General Surgery Residency Essay

General Surgery Residency Personal Statement

At some stage during the fourth year of my clinical rotations I recognised that

surgery and medicine both fascinated me, which made it extremely difficult for me

to decide between the two programs. I enjoyed the human interaction that medicine

offered and captivated by the diversity of cases I encountered. I saw medicine as an

opportunity to persistently review cases in subspecialty fields that I found

interesting, including gastroenterology and infectious diseases. But I also thrived on

the high-pressure and time-efficient environment of surgery that emphasized results

as its main driving force. The cases varied from simple outpatient procedures to life-

saving operations. After every case,

I felt a sense of accomplishment in having an

attained goal alongwith sincere gratitude from patients as they were discharged. The

ability of a surgeon to treat and often cure manifestations of a disease, which could

have ended the patient’s life, had inspired me. This was most apparent in cancer

patients.

A desire to positively impact the lives of others while being intellectually engaged

and constantly challenged led me to medicine. These same goals, combined with

insights gained through hand-on experiences of my medical school training, lead me

explicitly to pursue a career in general surgery.

I relish solving problems and using

my hands. I like the contentment that comes with instituting interventions that

result in absolute improvement.

Surgery requires willpower, intelligence, precision, patience, and compassion for

success. While some of these attributes are inherent in my character, others have

been achieved and improved throughout my medical career.

I am yet to complete my internship and do my general surgery clinical rotation, and

all I can say is that I’m sure this will motivate and make me more determined for

choosing my career in general surgery.

My ideal residency program is one that will train me to become the best surgeon I

can possibly be, acquiring my full potential while greatly contributing to my

community. I plan on a career as a general surgeon but academic career in

Oncological or Hepatobiliary Surgery are the areas that I would enjoy exploring as a

fellow. My goals are to excel as a student, a researcher, a team member and a

teacher, devoting myself to inspire students and patients just as I was. I bring to the

field my passion, optimism and thirst of knowledge. It is my conviction I will succeed

in such a challenging, demanding but rewarding

specialty.