Why I Got into the Medical Field-Personal Narrative
I grew up in a research and development campus where my father is a scientist. Research and curiosity were constantly encouraged and this prompted me to take up medicine as a career, a field that offers tremendous prospects for research and discoveries. Throughout medical school I tried to be involved in research and attempts at trying out new ideas, be it in the lab or working with human subjects. I carried this through my residency and now my fellowship. The idea of studying a topic or issue that has so far not been treaded upon seems to be extremely exciting and challenging.
I have always wanted to be a scientist and contribute something to the human cause and what better way to achieve this than by doing medical research? Medical school taught me the art of medicine and the research projects that I undertook taught me the science of medicine. What interests me the most is a path that combines the two, and one way to make that possible is to be an academic physician. I have always wanted to work in a teaching hospital or academic institution, one that would give me the opportunity to take care of patients, give me the time and resources to carry out trials and present them and to be able to interact with trainees.
I hope to develop the career of an academic oncologist and the aspect that has captivated me the most is that of drug development. Any major change in oncology, at least for medical oncologists involves the invention and discoveries of new drugs and every single one of these has to be tested in the setting of a phase I trial. In order to develop a successful career as an academic oncologist, one needs to be able to conduct well-designed clinical trials and to be able to publish reproducible respected genuine papers. I also strongly feel that quality is more important than quantity in terms of final outcome of all the efforts and work. I hope to be working in this field in the future and be able to carry out my ideas and implement the same and in the process make some contribution in the care of the cancer patient.
A major hurdle in this academic career that I hope to have is going to be the lack of expertise in the designing, implementation and evaluation of clinical trials.
I began my college career unsure of the path ahead of me. I knew I had a passion for medicine, however, I did not know which direction I would take. With the expansive amount of options offered within the fields of science and medicine, it was difficult to narrow down exactly what direction I wanted to take. I gained some clarity the summer of my sophomore year when I stayed at a close friend’s home, whose father, a practicing Medical Physician, became somewhat of a mentor to me. The passionate way in which he discussed the practice of medicine led me to develop an interest in pursuing a career as a physician. He explained that a career in the medical field was about responsibility, the responsibility to work with all members of the healthcare team for the well-being of the patient as well as their family
... be in the patient’s best interest and getting the best results for the trial.
The interview starts with an overlook of the history of oncology drug development, where Dr. Ratain states “oncology has always been different than other areas of drug development; it’s always been a concept of
Patlak, M., Nass, S. J., & National Cancer Policy Forum (U.S.), Institute of Medicine (U.S.) (2008). Improving the quality of cancer clinical trials: Workshop summary. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press.
...forming bench research at Barry University and Weill Cornell Medical College in the Traveler’s Research Fellowship, I have been exposed to the side of medicine where scientists work every day to find cures for diseases and save lives. Experiencing different aspects of medicine has made me a more competent individual to thrive in this field and has deepened my interest and passion to pursue medicine as a career.I believe that those who fight with so little against so much truly need others to help them in their struggle. Being a physician is not only becoming a successful professional. I will work hard to bring about necessary changes to end social disparities, so that more groups in society receive the best healthcare. By making a difference in their lives, I will receive rewarding experiences that are worth all the hard work and sacrifice my chosen career requires.
Never reluctant, I shared my ideas for solving problems to the high-level management with relevant references and experimental design. At SeraCare, I currently work as a Process Engineer and received several accolades. I polished several transferable skills like statistical data analysis, the design of experiments, and literature mining during my tenure at SeraCare. My penchant for academic research never waned, my four years at SeraCare has helped me validate my interest in academic research as my career path. After graduation, I continued to read scientific communications to keep me abreast of research developments and decided that my broad research focus will encompass cancer immunotherapy.
I first learned how to translate my curiosity into hard work as a chemistry student at Cornell, and since then I have found great inspiration in new learning environments. As a medical student, transitioning from lectures to my clinical years, I extended the curiosity) developed in the classroom to patient care. During my rotations, I constantly questioned why certain steps were chosen to manage patients. I learned to refer to journals and to critically assess articles' levels of evidence, which facilitated decisions in patient care. Even as a medical student, I could make a difference by presenting articles to the team, and I dedicated myself to doing
I was torn between becoming a medical professional or a researcher; both options I had been passionate for since beginning college. My research experiences prompted me to pursue a career in research. It gave me the ability to test my knowledge, my patience, and my commitment to producing results that supported--or rejected--something I chose to investigate. But I needed some opportunity that could persuade me to determine which career was the best for me.
