Personal Statement - Internal Medicine
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.
When first presented with a patient who has a wide array of presenting symptoms and a chief complaint, at first glance, one may feel like the contents of a puzzle have just been emptied
My interest in entering medicine was a combination of many factors. My love for biology, chemistry, and math in high school, and my admiration and high respect for doctors and their noble work gave me primary reasons for pursuing a career in Medicine. One of my college professors, great mentor Dr. Kamolov during one of his lectures mentioned that if you want to live happily keep in mind two things in your life. First, choosing your profession is crucial: you will spend most of your time in your job and if you choose the profession which you are interested in, you will be happy and be successful in your career. Second, choosing your spouse is vital: you will spend most of time with your family, with the right supportive spouse
Limping out of the court with a twisted ankle, I winced in pain. As the main player of the university Table-Tennis team, I was determined not to let my team’s effort go in vain. The final match was two days away and I decided to focus on my strengths- my backhand chop, as opposed to only concentrating on my opponent’s weakness. As I was getting my foot examined, my coach remarked, “The pain of regret is greater than the fear of failure”. This thought comes back to me today as I prepare to apply for my Internal Medicine Residency in the United States.
I come from a small rural town nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. My hometown is split down the middle by a set of railroad tracks. On the north side, one can find pristine neighborhoods, newer schools, most doctors’ offices, and the only hospital in town. The south side of the town stands as a stark contrast. On the south side, you no longer find the wealthy neighborhoods but rather dilapidated and condemned homes and housing projects. One seems to find abandoned buildings on every corner, many inhabited by those that have lost their homes. Limited help is coming for those who need it, mostly through churches and volunteer programs targeting the underserved. Many doctors, dentists, and nurses are giving their time and resources to help
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
Over the years of medical practice, I always enjoyed my role as an internist, in every level of my capacity. The broad scope of the field increased my interest and curiosity, and I feel myself more motivated and responsible for learning the art of diagnosis, evaluation and management of the patients in the most effective ways to make their lives better. This strong desire encourages me to choose the field of internal medicine as my career, with the vision to empower the ailing with knowledge and serve deprives in the community. The field of medicine demands devoted study life and endless practice to be a good clinician. The clinical evidences and guidelines are continuously changing for the betterment of patient care and to decrease the morbidity and mortality.
Since high school I was mesmerized by the mystery of the human body. I always wanted to study the structure of the smallest cells. Nevertheless, my admiration for the noble work of doctors in helping people and relieving the suffering of others was one of my primary reasons for wanting to pursue a career in medicine. Being born in a family that has always encouraged utilizing our inherent gifts to the fullest extent, I have excelled in every academic venture I have undertaken. My ambition to become a competent physician culminated when I was selected in the top 200 among a 100,000 applicants to attend the best medical school in my country, the University of Khartoum. Oliver Twist always asks for
It was 2011 when the revolution burst out. I was studying for my pharmacology exam when I saw on TV that people were getting injured and shot. There were a lot of field hospitals and volunteering doctors that I knew. I wanted to go there and assist the injured, but I knew that my lack of medical training would not allow me to do that. Since then I have been thinking of the best medical field to help and be useful in the future.
I had my first contact with the specialty (internal medicine) during the Propaedeutic and Internal medicine rotations as part of the curriculum of third year of Medical School.
Ever since I was a child, when people asked me which profession interested me most, I used to say “I would like to be a detective”. I would say that because I knew my inherent ability to solve complex problems. Internal medicine is a complex broad field and the spectrum of diseases seen in this specialty fascinated me.
Many years ago, my mom brought home a personal computer to help my sister with her computer science course. One day, the computer crashed and stopped working. I have always been a curious person and love solving problems, so naturally I wanted to know what exactly went wrong. Having no previous experience with computers, this was a new challenge, and I was excited about it. I spent hours trying to figure out the problem and to rule out the possibilities; I was focused and determined and wouldn't budge from my place until it was fixed. Finally, I managed to fix the problem. I find internal medicine not too different from my experience with computers. Internists are exposed to a diversity of patients with problems ranging from simple to complex, which requires the same qualities like focus, dedication and determination to solve these problems. No other specialty offers such a vast array of learning opportunities and challenges; the learning process
My long journey to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a doctor has provided me with the opportunity to balance my passion for science with my eagerness to provide care to those in need. My desire to reach this dream has and will continually fuel my passion for a field that I love and this desire is reinforced with every rewarding opportunity I experience as a healer, a thinker, and a friend. My interest toward internal medicine started growing during my clinical years when I had the opportunity to rotate through many different specialties. I have observed each to have its own unique commendable approach to healing. Nevertheless, what echoed through my mind and heart was "internists are the ones whom people think of when the need calls."
I found myself on the ground tasting dirt within minutes of getting on a horse for the first time. Having apprenticed as a stable hand for the first few weeks of equestrian training, I knew I had grown to love the sport. Fortunately, dignity bruises much easily than the body and though shaken, I wouldn’t be deterred. The sheer joy I felt during those short minutes was unparalleled, and I wanted more. Mastering this discipline I realized, demanded a commitment to extensive study and practice. Four months, three falls and a broken wrist later, I qualified for my first equestrian championship.
My interest in Public Health materialized after working as an EMT in Manhattan. I have grown accustomed to individual-centric care, as my immediate responsibility must be to my single patient. After just a single summer in a high call volume setting, during which I treated and transported many hundreds of patients, I began to notice patterns of illness. Most notably, I was shocked by the degree to which socioeconomic standing affected the treatment of chronic illness and mental health. When an individual has to rely on emergency services to handle an asthma attack or a psychiatric incident, it represents a failure of the health care system.
We are all products of our environment articulates that inputs of exposure can shape our character and outcomes in life; this common adage has served as a constant reminder that outcomes of interest can result if exposed to particular conditions. Growing up in a rural environment with an abundance of resources allocated to agricultural development and a scarcity allotted to address the public health needs of the community inspired me to pursue higher education. As the country reaped benefits of the agricultural industry, my community was exposed to environmental toxins and pollutants from heavy use of pesticides and over-irrigation of the land. Lacking resources for health, I embraced education to formulate solutions that would support my underserved
William Arthur Ward, author of "Fountains of Faith," once wrote: "Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning." I was always a curious child. Whenever I saw a sick person, I wondered what happens inside the human body that causes illness, and my natural inquisitiveness only increased as I got older. By the time I joined medical school, it was very clear to me that in this field I would be dealing with the most precious thing in the world: human life. I truly believe that medicine is a service to humanity because of the big difference a physician can make in a patient's life.