PSYCHIATRY RESIDENCY PERSONAL STATEMENT

BMedicine is a career filled with many choices. Fate shapes one's goal in life by the hurdles it throws one's way. Internal medicine is the field that I practiced early on in my career, but the field of psychiatry always fascinated me. But a traumatic personal experience forced me to realize that this interest in psychiatry was something that I wished to pursue as my next career.

        This realization came to me three years ago when my brother-in-law was murdered in Pakistan. Since he was killed, my twin sister and her three young sons have tried to cope with their loss. My sister has had a challenging time dealing with her own grief while trying to fulfill her role as the head of the household.  Her eldest child is in denial and refuses to talk about his father. The youngest child is too young to comprehend what occurred.  The middle child started showing signs of oppositional defiant disorder and also suffers from night terrors. After my urging, he has been receiving psychiatric counseling and has benefited greatly. Watching them cope with grief as they move forward in their lives compelled me to look further into the field of psychiatry. I find I want to know why and how different situations and stressors make people behave the way they do.  I feel this experience has reinforced in me that a healthy mind is as important as a healthy body.  

        While practicing internal medicine I felt I was not able to spend enough time talking about the emotional needs of the patients. I also believe having a strong medical background will help me to become an even better psychiatrist because of my experience with the medical causes of depression, psychosis and my experience with psychotropic drugs and their interactions with other medications. [makes better continuity by starting here..] Medicine may be a field on the cutting edge of technology, but it has compassion as well.  I feel that psychiatry embodies this compassion in its approach to treating the mind. My greatest asset is that I am an excellent listener.  This quality has helped me to enhance my relationships with my patients tremendously, creating a level of trust, which is an integral part of the physician-patient relationship. In order to gain experience in Psychiatry I started working as a mental health worker at Hospital in Large City USA in 2003. This experience has given me the confidence to evaluate patients who are in need of mental health services and also to learn about the American health care system.

        Another aspect of medicine I am interested in is research. This interest in research compelled me to seek a master's degree in public health. During my two years at

University, I had the opportunity to work with US STATE's Infant Immunization Initiative.  I was involved in analyzing the responses of pediatricians towards the educational literature regarding immunization practices. Another research proposal developed involved the study of infertility rates among clinically depressed women and the impact of relaxation techniques I earnestly believe that the knowledge and experience I have gained by conducting this research is one of my biggest assets towards my career in psychiatry.

        On a personal level, raised in an Air Force family, I have interacted with people from many backgrounds and feel I am more cognizant of different perspectives. This adaptation will prove useful in dealing with the diverse personalities of my fellow coworkers and future patients. Away from work I love to travel and hike but my favorite pastime is reading.  

        I know my life will take many more bends and unexpected turns, as I learned during the last few years. After much thought, I feel that I must pursue what I want most in my heart- to become a skilled psychiatrist. I believe that becoming a psychiatrist is a process, which requires a constant evaluation and adjustment of one's own attitudes, biases, and values.  I plan to devote myself to receiving a priceless education that will directly impact my service to future patients. Good teaching, excellent mentoring and teamwork are qualities I desire in a residency program. For this invaluable training I pledge my service, dedication and diligence to my program.