I was a tiny, premature baby, and although my medical problems were not severe, they involved frequent hospital visits in my early childhood. So, I became used to the hospital environment and observed the staff in a way only a child can. I saw that some nurses and doctors did their job, and others did the same job but with a smile and a friendly manner, even occasionally taking the time to share a joke with a little girl. I decided early in my life that I would like to help people by working in a hospital and that I would be a smiling, friendly, caring staff person and not one of the others. I have never forgotten my childhood resolution at any time in my career. My dream was to be a doctor, but I could not overcome the initial obstacles to my goal. My exam results were not good enough for medical school, which was devastating. Still, before I had finalized plans to retake exams and re-apply, my parents told me they could not support me through exam re-takes and medical school. They suggested that I apply for nursing school. I did so but was unhappy, I felt crushed, and my initial results reflected my attitude. At a certain point, I realized I was staring another failure in the face and would let myself and my family down unless something changed. I adopted a new attitude; I studied hard and enthusiastically, improved my scores, and felt much happier. My unique perspective was rewarded by the award of an associate degree and an R.N. post at one of the most prestigious hospitals in South Korea. Life moved on; I married, moved to the US, had four children, worked as a nurse, and supported my husband through his Ph.D. studies. My life seemed pretty much ‘mapped out,’ but unexpectedly, my husband and I separated. I decided to take careful stock of my life. Could I resurrect my dream of becoming a physician? There seemed no good reason not to pursue my dream, and the more I considered the possibility, the more enthusiastic I became about the idea. Although working full time, I studied for a B.S. degree in Biology at XXXX University. My GPA score was admittedly not ‘stellar,’ but I graduated ‘Magna cum Laude.’ I felt immensely proud to have succeeded when, while studying, I was working full-time and taking care of my children. I have two decades of ICU nursing experience and have been successful and, to a considerable extent, personally fulfilled in my career. I have worked with many doctors who have ranged from barely adequate to excellent. I know that the difference is often one of attitude rather than merely differences in levels of knowledge and skill, just as I had observed as a young child. It is, in my view, vitally important for physicians to care about patients as well as care professionally for them and to seek to 'make a difference' rather than merely to 'make a living'. I have the necessary attitude, as well as the passion and determination, to acquire the knowledge and skills required to become an excellent physician. I have advised several exceptional physicians who have encouraged me to take this step. I am incredibly keen to be involved in research, especially in neurocritical medicine, and I believe that my considerable experience will enable me to make a significant contribution to doing so. My goal is to resume working as a physician in my area of expertise, the ICU. I know that the transition from nurse to physician will require considerable adjustments, and I have carefully considered and discussed this matter with physician colleagues. I conclude that I am fully able to make those necessary adjustments and changes in professional emphasis. I am under no illusion about the amount of work and commitment required to complete the program, and I undertake to apply myself fully to doing so. I am very aware of the need for cultural sensitivity in healthcare provision. I have personal experience living in two distinct cultures and adjusting to moving from one to another. I have also treated, studied with, and worked alongside people of many cultural and social backgrounds and enjoy doing so. I enjoy educating people about my own Korean culture and learning from others about their own. I know that medical programs attract many very well-qualified applicants. However, I genuinely regard myself to be an excellent candidate. I am academically able, as I have recently demonstrated in the face of extreme time constraints; I am a highly experienced health professional with proven skills and knowledge in the area in which I wish to work; my extensive experience will enable me to 'add value' to my class and to add something beneficial to the ‘mix’ of student-types. My most important recommendation, however, is my love and passion for medicine and my determination to excel in the program.

