When applying to medical school four years ago, I spent a considerable amount of time attempting to define my future. Now seeking a residency position, I reflect on my professional trajectory again. The same principles that characterized my desire to attend medical school still shape my professional and personal decisions; however, my thoughts are more directed and inclusive today. More directed in that I am focusing on a specialty, Urology, and more inclusive in that my interests and priorities outside of medicine play a significant role in my decision-making process. Medical school has been a fantastic opportunity. I look forward to the new challenge of postgraduate training.
During each third-year clerkship, I attempted to envision myself as a career physician within that field. After completing all the clerkships, I found that my most passionate interest lay within the area of Urology. My exposure to Urology during my third year and again during the beginning of my fourth year of medical school impressed upon me the diversity and uniqueness of this field. Both the breadth of disease processes it encompasses and the opportunities for research from a clinical and basic science perspective make Urology an exciting career choice. Yet, the most influential quality that attracts me to Urology is the intimacy of patient interaction prevalent within all aspects of the field. The urologist, in general practice or a subspecialty field, often works with patients when they are physically and emotionally most vulnerable. These individuals may include, among others, the impotent male, the gentleman recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, or the parents of an infant with hypospadias. The physician must form an open relationship with the patient to treat these and other urologic conditions effectively. I adore giving my all to a career characterized by this elevated level of patient interaction.
As I am interested in pursuing a career as an academic urologist, it would be a special honor for me to be selected by a program at a university-affiliated hospital. I have relished the challenge of basic science and clinical research while in medical school, and I now seek the opportunity to give my all to my chosen specialty, urology.
I have grown in my knowledge of medicine and people over the last three years. I started medical school with a strong drive for personal excellence and genuine scientific interest. Now nearing the conclusion of medical school, I still find my interest in science strong. I have refined that interest into a keen desire to participate actively in academic research. I look forward to the process as well as the destination.
Thank you for considering my application to your distinguished residency program in Urology.
Urology Residency Personal Statement