Surgeon Personal Statement

"Better, A Surgeons Notes on Performance" by Dr. Atul Gawande, allows us an insight on his experiences as he explores the breakthroughs in medicine that was accomplished by people striving to improve their performance. There are three components Dr. Gawande believed are essential for a medical professional to encompass; diligence, doing right, and ingenuity. He defines diligence as avoiding errors and overcoming obstacles by paying attention to details. Doing right as a medical professional is to do right for our patient. And ingenuity, recognizing your failures and be willing to change by looking for solutions for better medical care. It is through his experiences as a surgeon that he came to understand the importance of encompassing these components.

 This paper will aim to apply my insights on motivational theory of individuals and teams by developing two initiatives to be put into action at the New Mexico Veteran Administration Medical Center (VA).  It will discuss how I will implement these initiatives and what changes in an employee mindset may be required to overcome any resistance.  It will discuss the positive outcomes I expect, and how I can avoid or minimize negative factors which may cause stress.

It was June 12, 2016, one of the deadliest mass shootings at Orlando, FL. It wasn’t like any other day; after a tragic event I was called into work around 5:30am. I finally reached ORMC amidst of all the chaos, there wasn’t any pleasant welcome, every face mimicked a variety of emotions with some worried and sad, while others confused and suspicious. I was floated to the trauma unit to accommodate victims after surgery. I could sense the sturdy whiff of blood as I walked into the unit which I was not so familiar with. Even though my heart was aching by witnessing the sufferings of those innocent victims, I had a strong impulse to help and give my all. I took my assignment sheet and walked into my patient’s room. As he slowly opened his eyes, the nurse repeated the questions:

Before entering my master’s program at Tulane University School of Medicine (TUSOM), I had the chance to volunteer in the surgical department at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center (PWFMC). While volunteering, the majority of my patient interactions involved helping patients in any way possible, which usually meant simply talking with and comforting them. After all, most patients do not choose to be in the hospital and are to some extent afraid. They become scared as they attempt to contemplate the personal and financial costs of their ailments for both themselves and their loved ones. This awareness was further highlighted studying, observing, and volunteering at TUSOM. Most notably, shadowing Dr. Douglas Slakey, a surgical specialist, and his team in the gastrointestinal (GI) clinic at Tulane Medical Center.

Interacting with patients at St. Rose Sienna Hospital fulfills my sense of purpose; helping others. Coming across patients ranging from labor contractions to gunshots trains me to stay calm when they are frightened and apprehensive. I am often tasked with the training of new volunteers. Over time, I have been able to build friendships with peers and staff. My main responsibility is discharging inpatients. I do my best to communicate effectively by engaging them in conversation. I spend 15 minutes learning about life stories, current complications, and future plans. I am the last impression a

In today’s day and age, I believe obesity is the primary health problem in the United States. Obesity affects every state, city, community and school across the nation. According to the CDC, nearly one third (36%) of American are obese and one in five school aged children (6-19) are obese.

In 2003, while speaking before the Subcommittee on Education Reform of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Dr. Richard Carmona, the Surgeon General of the United States in 2002-2006, claimed a health crisis that was affecting young Americans all over the country. He defined this issue as “the crisis of obesity” (Carmona par. 5). The Surgeon General appealed to the Committee and the community of the United States for health improvement of the nation. However, 10-14 years later Carmona’s testimony, the situation continues to look epidemic. The studies argue that fast food still remains preferable for the overwhelming majority, and teens and young adults represent the main target objectives of the food producing companies. Although

Columbia University had been my undergraduate dream school but despite a 4.00 high school GPA and a competitive SAT score, I thought it to be beyond my reach and did not apply. I vowed to never doubt myself again and when it came time to construct a list of medical schools to apply to, Columbia University was at the top. If I said I expected an interview, I’d be lying. There were plenty of me’s around the country who had probably applied to Columbia. Same MCAT score, same GPA, extracurricular activities that were just as impressive. So why would I, of all people, get an interview? When I got the interview invite, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Here I was with an opportunity to go pursue the school of my dreams. Now it was a matter of proving to the admissions staff that I’d be a good addition to their student body. Despite what happens, my interview experience at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons is one I’ll never forget for two reasons:

However, the experience was gratifying not because of the opportunity to shadow but because of the smiles I came across each time I walked into a patient’s room. To hear patients appreciate my time delights me and propels my desire to serve. I think of all the more smiles I can elicit as a surgeon and I grin in excitement at the

First I want to thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I hope that you find something that will find your favor. Please read this letter with the thought that you might be hiring me.

The moral burden of practicing on people is always with us, but for the most part unspoken. During my surgical rotations, before each operation, I went over to the pre-operative area and introduced myself to the patient, “Hello, I am Adesh Ramdass, a medical student who will be observing your procedure.” I extended my hand and gave a smile. I asked if everything was OK and I tried to answer any questions the patient had so that they were calm before their procedure. Being a great surgeon is not only about the cutting expertise but is also about being empathetic with the patients and understanding their psychological

Do what? Get up in the middle of the night? Rush into the hospital to patch mangled bodies, sew the holes closed, stick my finger in a dike spewing blood and, hopefully, repair what’s broken and allow some unfortunate soul to live and love another day? A good question. , No, I had to be a general surgeon. For glory?

My career goal is to be a surgeon. I chose that I wanted to be a surgeon because I feel like that would be a good fit for me. I fit that because I have an interest in the medical field. I like to watch those shows that are on TLC that show people getting surgery and show them getting prepped for surgery. Me and my mom watch those shows all the time, there’s this one show that involves a lot of surgery it’s called “My 600lb Life” that show is very interesting. It’s about these people who are like 600lbs and over and they talk about how they got like that and most of the people on that show can’t even walk. It takes like a lot of people to get them out of bed. Then they end up having to get surgery to remove all of that weight. When the surgery

When I shadow Dr. Winchell, I have an opportunity to scrub into the Operating Room and observe as he repairs critical injuries. His patients consistently declare their trust in him before surgery, a quality that I learned is essential to the patient-physician relationship. During rounds, I watched his surgical team open the abdominal wall of a man suffering from compartment syndrome while at his bedside, revealing their adaptability. I also recognized his dedication to lifelong learning and continuous drive towards enhancing his surgical technique when we conversed about trauma care. I possess the same desire to continually learn and improve, augmenting my passion for a career in

Being a practicing surgeon, Atul Gawande approaches the dilemma of aging from a unique perspective. The study and implementation of traditional medical practices, he suggests, contributes to a problem solving, solution-based approached to over coming the hurdles of old age. The medical field, he says, puts the entirety of its focus on fixing the concrete problems that patients come into the emergency room with, instead of focusing on the best overall solution to satisfy the patients primary desires at the end of life. It is a very valid and important point. Why put tens of thousands of dollars into a chemotherapy treatment plan to lengthen a persons life, if it only ends up yielding a few extra weeks and causes tremendously more pain and suffering? At what point does being alive become not worth it, especially when the patient sees not benefit, but more suffering? This is the issue within the modern medical system that bridges the gap with medicine and aging studies. Aging studies, with its theories and concepts, hopes to present a solution to the problem that Gawande points out in such detail and with so many personal examples. How can the things that are most important to the patient be provided without all the intrusiveness and extraordinary expenditures of our healthcare mentality? In summary, aging studies seeks to mend the discontinuity between the stone-faced objectivity of medical solutions and, as Gawande puts it, “what matters in the end”.