“My passion: the duo of family and medicine”. “A profession that complements one’s passion is a way of life”. This is my philosophy. I was introduced to the world of medicine through my father. He suffered from severe asthma and got treatment from a nearby primary health center. I always saw him leaving the consultation room with the symptoms alleviated. As an innocent child, I thought of doctors as magicians who cured the patients in the blink of an eye. My childhood curiosity molded me to who I am today; “a Medical Doctor”.
Medical school taught me that doctors were not magicians, but equipment of God. I always strived to follow my medical school’s motto “Service with Love”. During the clinical rotations, I noticed that the knowledge I gained by spending time with patients was much more than what I had learned from books and lectures. Voluntary participation in a series of health fairs and medical camps in rural areas drew my attention towards primary care. One incident that touched by heart was the death of my uncle. I was very close to him as he was the one who inspired me to chase my dreams. While I was in the final year of medical school, my uncle complained about some vague abdominal discomforts. I was concerned and suggested consulting his family doctor as it has been a while since he had seen him. My uncle did not realize the seriousness of the issue and delayed the consultation. I saw him at a family gathering and decided to examine him myself. I was shocked and
My interest in medicine first stemmed from my freshman Biology class and my Nutrition class. I was intrigued by our studies of cells, genetics, and disease. Both courses incited a sense of awe and curiosity within me. Dissecting a frog, was the stepping-stone for my interest in medicine. Seeing the frog's heart made me wonder how the human heart worked. My research into the human heart inspired me to learn more about the medical field. I sought out volunteer opportunities that would give me insight into a doctor’s typical day. During my volunteer experience, I learned that as a doctor you experience many obstacles, including patient compliance and insurance approval issues. In my journey to pursue medicine, I learned that becoming a doctor means more than helping people, it means being the team leader, being compassionate, and most importantly being committed to the patient’s well being.
On the sixth day of my internship, I finished the pat feeding all the other patients, their lunches and was getting ready to check on Mr. Peter. When I entered his room, he was not there. Instead, there was a middle aged man sitting on the bed which belonged to Mr. Peter, and kept repeating the words “He is gone, oh lord he is gone” with a broken voice. I suddenly felt frozen with grief and anger. How can someone so lively be gone in such a short period of time? Why couldn’t the doctors and nurses help him? This was the harsh side of medicine, which I was not previously exposed to. At that moment I questioned myself, “Do I really want to go into a field that cannot always
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.
Medicine has been a part of my life since as far as I could remember. The interest in this field sparked me at the moment of first experiences with the settings of a simple doctor’s office. Everything and anything that has to do with some sort of science always tends to attract my curiosity. In the seventeen years of my existence, although there is still more to learn, I believe the experiences and activities I have participated in make me a good candidate to become a successful general
After beginning medical school, I quickly realized that for every one question we could answer there were about a dozen that could not be answered. I delved even deeper into my studies, determined to learn all I could to help my patients to the best of my ability. Suddenly, two of my close family members died, and with this my determination to find answers increased again. Something else awoke within me during the morning of these loved ones, as well. I truly understood what families were going through while watching their loved ones suffering, and my empathy, compassion, and bedside manner became even stronger.
Two decades and many existential crises later, one single aspect of my life has pulled me through: that passion I experienced as a child. I have questioned the source of this motivation more than once, and have sought out to put myself in all possible situations that would predict how I would feel later in my life as a doctor to make sure this passion was not mere infatuation.
Being medical professionals, they imbibe qualities of excellence and compassion. They have gifted the teachings and principles of tolerance towards one and all, towards life and its setbacks, and, towards oneself. This is more valuable than the toys, clothes and books they purchased. Finally they inculcated the spirit and essence of living a life for the benefit of mankind. Eternally, they remain to be my parents, friends, philosophers and above all, mentors. My mother is an M.D. Gynaecologist. My father is an M.D. Paediatrician. They are like the perfect couple doctors. One delivers babies and one takes care of them in their age. My parents have given up many things in life for my sake for which I will respect them forever. Whatever spiritual values I have are all because of them. They wish to fulfil their dreams through my hands. Thus it becomes my duty towards them to do well in my academics and also do well in my
Growing up, I enjoyed reading the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. These stories allowed me to intellectually immerse myself into the vivid world of Holmes and his partner Dr. John Watson as they solved criminal mysteries. I was captured by the methodological and detailed focus the characters exhibited regarding intricate clues that guided their investigations into successfully solving crimes. Many aspects of medicine parallel the methods utilized by Holmes and Watson. Similar to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the practicing physician observes how the human body works and they study evidence based reasoning in an attempt to apply this information to reach a diagnosis and decide upon a treatment.
The vocation of a doctor is the perfect unification of scientific curiosity and being of service to others. Consequently, medicine is a career that interests me, above all others, while also appealing to my scientific side as it demands the gifted use of science to combat the omnipresent threat of disease.
Listening to these words peppered in conversations amongst the physicians in my family furthered my interest in the medical field. Specifically, my grandfather, an internist in his sixth decade of practice, inspired me through his passion for learning and dedication to his patients. Even as a child, it was clear to me,
I find myself most joyful and enthusiastic when I have given myself to enhance the life of another person. Knowledge is the key to success, so by educating another individual, I take part in developing a better future for him. When I grow up, I want to continue my passions in the medicine because I know that I will have the opportunity to give optimism and closure to my patients in their long journeys. Supplying an individual with fundamental commodities relieves his stress and worry about the future. I continue my struggle to peel away my muddled lens by easing the lives of
My first introduction to Internal Medicine was even before starting kindergarten,when as a young kid I used to visit my dad’s clinic. I was always fascinated by the compassion my dad had for the sick and grief stricken and the sense of joy and happiness he experienced when he used to see them on the way to recovery. 30 years down the line I graduated from the same medical school as my dad. One of the proudest moment for me and him alike.
My interest in Family medicine as a career started when I joined North West Armed forces hospital in Saudi Arabia. In the Family medicine department, I practiced medicine in an excellent environment. Working side by side with highly trained family physicians from different countries enriched my clinical skills and experience. I practiced evidence-based medicine, participated in guideline workshops, Peer reviews and numerous educational activities all around the year. Furthermore, Dealing with a wide variety of
One of my Med school buddies nonchalantly mentioned to me during a casual conversation that family medicine was “the best” field and this is how I remember my interest in family medicine having started. Moving forward, as I considered the implications of a career in family medicine, I began to take into consideration the vast array of illnesses around me that I was naïve of before becoming a medical student. There is my father recently starting losartan for hypertension, my mother and sister’s migraines, my younger brother having eczema on his arms in connection to his asthma, my uncle’s rheumatoid arthritis, my aunt’s recent hepatitis infection, another brother’s Vitiligo of the foot, an aunt who recently had bilateral knee replacements due to osteoarthritis, and a younger cousin in Pakistan, where I hail from originally, who has a limp due to undiagnosed hip dysplasia. Then there is Pakistan’s polio vaccination deficiency, and my uncle who has polio of one leg, recently starting to use a wheelchair.
I always had that gut feeling of wanting to become a medical doctor when I grew older because of the caring nature of the doctors that treated me as a child. Dr. Ibadin, my childhood pediatrician, initiated my interest in medicine. His thorough inquiries about my health every time I went to his office made me feel like I was getting treated by the best doctor in my city. As an inquisitive child, I asked Dr. Ibadin why my first fainting spell had