In my second year of an Ob/Gyn residency in my native Ukraine, I met Maria, who was complaining of infertility and amenorrhea. After unsuccessful hormonal therapy, she was sent to our department for hysteroscopy. I entered the uterine cavity and felt like I had entered a haunted house for a moment. Multiple firm adhesions connected the uterus walls, all intertwined like a web. That was Asherman syndrome, which I had seen previously only in books. We almost gave up after several hysteroscopic resections, mechanical and hormonal treatment, and serial office hysteroscopies. Still, we decided to perform the last hysteroscopy by applying hyaluronic gel. Maria returned with a beautiful red-haired baby boy, Stefan, in her arms after a year.
Now twenty-nine, I was born and raised in Odesa, Ukraine, a beautiful seaport with a diverse, international population; we have always been privileged as one of Ukraine’s top tourist destinations, which helped a great deal early on with my appreciation and celebration of diversity and multilingualism. My mother is Polish, and my father is Bulgarian and Romanian, contributing to my capacity to celebrate diversity in medicine. I graduated with my MD from Odessa National University in 2012. My husband and I first came to America and visited California as tourists. We fell in love with many things about California - people, nature, culture, food, and professional opportunities. So, we decided to move here 2.5 years ago and live near San Francisco.
I hope to be selected for a residency position that excels at outreach, innovative research, and encouraging a team atmosphere with close contact between faculty and residents. I have been working on learning Spanish for some time now, and while I have a way to go, I am devoted to this cause because of the importance of Spanish for outreach to the underserved. I love to work with innovative technologies that help to improve health outcomes for patients.
During my observerships in the United States, I have learned much about innovative technologies, medical ethics, and the US healthcare system. After giving my all to and completing a residency program, I also hope to go on to complete a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery.
My residency in Ob/Gyn, one of the best hospitals in Odesa, Ukraine, was my life's highlight; in addition to screenings of mostly healthy women, I also enjoyed the challenge of surgery. After finishing medical school, I served at several hospitals in Odessa, one of which specialized in treating women with HIV facing high-risk pregnancies. I recognized the magnitude of effective communication with patients from diverse backgrounds, educating and empowering them, and providing treatment. I also spent a lot of time in trauma in Odessa, especially in the wake of political violence. I triaged the wounded and assisted in complex surgeries as part of specialist teams. In my free time, I volunteered in a women’s prison, performing general physical exams, pelvic exams, pap smears, etc., to ensure that the women received proper medical treatment. I decided to do this after discovering that these women usually receive care only in emergencies, with no preventive maintenance.
Among my other preparations here in the USA, I am proud that I finished all steps of the USMLE in 2 years with above-average scores. My hobbies include traveling, outdoor activities, yoga, and dancing: salsa and bachata.
Thank you for considering my application.
Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Personal Statement