Primary Care Goals

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

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.

My experiences at home have helped prepare me for a career in medicine I grew up in an economically depressed area in San Francisco where my mother was a single parent. Growing up without a father, I developed self-confidence and a sense of independence at an early age. In order to help my mother financially, I unloaded produce trucks during my years in high school. As a result, I was unable to enjoy many of the activities most youngsters enjoy. However, I am thankful for the determination and inner-strength I developed while overcoming the hardships I faced.

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

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

The process to become a doctor is one of the longest professional journeys. However, my experience at M. D. Anderson showed me how important and rewarding it will be in the end. I have a more in depth understanding of the purpose of being a doctor. It is not a flashy title nor a path for a secure job; being a physician is a key way to benefit another person’s life. Ultimately, my life goal is to help those around me and make a positive difference in their lives. Through biological sciences, I know I can impact the lives of current and future generations to

This revolution in health care has resulted in an increased demand of primary care physicians due to the creation of more job openings for health care professionals. A sudden surge in demand for health care professionals such as nurse practitioner and physician assistants has arisen in the past few years. According to “Advanced Practice Trends 2012-2013”, a report published by Jackson Healthcare, job growth in nursing is expected to increase by 27% (Jackson Healthcare). While this may be beneficial for aspiring nurses and physician assistants, it may contribute to the primary care physician shortage as the supply of physicians will not be able to meet these demands. In an effort to reduce this shortage, the Health Resources and Services Administration provided over $75 million to the training of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. This is meant to encourage more medical students to specialize in primary care because of the rise in well-trained nurses. As expected, the AAMC addressed this issue in their 2015 report “The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections Through 2025”. After extensive research and data collection, the AAMC reported that demand for physicians would decrease by a large margin if nurse practitioners and physician assistants “play a larger role in patient care”. While the expansion of health care may

As the health care field grows, the need for physicians grow. As society grows and as our communities diversify, the various perspectives and experiences of a diverse group of physicians are integral aspects of health care. The restless drive and determination of a doctor to make sure his/her patients are well are one of the utmost showcases of altruism, humility, and humanitarianism. I want to contribute to my community in this way and positively impact patients' and their families lives. In addition, applying science, research, and innovation to medicine intrigues me.

As an aspiring physician my preparation has been driven by motivation, intelligence and most importantly commitment. Over the course of my undergraduate education I have developed strong communications skills all while maintaining a strong work ethic. My best attribute is my willingness to help other. I am caring, compassionate, confident, cultivated and consistently eager to learn. The career path I have chosen has tested my ability to deal with uncertainty, problem solving, and most importantly helped me to distinguish my strengths and weaknesses. I have learned to manage risk and deal effectively with problems. Overall, I have developed the skills to virtually engage people.

My experiences throughout my life and in college have provided me with many skills and abilities that will prove beneficial in my practice of medicine. Although it is something that is relatively common now, I grew up as the eldest child in a single parent home. My parents are Nigerian immigrants who came to the United States in their 20’s without assistance awaiting them. After their divorce during my youth, I took more responsibility in our low income single parent home. Although these now regular occurrences happened to me I still maintained focus on my goal of finding something I could be successful doing and consistently achieving milestones.

The medical field attracts a wide variety of individuals from all walks of life. The reasons for their shared choice, to pursue a career as a practitioner of medicine, are similarly different. Several of my classmates and friends can point to specific events that helped them make their choice, moments of inspiration when they consciously decided to become physicians. I had no such epiphany, but my choice to study at DMU was influenced by two main factors. Additionally, I have been forced to reevaluate myself and my goals several times along my journey. Most recently, the film “The Doctor” caused a change in perspective regarding my future goals as a physician.

You’ve worked hard to earn the privilege of becoming a physician. I hope you took some time before starting medical school to enjoy yourself and embrace your passions, be they travel, music or art, or simply spending time with family and friends. Becoming a doctor is a long, bumpy and often lonely road. Resiliency is essential. My first and most important piece of advice is to be sure you retain these other parts of your life that you enjoy so much. If you don’t make the effort, it won’t happen.

My fascination with medicine was truly ignited during freshman year of high school, when I started volunteering at a local hospital. While all my friends slept in late, I was up early every Saturday morning so that I could attend to twenty patients. My job was quite simple: I was in charge of giving every patient new water and linen and communicating any patient needs to the hospital

I have taken stock of myself, considering my skills, experiences, and goals. I have looked to family and friends, some of whom are doctors, for advice. Because of this self-examination, I have decided to pursue a career in health care. The process has been difficult at times but always illuminating. Throughout it all, I have never lost confidence - the confidence that I will actively absorb all available medical knowledge, forge friendships with fellow students, and emerge from my training as a skilful and caring physician.