AN EXAMPLE FROM A "NON-Traditional" MEDICAL STUDENT studying @ an International School
IMG Personal Statement

“If you plan on becoming anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.”
- Abraham Maslow

Growing up in Anytown, USA I seemed to be on the path to success. I was in all Honors classes, I was near the top of my class, and I was representing my school on both the tennis and basketball teams. However, I now realize that I was actually accomplishing all of this without too much conscious effort on my part. In large part, I have my parents to thank for their powerful influence, raising me in a household where academic excellence and the pursuit of knowledge were always paramount. Although I achieved great academic success, I realize in retrospect that I had not at that stage learned the true meaning of hard work, of setting and achieving goals. I had not yet been truly challenged, and only by being challenged could I grow.

In late high school and early undergrad, the level of difficulty of the coursework increased dramatically. That coupled with the transition of my leaving home for the first time and being completely independent, I found myself for the first time in my life performing less than stellar. That is when I decided that I needed a change. I needed a new environment, I needed new challenges, and I needed to find myself and define my own ambitions. I came to know of an established, reputed medical school in Europe that consisted of 6 years of curriculum, both pre-med and general medicine combined. I truly felt that a change of this magnitude was exactly what I needed, and I decided to go off the beaten path. A few months later, I was halfway across the world, anxious but eager to explore the opportunities made available by my decision.

In retrospect, I can say with confidence that choosing to study medicine in EuropeTown at that point in my life was a wise decision. In my four years there, I found myself, I found my fiancée, and I resurrected my dreams of becoming a physician. The science and medical curriculum for the International students was exactly what I needed to inspire me to work harder than I ever had before. It was very challenging indeed, but for the first time in my life, I was facing this challenge head on, with the tenacity and vigor that I had been seeking all along.

During my 4th year there, we started our semester long Radiology course… and I was hooked. The detailed images revealing secrets undetectable otherwise, the awesome technology involved, the behind-the-scenes work of the “doctor’s doctor” were just a few of the qualities that appealed to me in ways that no other specialty ever had before. I consider myself a very intellectual person, and I truly enjoy the “thinking” side of medicine. That coupled with my long time fascination of the intricacies of human anatomy makes the field of Radiology the only specialty that I can imagine myself practicing. I found myself experiencing a second catharsis, and I decided then and there that I would become a Radiologist, and I have not looked back since.

Realizing then that Radiology is a very competitive field that accepts only the most highly qualified candidates, I decided that I would do all that I could to return to the United States to complete my clinical training at U.S. teaching hospitals. Although a number of U.S. Allopathic medical schools that I contacted expressed interest in me, I had unfortunately missed the deadlines for that academic year. Thus, I chose to transfer with advanced standing to University, a Caribbean medical school that allowed me to begin my clinical training right away. I’m just completing my 3rd year Core rotationsas I write this, and I must say that my decision to return to the U.S was a prudent one. The slope of my learning curve is close to vertical here, and my focus remains on a Radiology residency with the intensity of a laser beam.

Although my journey has been somewhat unconventional and an uphill climb, I am thankful for it, as it has made me the man I am today. My decision to go abroad for medical school is what allowed my inner qualities of relentless drive, inexorable dedication, and unyielding discipline to manifest. I realize now that this is the only way to live… to constantly strive to be the best you possibly can be at everything you do. If given the opportunity, that is exactly what I will do during my Radiology residency. I will do my absolute, very best, and those who were kind enough to believe in me and give me that opportunity will not be disappointed.