When I was twelve years old, my life changed forever, for the better. I was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, and since then I have found my cause in life, my professional reason for being. My doctor told me that I could live a normal life but with one exception; that I would have to take shots for as long as I live. Initially, I was frustrated and depressed, finding it exceedingly difficult to accept that this was indeed the case, and that this medical treatment was inevitable. From that moment forward, my eyes and heart have been trained on the goal of finding a cure that would enable all diabetics to lead ‘normal’ lives, without having to take shots with every meal. I tended to blame the doctors, believing for many years that they were not eager enough to work at finding a cure for diabetics because they did not know what it was like to live as a diabetic. Thus, while still an adolescent, I dedicated myself to the goal of becoming a physician. And since I experienced this trauma while still a child, I also set my sights on becoming a pediatrician. Today, as a physician, I feel that the greatest contribution that I might be able to make to society is to wage war against diabetes and other autoimmune disorders. My long-term goal is to become a professor in the field of immunology in my home country—Saudi Arabia—helping to inspire students and doctors to dedicate their lives to medical research, especially on behalf of children. Another profound, personal inspiration occurred while I was in Medical School when my best friend was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It was already progressing so rapidly that she had to drop out of our program. I became incredibly excited later when I learned that DM and MS are both autoimmune disorders whose pathogenesis is fully understood - with no cure yet in sight. My calling was reaffirmed at this point, especially because of the egregiously debilitating effects that both disorders have on young people. In Saudi Arabia, children and youth are most of the population. We have recently become especially alarmed at the rapid and steady increase in the number of children diagnosed with different autoimmune disorders. For all these reasons, I have dedicated my life to the study and practice of pediatrics with a subspecialty in pediatric immunology. I fully intend to spend the balance of my professional life working to understand the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. My special love for pediatrics intensified still further after my cousin was blessed with the birth of triplets. It was a big event in our family, and we all pitched in to lend a helping hand. Watching those three little miracles grow in front of my eyes made me appreciate children even further. I so very much enjoy spending time with them, analyzing them, and struggling to understand what goes on in their little minds. And I have concluded that they are very much like adults, fully aware of their feelings and what is going on around them, with the only significant difference being that they have not yet developed the ability to express themselves fully. And this beauty and mystery make pediatrics especially challenging and fascinating for me. As a result of my rotations in pediatrics, pediatric endocrinology, and pediatric surgery, I have blossomed into a seasoned pediatrician. I have much to bring to your residency program. An effective team player, I keenly look forward to working with you and having the opportunity of proving my capacity in your esteemed program. Pediatrics Residency

I am applying to enter the Internal Medicine Residency Program at ________ because your program provides the finest in multi-faceted practical training in internal medicine to provide patients with the best care possible. Although I have had a broad medical education and experience in my home country of Nigeria, I hope to learn much more at your innovative institution, especially concerning inclusive approaches to medicine. When I was twelve years of age, I watched in dismay as my best friend suffered blistering sweats, and chattering teeth, finally fading away shaking from complications of malaria. I watched him die by inches on a hospital bed. The sad memory will always be with me. I promised myself I would do my best to prevent the same calamity from befalling others in my community. When my friends were choosing a career, I did not give it a second thought, as I had already decided to become a physician. Through much intense effort, I secured a scholarship to complete medical school. I was born into a large family in a tiny village deep in the interior of Nigeria. I can still hear the early morning crowing of roosters and the bleating of goats. Later, we moved to a congested city, where countless bicycles and motorcycles filled the streets. My parents were loving, kind people and always encouraged me to pursue higher education. I have fond memories of growing up with helpful brothers, my sister, and my uncle. My worst memories are seeing people around me dying of preventable diseases like malaria, and typhoid. Seeing such avoidable human suffering steeled my resolve to be the best physician I could be to bring wellness and healing into people’s lives. One of my most gratifying early experiences as a physician was when a patient with acute shortness of breath was rushed into the ER, where I was a medical officer on call. I was able to diagnose him with spontaneous pneumothorax quickly and treat him accordingly. It was a memorable day for me because it was the first time I ever saw and treated a case of SP since I finished medical school. Moreover, it was the first time I put every ounce of my training to work and was successful at saving a human. By participating in the internal medicine residency program at XXXX, I will receive the advanced training needed to see many more lives saved. In Nigeria, when a father or mother dies, it is a profound loss, because they usually leave a large family almost orphaned. This creates significant hardship for the children. Carcinoma of the uterine and cancer of the cervix and breast are most prevalent among Nigerian women. Prostate and liver cancer top the list among men. Many deaths from these malignancies could be prevented with proper early diagnosis and treatment. Learning innovative ways to avert unnecessary early deaths due to preventable diseases, such as AIDS, tuberculosis, typhoid, and the like, will also help keep families whole and intact; helping to maintain the equilibrium of Nigerian society, plagued by acute poverty at every level. One of the verses in the Koran says, "A person should always seek knowledge even if they have to travel more than one million miles to receive it, and after the knowledge is acquired, it should be used to serve humanity." This is one of the reasons why I decided to embark on this long journey all the way from Africa to the USA to learn more about medicine and become a better physician. I realize the immense value of love and compassion and their intrinsic importance for making the world a better place. Being a resident in your program would allow me to learn how to use the state-of-the-art medical facilities that are lacking in my country and learn how medicine is being practiced in the USA. I hope to use the knowledge and skills acquired in your program to train other young doctors in Nigeria.

