Internal Medicine – Sample 1

At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing ever since"-Salvador Dali.

My entry in to medical profession was by no means a chance occurrence. I call it Destiny. I originally became interested in medicine in my teens because of a very important incident in my life. I come from an agriculture family in which no one has studied beyond high school. I had two aunts who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. Their paranoia made them unacceptable to the family because the family had no knowledge of the pathology. They were not given any treatment. Consequently, one of my aunts died of refractory schizophrenia. Eventually, my family realized that my aunts were not mentally normal and got my second aunt treated. She had a remarkable recovery. This incident made me realize the difference medicine had made to my family. This incident sparked my interest in medicine and it got confirmed when I discovered my predilection towards Biology in my higher secondary school. This propensity for medicine led me to take a highly competitive medical entrance exam in which I was placed in the top 1% and I eventually got admitted in to XXXXXX Medical College, a premier medical institute which is ranked as the fourth best medical college in India.

My undergraduate college education was filled with great competence. The excellent faculty and four affiliated 500 bed multi-specialty hospitals provided me with hands-on experience right from the start. I consistently maintained good grades in all the subjects but I found myself inclined more towards Internal Medicine because Internal Medicine offers a great variety and diagnostic challenges. Eventually, I obtained second best score in General Medicine in university final examination. During my clinical clerkships, I experienced a variety of medical specialties but consistently found Internal Medicine to be the most interesting. I was also impressed with the knowledge of physicians and their ability to treat the most acutely ill patient, who led me realize the importance of the physician in the medical environment. During my one year internship in XXXXXX Hospital, I had the privilege of working with some of the finest doctors of our country.

Medical education is not completed in the medical school. It is only begun. My internship in the college was completely under supervision of excellent physicians. This kindled a strong desire in me to apply the knowledge I have gained and motivated me to join as a medical officer under the State Government. As a Government medical officer I worked in a 50 bedded ,well equipped hospital in a tribal area for two years. These two years gave me an opportunity to prove myself as a hard-working, compassionate doctor as well as an excellent administrator. I was successful in winning the confidence of the tribal patients and consequently I was soon promoted as Hospital Superintendent. During this period I had to supervise the hospital staff, maintain the hospital, attend the patients and take care of all their needs. This gave me an opportunity to discover and refine my leadership and communication skills. The hospital under my supervision gradually moved from Grade-C to Grade-A and consistently remained in A thereafter. The Government recognized my services and awarded me the Best Medical Officer twice consecutively in a year. The area I worked in, was hyper-endemic in Malaria and had a high incidence of Tuberculosis. During my service in this area, I was fortunate enough to come across and treat

successfully the worst cases of Cerebral malaria, Black water fever and Disseminated Tuberculosis. Malaria in this area presented in all forms-ARDS, ARF, Cerebral malaria, Black water fever, Gastroenteritis, Anemia, Tropical splenomegaly, hemolytic jaundice and liver failure. I was amazed to know practically how a single disease Malaria, unfolded the diversity and challenges in Internal Medicine. This practical experience multiplied my love for Internal Medicine.

While working in the hospital, I met many patients struggling with terminal disease. Their courage and willingness to continue fighting despite diminishing hopes reinforced my commitment to becoming a good physician to assist in this valiant struggle. While I had many meaningful encounters, one particularly stands out. Last year in the month of June, a tribal family brought their only son to the hospital in a stage of coma and respiratory distress because of aspiration. His throat was blocked with thick secretions for which I performed suction and left orders to the nurse on duty to continue intermittent suction. Next morning when I went for rounds I found him in a worsening condition. The nurse did not do her job properly. The patient's family pleaded me to stay with the patient and showed enormous trust saying that my presence itself would heal him. I was moved and took care of the patient all by myself. It worked and he came out of coma the next day. His family fell on my feet and offered their thanks in tears. I realized that my future must revolve around instances like this one and that true fulfillment comes from helping another person heal. My job experience at the hospital taught me that patience, compassion and sensitivity are just as crucial as scientific skills to medicine. Though I had some sleepless nights in the hospital, they were worth the satisfaction.

However, I did not feel qualified enough to receive the trust the tribal people gave me so willingly. I have this burning desire to expand my knowledge in Internal medicine and to become a great physician. I am dedicated to meeting new challenges and applying the knowledge that I have obtained through all these years. I realize this will be not an easy road but with perseverance, commitment, and hard work, I believe that I can become a valuable addition to your institution. I am proud to see that I have come this far but it is my quest for academic excellence and service to mankind that spurs me to reach greater heights.

As I evaluate programs for my residency training, the first and foremost quality I seek is the ability to further my education-both clinically and academically. My desire is to find the residency training program which will best prepare me in all the fields of medicine by first offering excellent clinical resources and teaching in a setting where the residents are encouraged to be independent and take on a higher level of responsibility for cases as their proficiency increases. I look forward to a program offering a diversity of experience and a staff that works as a team to provide education for patients, family, community, and faculty. I want to seek a residency program that will enrich and augment my clinical skills and also to participate in community based research. The excellent reputation of your academic program influenced me too choose your hospital for pursuing my residency program. The ambient and competitive atmosphere of your hospital will help me to improve my clinical skills. Thank you for your consideration of my application and I hope that you will give me an opportunity to come and visit your program to experience it firsthand.