Personal Statement
Internal Medicine Residency
Program
After
famously becoming the world Jeopardy champion, IBM’s supercomputer Watson went
on to “medical school”. He memorized textbooks, medical journals, and
databases, and eventually earned himself the title of “World’s Greatest
Diagnostician”. Sometimes, medicine seems so highly algorithmic that it’s easy
to see how a robot might outperform a human: it’s consistent, it’s objective,
and most importantly, it doesn’t forget. However, I firmly believe in the
unique advantage of the human factor, which is especially evident in Internal
Medicine. Our diagnoses can be serpentine and elusive, and our management is
complex and multi-factorial. Many of our patients are chronic, requiring robust
personal skills to build the quintessential trust that transforms a doctor into
a healer. As primary caretakers both inside and outside of the hospital, we are
uniquely positioned to help our patients shape their experience of illness and
recovery. In all of this, there is undoubtedly a special space into which our
humanity enters, and it is in this space that I find myself belonging.
I
admire the ardent debate that transpires between brilliant colleagues,
each reflecting on intuition and experience rather than a set of algorithmic
rules. I’m excited by the curiosity that arises when I'm sitting at
the junction of normal physiology and aberrant pathophysiology, inquiring into
how one becomes the other. I’m amazed by that heart-pounding
moment when my patient is riding the line between respiratory distress and respiratory
failure, when only an inexplicable clinical instinct can act as an impetus for
quick action. I value the art of gauging someone's understanding, which
allows me to send a patient home not only with a prescription, but also a
comprehension of his condition. I am humbled by instances of breaking bad news,
when a patient’s vulnerability brings out my own and I am reminded of that
common human thread that runs between us. There is always a place for
acknowledging the vast distance between physician and patient – and respecting
the differences therein – but nonetheless conveying that we are in this
together.
These
parts of Internal Medicine resonate with me deeply, and I am well prepared
to engage with them. I spent my college years studying philosophy, passionately
learning and debating about topics ranging from morality to metaphysics. By
delving into philosophical arguments, dissecting them and reconstructing them,
I developed a sharp intellectual intuition and a strong aptitude for critical
thinking, both of which I use now to navigate through puzzles of disease and
therapy. Through my love of writing – both as a hobby and an outlet – I’ve
learned the importance of narrative and its role in helping us understand the
human experience. Writing has afforded me insight into my own thoughts,
behaviors, and motivations, and having this deeper understanding of myself has
made me better at empathizing with my patients. Working with low-income and
homeless populations through volunteer projects has taught me a great deal about
relating to others - by sitting down with these folks and just listening, I’ve
learned how to invest myself into another person's story and cherish it as
a chance to understand a life vastly different from my own. The art of
listening well, I believe, is an essential part of bridging that immense gap
between doctor and patient.
With
this background and perspective, I have built an excellent foundation for
becoming an exceptional Internal Medicine resident. I am looking for a program
with strong physician mentors that encourage intellectual curiosity and
independent thinking - two traits that I value in my colleagues and in
myself. At the same time, I greatly value camaraderie and a lively culture
that will serve as a reminder for us to retain those distinctly human
characteristics that make us so good at what we do.
