The diverse yet interconnected nature of internal medicine resonates with my personal mission to work in an intellectually challenging yet practical field while providing care to my patients in an all-encompassing way. My love for Internal Medicine began after I began my first clinical rotation; Several years have passed, but the memories still feel like yesterday. “He's having a stroke,” I yelled as I assisted the team in turning, thus setting off the emergency alarm. I couldn't believe it, on the third day of my first clinical rotation, the same Patient X who our team was treating for congestive heart failure secondary to hypertension, developed expressive aphasia during the rotations. The mental tsunami that followed gave me the desire to pursue a career in internal medicine. While it was exhilarating to be welcomed into Internal Medicine clinical rotations that way; it showed the sheer nature of the challenges one would expect. In retrospect, what better way to be welcomed? I was excited about the in-depth knowledge to be gained, the ability to identify a problem, solve it and anticipate possible complications. My attendance during that time demonstrated immense knowledge in making connections between pathophysiology and associated comorbidities, which further increased my excitement and curiosity to learn more and become a better doctor. Through all these years of clinical experience, I have come to understand that Internal Medicine offers an intellectual challenge combined with the ability, not only to expand one's medical knowledge, but also to transform that knowledge into competent and effective patient care. Internal Medicine focuses on treating the patient as a whole and not just the main complaint, since the goal is to optimize the patient's outcomes, so it is important to treat the various etiologies of the disease manifestation. My mentors who I admire have always been exemplary with these qualities that make it even more desirable. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay My most precious moments come from my patients who have always been my source of inspiration and strength. I have been fortunate to meet extraordinary patients who had severe cases but often moderate resources for treatment imposed by cultural difficulties. There have been many similar cases, but the one that stands out is that of an elderly man with a diabetic foot ulcer who felt he had stepped on a "spell," a colloquial Nigerian term referring to a supernatural source, which he was convinced did not could be cured by Western medicine. He was so afraid that any attempt to seek care would end his life. Another is a young man with viral meningitis I met, whose parents thought he was being subjected to some diabolical manipulation. These meetings influenced additional zeal to volunteer in underprivileged communities, dispelling misconceptions about the sources of their illnesses, arming them with knowledge, helping build a culture of health in the community, and providing them with the best form of care. Serving a diverse and unique patient population has given me the experience to adapt and improve my patient counseling skills through cultural competence. My desire to excel and become a better doctor influenced my decision to pursue training in Internal Medicine at this prestigious institution. What better place to be perfected than by the great faculty and residents of this one.
tags