Personal Statement In Medicine

In the age of nine, I was diagnosed with Short Achilles Tendon. Although it could be treated by tendon lengthening surgery, the cause of the condition remained unknown. Due to the limitation of knowledge and technology in a small town located in East China, the orthopedist suggested me to seek for better diagnosis in more advanced hospitals.Therefore, my mother started taking me to different cities, different hospitals, and seeing different physicians. In the following half year, I was assumed to have congenita myophagism, cardiovascular disease and even cerebral palsy. To the date, I still remember how I cried when they placed thin needles into my muscle for EMG, and how nervous and afraid I was when I laid in the cold MRI machine hearing

Yes, as it’s meaningful, but No, as it was an immature idea without any understanding of what it actually means to be a doctor, the responsibility, the duty, the empathy, and much more. My true development of interest and commitment in medicine was after I had transferred to University at Buffalo where I began my journey into the science world. From evolutionary biology to genetic, molecular biology, and the combination of biology and chemistry/psychology had all greatly excited my neurons as I discovered new knowledge each day. The study of endocrinology, physiology, and especially anatomy, had satisfied my curiosity about the human body and further triggered my interest in the relationship between science and medicine. Dr. Yu, my biology professor and lab mentor once told me “We should appreciate the research in biology as the fundamental building blocks for future medicine.” Research in his lab, I had learned many lab techniques such as gene knock out, western blot, PCR. Also, Research in animal behavior tests of hearing with Dr. Salvi, had greatly expanded my knowledge of using nonhuman animals to perform scientific experiments. It was fascinating not only in knowing those experiment results would actually benefit human being in the future but also in understanding our responsibility towards laboratory animals. When a rat needed to be cautiously handled with respect, what about taking actual action in a human

Xu, a psychiatrist for whom I shadowed and volunteered for hundreds of hours, had always been a significant mentor. Investigation with her in the cause of schizophrenia due to SNP in the human gene had always been a delightful journey, and it was where I applied my school knowledge into a human subject study. Shadowing her, I learned a physician’s responsibility to patients, and by responsibility, it includes not only proper treatment but also to embrace patient with empathy, compassion, and love. I also learned as a physician, work continues after work hour since keep up with study and research are crucial, so a doctor requires having a thirst for new knowledge and enthusiasm for learning. Furthermore, a physician has to be aware of that there are endless challenges in front him such as non-cooperative patients, intractable or incurable diseases, and much more. Thus, a physician not only required being fully prepared in medical skills but also being courageous in front of challenges. Volunteering in the Va Medical Center was a wonderful and tangible experience. I spend most my time taking elder patients to the doctors, severing water, and importantly chatting with them. I just enjoyed using my life in China story or “your parents want you to be a doctor”? to exchange their military story or complaints about their love ones. There was nothing more joy and satisfaction when they left me big smiles after their