Gastroenterology Personal Statement

There’s my father, two paternal uncles, two maternal uncles, five cousins, and two cousins’ husbands. I really mean it when I say I come from a family of physicians. Not to mention myself, three cousins in medical school and my sister, who is starting premed at FSU. Most of the physicians in my family are internal medicine physicians. However, my desire to go into the field of internal medicine has come from my own experiences.

During basic sciences, cardiology was my favorite subject. I also liked pulmonology. Gastroenterology was interesting in its own right. Neurology had its allure. Nephrons were amazingly like organic calculators. To not have endocrinology would be like not having salt and sugar. And infectious disease couldn’t be overlooked. Similar things could be said for other subjects. After studying the different organ systems, it felt counter productive to leave any behind. I would always be curious of what I missed if I did. My internal medicine rotation only reaffirmed my interests as I

saw what I had studied come to life. Each clinical rotation had its own distinctive features, but I knew that Internal Medicine was the only choice for me.
I am excited about my decision, and ready to face the rigors of residency training.

I am fortunate to have particular insight into this matter, as many of my family members went through the process right in front of me. I remember my father doing his residency and fellowships at University of Miami during my elementary and middle school years. As a family of six, we were compelled to be conservative. I bought my first bike for $8.00 from a garage sale and it was pink. My brother, my friends, and I would play basketball outside our home by aiming to hit the top of a pole due to the lack of a proper hoop. My mother had to exercise patience with my father busy in training. Our family moved multiple times throughout the state of Florida, including between Bonifay, two homes in Miami, Ocala, and two homes in Panama City before finally settling down. These experiences have taught me in regard to being humble, working hard, thinking creatively and dealing with

adversity.
My life experiences have instilled me with qualities suitable for the field of Internal Medicine. Growing up, I struggled with being overweight, constantly being advised by pediatricians to change. I was fortunate to overcome this obstacle and improve my life. I seek to reflect the same resolve and concern to my patients. My uncle in Pakistan, who is an internal medicine senior registrar, has been a motivation for me. I was able to shadow him during a 10-day visit to Pakistan. I saw that he would see patients and teach students with compassion during the daytime and run a free clinic at night. He did this in substandard conditions for substandard pay. I hope to emulate his determination in my future career. My mother-in-law’s recent diagnosis of hepatitis C, and possible hepatocellular carcinoma, has forced me into an unsupervised provider’s role, as her family in Pakistan looks to me for guidance. This has prepared me for my transition from a student to a physician in the near future.
As I finalize my decision to pursue internal medicine, I am told that one of the most difficult aspects of this field is the large quantity of patients internists have to manage, as many other departments will refer patients to them. This happens to be what I want, as it will multiply my opportunities for medical knowledge. This is my favorite aspect of internal medicine. Internal medicine is exactly what I want to do, and I can’t wait to get started.