How to write a personal statment

[Asclepius1]

I need an info. on the contents and format of personal statements eapecilly from those of you who have previous experience.

Thank You,

Dr.h

[tuyhoa]

Personal Statement for Psychiatry

As reflected in my curriculum vitae, I was a "non-traditional" student when accepted into St. Louis University School of Medicine. I'd had many unique opportunities in the pre-hospital phase of Emergency medicine, which gave me a solid clinical base as well as experiences in training, program administration and entrepreneurial business ventures. While my career is obviously very important to me, my wife and son remind me daily of the importance of balance between my career and personal life. These life experiences heavily influenced my decision to pursue Medical School, and they became one of my greatest assets during the clinical years of my training. Now, as I anticipate the opportunities and challenges of my medical career, I do so with even greater enthusiasm and a renewed commitment to excellence in my professional and personal life.

Through my marriage to a clinical psychotherapist, I developed a strong interest in the field of mental health. I've had the opportunity to work with my wife and an extensive network of psychologists and psychotherapists as co-facilitator of a unique psycho-educational program focused on interpersonal relationship skills. Although I approached medical education with my mind open toward all career options, my previous interest in mental illness flourished in the Psychiatry clerkship. during my training at Wohl Institute, the Psychiatry department was participating in a multicenter Study of a new psychotropic medication. The large population of schizophrenic patients allowed me a unique opportunity to study this disease while coincidentally becoming familiar with drug study methodology. While I was fascinated with the neurophysiology and pathology, for me the most important aspect of the experience was the fundamental interpersonal interaction. I recently completed an Outpatient Psychopharmacology elective, during which I reaffirmed my commitment to pursuing a Psychiatric residency.

Psychiatry offers the unique challenge of incorporating psychotherapeutic and pharmacological regimens. The practice of Psychiatry is apparently in a unique transition period, embracing new frontiers for understanding and treat, coincident with social and economic forces which are influencing the future of Psychiatric practice. This unusual dynamic may create tremendous opportunities for future leaders in the field. In residency training I want to learn from leaders in the field of Psychiatry and develop mentoring relationships with people whose experience can help guide my own pursuit of excellence. I hope, in turn, to someday continue that tradition and be involved in training other future physicians.

I strongly believe all physicians must treat people, not diseases. For me, Psychiatry epitomizes that value. Psychiatry offers the opportunity for a challenging and stimulating career, which incorporates my inherent skills and life experiences yet allows for balance between my personal and professional life. I look forward to meeting and personally discussing our future involvement.

[tuyhoa]

Personal Statement for Orthopedics

“FALLING!!!” My yell echoed off the vertical canyon walls as I accelerated towards the ground 1,500 feet below. The echo returned; my climbing rope pulled taut halting my plummet. An instant earlier I had been clinging to the fine features of the rock wall above. Dangling now in free air, I looked back up at the stone contours searching for an alternate route of passage. I signaled my partner, who maintained control of the safety rope, to lower me to the ledge where he was secured. Upon regrouping, our third teammate pulled out a photo of the 3,000-foot rock cliff and a small, sketched map indicating our anticipated line of ascent. While scrutinizing the photo, map, and cliff for corresponding elements, we quickly discussed alternative routes and ascension techniques. The sun was setting on day three of continuous vertical progress. We agreed on a new approach, extracted several pieces of specialized gear from our back-up packs and set out on our new plan. Despite my fatigue and the late hour, I cracked a bad joke to break the tension of our precarious situation. We ascended into the twilight and completed the climb 2 days later.

The experience described above is a paradigm of several deeply engrained character traits I have developed throughout my life. These characteristics include problem solving skills, a strong work ethic, technical thinking, and an understanding of the elements of teamwork. These are characteristics that will help me provide exceptional patient care, contribute to the advancement of Orthopedics, and surgical skills through a lifetime dedication to the field.

PROBLEM SOLVING skills are fundamental to the practice of Orthopedics. Personally, I derive great pleasure in devising the best solution to a given dilemma. Seeking, obtaining, and analyzing the information necessary to implement the most appropriate course of action are satisfying steps in deciphering any clinical or personal puzzle. I realize that a given problem often has various solutions. Being aware of these alternative approaches and having the flexibility to change a course of action to achieve a desired goal are important since initial tactics are not always successful.

