Since my first clinical rotation in Family Medicine as a student in medical school, I have been profoundly in love with this area of study and practice. I never cease to be impressed by the healing power of family connections to aid with the recovery of the ill or injured. Making the most of family resources, especially emotionally, will always be critical to the practice of medicine. While I excelled in my clerkships in clinical and urgent care settings and have profoundly enjoyed every aspect of treatment I have engaged in, from Ob/Gyn and Pediatrics to Surgery, Family Medicine is my heart.
I am the kind of hard-working, unpretentious doctor who feels most at home serving in a free clinic, helping ordinary, humble people heal and deal with the stress and difficulties of life in today’s fast-paced world. I genuinely care for people and immensely enjoy caring for my patients. Serving in community clinics has represented the finest and most important moments of my life so far; I have matured in my thinking about health on a societal level in America and the importance of a holistic understanding of well-being and mental health. I now feel strongly that my greatest strength in medicine is my compassion and how I have been blessed to cultivate that compassion due to having to battle a chronic disease. I was ill with lupus by the beginning of my second year of medical school. As the condition worsened throughout my second year as a medical student, it negatively impacted my studies. Still, despite completing incredibly rigorous clerkships at tertiary hospitals, I ended all rotations and passed all examinations. I continued to perform in my third year until I was finally forced to admit defeat for two weeks. Even though I was becoming a doctor, I was not adequately prepared for the seaside effects and symptoms that overtook me or the hard road to recovery.
As soon as I was released from the hospital, I embarked on a journey that would eventually teach me a great deal about Medicaid (Medi-Cal), SNAP benefits, and disability insurance, learning the hard way through lengthy and convoluted application processes that spanned weeks and in some cases, months, eventually managing to secure these invaluable resources and determined to become one of the fortunate patients who can juggle these processes and recover at the same time. Health & disability insurance, medication costs, and side effects, on one occasion, I had to personally appeal a medication denial by submitting peer-reviewed journal citations in support of my current treatment plan. When I returned to medical school from my medical leave of absence, I found my recent experiences valuable assets when treating patients. I made successful progress throughout my third year. By the time I started my fourth year of medical school, I was almost whole again and had recovered the level of energy that I had in my first year. Rotations in pediatrics, internal medicine, OBGYN education, and emergency medicine solidified my drive to pursue family medicine – especially enjoying the diversity of patients. I realized that I wanted a career that combined the many things I enjoyed about different specialties, listening to the stories of patients of all ages and sorting through their many medical and psychosocial issues. I am grateful for the experiences that have prepared me to give my all to Internal Medicine.
I am thankful for my growth during medical school which will enable me to distinguish myself as an incredibly competent and engaged resident physician with conviction, grit, resilience, and an outstanding ability to relate to patients. I am most fortunate to have fully recovered from a chronic disease, which helps me fight harder for my patients' lives, giving my all so they can also beat the odds. I am determined, resilient, and confident as never before – ready for long hours on my feet as a resident internist.
Thank you for considering my application to Family Medicine.
Residency Personal Statement for Family Medicine