Personal Statement.

I still remember the night when a young Somalian woman was brought to the Emergency Department by her husband in labor. She did not make it to the Emergency Department, and the child was delivered in the parking lot. Although the delivery went smoothly and the mother was stable, the initial resuscitation of the baby proved to be more difficult. The emergency physician worked hard with the team to ensure the baby was properly resuscitated until the NICU team could arrive. It was later confirmed that the baby had transposition of the great arteries.

This patient encounter is a perfect example of why I am fascinated by emergency medicine. During my third year of medical school, I found it difficult to decide on a single specialty because I enjoyed every rotation. I loved the cerebral aspect of internal medicine, but was also captivated by the procedural aspect of surgery. I appreciated the complexity of caring for adults with multiple comorbidities, and I was excited for the challenges in working with pediatric patients. It turned out that the fast-paced environment of the Emergency Department was the perfect fit for me.

As I reflect on my strengths, I believe that I have qualities that will help me succeed as an emergency physician. I am compassionate and a great advocate for my patients. I also learned important lessons about leadership and teamwork during my time as the student coordinator for the Asian Free Clinic. This experience taught me how to bring together a team of medical students and physicians to care for a much needed population. While caring for my patients at the Free Clinic, I also learned to advocate for my patients by connecting them to appropriate resources in the community.

During my training as an emergency physician, I plan to develop my clinical skills to be able to handle any patient that walks through the Emergency Department doors. In addition, I have a special interest in ultrasound as a bedside tool. I am currently developing my ultrasound skills through a year-long ultrasound course at Ohio State, and have been able to apply these skills clinically. For example, I had one patient during my Intensive Care Unit rotation who was hypotensive. I performed a quick bedside echocardiogram, which showed a pericardial effusion causing tamponade physiology. This led to the patient receiving a pericardiocentesis. I have seen first-hand the utility of being able to make quick, focused medical decisions based on ultrasound findings. I am eager to continue maturing these skills during my future training.

I look forward to embarking on the road to becoming an emergency physician and I am excited about all the challenges this journey entails. My goal is to be able to take care of any patient who presents to the Emergency Department, whether it be a laboring mother, a sick neonate, or a patient with abdominal pain. I am happy that I have found something I am truly passionate about and I am confident that a career in emergency medicine will help me accomplish my future goals.

 

 

 

 

I am using my personal statement as career development tag for LSI. I believe it is a stepping stone on my quest to a residency program. It explains why I chose emergency medicine as my specialty and my goals in the future. As I reflect on my personal statement, I believe it communicates the type of physician I want to become in the future. I hope that I stay true to my goals as i progress forward.