Gastroenterologist: Personal Statement

As a Registered Nurse who knows the duties that his work demands, I have to demonstrate deeper understanding of the Health Directorate's core values of care, excellence, collaboration, and integrity in my professional nursing practice and patient care. To conform to the above mentioned values, I endeavor to appreciate that improving a patient's experience is integral in patient care. This can be achieved by doing away with fear and anxiety that protracts patients' healing process. Enhancement of the communication between my patients and I will also go a long way in hastening their recovery and their self-management.

For my book review assignment, I decided to choose the book titled “The Other End of the Stethoscope: 33 Insights for excellent patient care”. This story deal with Marcus and how he experiences the good and the bad of patient care after suffering severe injuries from a drunk driver. The reason I decided to choose this book is because this book provided a great perspective from the patient point of view of how a patient is cared for and treated in the hospital setting. One of the most important themes from the book was to understand the relationship between the caregiver and the patient, which is patient care. Marcus states the relationship between the health care provider and the patient are similar to that of a relationship between a parent and a child. The patient depends on us and looks to us for support and comfort. One of the fundamental components of forming good patient care is to be compassionate. Compassionate care could mean the difference between life and death for a patient. From reading this book, I understand that giving compassion to someone can take all shapes and forms. As a healthcare provider, we could make such a difference for a patient in need. You could have such a huge impact on patient, even if you only deal with one for a few minutes. Simple ordinary gestures of kindness such as telling a patient you are here for them or a simple smile can give a patient a good impression of the kind of care he or she will receive. For Marcus, it was the medical

My deep rooted curiosity about the human body is what has driven me to study this course. Contributing to future medical developments, as well as breakthroughs in wider science, is something that both excites and motivates me. This fascination surrounding the body works has led to an enthusiasm for science, particularly Biology, that extends beyond the classroom.

Alvord uses her personal experiences of working as a Navajo surgeon to teach her readers the philosophies her people follow to heal. Her philosophy is that instead of looking at each patient as a mechanical system with each part separate, look at their mind, body and spirit as being connected. If one can do this, patient care will improve. She also touches upon being culturally competent in the work place by knowing your patient population’s beliefs on healing and health care. After reading her story, I believe that in order to be the best health care provider one must look into the spiritual aspects of their patients’ lives. As providers we must provide care using the biopsychosocial model of care and become knowledgeable on our patients beliefs. Like Alvord states within her story, we must walk in beauty, become harmoniously connected to those around us, and care for our patients in a positive

First of all, I recognized that I was dealing with humans, and not just dealing with a disease process and application of the nursing process in the aspect of restoring patient health. I was dealing with emotions, and families, and cultural beliefs that influenced individual’s aspects of care. I started to see that health did not just incorporate healing the disease, but also recognized the importance of making sure patient’s felt that their

For as long as I could remember, I have seen my father rushing to the hospital in a white coat, answering pagers in the middle of important family conversations and attending night calls even in the most terrible weather. I had always wondered; what could be so important that it belittles every other responsibility in his life. It was only after many years of anguish and protests that it finally made sense to me. This defining moment of realization occurred when I first met a patient in his office. I saw how the gratitude in the patient’s eyes can provide a sense of fulfillment that triumphs all other feelings in the universe. It was human life that was most important. Being a doctor does not make you a mere healer but also gives you the responsibility of a caregiver. I had never felt more proud of my father and that was the day I felt the urge to relive this feeling many times over. It was there in that moment that I decided to pursue a career in medicine.

Underserved communities are often unaware of the medical process and stress that follows a diagnosis. The medical terminology and understanding the statistics of each approach to treat the health complication can be difficult to understand, especially after the initial shock of discovering life changing news. Health care providers serving these communities must be sensitive, patient and insightful of the many disparities theses patients’ are and will encounter as the medical team moves forward with treatment. Providing care to underserved communities goes beyond the medical practice, it’s having a raw understanding of the many layers of disparities a patient will undergo on a daily basis while being treated for their illness and meanwhile hoping to receive the best medical care possible.

Serving these populations is much more than serving food but also considering each individual’s unique story in its entirety. Some may have a dark past, some suffer from addiction, and others lose faith. As a hospital volunteer, I also served patients by spending quality time and assisting their needs. By simply understanding their viewpoint, I influenced them to believe in hope for a greater future. I learned that to effectively provide care for others, it is necessary to consider all the small scenes that combine to produce each person’s story. Compassion and service toward my patients are the sole ingredients for effective

When asked what trait a physician bears in the 21st century, most would agree with compassion. Pierre Elias author of the narrative essay, “Insensible Losses: When The Medical Community Forgets The Family”, argues that physicians may be compassionate when it comes to their patients, but “lack a systematic approach to communicating with families when a patient’s health deteriorates unexpectedly, requiring a change in care providers” (Elias 707). Pierre Elias is a medical student from Duke University. He is nearing the end of his clinical rotations when he is forced by his inner moral conscience to deliver difficult news to a patient’s family whom no other physician makes time for.

Before entering my master’s program at Tulane University School of Medicine (TUSOM), I had the chance to volunteer in the surgical department at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center (PWFMC). While volunteering, the majority of my patient interactions involved helping patients in any way possible, which usually meant simply talking with and comforting them. After all, most patients do not choose to be in the hospital and are to some extent afraid. They become scared as they attempt to contemplate the personal and financial costs of their ailments for both themselves and their loved ones. This awareness was further highlighted studying, observing, and volunteering at TUSOM. Most notably, shadowing Dr. Douglas Slakey, a surgical specialist, and his team in the gastrointestinal (GI) clinic at Tulane Medical Center.

Over the past seven years as a clinical nurse on the McKeen Pavilion (the medical-surgical amenities unit at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center), I have committed to excelling in a clinical bedside capacity, as well as a member of the NYP community. This combination has allowed me to be a true advocate for my patients, their families, and my colleagues. The unit has afforded me a tremendous amount of hands on nursing experience, as

There are several components to a healing hospital. The first component is to ensure that the environment is one that promotes healing both physically and spiritually. Many health care providers are beginning to take note that in order to achieve successful patient outcomes; they must focus their attention the patient as a whole and not just on the patient’s affliction. This means that the care provider must be aware of the patient’s physical, mental and even spiritual health. The care provider must deliver this care with compassion and respect.

You work for a gastroenterologist. On Saturday night at 2:30 a.m., he is called into the hospital to see a patient with rectal bleeding. He has never seen this patient before. He has not been at the hospital today and this will be a special call to the emergency department.

Observing theoretical ideas being applied to practice on a daily basis has greatly built on my scientific knowledge and thus, was my first step to think about my future medical career. Studying Chemistry has allowed me to develop my inquisitive nature and develop my teamwork skills while carrying out experiments and analysing data, while Biology has helped me to handle ethical issues smoothly when dealing with plants or animals and give reasoned balanced arguments when debating about ethical issues. Mathematics has further enhanced this by enabling me to convert coded data into more applicable information.

From an early age, I have been fascinated by how things work. It seems, listening to family, that I was never satisfied with a simple answer that machine runs on power; but always wanted to know more. As I completed my undergraduate education in ________, I became more and more interested in pursuing an advanced degree in Biomedical Engineering. My well-rounded educational pursuits thus far have served me well, engineering complimented by a sound background in the humanities and hard sciences. I have, though, a robust passion to learn more, to hone my skills even more in a field that has simply exploded over the past decade biomedical engineering.