Having a STRONG WORK ETHIC and the ability to maintain a positive disposition even after hours of effort, I am prepared to devote the long work hours that orthopedic training and practice requires. Though different environments, the art of technical rock climbing on multi-day ascents demonstrates similar characteristics. Both require the stamina to reach a specific goal, and demand the ability to stay focused under stressful conditions during prolonged periods of exertion.

TECHNICAL THINKING, indispensable in the practice of Orthopedics, is another important attribute I possess. Growing up, I found great interest in architectural design and engineering. This interest inspired me to take courses in technical drawing and physics, and work as a draftsman for a structural engineer. All of these experiences enhanced my ability to envision objects from different perspectives, add depth to two-dimensional images, and comprehend mechanical concepts. This keen analytical capacity and the aptitude to act decisively and with precision are invaluable when caring for the human body.

Another character trait I have is an understanding of TEAMWORK. I have participated in group activities throughout my life in various organizations, in sports, and in the wilderness. Through these experiences I have learned to communicate clearly, be receptive to the experiences and suggestions of others, and work with others to synthesize and implement decided courses of action. As a member of a team, I contribute personal knowledge and abilities, complete my share of the work while helping my partners with theirs, and perform with confidence when I am called upon to lead.

Although my decision to practice Orthopedics came late in my academic career, my abiding interest in orthopedics has roots in one early personal experience. As a high school senior I set a goal to win the state wrestling championship. In the first tournament of the year, I fractured my radius. With the encouragement and help of my orthopedist, I wore a series of casts and kept competing, ultimately placing fifth in the state championship. As my doctor did, I intend to make a positive difference in the lives of my patients.

My principle desire to practice orthopedics came on the realization that the specialty calls into play several of my most well developed personal skills. The aforementioned traits, honed by various life experiences, will help me best deal with diverse encounters that an orthopedic surgeon must contend with. They will also help me provide exceptional patient care, contribute to the advancement of Orthopedics, and refine medical and surgical skills through a lifetime dedication to the field.

[tuyhoa]

Personal Statement for Urology

Urology is a field where surgical competence, compassion, and sensitivity are paramount to patient care. I believe my personal strengths and experiences will allow me to succeed in the field.

My interest in urology began in college. 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 in 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, team work, and the challenge of the various surgeries had sparked an 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 enjoy staying late in the hospital, which meant more opportunities to be involved with cases I would have otherwise missed. My interest and love of surgery was reflected in receiving a rating of 11 out of 10 from my first surgical clerkship as well as excellent comments from all of 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 anymore interesting, I was fortunate enough to assist in an ureteral-appendiceal interposition in a trauma patient. Needless to say 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 succinctly and accurately relay messages. 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 feel that I have the stamina to endure the rigors of a surgical subspecialty. Lastly, there is nothing more relaxing than to spend a weekend with friends snow skiing on a monoski.

My varied interests make deciding on my future goals in urology a difficult task. There are many topics in urology which intrigue me and I am unable to decide on a specific area at the moment. I would consider furthering my training in a fellowship program as I learn more about what is available. 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.

When applying to medical school four years ago, I spent a considerable amount of time attempting to give definition to my future. Now seeking a residency position, I again find myself clarifying my future. The same principles that characterized my desire to go to medical school still shape my professional and personal decisions, however, today my thoughts are more directed and inclusive. More directed in that I am focusing on a specialty, Urology, and more inclusive in that my interests and priorities outside the medical arena are playing an increasing larger role in my decision making process. Medical school has been a wonderful opportunity. I look forward to a new challenge, that being my postgraduate training.

During each third year clerkship I tried not only to learn the required material, but also attempted to envision myself as a career physician within that field. After completion of all the clerkships I found my interests lay within the field of Urology. My exposure to Urology during the thrid 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 both 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-a quality I find to be essential to be content and satisfied with a acareer. The urologist, whether in general practice or a subspecialty field, often works with patients when they are phhysically and emotionally most vulnerable. These individuals may include, among others, the impotent male, the gentlemen recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, or the parents of an infant with hypospadias. It is clear that the physician must form an open relationship with the patient to effectively treat these and other urologic conditions. it is important to me to be involved in a career that demands such a personal interaction.

