SURGERY PERSONAL STATEMENT

     I found the specialty I want to pursue during gross anatomy class. In the class, I concentrated on the anatomical position on organs and enjoyed using my hands to control surgical tools to reveal every muscle and organ as well as track nerves and vessels. In my spare time, I enjoyed practicing suturing on my own. Interest in anatomy and performing procedures has drawn me to surgery.

      My eagerness to be a surgeon has been growing since my first surgical rotation. While assisting a thyroidectomy, I was thoroughly impressed by the way the surgeon expertly and precisely excised the thyroid without damaging nearby nerves and vessels. I learned to scrub in with sterile technique and use surgical tools. On the ward, I was enthusiastic to learn from patients by taking a medical history, performing physical exams and making the diagnoses and enjoy the results of my work. Talking to my patients and their families not only about medical problems but also socio-economic status helped me develop good rapport and approach their problems holistically. I enjoyed morning rounds discussing patients and making decisions about treatment with the surgical team. I was surprised at how a patient with severe right lower quadrant pain dramatically improved by the next morning after undergoing laparotomy with appendectomy and a how a patient who suffering from third degree burns could regain his function after serial excisions of scar contracture. Surgery balances science and art through a surgeon’s strong clinical knowledge, thorough decision making, and hand-on skills. Moreover, surgery provides a diversity of patients and diagnoses in an ever-changing clinical environment.

      During my final year of medical school, I had an intense surgical clerkship in a community hospital, where I gained the ability to think critically and work under physical and mental stress, and build close rapport with my patients. Because of poverty and a lack of high technology resources, I put more effort on taking a medical history and physical examination to make diagnoses. I learned to become more self sufficient and perform procedures and basic surgeries on my own. It was during that time when I discovered how to use my knowledge and clinical skill to manage patients effectively. After the intense clerkship, I developed self confidence, responsibility, surgical skills, and patience which are

important qualities of a good surgeon.

      After graduation, I entered a Surgery residency program. During internship in the university hospital, I gained more surgical skill and knowledge while rotating through the departments of Cardiovascular, Thoracic, Plastic, Neuro, and Pediatric Surgery. For one year in the residency program, I have learned to combine anatomy and pathophysiology with clinical knowledge to take care patients in preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative arenas.

      The knowledge and experience I received from medical school and residency in Thailand was valuable; however, I have decided to pursue a General Surgery residency training program in the US with its world class medical teaching institutions and advanced technology. All of these traits will help broaden and deepen my knowledge and experience in General Surgery.

      After moving to the US, I worked in Dr.Z’s laboratory which has been studying factors that influence wound healing in diabetic patients. Being a research assistant gave me ideas of conducting an experiment. I have learned to design an experiment to prove the hypothesis. Experimenting on mice helped me understand the bio-molecular concepts of wound healing. Besides research experience, I have gained clinical experience while observing Dr. T in the department of OB-GYN, Memorial Hospital. By observing him taking history and physical exams in the clinic and performing operations and discussing the patients, I have gained experience of the medical system in the US. This experience will be very useful for me in pursuit of a US residency program.

      My previous clinical years in surgery will form the backbone of my future residency in the US. I look forward to beginning a surgical residency program which will provide strong clinical knowledge and experience with a diverse patient population where faculty dedicate themselves to both clinical and academic service and work well with residents. The opportunity to conduct research also interests me and will help me expand my knowledge and improve the quality of patient care. The US surgical residency program will build a knowledgeable, skilled, creative, and dedicated surgeon whom I always strive to be.