Personal statement
“I'm thankful for the incredible advances in medicine that have taken place during my lifetime. I almost certainly wouldn't still be here if it weren't for them” Billy Graham. Great advances have been made in cardiology and having practiced in that field for more than 6 years now, I can most certainly echo those great words by televangelist Billy Graham. I find cardiology to be a phenomenal field of medicine and it has fascinated me since my early days in medical school. I was mesmerized by the manner in which our cardiology chief would review a case, demonstrate his clarity of thought and respond to questions. I got so inspired by this teacher that I made him my role model and chose to pursue cardiology as my lifetime passion.
I consider myself a diagnostician and I thus lean more towards medical rather than surgical disciplines. I also love the hands-on skills of procedures and I am confident that I can be the best once I get the necessary training. I believe cardiology strikes a perfect balance between being mindful and being skilful, attributes of which I exude immensely. I love everything about cardiology; the tangible ability to cure diseases/save lives instantly, the fast pace and acuity of the specialty as well as the availability of answers and evidence to most questions. I have not regretted even the slightest bit ever selecting cardiology as my specialty field.
In my pursuit to become an excellent cardiologist, I have studied widely. Upon completion of my masters degree in Bangalore University, India, I moved to the United Kingdom to practice. I spent six years in UK where I got exposure to a broad spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, diagnostic and treatment modalities and procedures such as central lines and transvenous pacing. I also got limited exposure to ECHO and the cath lab. During my senior house officer (equivalent of residency), I completed three postgraduate examinations including the PACES- a final clinical examination (the exam has a 40% pass rate) and obtained Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP UK) which is considered one of the most prestigious titles in medicine.
In an effort to further my dreams, I moved to the United States and joined the Western Reserve University of Metrohealth campus for my internal medicine residency training. At this institution my resolve to pursue a fellowship in cardiology were given a further boost as I served on the cardiology floor, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), cath lab, clinics and medicine conferences.
After my residency, I chose to further refine the knowledge I had acquired, mature as a clinician and obtain research skills by teaching internal medicine. I joined Cleveland Clinic as a clinical associate in internal medicine. I am also a teaching faculty member in the organization’s Internal Medicine Residency programme.
I firmly believe that research helps to unearth a “wealth of knowledge”. Throughout my career, my passion for cardiology mixed with some bit of fortune helped me to get into various national and internal research projects in India, UK and US. Out of my research projects, I have had ten (10) of my works published while I have also submitted four (4) manuscripts to be considered for publication into international medical journals. I have also made nine (9) presentations on cardiology in Boston, Paris, and Amsterdam among other parts of the World. I have also audited other works on internal medicine in addition to reviewing journals such as the Canadian Medical Association Journal and the Journal of Internal Medicine. With the guidance of Dr. Dunalp, I recently, I got a grant of $500,000 on my project on neurocognitive impairment in heart failure patients. I am determined to make a significant contribution in curbing heart failure.
Though cardiology is my all time passion, I also take time to promote the overall well-being of human beings. As the chairman of the LION club in Bangalore, India, I organized rural health check-up programmes for the underprivileged, while in UK; I organized MRCP teaching for junior doctors. The successes I have had in these ventures attest to my sound leadership and organizational skills in healthcare.
I value leisure time and the participation in hobbies as a way to maintain a wholesome lifestyle. I love photography, travelling and sports. I am active in cricket, table-tennis and badminton. I represented my state for cricket at a junior level.
I am happy with what I have managed to achieve this far. My robust academic, research and clinical background will certainly make me an asset to your institution. In a friendly environment and a context of independent-minded people who are passionate about what they do, I look forward to being a part of a hospital that sets a high standard of patient care—the kind of standard I aspire to always hold myself to. I look forward to joining a fellowship program that gives me the opportunity do research and pursue patient care for a diverse population. I believe that the two put together can bring out the best in me.
