Urology is a field where surgical competence, compassion, and sensitivity is paramount to patient care. I believe my personal strengths and experiences will allow me to succeed in this area of medicine. My interest in urology began in college when I lived in a fraternity and served as a Peer Health Counselor while attending UCLA. This meant conducting student seminars discussing topics ranging from dysuria to sexually transmitted diseases. I felt privileged to be confided in by so many people about their intimate personal problems. As a result of this experience, I authored a paper exploring the psychogenic versus the organic causes of impotence among the elderly as a class project during my senior year.
After college, my road to becoming a physician took a detour. I worked for a business management company for the music entertainment industry and then started and operated a computer consulting company. These experiences taught me important organizational skills, self-discipline, and knowledge in the inner workings of computer hardware and software.
My vision to pursue urology came into sharp focus in medical school. After my first exposure to the operating room, I realized the structure, teamwork, and the challenge of various surgeries had sparked a keen interest in me. I jumped at the opportunities to do everything in the operating room from starting IVs and intubating the patient to closing the wound. I enjoyed staying late at the hospital, which meant more opportunities to be involved with cases I would have otherwise missed.
My interest in and love of surgery was reflected in receiving a rating of eleven out of ten from my first surgical clerkship as well as excellent comments from all my preceptors. Coincidentally, it was during my urology rotation that my father suffered urinary retention secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Through the rotation and my father's experience, I was able to fully appreciate the prevalence and management of prostatic diseases and other urologic abnormalities. Just when I thought the cases could not become any more interesting, I was fortunate enough to assist in a ureteral-appendiceal interposition in a trauma patient. I was fascinated. After speaking with practicing urologists both in private and academic settings, I decided that I want to combine my natural ability to discuss sensitive issues and my love for the operating room with the fascination I have dealing with urological pathologies.
I have balanced my academic and clinical endeavors with an active personal life. Shortly after I immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan at age 11, I became involved with two-way amateur radio communications. I enjoy the ability to relay messages succinctly and accurately. I have found this to be an important skill both in and out of the operating room. With English as my second language, I especially welcome the challenge of public speaking. Synthesizing my knowledge of medical education as a student and personal computers, I frequently give presentations in front of large audiences. In my spare time, I like to run, play basketball, and weightlift. Having completed a marathon and numerous 10K runs, I have the stamina to endure the rigors of a surgical subspecialty. Lastly, there is nothing more relaxing than to spend a weekend snow skiing with friends.
My varied interests make deciding on my future goals in urology difficult. There are many topics in urology which intrigue me, and I am unable to decide on a specific area now. I hope to further my training in a residency program as I learn more about my options. In order to combine my desire for public speaking, love for helping others, and ability to succinctly explain complex topics, I am certain that I will be involved with teaching. I would like to continue my clinical research efforts and to eventually practice urology in an academic setting.
I seek a well-balanced program which will further my intellectual and technical development through varied and numerous surgical cases along with exposure to different subspecialties within urology. Combining my personal strengths and dedication with a strong residency program, I am looking forward to incorporating compassion with results in becoming a urologist.
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