I hope to obtain a fellowship in endocrinology in the United States to acquire the knowledge and training necessary to help raise the standard of treatment and patient care in my native country, Saudi Arabia. My country of origin is renowned for its oil fields and for being the hub of religious pilgrimage for Muslims around the world during their holy month of Ramadan. What is not well known is that the population of Saudi Arabia is currently experiencing one of the highest rates of diabetes and other endocrine disorders in the world. According to a report by the World Health Organization, a staggering thirty percent of the population over the age of fifty—one out of three people—is afflicted with this modern-day scourge. We also have an unusually high prevalence of type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents. Obesity is an epidemic, especially among females. Almost one out of ten cancer patients in Saudi suffers from a thyroid malignancy. The toll on humans suffering from endocrine disorders is immense. Although we have good medical schools and hospitals, we do not have the same elevated level of technological skills and medical awareness as the United States. I have a keen passion for managing diabetes; thus, I would like to broaden my understanding and hone my professional skills in the general field of endocrinology. I was born and raised in Riyadh, a modern city, beset with scorching heat and nestled among the billowing desert dunes. Smiling camels still trot their way through the winding streets and colorful bazaars . My father is a retired agricultural expert who has always done his best to encourage me to pursue professional studies. During my adolescence, he developed type two diabetes. Although he is a great person, he found it challenging to comply with the strict dietary and medical regimen required to bring his disease under control. As a result, he, like many others in our country, has suffered from complications such as loss of vision and inflammation of his nervous system. Watching the debilitating effects of the disease on my father and other people I have known was a major motivating factor in my building a career in medicine. I want to spend my life making a significant difference in the quality of people’s lives. During my four years of residency, I gained broad experience in different specialties. My most memorable experience was serving as a resident in ICU when I saw a thirty-year-old lady who was desperately ill from a non-malignant tumor in her pancreas. When I saw her a year later after being cared for by her endocrinologist, she was much better. She looked like a completely different person. This and similar positive experiences helped me to realize that endocrinology is the field to which I intend to devote my life. In my years of training and professional knowledge, most of the cases of diabetes and other endocrine disorders I saw were already quite advanced. Saudi Arabia still lacks an integrated collaborative system of public awareness/prevention/screening and proper follow-up. If selected for your fellowship in endocrinology, I would apply myself to my utmost in caring for patients. I intend to learn the latest innovative treatments for diabetes and other disorders, as well as the best methods of preventive care and how to increase public awareness in a society where endocrine disorders have reached epidemic proportions. Endocrinology Fellowship Personal Statement

I was born in Seattle, Washington, and spent my early years among the magnificent towering pine trees of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is the best of both worlds; a thriving metropolis surrounded by the natural beauty of green forests. My father earned his Ph.D. in economics, and my mother her bachelor’s degree in child psychology. I am the second among seven siblings. Growing up in a large family of unruly children was a good education in child behavior. I learned that each of us was unique, with special qualities that need to be drawn out and encouraged. Moreover, I learned early on that I really enjoy being around children. Coming from an ethnic background with an emphasis on loving family values has dramatically empowered me to persevere in my goals and aspirations. Both my parents have always encouraged me to strive for excellence. Growing up in a multicultural environment has taught me the importance of tolerance, unity, and diversity in society. During my childhood and adolescence, I had to endure frequent hospitalizations and surgeries for several reasons. Thus, I learned early on what it meant to be a caring and competent pediatrician. My doctors treated me as though I were their daughter. Their warm bedside manner left an impression on me. It was not only their care that made an impact; they also helped me to get better and completely recover my health. This experience ignited a passion within me, to work as a healing physician with young people. The day I started my pediatric rotation as a medical student and entered the pediatric ward for the first time, I knew that I had found my calling in life. It pains me to see children suffering from infirmities and injuries as I feel a particular affinity for every one of them. I am petite and look young for the age of twenty-six, and this helps children to feel extremely comfortable around me. With the further specialized training I hope to receive at your institution, I am confident that I will be able to help them overcome whatever obstacles they may be facing. During my internship year, I worked for four months in general pediatrics and one month in pediatric surgery. I also worked as a medical intern at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. The attending staff in Toronto was exceedingly kind and very sharp. They told me that I have good clinical analysis and awareness. I found the environment of Toronto to be delightfully refreshing. My parent, siblings, and extended family celebrated my graduation from medical school cum laude . For the