Personal Statement: My Father As A Doctor

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.

Unlike other medical students, I never had one particular defining moment that changed my life but from a very young age I had set myself to becoming a doctor, but not just any doctor, a surgeon. Therefore, instead of just one determining event, many events helped propel my dream, with medical school being the beginning of much more I hope to achieve.

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

While interning in the Children's Clinic, I had the incredible opportunity to go and visit the NICU. This program had also introduced me how to write a medical research paper. Mini med school gave me a lot of informative information everyday by health professions which they discussed about the ongoing medical issues and other problems like drug use and criminal issues our community is facing. I have also taken classes in High School such as Ap Biology, Ap chemistry, and AP Psychology that exposes me to everyday medical terminology that health professionals use. Information offered by these classes made it easier to communicate and understand doctors.I have taken every opportunity to better prepare myself to the challenges of the medical field. During the internship, I mainly focused on the nursing branch, I shadowed nurse practitioners and registered nurses in action and how they handled medical issues and was also given the opportunity to learn and ask about their challenges in nursing school and how they had overcome it. I was able to learn about the responsibilities and special skills required to be a nurse and received advices from the nurses on how to be successful in nursing school. I have also been self studying Human Physiology and Anatomy. Its the medical field that best describes me. I love to give back to my

For the longest time, the medical field has grown as a part of me. I have been inspired to become a physician since my dad has been a long time patient of type II diabetes and kidney failure. This affected me because as a little girl, I would watch after his health by monitoring what he eats, giving him his insulin shots, and making sure he stays actively up on his feet. My father was the first to detect my natural interest in medicine and taking care of others, so he always kept me involved. What started off as projects in science fairs, turned into knowledge seeking state-wide competitions. My hobby of taking care of other people became a two hour volunteering shift at my high school nurses office. I started attending summer camps that were competitive to get into, and now my major in college is what I will use to get me where I need to be. Although I want to be an Emergency Room Physician, the general ‘doctor guideline’ includes but isn’t limited to common courses in the Bachelor of Sciences (i.e; Chemistry, Biological sciences, Physics, Human genetics). 4-year undergraduate degree program, an addition four years in medical school and a variation of 2-7 years in residency and fellowship (usually split 4:3 years or less)— this varies depending on specialization. Before the admissions of medical school, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) must be taken and a high score must be achieved.

I chose to interview B. G, our clinical educator in my unit, who started her career after graduating BSN from Indian Army, 1991. She worked from 1991 – 1993 at Military hospital in India as a ward sister who is in charge of the medical unit. She gained clinical experience while assessing patients, taking vital signs, assisting doctors and performing venipunctures and injections.

When I was starting my sophomore year in high school, I obtained a typical ambition of becoming a physician. However, this aspiration was largely unjustifiable since I was oblivious to what a job in healthcare truly entailed i.e. authentic patient care, the significance of effective verbal communication, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) protocols healthcare professionals must abide by or even what the rationale behind using an AED was. However, through HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), I have gained more competence in understanding the healthcare field and the importance of service, the amount of hard work and preparation for an event to be successful, and the significance of empathy and selflessness.

During my internship, I had a patient newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He and his family came from a rural area and did not have enough knowledge about the disease. Seeing that, I took the time to educate them about his condition and the details of his care.A year later I received a phone call from this patient’s family thanking me for what I did, and consulting me for a minor illness that he encountered at that time. Although they knew I was a junior doctor, they have valued my opinion. I felt appreciated and exhilarated to experience such a satisfying moment. Learning medicine in Sudan was challenging, being in a country with a culturally diverse population and limited resources doctors are confronted countless times by the lack of diagnostics, medications and even hospital beds. Therefore, patient care necessitates sharp physicians who rely on their fierce clinical sense. Throughout the years I realized how important it is for a physician to build such a firm clinical background. It is stunning how minor changes in clinical signs and symptoms could lead to different interpretations from one patient to another. Every case was challenging and mysterious, nonetheless I incredibly enjoyed the intellectual stimuli and the excitement of solving clinical puzzles and interacting with patients. Additionally, I believe I have an inquisitive nature, and I resolved to take on the intellectual challenges offered. This along with my intense passion will guide me to

At one end of the spectrum, I have observed patients suffering from malnutrition, diarrheal diseases, and most of the poverty related medical conditions. I also had to deal with the aftermath of using herbs and traditional healers. On some occasions, I had to depend on my clinical skills and judgment to diagnose diseases, when no diagnostic equipment was available. On contrary, I became competent in managing cardiac and pulmonary emergencies when I worked in a teaching hospital. I also learned many procedures, including pleural aspiration and assisted in chest tube insertion.

