I am eager to enter a medical field that combines intellectual challenges, a hands-on approach to utilize my technical abilities, and the art of medicine that supports individualized patient care. I look forward to the excitement of making precise judgments to support vital life functions during anesthesia. I wish to comfort patients with little control in a scary and unfamiliar environment. The pathway that led me to anesthesiology was paved by a culmination of experiences that have prepared me to enter this exciting field.
I have gained valuable professional skills from growing up working in the family business. I became an excellent problem solver because everyone met me with their dilemmas. I was able to use my resourcefulness and find great solutions. This creativity will prove helpful in the operating room, where I may have to adapt an instrument or technique to fit unique situations.
My motivation to help my family expand their business triggered me to start a company through which I could assist them. In implementing my ideas to provide advanced income tax services, I honed the skills of leadership, management, and teamwork skills. Outside the business world, I refined those skills by attending leadership conferences, teaching various subjects, and working with colleagues and faculty to plan extracurricular activities. I am confident that this foundation of skills will help me lead and manage resources as a productive member of a multidisciplinary team.
Volunteer work has been another important part of my background. Working with underserved children in Ecuador was particularly meaningful. At Camp, I provided health care, education, and companionship for poor and orphaned children with physical and mental disabilities. By uniting these children with their non-disabled peers, Camp addresses the issue of humanitarian rights and social integration for disabled individuals. As an anesthesiologist, I want to apply what I learned about humanitarianism, treating my patients with dignity and respect, and advocating for their rights.
I have improved my capacity to interact effectively and compassionately with patients and their families. As a Certified Nursing Assistant and Personal Care Attendant, I learned to work productively with patients regardless of their mental or emotional state. As a Patient Educator, Watchful Companion, and EMT-B, I formed healthy relationships with clients in short periods. On clinical rotations, I learned to convey medical information to patients in an understandable way. As an anesthesiologist, these skills will help me rapidly gain patient trust, answer questions, and relieve anxiety in a time-limited setting.
During my anesthesia training, I will also need to individualize patient care, decide if it is safe to proceed with surgery, and anticipate and prevent complications. As a fourth-year medical student, I acquired knowledge to assist me with these tasks. In my Surgical Intensive Care elective, I learned to weigh risks and benefits when deciding if it is appropriate to proceed with medical or surgical therapy. Furthermore, I was taught to care for each patient as an individual, considering their unique physiology when determining a medical plan.
Using independent research to enhance my education, I have practiced critical thinking and independent learning skills, which are helpful in a field where lifelong learning is crucial for practicing safe and effective medicine. I am currently working, under the direction of Dr. KL, on a retrospective analysis of patients that have undergone a long gap esophageal atresia repair using a novel surgical technique. I look forward to what this project will teach me about using cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes in children during prolonged intubation.
Upon completing my residency, I plan to pursue a fellowship, possibly in critical care or pediatric anesthesia. I will then continue my career in academic medicine, where I can participate in the educational process and pursue exciting research projects. I am motivated to train in this dynamic field that will support my intellectual curiosity and desire to provide excellent medical care. I am most enthusiastic about residency, the future I see for myself as an anesthesiologist, and the journey ahead.
