I have always looked forward to the day I would begin a residency program in Internal Medicine. Prior to my admission to Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria, I was motivated to pursue this path. My early childhood experiences and academic background including a Public Health degree in progress have all contributed to shape and maintain my quest for a career in Internal Medicine. I am confident that I am ready to embark on this journey. I grew up in the south-eastern part of Nigeria where both the nuclear and extended family are close-knit. The gentle but professional way my uncle, Emman, a family physician took care of ill family members and other patients resonated early in my life and I wanted to be a doctor like him. I often visited his …show more content…
However, the rotation that gave me the most gratification was Internal Medicine. During my Internal Medicine rotation, I was intrigued by how the fund of knowledge from my pre-clinical years fit in like a puzzle as we applied those principles. Notable was the empathic way my Attending, Dr. Ahaneku attended to a breathless patient with worsening congestive heart failure as his anxious family waited, hoping that their loved one would make it through this episode. Amidst this seemingly chaotic situation, Dr. Ahaneku was calm, detailed, precise and confident in the quality of care she was able to provide for this patient. With her skills, she was able to stabilize this patient. I was not only intrigued, but I was also inspired and my quest for Internal Medicine gained more strength. The most fascinating piece for me is the fact that despite the paucity of infrastructure, my preceptors including Dr. Ahaneku, never gave up in their effort to provide the best quality of care they could for the patient population we …show more content…
While doing my rotations in New York, it was exhilarating to see first-hand the interdependence of research, modern/advanced medicine and infrastructure. I saw for myself, the difference these advances made in the care of patients and medical outcome thereof. On the other hand I was also heartbroken as I realized from case to case what difference such facilities as I was exposed to in New York could have made in the life of my people in Nigeria considering the high mortality rate I have witnessed in Nigeria. I resolved in my heart to seek the opportunity to train in the United States with the hope that one day I would be able to replicate to the extent I can, the quality of care I have seen in the United States for patients in my
Growing up as a military kid, I cultivated discipline, adaptability, compassion and an industrious nature in myself. My insatiable curiosity of how the human body functions and my natural ability to make an empathetic connection with people gave me the confidence and conviction to pursue medicine. I fondly remember my pediatric rotations motivating me to put in long hours to earn the trust of a toddler and an adolescent, each requiring different approaches. The
Throughout my clinical and research experience, I have developed numerous skills that make me an adequate candidate to apply for IM. Upon flourishing completion of my residency, I plan to become a PCP. I look forward for working hard, seeing an opportunity in every obscurity and expanding my medical knowledge in all aspects of primary care. I will bring my optimism, enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity to my residency
I grew up in Pune, India – a complex urban city with over 8 million people from different walks of life. A growing metro attracts a very diverse population, and what this did for me is foster a love for diversity and a craving for human interaction which ties directly into my passion for medicine. Pune presented a very unique environment, a result of its wide socioeconomic compass- one can find world-class medical facilities and problems in access to care within a 2-mile radius. Having both parents as dentists with private practices that were a popular summer hangout of mine helped get a firsthand view of a career catering to a broad and extremely diverse patient-base. Striking up conversations with patients in the waiting room, a result of childhood curiosity, proved very influential in hindsight. It taught me that everyone is unique- they come from different cultures, speak different languages, make a different income, and have different values and beliefs. No two stories are the same, and these unique characteristics need to be considered for quality patient care.
In the future, I wish to obtain an occupation in the medical field. I would like to start out by working for a Biology major and working in a premedical field in college where I can use my interest in medicine and my curiosity for knowledge to gain insight that would be needed to become a helpful doctor in the medical field. As I move along in my career, I would like to work my way through the pathway so that I can expand my skills in healing others, such as diagnostic abilities, effectively giving treatment and so on. I want to learn as much as possible so I can fulfill my ultimate dream of helping others that need answers to their medical problems and so that more people can live happily and healthily in the world. I hope to bring happiness to others and allowing people to live comfortably.
My time is split between the Emergency room and the Intensive care unit. Under the direction of the Registered Nurse and the attending on the floors, I make frequent rounds of patients to assess their needs, assist with the loved ones and my personal favorite, accompanying doctors and nurses on morning rounds. I have the opportunity to compare notes from previous rounds and ask questions to better understand their condition. This opportunity has brought to my attention the more rewarding side of medicine and has proved, by far, the most useful work experience I have had in preparing for my journey. I knew for sure that this was what I wanted to do when I realized that even the dullest days wouldn't make me love it any less. Everything was as it should be. I was where I belonged and I've never looked back since. I realize that the journey of becoming a doctor will not be easy. I expect long hours, endless studying, emotional and physical exhaustion. However the passion and motivation with which I approach things will be all I need which are qualities a great doctor should attain, and I am confident in my abilities to complete my journey. With much research, discussions with my admission representatives and attendance at numerous webinars, I determined that AUA is the right institution for me. In the process of choosing the right school, the most important factor for me is an institution where I
During my internship in a Government hospital in Mumbai, I was presented the opportunity to handle a wide variety of cases in my internal medicine rotation. The intellectual stimulation and learning experience that every new internal medicine case represented was second to none. I recollect a lady walking in the outpatie...