past six months, I have worked as a pediatric resident in one of the leading hospitals in Saudi Arabia, my family’s country of origin. I have adapted well to the stress of being continually on call. Working in clinics, emergency departments, and inpatient wards, I have the privilege of dealing with a broad variety of cases. I also have had the opportunity to instruct medical students and found that to be both challenging and inspiring. I always maintain a good relationship with all my colleagues. Despite the comfortable work situation I am in at present, I feel that being part of your pediatrics residency program will enable me to hone my abilities better and advance my capacity to provide the ultimate care for sick children. Your institution provides the latest innovative treatment and an environment where an individual physician’s abilities are encouraged to flourish. If selected for your program, I intend to apply myself to the utmost and use what I have learned to provide top-notch health care, not only in America but, someday, I hope to devote myself to improving medical care in the developing world. Pediatrics Residency Personal Statement

I was born, raised, and went to medical school in Ethiopia, where most modern medical tools such as CT scans and MRIs were unavailable. Nevertheless, my professors insisted that the most critical medical information is always obtained from interviews with and observation of the patients. I decided to come to the US for further training and experience because this is where the latest medical advances are being made. I have now had the opportunity to build on the basic skills that I learned in medical school and to learn about the latest medical advances throughout the course of my residency program. I decided to concentrate primarily on cardiology and have been working extremely hard to learn everything that I can about cardiovascular disease and its treatment. I have been working in a hospital since finishing my residency program and have continued to develop my particular interest in the study of the human heart and the challenges that it represents for the field of medicine. Throughout the last year and a half, I have been doing research projects. One of my papers was selected for poster presentation at the American Society of Nephrology’s annual conference in Denver; another paper I have co-authored is submitted for publication to the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Currently, I am in discussions with one of the cardiologists in Salem VAMC to research subjects including OSA and diastolic dysfunction, investigating the benefit of treatment of diastolic dysfunction by current guidelines. I have experience working in difficult and dangerous situations, in Somalia, for example, where I directed the rebuilding and operation of a hospital that had been closed because of war. Next, I ran a medical service in a camp for Rwandan refugees in Tanzania. I want to study cardiology because cardiology requires dedication, precision, hard work, and good technical skills. I have known that I wanted to be a cardiologist since medical school, working in the physiology lab where I learned about Einthoven's triangle and when I first saw echocardiograms. I have the necessary skills and an elevated level of motivation to become an excellent cardiologist. I am a very dedicated and hardworking physician, with a solid background of medical knowledge and experience. I possess advanced procedural skills and work exceptionally well with my colleagues. I have always treated patients with tremendous respect and dignity, consistently placing a top priority on their safety. I also have good written and communication skills. I have been inspired by the example of the early cardiologists who labored to identify and treat complex cardiac problems based on a simple physical examination, looking at jugular venous waves or palpating carotid arteries. And I learned a great deal throughout my years in internal medicine at XXXX University Hospital. I have acquired a great deal of experience treating patients with cardiac problems at the VAMC XXXX, where the patient population is older, and most patients suffer from heart disease; I have always strived to improve my physical exam skills, especially auscultation. It is my hope you will find me a suitable candidate for your cardiology fellowship program, and I hope to have the opportunity to give my all. Thank you for considering my application. Cardiology Fellowship Personal Statement

I would like very much to be considered for a fellowship position in pediatric genetics. I chose to become a pediatrician because I am especially interested in doing research in the areas of genetics and inherited diseases, as well as stem cell research. I also hope to become certified by American boards in pediatrics and genetics.I completed an intensive summer training program during my second year of medical school. I also had the invaluable privilege of being a presenter of a health awareness campaign during my fourth year, while doing my rotations in family medicine. My project was directed at young adults in high school and toward the need for greater awareness concerning skin diseases, how to prevent them, and their psychological effects. Throughout the course of my one-year internship in medicine, I did rotations in surgery, pediatrics, ER, pathology, and Ob/Gyn. Next, I completed a one-year residency position in pediatrics and served as a teaching assistant in this area. I came to the US to study on a scholarship and have finished steps one and two of the USMLEs. My long-term goal is to become a consultant and professor in pediatric genetics. I want to pursue a career in academic teaching because I love leading group discussions and teaching students and interns. I want to be accepted to your program because it is the best opportunity to excel in my field and realize my long-term ambitions. Thank you for considering my application. Fellowship Pediatric Genetics Personal Statement

