Medicine Personal Statement Example 42

The world of science and medicine has gone through overwhelming advances in the last century and so it is difficult to believe how much we still do not know.

A few years ago my uncle suffered a cardiac arrest. I still remember the initial panic at home and the feeling of helplessness just waiting for the ambulance. My uncle survived and for the first time I saw Medicine as a life or death matter.

This incident sparked my initial interest in Medicine. To further explore the world of Medicine, I began to read popular medical articles in the newspapers and became a frequent visitor to the BBC Health page. I also read medical related articles in the New Scientist.

In order to experience the practical aspects of the life of a doctor, I completed work experience under an Oncologist for two weeks and also at my local GP clinic for a month. Here I was most impressed by the doctor's 'bedside manner'.

I witnessed the calm and reassuring tone of the doctor, who often used humour as well, to put the patients at ease so as to elicit information he needed to come to a sound diagnosis.

I next undertook community service at a residential home for the elderly for a few months and over time I was amazed at the tact and patience of the staff who allowed the residents to keep hold of as much of their independence as possible.

During my summer holidays in India, I found it practical to carry out community service and also gain work experience. I worked for a month at a Deaf and Dumb school, where I had the opportunity to teach and communicate with children who had speech and hearing impediments.

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of learning basic sign language from the students and also developed a small insight into their difficult world. In addition I spent two weeks at a Cardiothoracic Centre, where I saw an angioplasty and a bypass surgery.

What intrigued me most was the fact that merely by surgery, a patient who could earlier hardly move was soon able to resume a normal life. This has established my desire to train as a surgeon and possibly a cardiac surgeon.

At school I run a Medical Society, which meets on a weekly basis and attends various lectures in London. In this society, I will be presenting my findings on 'The Situation of HIV in India' to my peers. It interested me how HIV was regarded in India, where the virus used to be taboo and so to follow up on my curiosity I worked at an HIV hospital in Chennai for a month, the highlight of which was persuading a patient to take Antiretroviral therapy.

A healthy body makes a healthy mind, which is why I participate in and enjoy sports: having been a keen cricketer since childhood, I now play for my school as a wicketkeeper and batsman.

I am also a strong tennis player and captained my club's U16 team, where I developed leadership and organisational skills to help build and uphold team spirit. Last summer I qualified as a SCUBA diver when in Egypt, where I enjoyed exploring the spectacular underwater world with colourful marine life and beautiful coral reefs.

I am a South Indian dancer, a skill, which I regularly perform to raise money for The Shooting Star Hospice. I carry out meditation and prayers every day, as I believe it is vital for focusing on the day ahead and calming myself.

My interest in Science and Mathematics is reflected in my A-level choices. I believe that the scientific method is the most reliable way for man to augment his knowledge of the world around him. I love Mathematics, which has taught me to be logical in my thinking and precise in my actions. I am hard working and know I have the intellectual abilities to study Medicine.

I realise a good doctor also needs to be able to communicate effectively; I have an open and friendly personality, finding it easy to make relationships with my peers as well as my teachers. Additionally I have the qualities of care, compassion and commitment, which I believe make me an ideal candidate to study Medicine and serve as a Doctor.