When making a specialty decision, the type of training one seeks is also important. As I am interested in pursuing a career as an academic urologist, I am applying for postgraduate training to university affiliated hospitals. Having engaged the challengs of both basic science and clinical research while in medical school, it is apparent to me that both provide an intellectual stimulus that is invaluable to being a good physician. Also, a career in academic medicine affords me the opportunity to become a teacher of future physicians. This is again a component I find essential to a profession for lasting satisfaction.

In conclusion, I feel I have grown considerably, both in knowledge of medicine and people, during the last three years. I started medical school with a strong drive for personal excellence and a genuine interest in science. Nearing the conclusion of medical school, I still find my interest in science strong. I have refined that interest into a desire to be a teacher of future physicians and to be actively involved in academic research. The anticipation of a brand new future is exciting. I look forward to the process as well as the destination.

[tuyhoa]

Personal Statement for Occupational Medicine

I intend to pursue a career in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and believe that training in General Internal Medicine will provide me with a good start in developing the clinical skills necessary to fulfill this goal.

I seek a comprehensive program where I will have broad exposure to a multitude of adult illnesses prevalent in today's society. A major medical center with many inpatient admissions, a variety of outpatient clinics, advanced technology in intensive care units, and a broad and varied population base will provide the breadth of experiences that will be invaluable in my training as a physician. I look forward to extensive teaching by attending physicians where I can tap into the wisdom and knowledge of those who have dedicated themselves to the practice of the art of medicine. Furthermore, I seek a program that has some flexibility in allowing residents to pursue their own areas of special interests in clinical medicine.

Although all facets of medicine are fascinating, it is Occupational and Environmental Medicine which I find most interesting and challenging. It is one of a few fields of medicine that allows for almost limitless possibilities in pursuing a specialized interest after the completion of a residency training program. From primary care of patients in clinical occupational medicine, to community medicine and epidemiology, industrial toxicology, health care organization and administration, academic and research pursuits in preventive medicine, corporate occupational medicine and occupational medicine as it relates to the government and the law - the possibilities seem endless.

During a six week occupational medicine elective in my fourth year of medical school, I have been exposed to many facets of this field. I worked in a variety of clinics where occupational injuries (some traumatic) were first seen and evaluated. I have been in field site rotations at a major Chrysler assembly plant, Anheuser-Busch Brewery, McDonnell-Douglas Aerospace, two Monsanto chemical plants and at a Superfund clean-up site. Furthermore, I have had the privilege of working with an occupational toxicologist and a forensic toxicologist. I have learned the importance of ergonomic design of the workplace in order to prevent injuries, the importance of wearing appropriate personal protective equipment to protect against inhaled agents and other chemical toxins, industrial hygiene, work-up of post-exposure patients and the toxic effects of a variety of chemical agents. I have found these experiences very exciting and fascinating.

The field of Occupational Medicine that I find the most stimulating is environmental toxicology. This interest most likely stems from my undergraduate background in biochemistry. However, I also have a great interest in primary preventive medicine and I thoroughly enjoy the patient contact that is present in clinical occupational medicine. I have witnessed first-hand the doctor-patient interaction of a particular physician who, through his demeanor, positive reinforcement and genuine support has helped the employees of a chemical plant lose weight, start to exercise and quit smoking and drinking. He did this by taking the necessary time and by showing that he genuinely cared for the well-being of the employees. Upon witnessing this interaction on many occasions, I promised myself that this is the type of nurturing physician that I want to be.

I was raised in the USSR by my grandparents while both of my parents attended college. My grandmother, whom I consider to be the most benevolent and selfless individual, instilled in me a set of values characterized by honesty, humility, hard work and a sense of altruism. Later, when my family immigrated to the US in 1979, my parents were my role models as they tried their hardest to make a new life both for themselves and me in a new country. I saw that anything was possible to achieve with perseverance and a strong work ethic. When I was 18 years of age, and leaving home to go to college, both of my parents accepted a job for the US Dept. of Defense, in Germany. They have been there ever since. Therefore, during my undergraduate and medical school years I developed a strong sense of individualism and self-reliance. These qualities along with honesty and perseverance are my strongest traits. They have helped me thus far and will help me in my future endeavors as a physician.