A career in healthcare has always been something I’ve been fascinated with and aspired to. Nevertheless there has always been a cloud of uncertainty as to whether I would truly feel passionate about this career path and if I’m going into it for all the right reasons. Evidently this decision to pursue a challenging, diverse and ever-changing path has not been an over night epiphany, rather a decision that has taken me months to conclude. My love and interest in the world of science and the intricacy of how your organs, tissues and organs all work together to enable the body to survive and move has no doubt been an important factor for wanting a healthcare profession. The medical field is so vast and there are always new discoveries to be had, which is an extremely exciting prospect as it offers a constant opportunity to grow and learn.
During these rotations, I got exposure to patients with a variety of diseases, their pathophysiological mechanism and key concepts. I felt tremendous gratification in being with patients at the bedside and facing the challenge of managing multiple medical problems. Identifying the common etiology by sorting out the symptoms is like a challenge that one enjoys as an internist. I experienced the intricate thought processes involved in treating patients with the problems, as well as the energy and compassion needed to take care of the patient as a whole. During my medical school, I came across some doctors who were US trained. I got particularly impressed by their patient interaction, thought process, decision making and clinical acumen. It was my discussion with these doctors that ignited my interest in getting trained in US. I believe I have the passion and determination that this field demands. My work as medical officer has taught me work ethics, team work, dedication, persistence and a passion to perform best under all circumstances. The art of diagnosing and healing someone out of a pool of symptoms and signs seems like the best challenge one can be faced with and one that I intend to be the best
Not only did they reinforce my enthusiasm for Internal Medicine but also widened my ability to effectively apply my learning from over the years to two highly differing environments. My experience of completing rotations at multiple hospitals in the US broadened my horizon and gave me the opportunity to develop further at professional as well as personal levels. A well-developed healthcare system, research opportunities, incorporation of evidence-based medicine in the management of patients, high standards of care and outstanding mentorship make US an attractive place for a person like me who strives to achieve excellence. These experiences have shaped me into a more rounded clinician for my level thus far, primed for continuing my medical training in one of the best health care systems in the world, bringing along a fund of knowledge from the perspective of a developing
It has also given me the fulfillment of contributing to the spirit of our profession. A sense of gratitude from my patients has proven to be my greatest motivation. In over four years of my service, I am certain in my heart, that a specialization in internal medicine would help me make the maximum impact on the healthcare needs of my patients and community at
Out of all the specialties, Internal Medicine is the only one that requires me to be there for patients at the right-time. Not only being there at the right-time, but also using knowledge and applying it for patient’s health, which will give me a chance to interact with a diverse array of patients. This will enable me to use my medical knowledge and challenges me to evolve and grow as a physician. Again, complementary to my nature, I’ve to keep myself updated on a regular basis and learn new things for a better future of health care. Besides this, with an above childhood incident where the entire group was contributing, and I chose not to, I learnt the importance of teamwork and Internal Medicine will give me a chance to work with the team who gives constant and tireless efforts in a patient’s healthcare. In fact, positive comments from patients and attendings about being present at the right-time when they need me somehow helped me to keep myself motivated that I have changed now.have brought change in
During my internship at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, I managed a diverse group of patients and realized that to delve into the depths of the medicine, there is
I started to explore the different fields of medicine by working as a Medical Scribe in the Emergency Department, ER tech in Trauma Centers, getting involved in research, volunteering at hospitals and taking high level science classes. This will enhance my knowledge and experience i...
In 2004, my maternal grandfather suddenly passed away under mysterious circumstances—less than a decade later, my widowed paternal grandmother followed suite. As a kid, they were both instrumental to nurturing my interest in the sciences despite only seeing them twice a year at most. They often taught me the importance and medicinal function of many locally-grown plants and herbs in the southern region of Nigeria. As I increased in my scientific knowledge—especially in college, it dawned on me that my grandfather might have had passed away from a longstanding undiagnosed ailment. The same applies to my grandmother who became fully blind after receiving several doses of harmful traditional medicine. Thus, I decided to pursue a career as medical doctor in order to serve poor West African communities like my grandmothers’ that sorely lack qualified doctors and affordable health care.
I started medical school with an open mind expecting hard work, challenging situations, and a demanding environment. Beginning with the basic sciences, Human World of Adventure and Discovery begin my fascination towards physiology and facilitated my understanding of the foundation of medical diseases. Dealing with patient care always appealed to me, yet reaching clinical years would take few years. Therefore, I began volunteering at the Patients Welfare Association, largest student run Non-Governmental Organization in Civil Hospital Karachi. As a Director of Records and Registration my responsibilities involved logging positive blood screening tests and mailing letters to the respective person. Through that experience, I gained a sense of responsibility. Through achieving insight towards t...