I am a 32-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia now living in New Jersey. I come from a large family and have five siblings who are all successful in a variety of areas including healthcare. fields. Our parents were particularly ambitious for me as I was regarded as the brightest in the family. My father hoped that I would become a physician. Unfortunately, my father died before I entered medical school, and this is still a source of great sadness. My father ran a successful business and involved me in his business from the age of thirteen. I was eventually given responsibility for supervising workers of various nationalities early. I would take my books to the workplace to study when the opportunity arose. This background was a character-building experience and gave me some beneficial skills such as effective planning, supervising, and relating well with people from various cultural backgrounds. I was involved in the business until starting my residency program. The skills and experience I gained in this way have been of enormous benefit to me in my career to date. I began my medical education with difficulty since the curriculum was exclusively in English. I was also the first in my family to study medicine and so did not have the comfort of experienced practitioners able to help me with my studies. I overcame these disadvantages by working long hours and applying a determined approach to my studies. After graduation from medical school, I was determined to be a general surgeon. I saw this specialization as requiring the characteristics and skills in which I most excelled; the ability to deal with stressful and demanding situations, to think quickly and decisively, and to provide good team leadership. The potential to save and enhance the quality of life in the operating theatre has always appealed to me enormously. I joined a five-year residency program at Riyadh Military Hospital. The hospital is the largest in the country, having 1,500 beds. This was a first-class environment to gain substantial experience in a brief time. I was extraordinarily successful professionally during my time there and formed some deep friendships. I was chosen as a resident of the year in 2007, with the highest marks in many oral and written examinations. I completed the MRCS ENG (three parts) before I had finished my third year. I was also one of only seven people of ninety-one who passed the clinical exam on the first attempt, and in the final Saudi board written exam, I was awarded the highest mark in the country. During my residency, I enjoyed good relationships with all my colleagues. Several asked for me to be included with them on work rotations, and several invited me to choose their specialty so that we would work together in the future. As a senior resident, I was elected to represent all resident staff. I loved the whole sub-specialty of general surgery but was keen to help the most considerable number of patients, especially in an area with a shortage of expertise. I chose surgical oncology, focusing on breast oncology, to meet these criteria, since breast cancer is increasing in Saudi Arabia and there is a great need for surgeons in this area. Breast cancer is the most common cause of death among Saudi women after MVA, and the incidence is increasing. This is because there is no screening program in my country, resulting in late discovery. Because of the shortage of specialists, non-specialist general surgeons provide subsequent management. These factors obviously contribute to low survival rates and quality of life for patients, and I very much hope to be involved in improving this situation. I am absolutely determined to be among the best surgeons in my country in managing breast disease and to acquire and maintain the most current knowledge and skills in my chosen field. I am also very keen to be involved in research in my specialty and, therefore, to make a significant contribution to the academic community and the health of women. I obtained a remarkably high score in Step 1 at 99 and await Step 2 results of the USMLE but am confident that I shall again achieve a similar outcome. I hope that this will provide you with a further indication of my determination and my capacity for challenging work in support of this application. I am confident that the fellowship program that you offer will enable me to achieve my goals and that I shall make a valuable and significant contribution to your academic community. Thank you for considering my application for the program. Fellowship Surgery, Breast Cancer, Saudi

I am a woman born and raised in Morocco until I was eight and before we immigrated to Canada. I speak Arabic, French, and English fluently. I hold a bachelor's degree in psychology and an MD from the Medical University of the Americas. I had already developed an ardent desire to become a family physician by the age of ten, having witnessed the enormously beneficial effects of our family doctor's wisdom, skill, and commitment. I wanted to be like him and directly affect the lives of as many people as possible for the better. This desire has never left me, and I have never considered any other profession. Family medicine is more of a vocation than a career choice. I cannot imagine being more beneficial to humanity than a family physician, and I am passionately committed to becoming as effective in this role as possible. When considering how to enter the profession, I realized that a family doctor treats the ‘whole person'. For this reason, I obtained a bachelor's degree in psychology before pursuing my medical degree. This has been of enormous assistance to me in my volunteer, professional and academic work to date. I keep abreast of advances in the subject so that I can apply this knowledge with a more significant effect in my interaction with patients throughout my future career. Family medicine is the only specialization that has ever interested me. I am keen to work with patients of all ages suffering from various conditions. I will