Personal Narrative: My First Ensure To Orthopaedic Surgery

OrthoOklahoma is an orthopedic medical clinic with a physical therapy branch that provides outpatient physical therapy care. The facility has a staff of three licensed physical therapists and a physical therapy assistant along with four physical therapy techs. I was able to observe all three physical therapists, Megan Ripley, Joe Ogle and Ken Roberts. At OrthoOklahoma, the most common patients are post-surgery from repairs of muscles, bones or joints. While shadowing these therapists, I observed cases of total knee replacement, total hip replacement, ACL/meniscus repair, rotator cuff repair, frozen shoulder, labrum repair, and other ailments from wear-and-tear and aging. This experience allowed me to talk to physical therapists about the ins and outs of their job, learn about different exercises and routines for treatment of injuries, and really get an idea of the work it takes to become a well-respected physical therapist.

I had been cringing about day for so long. I was completely terrified to go into that room. As the door opened I was exposed to a cold draft and I could feel the dense air. The day I was told this needed to be done was horrifying, and now it’s actually happening. They rolled me over to a new bed and I looked around seeing doctors everywhere. There was a table that they rolled next to me and on it was things that I can’t even explain. They put a green mask on me with tubes going through both sides of it. They told me I’d get drowsy and all of the sudden I closed my eyes and it was happening. I was getting knee surgery.

It was around 8:15 A.M. and I was on my way to Midwest Orthopedic in Pekin for my foot to get X-Rays because I had a boot on and the wanted me to have a check up. I was in the car with my mom and we just finished getting Starbucks and were driving on the way there. Once we got there we had to fill in some paperwork and wait for the nurse to come and get me.

My desire to be an osteopathic physician came after attending an OMM session during my gap years as a research fellow at the NIH. This experience contributed to my interest in osteopathic medicine, as I was intrigued by the musculoskeletal manipulation techniques, and deeply appreciated the hands-on, holistic approach to patient care. I feel strongly that training as an osteopath, will prove invaluable in my career as I work deliver quality treatment to underserved communities.

While in the hospital, mentally preparing myself for surgery, I had the opportunity to talk with the doctor who would be performing the operation. “Although getting to where I am today was quite the struggle, it was worth every second,” he briefly told me before rushing off. To this day I have a titanium plate and seven screws in my arm; however, I also have a new yearning to become an orthopedic surgeon like the one who had reconstructed my shoulder. After the surgery on my arm I was able to start physical therapy with one of the members of my ward.

In 250 words or less, please share what has drawn you to an academic medical center and the residency program, and where you see yourself in three years regarding job and type of position.

As my affection for the game of tennis demonstrates, I believe teamwork and intuition are at the forefront of any endeavor. Coming into medical school, my interest in surgery stemmed primarily from my innate passion to hone the tremendous skillset a surgical operation required. After exploring several surgical fields as a medical student, I have found that the procedural skills and type of care provided in orthopaedic surgery provide the perfect fit for my goals and personal motivations. I was first exposed to orthopaedic surgery while working on a systematic review involving plastic surgery literature. It was a key turning point in my interests.

Sunny days were filled with tropical weather adventures and blissful curiosity, satisfied through exploration. Being raised in Haiti, gave me the chance to interact within a diverse culture. This has shape my optimistic outlook on the future. Growing up in a deprived community, tough times existed, so it was easy to become discouraged, but with a closer look, I soon realized that tougher people existed there too. The caring heart and resilient characteristic that I exude serves as a testament to the values that were carved from a diverse background. I intend to use these qualities to guide me to the realization of my dream, which is practicing medicine as an Osteopathic physician. My family and I later moved to the United States. While adjusting

Thank you for all your time and help the other day during my appointment. I received the letter from neck x-ray, stating that I have minimal degenerative changes at C5-C6 (arthritis). I have an appointment with Ortho and I am waiting of physical therapy. I would also appreciate if I can have a referral to a chiropractor. I would like treatment for this to be as holistic as

I have had the opportunity while volunteering at M.E.N.D to be exposed to the various low-income patients with no health insurance and do not have the privilege of Medicare or Medical benefits. It came to my attention the lack of leaders within health care in underserved communities. There is a need of removal of barriers created by language and lack of knowledge of cultures and heritages that address the specific needs of the underserved. Since then, it has become my ultimate goal to become a leader in health care in underserved communities I plan to become an Orthopedic Surgeon and provide services to those who are unfortunate and cannot afford procedures. I plan to first earn a B.A. degree in Psychology at California State University of

Mobility grants opportunity and lifelong experiences through the gift of exploration and independence. Without autonomy of movement in one’s life, there are struggles accompanied by frustration do to the lack of freedom and ability. It is an orthopedic surgeon’s job to bring function to one’s life even if they have never been granted movement without restraint before. Orthopedic surgeons receive patients whose freedom of movement have been compromised and then return it back to them. Orthopedic surgeons give immeasurable opportunities and life experiences back to their patients because of their perseverance and commitment to their patients and careers.

My interests in orthopaedics stems from multiple sources, but none more influential than my time spent interning at the Fellowship of Orthopaedic Researchers (FOR). While interning at FOR, I had the opportunity to witness and aid in experimental orthopaedic surgeries concerning the spine and knee. The tools and methods applied during these procedures were rather clever, and the skills and patience required to perform

There’s things in life that everyone takes pride in, things that they won't ever be ashamed of. I have so much to be proud of especially in myself. After having Spinal Fusion surgery, i’ve done things I never thought I would be able to do, and one of them is learning to find my balance and walk again.

As a result of my versatile work experience, as well as my community and organizational involvement, I have learned the importance of being a team player in order to perform effectively and efficiency. Having exposure to multiple clinical rotations in variable institutional settings has enhanced my time management skills, multi-tasking ability, and effective communication to both diverse patient populations and fellow practitioners. These qualities, along with my genuine enthusiasm and empathetic passion to help others, will allow me to become an integral component to your residency team.

At times, Orthopedic Surgeons come across gaps in the knowledge of the field that make the best treatment plan uncertain. For this reason, in the future I would also like to use my MD/Ph.D. training to bridge some of these gaps by complementing my clinical career with research aimed at improving the current standards of care. In this way, I aim to give something back to the field of Orthopedics and its patients.