A residency assignment in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics (Med-Peds) is more than just a logical progression for my career. Med-Peds fits very well into my strengths, experiences, and education. Throughout medical school, I thoroughly enjoyed my time learning all that I could about Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Driving this is my love for children and my passion for preventative and in-patient medicine.
I was first introduced to Internal Medicine whilst volunteering in Internal Medicine in the Emergency Room of a busy inner-city hospital during Hajj season, in KSA. Hajj is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world and is a time when our country sees thousands of pilgrims being flown in specifically for the purpose of reaching Mecca. Every year despite the many precautions taken, there are frequent accidents, but aside from this, many pilgrims are elderly, wanting to reach the fifth pillar of Islam before their time on earth is through. As a result, in the ER, I was fascinated by the sheer diversity of cases and the amount of direct patient contact.
I loved working as a part of a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals. I was left knowing that academic medicine and inpatient medicine were where my heart truly lies. My six months of Pediatric residency in a busy hospital in Riyadh exposed me to an incredible array of cases. Pediatrics is a discipline in which I will be able to intervene and change behavior patterns, and health outcomes in a very preventative and proactive way, as opposed to trying to change someone's ingrained life pattern. This reflects my strong interest in Medical Genetics. During my residency, counseling mothers stirred my interest in genetics and fetal anomalies as a part of prenatal diagnosis. I was left feeling that I had a great deal to offer in terms of genetic counseling.
I am aware of the commitment required by Med-Peds residents and anticipate working more than full-time to spend enough time on both sides. Challenges abound in both fields, but I look forward to working a block in a Pediatric ward and then admitting patients with an assortment of disease processes on the other side. Researching the Med-Peds field, I have been impressed repeatedly by the contributions Med-Peds physicians make to the community, representing the needs of both demographic groups.
Med-Peds Personal Statement