seek to provide integrated care of high quality. I believe this can only be achieved by forming a constructive personal relationship with the patient. This involves acquiring and maintaining knowledge of the family and working environments of patients and their circumstances. This knowledge needs, of course, to be underpinned by a genuine interest in their overall well-being. The family practitioner is in a powerful position to do a lot of good in promoting preventative medicine. I believe that much can be achieved to improve health by always providing appropriate primary health education during regular contact with patients. I also recognize the enormously beneficial effect of routine screening and the family physician's role in maximizing patient uptake. I have acquired significant and relevant patient contact experience while volunteering with counseling services and in my clinical rotations. The most formative of these experiences was when working at the XXXX General Hospital Cancer Center, which seeks to provide a supportive environment to cancer patients by offering complementary care based on a ‘holistic’ approach. I am a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross. I have taught safety awareness and first aid skills to elementary school-aged children, and I loved doing so. I have hopes that one or two future medical professionals will emerge from my young students, some of whom I believe ‘caught’ my enthusiasm for helping others in distress. I have also been trained to act as a ‘responder’ to minor- or large-scale emergencies or disasters. I hold incredibly positive feelings towards the Red Cross and its magnificent work and intend to continue my association with them throughout my career. I am used to social and professional contact with people of many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. I am extremely interested in learning about other cultures and particularly how they touch upon attitudes to health and personal well-being. I am well-traveled, having visited Morocco, the Balkans, Cyprus, Turkey, and the Nevis Islands, and I have used the opportunities of travel to observe and learn from the cultures to which I have been exposed. Being of a bi-cultural background gives me some insight into the potential problems faced by others who are the products of non-local heritage. I passionately believe that cultural variations in attitudes to health and well-being are a potential source of valuable lessons to be exchanged and considered. For instance, I am aware of a tendency among some cultures to avoid routine screening and seek medical intervention only when advanced symptoms arise. It is also well established that some cultures’ eating customs are detrimental to health. I seek to acquire a detailed knowledge of this aspect of health education and carefully consider such cultural variations in my treatment of patients. I am aware that the residency program will attract many well-qualified applicants. However, I believe that my academic background, experience, and personal qualities will ensure that the program will benefit my patients and the medical community I seek to join. In addition, I offer a genuine and heartfelt passion for family medicine that I am sure will not be matched by many applicants. Family Medicine Residency Personal Statement

If I had been asked to specify the qualities of someone who was to teach me any subject, I would have asked for a teacher who was deeply knowledgeable in his subject and passionate about it with the ability to pass those qualities on to others; someone who was courteous, kind, witty and genuinely interested in their student’s progress, problems and in them as unique personalities and not merely as part of their current ‘batch’ of students. I have been astonishingly fortunate to find exactly such a teacher in Professor XXXX, whose influence has undoubtedly changed the course of my life. Professor XXXX was my first teacher in Ophthalmology and a great inspiration to me and many others. The professor was a Scot and a graduate of the University of London; he retired after 26 years in 2002. The Professor was a fine man, doctor, and teacher. I met him while undertaking medical school electives in his subject at the XXXX Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne. He was closely interested in the progress of all his students, was consistently patient and kind in all his dealings with us, with a gentle sense of humor. He took a great interest in me and my aspirations; he infected me with the love of his specialty and inspired me to pursue it. Professor XXXX was particularly interested in ophthalmological conditions causing visual impairment and blindness in children. Children were put at ease by his friendly, relaxed manner and readiness to share a joke and smile. He taught me much more than medical techniques; he helped me understand the importance of relating well to patients and listening to and alleviating their anxiety. He also taught me about the importance of time management and effective prioritization. I have much to thank him for. I do not aspire to become another Professor XXXX, but he has provided me with an example of professional excellence worth a whole library of textbooks. The Professor was particularly interested in systematic connection and the eye; for instance, he researched the ocular manifestation of AIDS and the effect of diabetic retinopathy on pregnancy. His research inspired me to study the effects of diabetes on the eye and the impact of ocular tumors, and I spent a year at the XXXX Cancer Centre in XXXX doing so. I was privileged to have accompanied the Professor as a volunteer on outreach visits to Low Vision Clinics. With the Professor’s help and encouragement, I was a finalist for the Victorian State Prize Examination in ophthalmology. awarded by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. I decided to do a second elective in Ophthalmology at the same hospital and worked as an unaccredited Registrar. I acquired clinical