I have been to Europe many times to visit my parents. I saw Berlin months after the Wall came down; I saw Prague right after the fall of Communism. Travel to foreign lands is a great passion of mine. I have been to countless West-European countries and have witnessed the multitudes of lifestyles and beliefs present there. I am a cosmopolitan individual, yet circumspect and conservative in nature. Another love of mine is the outdoors, with snow skiing and other winter sports being my favorite activities. I believe in protecting the natural resources and the endless natural beauty of this country. I hope to incorporate my interest in Occupational and Environmental Medicine with my love for the outdoors. This will lead to complete personal fulfillment for me.

[tuyhoa]

Personal Statement for Ophthalmology

When I began medical school, I wasn't sure which field of medicine I would be most interested in pursuing. Now that I have explored the range of possibilities through preceptorships, research, personal and clinical experiences, I have discovered that ophthalmology contains all of the elements of medical care that I have enjoyed during my training.

I learned while on my surgical rotations how exciting it is to participate in the care of patients which acute illness or injury. I enjoy working with my hands and look forward to the challenge of becoming proficient at microsurgical techniques. On the other hand, I also enjoy the long term treatment of patients which chronic disease and the relationships that can often develop from this type of interaction. Through other clerkships, I learned that I desire to work with patients of all ages and that meeting the diagnostic challenges of an office based medical practice can be very stimulating.

Throughout my education, I have always cultivated a strong interest in research. Initially, as an undergraduate student, I participated in a study of the trout immune system and its relationship to stress and infection. During this time I had several opportunities to present my work to the department, the university immunology community, as well as a nationally recognized conference. Upon entering medical school, I began work on a project involving the transplantation of pancreatic islet cells as a treatment of diabetes mellitus. I was awarded a fellowship to pursue summer research during my first year and I am currently a candidate for the M.D. with Distinction in Research Award. I have had further occasion to present my work and have contributed to a recently submitted manuscript detailing my project. Ophthalmology contains many interesting opportunities for research in immunology and therefore would allow me the potential for further growth in this area.

Outside of medical school, but in some ways related to it, I discovered a hobby known as zymurgy. Zymurgy can be defied as the art and science of brewing beer. I learned about this hobby from my anatomy partner in my first year of medical school while working into the early hours of the morning on our cadaver. Shortly after that, but making sure to clean myself off first, I purchased my beer brewing equipment and was hooked. Zymurgy in many ways allows me to be both chemist and artist. For example, even though there are four basic ingredients to beer (water, yeast, malt and hops), the variety of these ingredients available and the way one chooses ot process and incorporate them allows for unending possibilities. Furthermore, even though you may follow a recipe to the letter, there are always slight variations related to personal style or the particular surroundings (i.e., temperature, humidity, and indigenous strains of yeast that vary from place to place) that will assure a unique product every time. Since I began brewing, I have received great satisfaction in sharing my beer with family and friends, exchanging my brew with other enthusiasts, and, of course, enjoying the fruits of my labor. Also, I have gained a new appreciation for the subtle flavors and colors present in beer and the techniques and ingredients needed to create them.

During my ophthalmology clerkship, I discovered that many of my interest came together in one specialty. In my first week alone, the variety of clinical challenges within the field was clear. I was involved in both the treatment of a child with strabismus and an elderly patient with closed-angle glaucoma who required emergent surgical intervention. In either case, knowing that in one instance we had prevented serious visual disease and in the next had preserved a patient's vision was a great feeling. In addition, using high technology equipment for both diagnosis and therapy was an exciting part of my experience.

My objective is to gain a position at an ophthalmology residency program that will give me the opportunity to practice in either the academic or private sector over the span of my career. Ophthalmology combines all of the elements of practicing medicine that I have enjoyed during my training including precision surgical procedures, interesting research opportunities, and the chance to work with a broad range of patients with acute and chronic disease. I am a mature, hard working individual who is eager to meet the demands of a dynamic, challenging and exciting career in ophthalmology.

