All humans seek a happy world and a life filled with warm moments and good health; however, the reality is that life is a series of gains and struggles and we must learn to do the best we can in the face of adversity. One of the most difficult experiences I have ever faced is when my brother was diagnosed with a brain vascular anomaly. It started with headaches, which increased in severity, to the point where he was no longer able to continue his studies at a university far from our city. He needed to undergo brain surgery at a hospital with facilities superior to those available in our country. I remember clearly all that my father went through to collect the required money to cover the expenses. I felt so desperate, seeing him suffering, unable to do anything but hope for his recovery. Thankfully, he returned to a normal life, however, this impacted my life leading me to pursue Medicine.
I believe that, as human paths cross, we can affect others, both for good and for ill. It is this belief, combined with my brother’s experience, that led me to dedicate my path to the good of others. My desire to help people inspired me to contact a doctor in my neighborhood, who taught me first aid protocols and how to deal with minor accidents at home. Eager to learn more I read simple books about the human body and biographies of doctors. My passion for medicine increased more over time and it became my heartfelt dream to become a doctor.
To achieve that goal, I worked hard and got excellent grades in high school, gaining entry to the best school of medicine in my country where I was taught much by my professors, seniors, and colleagues, including how to be humble in my work, to act with competence, and to maintain professionalism. Ever eager to improve my practice, I started to attend the ward rounds with my seniors during my basic science years; I also joined many medical missions to rural areas, organized by my seniors, to help poor communities in my country. Thinking of the smiles on the faces of the people we helped always gives me a warm feeling and encourages me to press on when things get difficult.
Additionally, I attended charity clinics, organized by doctors in my country, to help those who cannot afford to pay for medical advice and treatment; here, I built my confidence, care, and communication skills, liaising with patients and colleagues. After graduation, I continued my volunteer work so that I could lend my skills to those who needed them most. The experience has helped me a lot in terms of my understanding of the concerns and feelings of sick people, and how can I address them in helpful ways.
I developed an admiration for Internal Medicine early during my medical school years. I like to face problems that make me think and enjoy detective stories, working to deduce conclusions from solid facts based on observations of the world around me; I also find myself attracted to challenging situations in which there is no definite answer, thus requiring the consideration of many factors in order to reach a clear formulation. These traits, in addition to my affinity for helping others, made internal medicine the specialty that appeals to me most. IM is the only specialty that will make me competent in terms of dealing perfectly with a broad spectrum of conditions ranging from mild to deadly ones; cancers, heart, renal, GI, and others, thus making me helpful for a high percentage of patients.
Looking back, the Internal Medicine rotation added a lot to my knowledge, personality, was very rewarding and satisfying and determined my specialty choice.
After finishing the Internship year, I started to focus on Internal Medicine; working in both inpatient and outpatient settings at different hospitals. I do like learning and since the best way of learning is through teaching, I joined my school as a tutor after my graduation. I am currently a Tutor at XXXX University, Grenada and facilitate small group learning of physiology and pathology for basic science medical students. Research is another tool of learning; I did my first research during medical school comparing the prevalence of tension headache and migraine among medical students, then my work at the Mycetoma Research Center, Sudan, advanced my research abilities. Later, I conducted a study with colleagues to understand and measure AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in health care settings which has been submitted for publication.
From the very beginning of my career, I wanted to train well, seeking out settings that would offer me the maximum opportunity to improve my skills in Internal Medicine. I believe that US residency provides exceptional educational opportunities for me to learn. I had the opportunity to do an externship at Michigan Health Specialists, Flint for 3 months during which I added a lot to my clinical sense and skills. I’ve become familiar with how the system works, and how the whole organization functions in harmony to serve the patients. This experience made me more determined to continue my Internal Medicine education in the US. I am very thankful for the opportunity to apply for your program and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