skills and extended my knowledge of the specialty. During my studies, I suffered vision loss from optic neuritis and gained some first-hand experience with the anxiety eye patients suffer. The Professor gave me unstinting support during this distressing period. Had I any doubts about the importance of this specialty, the loss of my sight would have removed them. Sight is a precious gift, and maintaining and restoring it is, I passionately believe, the most rewarding way that I could spend my efforts and talents. Following my own experience of blindness, my appreciation of the needs of the blind and the visually impaired was heightened. Consequently, I volunteered to become a personal reader for a blind student. I also assisted in diabetic retinopathy screening for Indigenous Australians. I became aware that my chosen specialty was highly competitive in Australia, so I entertained some doubts about pursuing it. Professor XXXX encouraged me to persist, and with his help and support, I decided to gain experience abroad. I went to Singapore and worked as a Clinical Research Fellow in Ophthalmology at the XXXX Eye Research Institute. During this time, I conducted the first and largest ethnic-based ocular epidemiological study in Southeast Asia under the direction and mentorship of Professor XXXX. My work resulted in my earning first-class honors in my MPhil (Ophthalmology) from the University of XXXX. I also published more than twenty papers in prestigious peer-reviewed journals and gave presentations at international conferences. My interpersonal skills were enhanced during my time in Singapore, and my professional network was extended. More recently, I have had experience as an Ophthalmology Registrar in Malaysia, where I continue to conduct clinical trials while working full time in my Ophthalmology training. I have acquired vast knowledge and experience of the specialty in my various professional roles and volunteer experiences and have honed my clinical skills. I have discovered that I possess the skill necessary for fine microsurgery, which I enjoy. I am extremely excited at the advances that offer diagnostic and therapeutic precision possibilities unavailable in most specialties. Throughout my career, Professor XXXX has maintained contact, providing advice, guidance, encouragement, and support. During my visits back to Melbourne, I had the immense pleasure of meeting the Professor at his home. In addition to all his other talents, I discovered that he was an excellent pianist, made perfect scones, and was an even more amusing and exciting raconteur than I had suspected. He has gone a long way to prepare me for an Ophthalmology residency position. Ophthalmology Residency Personal Statement

I was born and raised in Nigeria and moved to Canada in 2012. I earned a B.Sc. Degree in Mathematics and Biology in 2014 from the University of Toronto. I then graduated with a B.S. in Health Science from the Saba University School of Medicine, Netherlands-Antilles, followed by a Doctor of Medicine Degree from the same university in January 2018. I seek to become a highly effective and qualified physician specializing in Cardiology and to assist in reducing the barriers to healthcare access in the ‘third world.’ I write what follows on behalf of my application to a residency program in Internal Medicine. I developed a deep interest in Biology from the first class I attended in the subject at school and became increasingly fascinated as my studies progressed. I became aware of the complexity of chemical reactions in the human body. I became interested in disease and its treatment and decided to become a physician. I now regard this more as a vocation than a simple career choice. I am passionate about medicine and extending the availability of healthcare, having witnessed sad results where it is lacking or insufficiently accessible. I came to Medicine because of an interest in the sophisticated mechanisms of the body. but I have since come to a deep appreciation of how humans are more than the sum of their physical conditions. I understand the need for a ‘holistic’ approach to patients and that each is unique and worthy of dignified and individual understanding. I have also come to appreciate better how non-verbal communication is essential in judging a patient’s needs and feelings. I have happily studied, worked, and socialized with people of diverse cultural backgrounds. I consider myself culturally sensitive and aware, and I know how important this is in Medicine. I have received very appreciative letters of thanks from patients I have helped to treat. This demonstrates my ability to interact positively with patients who sense a genuine and personal interest in them. Not least, I have a sense of humor and know the value of a smile. I have participated in various volunteer activities related to medicine in the Caribbean and Canada. These included providing palliative care to geriatric patients and assisting in their recreational activities, free ‘health screening,’ and education about the risk of heart disease. I have also shadowed family physicians. I have thoroughly enjoyed these activities, and, should time allow, I hope to undertake other volunteer activities during participation in the residency program. I have served as an officer in various college societies. This has provided me with experience in practical teamwork, prioritization, organization, leadership, and delegation, as well as a great deal of fun. I was also selected to assist in teaching at my Medical School, demonstrating my teachers' confidence in my ability to communicate facts and concepts verbally and in writing. This teaching experience has extended that ability. I have completed internal rotations in medicine, surgery, OBGYN, and psychiatry. I was particularly inspired and fascinated by the work required of us in the medicine rotation, which called for students to provide solutions to initially very puzzling diagnostic problems and to apply a ‘whole-body approach to patient care. As