This admiration led me to participate in the summer CURE (Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences) program at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. I conducted a pilot experiment using targeted sequencing to detect somatic mutations in brain cancer-related genes. I recognized early on that my research could go beyond isolating DNA from brain tumors or detecting mutations. This experience gave practical meaning to my academic coursework, and I learned the importance of medical research to lessen the impact of health problems and to provide the basis to examine effective treatments. While I was excited about doing research, I realized I missed working with patients and seeing directly how patients benefited from
As a responsible and self-motivated student, I wish to take an active role in my medical education and learn to become the best physician-scientist I can be. Yale creates an environment where I can focus on understanding and appreciating medicine, rather than competing for certain
Problem solving skill is one of the most important skills that I acquired while studying engineering at the Cooper Union. Immersed in the field of biology and chemistry, I learned how to approach, analyze, and solve problems. Nonetheless, I have always believed that the research should go beyond than just problem solving. I believe that true innovation is achieved only when the benefits that are found in the research is translated to people’s lives. For that reason, I decided to pursue the combined MD/PhD degree and become a translational researcher in the medical field who can bring laboratory work to real world, shaping a better world for people.
This field of study is most compelling to me ever since my step father who has a major in biology helped me in my first biology course in high school. Since, I discovered that I wanted to attain a degree in biology it made me question what I wanted to do with this knowledge in the real world. Coming from a large family where almost every adult has pursued a professional career through a higher education, I’ve had the pleasure to experience and understand what it means to be a part of their chosen professional career in the work force. The adults in my family have very different and diverse occupations that I have been able to learn about, each of their professional careers have intrigue me in a unique way. However, out of all the careers out there and at an opportunity to pursue, the medical field has been the most interesting to me.
... fears, and problems I will face, there are many positive aspects of this career as well. Research is crucial to becoming a doctor. It can help you build a stronger résumé and can help you understand how new knowledge is created. This new knowledge can be critically analyzed with your daily practice. Faculty members such as Dr. Garcia (Biochemistry) and Dr. Robert Nissen (Biology) can benefit my career choice. Dr. Garcia has research relates to the heart and Dr. Nissen is a pre-health advisor. Advisement and research can help me succeed in my career.
When it comes to working in a stressful environment while maintaining efficient, human, and profession-al conduct, I’m highly competent. In addition, my communication skills are sharp, as is my abil-ity to retain information and remember people. Thanks to my schooling and my keen interest in the industry, my research skills will keep my knowledge of the industry and practices up-to-date. In fact, taking in new material is a joy. The Clinical laboratory science field is vast and ever-changing, something I’m both excited and prepared to deal with. For this reason, I intend to re-main on top of advances in the field.
Throughout my life, I have worked towards one goal which is to become a doctor. Medicine offers the opportunity for me to integrate different scopes of science while trying to improve human life. Medicine has intrigued me throughout all my life because it??s a never ending mystery and every answer has questions, and vice versa. Upon entering my career, I had assumed that professional and financial success would surely bring personal fulfillment. This realization triggered a process of self-searching that led me to medicine. The commitment to provide others with healthcare is a serious decision for anyone. As I examined my interests and goals, however, I underwent a process of personal growth that has propelled me towards a career as a physician. A career in medicine will allow me to integrate thoroughly my passion for science into a public-service framework. Since childhood, I have loved acquiring scientific knowledge, particularly involving biological processes. During my undergraduate studies, I displayed my ability to juggle competing demands while still maintaining my academic focus; I have succeeded at school while volunteering part time, spending time with family and friends, and working part-time. To better serve my expected patient population, I worked over my English and Korean language skills. I have come to discover that a job and even a good income, without another significant purpose, will not bring satisfaction. I planed to utilize my assets, namely my problem- solving affinity, strong work ethic, and interpersonal commitment, to craft a stimulating, personally rewarding career in medicine. 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.