[tuyhoa]

Personal Statement for Otolaryngology

[The Statement below has been termed The "Perfect" Personal Statement by one of the U.S. Medical Schools]

I first became interested in head and neck surgery at the age of six. Suffering from congenital cholesteatoma AD, I pursued medical treatment at a local hospital. One of the otolaryngologists, Dr. Schmidt, elegantly removed the offending mass with such precision and compassion, the course of my life was changed. Unfortunately, at age eleven, I detected a small glomus tumor in my four year old sister's left ear, using an otoscope I had received at Christmas. Although I was only in fifth grade at the time, I was fortunate enough to assist in the surgery. Again, my desire to be a head and neck surgeon was stimulated. By age fifteen I had perfected a technique for endolymphatic shunt placement for treatment of Meniere's disease in a neonatal gerbil model. At this time I was also supporting myself, and my six brothers and sisters by moonlighting at a local hospital, resecting thyroglossal duct cysts and inserting PE tubes. In high school, for my senior science project, I developed a protocol for immunohistochemical staining of tumor antigen in disseminated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

In 1981, I began my undergraduate studies at Yale University. My major, a combination of art history and classical literature, was custom designed to incorporate the necessary premedical requirements. Interestingly, due to a shortage of faculty during winter semester, I was allowed to instruct the ENT residents of Yale-New Haven Hospital on techniques of skull base surgery; these techniques were taught to me by my father, the late emeritus professor of head and neck surgery at the University of Michigan. My college career culminated, however, in my selection as most outstanding undergraduate. I received this award in 1985, after personally organizing and designing a large shelter for the homeless in New Haven. The four years I had spent in Connecticut were rewarded, finally, when my research project, "regression of Inverted Papilloma After Treatment with Gamma-Interferon" was accepted to the British journal Nature.

In 1985, I moved to San Francisco to attend the University of California. During my first summer, I traveled to Eastern Africa, where I helped to set up an immunization program for underprivileged children. I returned to my studies in California, concentrating on the basic sciences. After election to AOA, I eagerly entered the clinical clerkships, where I found otolaryngology to be everything I had imagined. The faculty and residents were wonderful, allowing me to perform several cases from start to finish, including a vertical hemilaryngectomy and a stapedectomy. During one operative session I was fortunate enough to fashion a small ossicular prosthesis out of bone wax, which has since been patented; the residual income from this endeavor has helped to support a newly opened otolaryngologic facility at the University of California. Ultimately, I was selected as most outstanding student in surgery for 1987.

In the past three years, I have continued my research with tremendous success. In the future, I hope to attain a position as an academic otolaryngologist specializing in head and neck cancer and skull base surgery. With my extensive research and clinical background, I feel I ma well prepared for these endeavors.

When I was a kid, I used to get earaches. Otitis media is a common scourge for small children, as many physicians and parents know. I was lucky enough to have had a good Otolaryngologist who took care of the pain and the problem, and I made it through the years without suffering permanent hearing loss.

As it turns out, that's been a good thing for me. Not long after the chronic earache era, I developed a fascination for the piano. I couldn't pass by one without plinking out tunes I had learned by ear. My parents eventually gave in and bought us a piano - and ever since, though I didn't know it at the time, I have been preparing for a career in otolaryngology.

Though medical school has given me concrete knowledge that will prepare me for this field, the rest of my life has prepared me in ways that can't easily be measured.

Music has been at the center of my life since those early piano days. I was lucky enough to have a great piano teacher, John Sundsten, who taught me the discipline of practice and the joy of mastery. he eventually taught my brother and three sisters. We even became small scale local celebrities by playing in hospitals, at weddings and on a television program.

By the time I reached high school, I was ready for new musical challenges and won a lead role my senior year in the musical, "The Pajama Game." I kept singing though college, and joined a 16-member a cappella group called "Mixed Company." With them I performed in more than 100 shows and recorded an album.

In addition to developing an interest in voice, it was at Stanford that I committed myself to a career in medicine. After graduation, I did my best to achieve this goal by doing full time research under Robert Sawin and ***** Tapper, pediatric surgeons at the University of Washington Children's Hospital. I also worked as a technologist at a vascular diagnostic company and learned how to use transcranial doppler. For the first time I worked with patients - a milestone. I also monitored blood flow to the brains of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomies - something that drew me toward a career working with this fascinating area of the body.

It wasn't all work after graduation, though. I studied voice with one of Seattle's best teachers, and learned how the head and neck are used to create music. The Netter anatomy plates he used for instruction especially drew my attention. I look forward to a time when I can continue to train my vocal cords in such a scientific way.

