Personal Statement: A Career In Medicine

While many applicants may be able to identify that one moment in their life when they realized they wanted to pursue a career in medicine, the impetus behind my decision to become a doctor can be traced back to various experiences throughout my life. I have always been interested in science and the complex workings of the human body, but my roles as a student, patient, and observer in different settings have fueled my desire to become a physician. I first became interested in medicine through my aunt, who is a pediatrician. When I was a teenager, I remember going to the hospital with my aunt when she had to do rounds and visit her patients and their newborn babies in the nursery. I remember staring in awe at the unfamiliar aspects of the

Clearly, I had little knowledge of the anatomy of the human knee at the time, nor was I aware of the implications of my injury. After delivering the news and instantly recognizing my disappointment, my orthopedist took out a diagram of the knee and guided me through its anatomy. He then shifted his attention to my MRI and pointed to the tear in my meniscus. “Easy fix”, he said. A few weeks after the procedure, my orthopedist allowed me to watch the arthroscopic surgery. After a short period of feeling lightheaded and nauseous at the sight of three small surgical tools entering my knee, I couldn’t take my eyes away from screen. This experience left a lasting impression on me because it was where I first recognized the importance of the physician-patient relationship and its considerable healing power; my orthopedist was not only able to repair my knee, but lift my spirits as well. Since then, I have always wanted to be on the other side of the patient-physician relationship where I am the one guiding someone else through their illness and treatment, while also inspiring them and improving their quality of

Though every day has taught me something new, one shift has remained the most memorable. It was about 1 a.m. when the charge nurse rushed down the hall of the ER to get the attention of the physician who was working the overnight shift. She had just received a call from EMS notifying us that they were transporting a family of 5 who had just been involved in a house fire. The doctor and I exchanged looks before he rushed off to prepare for their arrival. Finally, five stretchers rolled in through the ambulance bay, each carrying a critical patient covered in ash. The ash was so thick I could not immediately assess the extent of their burns, but the smell was both unfamiliar and unforgettable to me. Working at St. Barnabas, the only state-certified burn facility in New Jersey, I’ve seen multiple burn victims, all ranging in severity. This case was by far the worst. When some of the ash was finally cleared from the patient’s skin, what lied beneath was nothing but raw flesh. The sights, the smells, and the sounds of painful groaning are still fresh in my mind. There was only one doctor and one physician assistant working the overnight shift and each of the 5 patients arrived in critical condition, requiring full and immediate medical attention.