Born, raised, and educated in our native Iran, realizing my dream of practicing medicine in America has not been easy and has required great sacrifice. For the first year of my residency position in Pathology at XXXX University, my husband, a neurologist in Iran, had to remain in Iran waiting for his visa. We were separated for an entire year. I came to the USA first with our 3-year-old daughter; our family has since been reunited in America. My husband is currently serving as a neurology resident at XXXX University. I hope to be selected for a Fellowship Program in Hematopathology where I can engage with innovative research in my chosen area of particular focus as a pathologist.
I look forward to spending several decades searching for the most definitive diagnoses possible for hematologic malignancies. I have learned a great deal about Pathology over the last few years. I have admired the interdisciplinary teams that help provide accurate diagnoses and effective treatment to patients with life-threatening diseases. Inspired by great hematopathologists such as Dr. XXXX, my mentor, I am determined to pursue my fellowship with undivided energy and dedication to fulfill this all-important role of a hematopathologist in the most effective manner possible.
My mentors have inspired me in my residency program, helping me become a highly competent pathologist who could not be more dedicated to giving the balance of her professional life to hematopathology, the forefront of research and practice. Completing a hematopathology fellowship will inspire and empower me to become the finest hematopathologist possible. I could not be more attracted to the intellectual stimulation and challenge that Hematopathology represents.
Since childhood, I have loved microscopes and earned an award for building an inverted microscope in seventh grade. I came from a small city in Iran named Urmia, and I went to Tabriz for medical school. After graduating, I lived a brief time in Istanbul, Turkey, before moving to the US. I have also spent considerable time in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Russia, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, Croatia, and Canada. In addition to my native Persian language, I speak, read, and write Turkish on an advanced level. My facility with languages has also enabled me to learn basic Spanish and Arabic. My Spanish is rapidly improving because I prioritize this as the language of many of America’s underserved, who I look forward to helping.
After graduating near the top of my class from one of Iran’s finest medical schools, I worked for two years in Iran's Blood Transfusion Organization (BTO). I was promoted to leadership roles in this organization, where I learned much about hematological disorders such as anemia and hemophilia and plasmapheresis treatments. I was recognized as the exemplary physician of the Azerbaijan province for my contribution to public health as head of the BTO for my area.
My foremost role model was my father, a distinguished gynecologist. Nothing excited me as much as a child as being with my father as he cared for his patients. The other close family relationship that played a vital role in my development as a medical researcher is my cousin and best friend, who went to the same medical school where we were classmates. However, my cousin was admitted to the hospital for evaluation in our first year of medical school due to recurrent fevers and excessive fatigue. The following day, after initial blood work came back, it was determined that she had leukemia due to a bone marrow aspiration performed and sent to pathology. While we anxiously awaited the result, the pathologist, a close friend of my father, came to the hospital to see us. I remember how vital the pathology report was to her prognosis and chances for survival. The pathologist explained that she had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She finally overcame cancer through chemotherapy and returned to medical school. This experience led me to focus on pathology as my primary career interest. I am most pleased to have acquired extensive research experience at UCXX and with the NIH, publishing several articles in several areas of medicine, including, and closely related to Pathology (with fifty-three citations by Google Scholar). I enjoy looking at diseases through tiny windows and combining that information with clinical symptoms to make a diagnosis. Accurately interpreting pathology slides requires a solid knowledge of many areas of medicine, and I could not be more drawn to this challenge.
Personal Statement Example, Fellowship Hematopathology
Thank you for considering my application to your distinguished Fellowship Program in Hematopathology.