While I didn't have a specialty in mind when I started medical school, it has become increasingly clear to me with my study, work experience and passion for music that this is simply what I must do. No other field combines surgery, head and neck physiology and anatomy, clinical outpatient care and oncology with such a variety of patient ages and problems. No other field speaks so clearly to my interests.

Though I've spent many years working to become a doctor, I've spent my life working to become a musician. I understand how physiology translates into self-expression and the creation of art, and how important health in these areas is to my future patients. For me, there would be no better marriage of mind and soul than to practice this kind of medicine.

Thank you for considering me for your program.

[tuyhoa]

Personal Statement for Dermatology

It has been said that someone who does nothing for his fellow man leads only a half life. No other profession embodies this ideal more than the practice of medicine, which aims to protect and restore health, the one requisite for life. As such, I have directed my life to the practice of medicine, hoping to lead a full life by helping others do the same.

Ambition alone does not equate with meaningful action. Accordingly I have sought the training and credentials to substantiate my desire. I believe my background exhibits the ability, commitment and work ethic necessary to realize this goal. I was graduated from high school as a National Merit Scholar, receiving numerous other awards in spite of being graduated one year ahead of my class. At the University of San Francisco, I was graduated summa cum laude (GPA 3.86) while completing my bachelor's degree in less than three years. My growing interest in the organic causes of disease led me to pursue graduate work at the Department of Physiology at the Medical College of Georgia where my research focused on the effects of aging on antioxidant enzyme induction during inflammation. My work was well received generating several awards, publications and presentations. I completed my doctorate in four years in a department where the average was over six years. From there I accepted an NIH training fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. My interest in inflammation evolved into investigation of novel antiinflammatory agents and signal transduction helping to establish the utility of retinoids as inhibitors of protein kinase C and thus potential antineoplastic agents. Although this was a productive period including procuring NIH and industry funding, I felt that my contributions were not sufficiently linked to helping people.

Working in a medical center exposes one to the many ways physicians utilize their training toward the direct betterment of mankind. This growing awareness led to the realization that I could best apply my efforts clinically. I commenced my studies at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in August of 1993. My experience here has been both fruitful and fortunate. Beyond completion of the rigorous curriculum without difficulty and excelling in the USMLE, I am most proud of setting even high standards, optimizing my learning opportunities by attending several CME courses and workshops at other institutions, completing a two month radiation oncology fellowship at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine (Summer 1994) and performing an optional six month rotation in Mohs surgery. Additionally, I have been active in extracurricular activities serving as AMA chapter president and Missouri State Medical Association vice councilor and even served as a Spanish and French translator for non-English speaking families at Cardinal Glennon Children's and Deaconess hospitals.

This year I have applied my background as researcher and physiologist in the conceptualization and start of three research projects: the tumor suppressor gene p53 as a marker in basal cell carcinoma, hormonal intervention in the treatment of hirsutism, and the effects of medroxyprogesterone in melasma. Dedicating oneself to the field of medicine involves a commitment to lifelong learning. I have approached my medical education with according zeal.

As graduation approaches, I stand at the threshold of substantiating my desire to help others with the training and credentials necessary to do so. Paradoxically, it is really but a beginning. It is appropriate that graduation ceremonies are termed "commencements" for they mark the start of further training in a lifelong process. Thus, I seek residency training in dermatology. Having just completed my general dermatology elective, I feel that my first three years of medical school were but a prelude. Dermatology integrates my desire to treat neoplasms, examine the interplay between environment and neoplastic transformation and work as a partner with patients in promotion of their own health, while working in an intellectually competitive atmosphere at the forefront of scientific knowledge and its application.

The skin is truly miraculous. No other organ exhibits such diversity of form and function both in health and disease. Besides delineating self from environment, the skin both manifests internal (systemic) disorders and provides a barrier against a limitless number of external toxic and infectious agents. As such, dermatologists are entrusted with the most challenging of tasks. I feel that my ability, background and character warrant the undertaking of this challenge.

[Asclepius1]

You really overwhelm me w/vast info. I appreciate the guideline and constructive advice that provided me with.

Thank You,

Dr.h