I was born and raised in Nigeria and moved to Canada in 2012. I earned a B.Sc. Degree in Mathematics and Biology in 2014 from the University of Toronto. I then graduated with a B.S. in Health Science from the Saba University School of Medicine, Netherlands-Antilles, followed by a Doctor of Medicine Degree from the same university in January 2018. I seek to become a highly effective and qualified physician specializing in Cardiology and to assist in reducing the barriers to healthcare access in the ‘third world.’ I write what follows on behalf of my application to a residency program in Internal Medicine.
I developed a deep interest in Biology from the first class I attended in the subject at school and became increasingly fascinated as my studies progressed. I became aware of the complexity of chemical reactions in the human body. I became interested in disease and its treatment and decided to become a physician. I now regard this more as a vocation than a simple career choice. I am passionate about medicine and extending the availability of healthcare, having witnessed sad results where it is lacking or insufficiently accessible.
I came to Medicine because of an interest in the sophisticated mechanisms of the body. but I have since come to a deep appreciation of how humans are more than the sum of their physical conditions. I understand the need for a ‘holistic’ approach to patients and that each is unique and worthy of dignified and individual understanding. I have also come to appreciate better how non-verbal communication is essential in judging a patient’s needs and feelings.
I have happily studied, worked, and socialized with people of diverse cultural backgrounds. I consider myself culturally sensitive and aware, and I know how important this is in Medicine. I have received very appreciative letters of thanks from patients I have helped to treat. This demonstrates my ability to interact positively with patients who sense a genuine and personal interest in them. Not least, I have a sense of humor and know the value of a smile.
I have participated in various volunteer activities related to medicine in the Caribbean and Canada. These included providing palliative care to geriatric patients and assisting in their recreational activities, free ‘health screening,’ and education about the risk of heart disease. I have also shadowed family physicians. I have thoroughly enjoyed these activities, and, should time allow, I hope to undertake other volunteer activities during participation in the residency program.
I have served as an officer in various college societies. This has provided me with experience in practical teamwork, prioritization, organization, leadership, and delegation, as well as a great deal of fun. I was also selected to assist in teaching at my Medical School, demonstrating my teachers' confidence in my ability to communicate facts and concepts verbally and in writing. This teaching experience has extended that ability.
I have completed internal rotations in medicine, surgery, OBGYN, and psychiatry. I was particularly inspired and fascinated by the work required of us in the medicine rotation, which called for students to provide solutions to initially very puzzling diagnostic problems and to apply a ‘whole-body approach to patient care.
As demonstrated by the results and honors awarded throughout my academic career, I am a diligent worker. I intend to apply myself fully and enthusiastically to the residency program, and I am confident I will be an asset to my class. I also feel that my background will enable me to provide valuable insights into the healthcare needs of those from less well-developed countries.
I am aware that the residency program will attract many well-qualified applicants. However, I genuinely consider that I am an exceptional candidate. I have the personal qualities necessary to become a first-class physician, the academic ability not merely to succeed but to excel, and, most importantly, a passionate interest in the rapidly developing fields of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, spreading the benefits of those advances and developments as widely as possible throughout the world.
Internal Medicine Residency Personal Statement IMG