Psychology Internist Personal Statement

It was under the most delicate of circumstances, when I realized what I was born to do for

the rest of my life. It was march 2007, my grandfather was suffering from pneumonia and

due to his deteriorating condition he was hospitalized. I had flown in from Toronto to be

by his side. Sitting anxiously by his bedside with tears in my eyes wondering if I could do

anything to make my grandfather feel better, I watched doctors come and go , updating us

on his blood reports, EKGs, chest x-rays, ABGs, and at the same time constantly

counseling my concerned family members. As they explained what they were doing to

bring my grandfather to the path of recovery, I watched in utter fascination. I thought, I

want to be like them, I want to

Throughout my clinical rotations, I found internal medicine to be most rewarding. It

requires critical thinking, problem solving skills and deductive reasoning to reach a

diagnosis through the data obtained from the patient. But what differentiates a good

internist from a great internist is good listening and interpersonal skills. I believe this is

where my undergraduate in psychology gives me an edge. In my undergraduate

psychology, we are taught the importance of good listening and communication skills

which makes the patient feel important, comfortable and establishes a good doctor-patient

relationship. My psychology training allowed me to improve my interpersonal skills that

will certainly aid me in your residency program.

During my clinical rotations, and observerships in the United States, Canada, and the

United Kingdom, I was extremely fortunate to work with professors and physicians that

were more than willing to share their knowledge and wisdom with me. From teaching

students in medical school to currently tutoring students for USMLE, I have always tried

to pass on that knowledge. Throughout my career, I have recognized, learning is