Why I Want To Pursue A Career In Emergency Medicine Personal Statements Examples

Life is a series of opportunities for adventure. Those that we take dictate where we were meant to be. I have been extremely fortunate to have had a wide variety of experiences in my life so far, on numerous occasions finding myself at a crossroads. I know now that the decisions that I have made have serendipitously led to me becoming an emergency medicine physician. Not only was this desire ingrained in me some years prior to attending medical school, it was in all probability the single most important reason why I became a physician.
I have always been an open person with a wide variety of interests. My clinical rotations have exposed me to a range of positive experiences, all contributing to improving my knowledge and expertise. In cardiology I learned the need to quickly determine which aspect of the heart was in trouble. In OB/GYN, my experience encompassed the delivery of numerous babies, emergency c-sections and ectopic pregnancies. In pediatrics I learned the important signs to watch for when a sick child presents. In trauma I learned many of the acute procedures that help stabilize a patient. In orthopedics I studied the appropriate reduction techniques and stabilizations. During my internship period, I endeavored to have my elective month in a speciality, such as orthopedics, radiology or anesthesia, in order to help me become a good ED physician and to make managing the different acute cases much easier.
Emergency medicine’s particular appeal for me is that it encompasses a wide spectrum of medical and surgical conditions requiring strong technical skills, diagnostic acumen, constant vigilance and empathy. It also provides many opportunities to combine the deliberative skills of medicine with the hands-on approach of surgery, along with the insight of pediatrics. Its diverse patient base offers me the chance to utilize many different skills.
I learned that I was well suited for this profession when I discovered that I enjoyed being the primary contact for patient care and that I thrived on acute care situations. I was fascinated not only by how medical cases initially presented, but also how some appear similar, but end up being so different. Emergency medicine offers all the aspects of medicine that I am best suited for. I enjoy the fast pace and work best in this type of setting. In actual fact I am “super active” in that I feel down when the total of patients seen in one shift is not at least 15!! Every single day I gain new experience and increased knowledge.
For my continuing education and self-improvement, I require a residency program that will challenge me and continue to expose me to many different medical situations. I seek excellence: a residency program that fosters a supportive and stimulating learning environment, with a vigorous curriculum. I need a program that serves a large and diverse patient population; a program in which residents see an exciting variety of cases; a program that continually strives to grow and improve. And importantly for me, it must be one that honors medicine’s social aspects and is dedicated to the enrichment of the local community.
I am eager to begin my residency in emergency medicine, so that I can further develop the process of becoming a well-rounded and confident physician, independently capable of handling the diverse challenges of providing medical care in a fast-paced environment. I am certain that the experience will round out my existing medical expertise. I also seek an opportunity to become involved in research projects that can directly influence and improve patient care, and help to further progress the specialty of emergency medicine.
Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing my personal statement.