Personal Statement:Medicine 85

Medicine Personal Statement

At the age of three, I was given a choice; the fire truck, or the toy stethoscope. I chose the latter, setting me upon the path towards medicine. As I developed, I took an interest in the development of others, fascinated by the workings and intricacies of life and of the body, which has been further enhanced by studying Biology and Chemistry.

However, passion and interest alone do not a doctor make. In Year 12 I arranged work experience with a GP, during which I saw a diverse range of people, all of whom enjoyed an excellent relationship with their GP. What really impressed me was not just her professional skills but the personalised and energetic manner in which she communicated with patients. This engendered their absolute trust, not just in physical but mental and social matters, which left a lasting impression. This emphasised for me the importance of that sacred trust between a patient and doctor and its necessity in effective care. Further work experience at St. George's Hospital took me to a more clinical setting where I saw first-hand the harsher side of medicine. The myriad of patients were of widely varying attitudes and ages and I learnt the importance of non-judgementalism, professionalism, patience and a sense of humour. My time in a Cardiothoracic ICU demonstrated the necessity of teamwork and cooperation between doctors and nurses as neither could work without the other and were essential to the care and survival of patients, whose families placed absolute faith and trust in their expertise. Particularly apparent was the unwavering dedication of doctors and nurses whose commitment regularly exceeded what was expected of them.

My experiences in Oncology were completely different again: I was able to interact and connect with patients whilst providing care, sometimes simply giving them something to smile and talk about. I worked alongside nurses and HCA's and saw the differences in tasks to that of a doctor. It was here that a patient I had spent much time with died; it was unexpected and startling to hear that the man I had been speaking with had gone. This taught me about the limitations of medicine and gave me an insight into the emotional demands placed on healthcare professionals. The dynamics of medicine are constantly changing, with the emphasis focusing on the patient's wishes, rather than doctors' orders. This creates an environment in which the patients are involved with their treatment, but in which politicalization and legal issues are rife. I encountered this often and am more aware of the highly ethical nature of medicine.

I am heavily involved within my school and in my community and regularly volunteer to help homeless people. This has taught me to empathise with others. My teamwork and communication skills have been enhanced through my roles as deputy head boy, MD of a Young Enterprise Company and as the head of the CCF. These experiences encouraged me to delegate and prioritise effectively. Playing guitar with the Merton Youth Guitar Ensemble, enables me to unwind from the rigorous and analytical nature of A' levels. Participation in national shooting competitions has improved my steadfastness and concentration and qualifying as a BSAC ocean diver emphasised for me the frailties of the human body. A particular advantage is my army scholarship, which demonstrates my leadership abilities and commitment, and will allow me to give direct care to those in the world who need it most; whilst being trilingual allows me to communicate across a range of people.

Medicine is a challenging route with many pitfalls, but it is that challenge which makes it all the more attractive, encouraging me to test my skills and knowledge in the most demanding of settings, and in doing so, assisting others to regain as much of their lives as possible.

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