Through my life, I have made many decisions to help develop my interests and skills as well as my character. Such choices of mine include becoming my high school’s band president, a three season varsity sport captain, a national honor society member, a boy scout and an eagle scout. I have been fortunate to earn many awards including merit badges like emergency preparedness and the first aid and the community service award after being accredited for over 180 hours of cheerful community service. When it came time to think about my future with my high school guidance counselor, she introduced me to an idea of becoming a Physician

A physician must be well rounded in a variety of fields to provide effective care. First, an interest in learning scientific knowledge must be accompanied by the ability to translate that knowledge into methods of treatment. Because science is constantly changing and improving, a physician should be continuously expanding their scientific learning within and outside of their respective fields. Most of the coursework that I have taken reflects my interest in the intersection between biomedical science and its applications through an anthropological lens. For example, I have performed public

In addition to scholastic achievement, well rounded physicians have plenty of life experiences. They have fought through tragedies, yet find reasons to smile. They demonstrate success and leadership in spite of past failures. Their story may not be glamorous, but they consistently overcome obstacles that would stifle others. Their drive and determination defines who they are. The physician that emphasizes the well being of others over personal gain, that is the physician I plan to be. My path towards becoming a physician has been difficult in order to shape me into a more complete person. These past experiences allow me to sympathize, empathize, and more supportive of patients in the primary care setting. I feel the need to use my personal

Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care, the words of Theodore Roosevelt written in the radiology department at Good Samaritan Hospital, where I work as a Radiologic technologist. These words are a constant reminder of why I choose to pursue a career in medicine. Growing up in Haiti, I was an underweight, mal nourished child with a weak immune system. Sick days seemed to occur every other day. In a country with limited resources, I remember traveling with my parents to different towns in search for medicine and the right physician. We would walked miles, but no miles was ever long enough to stop my parents from getting their son the proper treatment. At a young age my parents showed me the true meaning of altruism and empathy, necessary skills needed to make a great physician. Living in poverty can have major consequences on one’s health. I witness this in my own health and those surrounding me. To survive these harsh conditions, as a community we had to stick together, we had to care for one another. We shared everything with our neighbors, from clean drinking water, food supplies, to natural herb treatment and medicine. From observing the change in lives in the community when treatment was provided, I quickly learned to values the benefits of good Health and medicine.

Emory School of Medicine provides a unique environment to mold my medical education to work within clinical care in a dynamic global community. My diverse range of experiences from my upbringing, eclectic communities I have grown in, and unique perspectives of medicine and public health I have gained through my professional pursuits will be vital to me contributing to the unique atmosphere of ingenuity at Emory that supports the development of doctors who strive to serve individuals and communities of all types. Through my research experiences, I gained a multidisciplinary understanding healthcare through different contexts, which converges on finding effective ways to communicating with people and gaining a better understanding of what goes

I became captivated by the opportunity to apply my knowledge of the biological and chemical sciences in a way that one day may save a life. Though my interest stems from my experiences, my passion to pursue this field lies elsewhere. Growing up in a family of low socioeconomic status in an area with few sources of acceptable health care, I saw my parents struggle as they aged to provide my siblings and I with a proper education. There were times they would ignore their own illness in order to save funds for an emergency for us. Observing this, I knew that no matter how difficult of a path I picked, regardless if it was pharmaceutical sciences or the medical field, my parents had concurred greater difficulties. Growing under such conditions, I began to realize the disparities in quality of treatments my parents received compared to those who of a higher socioeconomic status. This motivated me to pursue a career where I would be given the chance to offer care to individuals through unbiased views. Of course, there are a plethora of careers that can fulfill this but medicine has presented itself as very unique to me. It promises a lifestyle devoted to empathetic patient care, direct patient interaction, and a boundless opportunity to learn and experience something new. As the end of my undergraduate experience is forthcoming, I look forward to taking on the next phase of my life, endeavoring to join the ranks of tomorrow’s