Personal Statement : Family Medicine

I have always had a high admiration for the impact that physicians have on families. At an early age, my younger sister had major heart surgery. Being four, I was too young to fully grasp what this meant for my family, but I quickly learned the grief my parents endured thinking their only daughter would not live past two. Dr. Jane Doe saved my sister, giving me a friend for life. I have set my goal to be like countless doctors who save lives daily and improve the quality

When I think of medicine I think of diversity. The medical field contains a multiplicity of individuals, culture, and exchange; exposure to the Guatemalan culture offers a plethora of experience that allows me to build on personal growth, educational enhancements, and the opportunity to make a difference. The availability of this program through the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine is a blessing as well as a prayer answered for the prospect to experience the world beyond the borders of the United Stares.

I am drawn to family medicine by this same appreciation for humanism that is evident to me among practitioners in this field. I am similarly motivated and excited by the intellectual challenges, scope, and meaningfulness offered by a career in family medicine. I strive to join a residency program that will provide rigorous clinical training among a diverse patient population while offering extensive resident responsibility for patient care. I believe that a family medicine residency program will inspire me to excel and arm me with the tools I need to achieve my future goals. Upon completion of residency, I aim to devote myself to serving the underserved while dedicating time to conducting research and participating in community and medical

I envision the next ten years to be a time of intense personal growth. I will be building upon my strengths and improving my weaknesses. I hope to be fulfilling my goals and crossing things off of my bucket list. I hope to have the financial security to be able to help my mother retire, and help my younger brother to finish graduate school. I hope to be involved within my community, whether through volunteer work or a community-based organization. As for my career, I see myself working as a primary care physician. I am drawn to the long-term comprehensive care aspect of Internal Medicine and the opportunity to work with a diverse patient population in a variety of settings. This role aligns with my personal values in regards to health maintenance.

I first realized my passion for health promotion and disease prevention the summer following my first year of college. I had the privilege of attending the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP), which introduced me to numerous healthcare professionals. During the program, many of the professionals shared their stories about why they choose the profession, and with each story, I began to reflect deeply on my own background and what drew me to medicine. It was not until an emergency medicine physician spoke about his experiences, that allowed me to fully understand connecting my background to my future. The physician mentioned growing up in D.C., which brought to mind my family in D.C. It had been almost a year since my grandmother

Through my exposure to the various branches of medicine during my rotations in medical school, I found that I was drawn toward Internal Medicine. The variety of clinical encounters, procedures, and degrees of illness make internal medicine extremely appealing to me. During this period, I was mastered in taking patient history and conducting thorough physical examination. I actively involved myself in interacting and educating patients and their families about their diseases by willingly staying extra

My decision to pursue a career as a physician was not a blinding revelation, being the daughter of two immigrant parents the thought of becoming a physician seemed distant. In high school I pursued to obtain what for me was then the highest education I perceived I would be able to achieve which was going to college and obtaining a bachelor’s degree. As the quote by Ralph Ellison highlights, “When I discover who I am, I’ll be free”. This quote resonates with the start of my second year in college, as I have been able to find my passion for medicine. More specifically, I explored my values and how I wanted to shape my future. I reflected upon the encounters and dramatic effects that physicians have had with my own family. The most impactful

My interest in family medicine began when I was in high school visiting family members in Louisiana affected by Hurricane Katrina and in northern Pakistan who were shaken by a devastating earthquake that took place that same year. I felt lost and helpless as I met people living in shelters who were desperately waiting for medical care. The experience motivated me to spend the next year becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) so I could help underserved areas. Over the next five years, I worked with doctors and nurses as a CNA, primarily helping geriatric patients as I worked toward medical school. I took deep interest watching physicians develop trust and rapport with their patients and taking the time to work with nurses and specialists to tailor treatment plans.

Picture opening up a box with over 1000 pieces belonging to a jigsaw puzzle, emptying the contents out on to a tabletop, and then being tasked with putting those pieces together to ultimately create a beautiful picture of the human anatomy. One can imagine the eye for detail, patience and thoroughness that would be required to complete such a task. As with any puzzle it is critical that the wider picture is envisioned at all times, as focusing on only one piece would effectively hinder any progress towards completion.

During my four years at Brooklyn Technical High School, I was part of the Gateway to Medicine program. I was introduced to courses such as anatomy & physiology, organic chemistry, and biology. These extremely challenging classes piqued my interest to explore a future career in health care. The Gateway to Medicine program was multi-faceted, I went from dissecting cats to learning about spontaneous de-combustion. My guidance counselor also helped prepare me to choose a career in the medical profession.

Adversity has only improved my tenacity, focus, endurance, and problem solving abilities. Various circumstances have affected my academic performance negatively, but I use that as motivation to continually improve myself. I want to be a part of the solution to the family physician shortage and serve the community in the most effective way. My drive to improve the lives of others will help propel me through the difficulties of medical school and beyond. The personal experience I have with my immersion in the field of primary care gives me unique characteristics that will translate into creating a successful physician that focuses on building meaningful relationships with patients. I continually witness how my grandfather is positively impacting the community through medicine and it is my goal to be granted an opportunity to do the same. My belief in lifelong learning and continual self-improvement consistently drives me towards the study of medicine. Because of my life experiences, I now have the balance, endurance, clarity, and tenacity needed to be a successful medical

I am interested in this program because it'll help me career wise and help me with personal growth. After I graduate high school I am planning on following the pre-med track as a major and this program would help me get a sense of what its going to be like as a pre-med student prior to me going to a college or universities, if I join their medical science track. In addition, although I want to study pre-medicine and science I haven't had much opportunities to study the different branches of sciences outside my school's curriculum, which is usual regents based and they only have 1 AP science class, AP environmental science which isn't the field I am interested in. Furthermore, I would like to join the program because they also focus on helping

I have chosen pre-medicine because I have always wanted to work in a hospital helping people. I was first exposed to the possibility of working in a hospital because of my mother, who is a nurse. Whenever she would take me to work with her, I could picture myself working there, helping others.

Deciding to pursue a career in Family Medicine was not a choice that I made easily. Before entering medical school, I assumed Pediatrics was the field for me. Taking on a leadership role as a volunteer peer tutor for students with disabilities in high school had stimulated my interest in working with adolescents. However, after completing rotations in various specialties, I recognized that I enjoyed caring for patients of all ages and wanted to be in a profession where I can treat not only the disease but the person as a whole.

Firsthand, I know the feeling of helplessness during hardship; from witnessing my grandfather become ill, living paycheck to paycheck in a single parent home, and being sexually assaulted while in college. However, my time at Spelman College demonstrates my ignorance to truly understanding sexual and reproductive health. Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University has been a place of refinement of how I can make my impact and promote positve change in the communities surrounding me. At Rollins, I have found that public policies have a major effect on the practices of healthcare professionals that I witness today. A master’s degree in public health is a stepping stone in my journey towards obtaining my medical degree, as well as my PhD