to achieve very satisfactory scores in all of them.

Both nutrition science and biological science are closely connected with human health. When I attended the course microbiology, it was the time when SARS broke out in XX. The role of microbiology in understanding the mechanism of how infectious and epidemic diseases spread and in preventing such diseases aroused my deep interest in it. On the other hand, cell biology unravels the mechanism of various activities of life and the pathogenesis of various diseases. It provides the most fundamental knowledge for biology and relevant sciences. My knowledge from those two courses will serve as an important theoretical foundation for my future study of nutrition science. 

The commitment to public welfare is an essential quality for those dedicated to a lifelong career related to human health. As a would-be public health professional, I have made conscious efforts to cultivate such a quality. I am the publicity director of our institute’s Red Cross, responsible for organizing a series of campus events including the publicity of the World Health Day, the large-scale name-signing campaign to fight against AIDS on the World AIDS Day, and elementary training in first aid. In addition, I have participated in an ecological survey organized by our Institute to protect the suburban environment of XX. In undertaking those activities, I have extended my specialized knowledge and helping hand to others. Meanwhile, I have reinforced my determination to help people combat various diseases and live a healthy life.

At present, the nutritional conditions of Chinese citizens are far from being satisfactory. Malnutrition is rather common; people either display insufficient nutrition or overtake of certain nutrients. In rural areas, regions of poor economic conditions and ethnic minorities, the diseases resulting from insufficient nutrition are widespread. By contrast, urban citizens tend to show surplus nutrition, resulting in the development of chronic diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. The rate for the occurrence of the malignant tumor is also on the rise.

Although to promote human health and to ward off diseases have been the primary objective behind the biomedical research, I understand that a lot of the research programs in the field of biology are still confined to laboratory experiments and there is a long way to go before the research findings can be commercially applied. My motivation in seeking an advanced degree program in nutrition is that I wish to learn some immediate and practical knowledge that can be applied to the solution of such practical problems of strengthening our physique, preventing diseases and improving our health conditions through a scientific makeup of our daily diet.

Despite the fact that in present-day China nutrition science has not captured sufficient concern that it deserves and the general public’s understanding of it is rather limited, it is bound to make extensive development as people become more and more concerned with improving the quality of their life. As one of a few prestigious universities in the world that offer advanced degree programs in nutrition science, your university boasts of admirable teaching and research achievements, with a strong faculty and state-of-art research facilities. An education from such a university will definitely endow me with the most updated theories and practical experiences in nutrition science.

SARS is now kept at bay, but we are given many important questions to ponder over, one of which is “how can we improve our disease-fighting ability in our daily life?” I hope that, if SARS comes again, we can use many useful measures to counter this lethal disease, including effective new drugs, advanced therapies, a more optimistic attitude, and a more united will. But, on top of that, I hope there is a general improvement in the physical conditions of the Chinese people as a whole.