demonstrated by the results and honors awarded throughout my academic career, I am a diligent worker. I intend to apply myself fully and enthusiastically to the residency program, and I am confident I will be an asset to my class. I also feel that my background will enable me to provide valuable insights into the healthcare needs of those from less well-developed countries. I am aware that the residency program will attract many well-qualified applicants. However, I genuinely consider that I am an exceptional candidate. I have the personal qualities necessary to become a first-class physician, the academic ability not merely to succeed but to excel, and, most importantly, a passionate interest in the rapidly developing fields of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, spreading the benefits of those advances and developments as widely as possible throughout the world. Internal Medicine Residency Personal Statement IMG

I am a Saudi woman born in Canada, raised, and trained in Saudi Arabia, and now residing in Chicago. I finished medical school with honors at King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah. My goal is to undertake a residency in Diagnostic Radiology, sub-specializing in Interventional Radiology, in Canada, and after that, to pursue a fellowship in Interventional Radiology and eventually head a Radiology Department in a prestigious hospital in Saudi Arabia and teach Radiology. I was raised in a demanding home environment in which I was expected to give 100% effort to everything I undertook and to be diligent, independent, reliable, and honest. I thrived in this demanding environment, which provided me with vast choices in terms of career and the tools to excel in all subjects. I chose to pursue medicine because I wanted to ‘make a difference rather than just ‘make a living.’ I have never regretted this choice which I consider a vocation rather than a mere career choice. My experience in Medical School was thoroughly positive, and I was enthralled with what I learned about the wonder of the human body. I also saw how the knowledge I was acquiring related to clinical practice and that patients are not merely ‘bundles of symptoms’ but individuals with unique needs and personalities. I learned that not everything a good physician needs to know could be easily taught, such as the importance of recognizing and interpreting patient non-verbal communication. The challenging experiences during my medical school years also left positive marks on my personality and helped me mature. I learned how to be an effective team member and organize, lead, and inspire a team, serving as my group leader for the last three years. I formed solid friendships during these happy years that I know will endure. When I graduated, it was not only with the highest mark for my final year but with the highest mark in each of the six years. This success is less a measure of my intelligence than my passion for medicine. I undertook various voluntary assignments at Medical School that may be relevant to mention. I was involved in the WHO ‘Stop Tuberculosis’ campaign in Saudi Arabia in 2010 and the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign in 2008. Breast cancer presents great problems in Saudi Arabia because of late diagnoses. I felt privileged to be part of the ongoing efforts to extend symptom awareness and for my countrywomen's need for prompt treatment. I was also one of the organizers of a ‘Diabetes Mellitus Health Field Survey’ in my fourth year. During my rotations, I became particularly drawn to Radiology, my interest being initially fired by an expert in this field whose skill at putting all the pieces of the puzzle together and identifying the patient’s problem was astonishing. This relationship resulted in my choosing Radiology as an elective and the specialty I sought to pursue. I considered this choice carefully, and I possess the exceptional observational and analytical skills required for this fascinating and vital work area. I am a ‘visual person,’ a photographer interested in handcrafts and painting. My artist's eye for detail and sensibilities will enable me to excel in this field. My decision led to my successful application for a Demonstrator (Residency) position in Interventional Radiology at King Abdul-Aziz University. This appointment provided me with an opportunity to teach and I have developed a love of passing on the torch to new generations. I am deeply interested in the advancement of non-invasive procedures in interventional radiology. It is my aim to be able to offer further nonsurgical, less invasive options to patients and to advance my knowledge of ophthalmology in my home country. I am now seeking to join a residency program that will enable me to learn the most modern techniques from leading experts in the field. I also aim to pursue research and hone my teaching skills. I hope that I will be enabled, through participation in the program, to assist in the general advancement of healthcare in Saudi Arabia. I have happily studied, worked, and socialized with people from many cultural and social backgrounds and look forward to extending such experiences during the residency if selected. I consider myself culturally sensitive and have an awareness of the importance of cultural and social awareness in a medical environment. I know there will be many well-qualified applicants for the residency program, but I am an exceptional candidate. My academic results will assure that I possess a highly developed work ethic, and I promise active participation in the residency program. The activities and leadership roles that I have undertaken will, I hope, provide evidence that I am a person who can always be relied upon to involve herself enthusiastically in her academic and working environment. My experience in this specialty will enable me to ‘add value' by bringing relevant knowledge and skills to the residency program. Thank you for considering my application. Residency Diagnostic Radiology Personal Statement