Md/Phd Personal Statement

For my CESL project, I intend to be an instructor for the NJMS Mini-Med Program. This program holds personal significance to me as I too was a student in this program when I was a sophomore in high school. This program was my first exposure to medicine and the insights I gained, not only from the lecturers, but also from medical students, has shaped my passion medicine. Therefore, I want to give back to the program that has had such a significant impact on my life. Furthermore, before coming to NJMS, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life was teaching chemistry for a program called ODASIS at Rutgers- New Brunswick where I was able to provide resources and guidance to students from minority and underserved populations. Consequently, I want to use my experiences and affinity for teaching to introduce young students to the various topics in medicine.

Before being introduced into the medical field, I had always seen myself as an engineer. Growing up I was fascinated by how everything worked. When something would break down I would be the first with a screw driver in my hand ready to take it apart. Of course being at such a young age, I would often worsen the situation than fix it, but the thrill and excitement from fixing a broken object meant the world to me. I thought becoming an engineer was my lifelong passion.

I am applying to the MD/MPH program after experiencing four years of undergraduate coursework to receive a degree in public health. The coursework as an undergraduate greatly drew my interest to things such as epidemiology, microbiology, environmental health, and global health. I was introduced to the importance of population health and preventative care, as well as the social aspects of health and the disparities stratified across populations. I believe that the rigorous undergraduate coursework I completed exemplifies my competence in terms of public health and suitability as a candidate for an MPH. I also had opportunities to have real-world experience related to public health, more specifically I have worked as an infectious epidemiology

A school field trip to the hospital at just six years old is all it took and I was hooked. The hospital was a fascinating place for me. All I wanted to do was explore and learn more about what happened there. At the end of the field trip I was given a “doctors’ toolbox” which included a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, syringes, as well as many other necessary tools needed to take care of a patient. I immediately took action and started using it on my then pregnant mother, to make sure the baby was doing well.

Looking forward, I hope to bring my understanding of and appreciation for complexities to Washington University School of Law. My diverse identity and experiences have taught me to approach people and situations with nuance. I grew up between a large Hispanic family and a predominantly white, well-educated community. I have grown up between the culture of the progressive and diverse D.C. and the conservative and homogenous Midwest. While challenging, living between distinct groups has showed me that life is more in the middle than anything, and the truth usually lies there as well.

Looking back at my years in school and my educational teachings, I see them as stepping stones that led me to where I’m today. From grade school to high school, we were slowly taught the knowledge necessary to later transfer into a college level classroom. Then once in college, our courses would act as stepping stones leading us to our chosen career path. For me personally, that will be the medical field. Specifically in Neonatal/Pediatric Nursing.

I was intrigued by the profession of a Nurse at a young age. However, what truly sparked my interest in this thriving career was when a close friend of mine was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Ever since she was diagnosed I wanted to help to create an encouraging, loving and supporting environment around in her time of need and sorrow. Since then I have always been fascinated and interested by the scientific and academic side of nursing along with the caregiving duties of the profession. Because of this, it has lead me to study Level 3 Health and Social Care programme. I am particularly enjoying my Level 3 Health and Social Care programme as it allowed me to carry out the theoretical side of my course in a real life environment as I have a work placement with a care agency. Now I am striving to further my knowledge and proficiencies through taking a university level course in Nursing.

Combined BA/MD programs are often singularly focused with an intense pace and rigorous coursework. In my eyes, they are beauteous opportunities, suitable for both my skills and my goals. Being part of a combined medicine program would not only provide me with the motivation to continue challenging myself, but also offer me the freedom to explore my other interests, and in turn receive a more well-rounded foundation for specialist medical training.

The term “scholar- practitioner “was first introduce to me during my educational journey when obtaining my Masters at Walden. At this phase of my journey, I still feel as though being an efficient scholar practitioner will always be a work in progress. As a scholar in training, I have learned the value of research and the importance of data. Even though I have a tendency of being a perfectionist I realize that scholars are human and are imperfect creatures. Therefore I can admit that I don’t have all of the answers when it comes to the field of education. However, I know where to find them. With this realization, I feel confident in the research skills that I learned at Walden which has prepared me to be a scholar. It is with this knowledge of how to collect and analysis pertinent data in an ethical manner that I have acquired and was able to execute during my study.

Preparing myself for residency, I am gaining significant US clinical experience in a hospital setting with a good understanding of the current standard of care. This experience has also given me a good insight into the ethics, medico-legal dilemmas, economics, and other aspects of medicine that go beyond the science of medicine that play a role in the US health system. It also gives me an opportunity to interact with patients from diverse cultural backgrounds which is educational and enjoyable.

I have a strong interest to work in the medical environment and as can be gleaned from my resume I have successfully completed Medical administration and medical terminology qualifications to assist me in gaining a position in the medical environment. I hold the core values of Respect, Teamwork, Compassion, High Performance and Integrity of Queensland Health in high regard. I respect all people with whom I interact, and I have emotional intelligence which allows me to show empathy and compassion especially when dealing with the diverse range of people. I believe I would fulfil the responsibilities of the Administration Officer (Outpatients) to a very high level as I view the value and the code of conduct of an organisation within which I am employed to be a very important aspect of the role and I have always demonstrated a strong sense of empathy, integrity and commitment. I have excellent organisational skills that assist me in ensuring that all tasks allocated to me are prioritised to ensure I meet the goals of my manager and of the team.

I’m interested in the medical field; cardiology and/or a General GP practitioner. A cardiologist is a doctor with special training in the act of finding, treating as well as preventing diseases associated with the heart and or blood vessels. A GP is a general practitioner who does not specialise in a particular area in medicine. General Practitioners provide routine health care and assessment of illnesses and injuries.

The MPH program at the University of Toronto is one of the best Public Health programs in Canada which provides an intensive focus on public health issues. It draws on a wide range of disciplines while offering students the chance to practice the concepts they have learnt in class in an applied environment. I am pursuing admission into the MPH program because I am interested in learning about different health challenges and the ways to develop a practical means of action for these challenges.

One of the crucial moments in my life was the decision I had to take; as to what I was going to do next in life. Having completed my Advanced Level in 2013, I realized that it was not the end of my career as a student. I needed strong academic foundation along with other soft skills to meet the challenges and survive in this commercial world as a successful individual. In view of these thoughts, I was unable to make a firm decision as to what my career direction would be. After a month or so of various discussions with my parents, friends and other learned people I was able to reason out the best choice for me.

I have a wide range of skills and knowledge that I have acquired throughout my personal and professional life. I can communicate with different types of people regardless of age, race or class. I have accessed a huge range of courses that have enabled me to develop interpersonal skills including negotiation and dealing with different types of people and personalities. I also have the knowledge, drive and enthusiasm to work alone when required as I am self-motivated and can meet targets and deadlines. I believe that challenges are best met positively by developing and improving knowledge and skills and through professional reflective dialogue that leads to change. I am very hard-working and reliable. I work well under pressure achieving a high standard of work. I have practical and organisational skills and I can find solutions to problems and face challenges confidently.