I am a well-qualified physician and have considerable experience in practicing general medicine in India, together with substantial recent exposure to the US medical environment. I now feel ready to undertake a residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics in a challenging but supportive environment.
I excelled in science in high school, especially in biology and physics. I also wanted to have a career that involved contact with people and the opportunity to help them, so a career in medicine seemed an excellent choice. Such a choice involves a great deal of challenging work in any country but especially in India since only 0.1% of senior secondary students seeking entry to medical school succeed in gaining admission. The medical school entrance examinations are fiercely competitive. I am immensely proud to be part of the small proportion that succeeded, as an indicator of my determination, intelligence, and diligence.
While still in high school in India, I volunteered to work in a primary care hospital in the countryside. I met a wonderful and inspiring doctor who devoted half his time to providing free treatment to indigent patients. He showed me that medicine is a vocation and not merely a career choice and I have always treated my work as such. He also fired my interest in equitable healthcare access, and the challenge of providing care to the poor and underserved, which will always be with me. During my undergraduate studies, I took every opportunity to join voluntary projects, including blood donation camps, Aids awareness camps, and ‘Pulse Polio’. I learned a great deal about the importance of health education and preventative medicine and still retain a great interest in these vital aspects of medicine.
My first experience with internal medicine came when I was conducting research at XXXX Hospital. I was fortunate to be able to observe several excellent internists and immediately felt that this was the specialty that would most suit my skills and characteristics and where I could do the best. I enjoy having substantial direct patient contact; I get on well with patients of all ages and types, especially children whose company I enjoy and who I can put at ease. I am aware that effective treatment can only follow an accurate diagnosis and that diagnostics is an art requiring patient listening, exceptional observation, and other skills, such as an appreciation of the importance of non-verbal signals. My career so far has provided me with substantial exposure to a wide variety of conditions and patient types that will be of direct application in an Internal Medicine/Pediatrics residency. Internal Medicine/Pediatrics attracts me because of the breadth of experience and exposure that it offers, the variety in the working day, and the opportunity to apply the significant diagnostic and bedside skills that I have developed in my work to date. It also provides the opportunity to offer primary care to underserved communities.
I have undertaken medical research, and I have the characteristics of determination, curiosity, lateral thinking, and diligence necessary for successful research. I look forward to assisting in research during the residency. I am particularly interested in investigating the potential applications of alternate technologies in providing healthcare to the underserved, particularly telemedicine. I anticipate intense study of effective ways to manage our ‘aging population’. I hold a US master's degree in health administration and am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in this discipline. These studies have provided me with an excellent understanding of healthcare provision in the US that will serve me well during my residency and beyond.
I am fully aware of the need for exceptional cultural awareness and sensitivity in the provision of healthcare. Since arriving in the US, I have happily worked and socialized with people of many cultural and social backgrounds. I look forward to continuing to do so in the residency program. I come from a rural background and know that country people are friendly, honest, and open. It is my hope to serve in a rural community that is currently underserved.
I know that there will be many well-qualified applicants. However, I am an exceptional candidate. I have a good practical grounding in medicine, most of which relates to Internal Medicine, and I am an experienced researcher. Still, my main recommendation is a real passion for this specialty and a determination to acquire the skills and knowledge to become an excellent practitioner.
Med Peds Residency Pediatric Internal Medicine