DO Personal Statement

I have chosen osteopathic medicine as my professional choice in becoming a physician, because I have a passion for the healthcare field and learning, I want to be able to help others and give back to the community and I believe that medicine is evolving towards an osteopathic approach which takes into account the body as a whole. Passion is the driver behind any good physician. I am always looking to learn and improve upon my performance in whatever I am doing. Whether it was undergraduate coursework, medical shadowing, EMT training, or community service I put forth my fullest effort into the task at hand. Every moment in medicine and life in general is a valuable learning experience. Osteopathic medicine will force me outside of my comfort zone and many mistakes will be made along the way, but I look forward to tackling the challenges ahead of me and in the end it will allow me to become the best physician possible.

Truthfully, as an undergraduate I knew very little about the osteopathic profession. In 2013, however, I began working as a medical scribe with Dr. Ghaffari-Greene, DO, in the Sibley ER and she opened my eyes to the beauty of osteopathic medicine. Thanks to Dr. Ghaffari-Greene, and a number of other osteopathic physicians in the ER, I have come to understand what osteopathic medicine is all about. Three years after my first exposure to the osteopathic profession, I continue to be motivated to become an osteopathic physician for many reasons. These include the following:

I want to become an osteopathic physician, because osteopathic doctors take the additional strides toward providing their patients with holistic care. Unlike other health care professionals osteopathic doctors try to obtain the most detailed history, starting from the patient’s birth, sometimes even before that. During the history taking

I first learned and introduced to osteopathic medicine by Dr. John Landrum, the director of the FIU Office of Pre-Health Professions. As I begin my undergraduate career here at FIU, I was concerned about my future prospects and curious about continuing my education after earning an undergraduate degree. My appointment with Dr. Landrum in the office was a very informative session. When I told Dr. Landrum of my interest in the study medicine, first question he mentioned to me was “Are you applying to M.D. or D.O. programs?” I was stunned, because at the time I had never heard of osteopathic medicine and thought that there is only one type of medicine, which is allopathic. Then we further discussed about the values and philosophies behind each

Describe the top three reasons you have chosen osteopathic medicine as your professional choice in becoming a physician (Please use your own description and not one that widely describes the profession).

My decision to practice osteopathic medicine comes from the love that have developed for the philosophy of this type of medicine. I understand that given the opportunity to study medicine will also give me a chance to develop formal medical knowledge and expand my medical leadership abilities. This will help me accomplish my overall goal of expanding the medical organization operation that is involved in treating patients in underserved communities around the

My desire to become an osteopathic physician was nurtured by various experiences I’ve had in

* Noting the missions and objectives of the Osteopathic profession and PCOM, please describe your personal experiences that demonstrate your interest in this field. Include an example of an event in which your actions directly influenced the life of another person and relate this to your goal of becoming a DO (250 word limit)

I learned about osteopathy through a book by Norman Gevitz called The DOs - Osteopathic Medicine in America. This book sparked my interest in the osteopathic approach to see the body as a single unit where all of its parts must work in harmony to achieve health, the holistic approach. I was flabbergasted to learn of all the tribulations endured and overcome by early osteopaths and in my own way I mirror their legacy with my endeavors to earn a medical degree.

Through the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Mentor Program I was able to meet Dr. Phuc Huynh, DO, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine, who was excited to share his profession with me. Through Dr. Huynh’s mentorship, I was able to gain a higher understanding of the osteopathic profession and witness how it will allow me to practice compassionate, patient-centered medicine.

Hello Mr. Williams, my name is Paris Turner and I’ll be your osteopathic physician today. Some background information about me is that I went through four years of basic medical education and also a specific training on osteopathic manipulative treatment which was very hands on but overall you’ll stay in school for 11 to 18 years, in my case I stayed in school for 11 years at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, now it does seem like a long time to be in school, which it is but in the end it pays off because my salary is about 140,000 to 300,000 and if you didn’t know this information it is no surprise because not many people are familiar with what an osteopathic physician is able do but it’s just an off branch career

My most redeeming qualities are my passion and drive in my pursuit to further my education; although I have had some hardships, I have proven resilient. I wanted to expand my understanding of pharmacotherapeutics and pathophysiology, and subsequently chose to stay for an additional year at Truman State University. In that time, I decided to pursue an Agricultural Science Minor to become culturally competent in a rural, farming area, of which I would like to practice medicine. As a lifelong student and President of Pre-SOMA, I remain versed in the latest literature and medical advances in my spare time. These qualities will encourage me to continue my osteopathic pursuit through the difficulties I will be faced at KCOM. While I understand

I was born the fourth of December 1991 in Cranbrook British Columbia. I lived there for 18 years. Before joining the military I worked as a fry cook at a Burger King for three years and held part time jobs working for the College of the Rockies summer camp programs during the summer. My parents are currently living together in Cranbrook BC. My father works outside the province testing railway tracks for two months at a time, then returns home for two to three weeks. My mother acts as the main contact point of the family, she works as a financial clerk. I have a 22 year old sister who will be attending university in Calgary this September. I attended Mount Baker Secondary School in Cranbrook and graduated in 2009

I have chosen a business related course as I have been interested in this field from GCSE level & I believe that I have the qualities to forge a successful career in this area. I have been inspired to fulfil this path by my Uncle, a director at a successful company in England

My family and I moved to the United States from Peru when I was three years old. Upon moving to the U.S., their initial intentions were to continue their education. However, both did not know English, and were poorly informed on the legal process of migrating permanently. Therefore, unaware of the need to renew their visas, our immigration status became illegal. Despite this, my parents decided to stay because they felt the United States could offer me a better education and opportunities when compared to Peru. Unable to pursue their careers because of immigration status, my parents were forced find employment in construction and babysitting respectively.