The human body's workings were the main reason why I first wanted to study medicine. That changed when my grandfather became critically with the doctors doing everything possible to recover one of the most important people I knew. I realised there isn't a more personally meaningful career for me, unlike medicine.
I study pharmacology at university as it underpins the scientific basis for the use of drugs in medical practice but has also familiarised me with the commitment, resilience and hard work required to study medicine. Being accustomed to the complexity of laboratory practicals and anatomy sessions where I was team leader strengthened my critical and scientific analysis, my leadership skills and the ability to manage high workloads under pressure. I hope to emulate these skills into my third-year project: researching diabetes-related alterations in the enteric nerve function in the stomach wall and in studying medicine. To further my knowledge of medicine, I read scientific articles from the BMJ and BJP.
Three months shadowing doctors, nurses, and healthcare assistants at Lister Hospital showed me the value of individual skills involved in the NHS and the importance of a multidisciplinary team. I appreciated the leadership and proactive communication highlighted by doctors when discussing specific cases with other clinical team members during ward rounds to provide the best patient care. I saw patients entrusting doctors, especially during intimate and sensitive examinations, highlighting the level of responsibility and empathy that physicians have.
I volunteered at Garden House Hospice weekly, seeing the deterioration of patients' health during end-of-life care and regular occurrence of patient deaths. The doctors alleviated this strain compassionately by providing holistic patient care that included understanding the patients' values, goals and religious beliefs are and appreciating their mental health concerns. Some challenges of medicine were put into perspective when the doctors mentioned they sometimes felt helplessness at the inability to cure patients and the difficulty of emotionally dealing with patient deaths.
I attended DermSchool, participating in the discussion of skin cancers. Wanting to learn more about cancer, I attended a Leukaemia UK support group where patients discussed their experience with leukaemia, giving me a humbling insight to how crucial it is to be empathetic and compassionate in healthcare. I spoke to a patient who survived chronic myeloid leukaemia in a way so that she felt at ease in sharing her experience with me. Hereon, I understood the impact that active listening can have on someone and why it is one of the core interpersonal skills for effective doctor-patient communication. I also learnt how important it is to support patients not just during their treatment but through their journey to hopeful recovery.
I was the President of the Medical Society to address the latest medical research and the endless career opportunities in medicine by holding interactive presentations and arranging guest speakers to give talks. My role as a mathematics leader where I taught mathematics to young children developed my patience and problem-solving skills if they struggled to understand a concept by configuring an action plan to overcome that challenge. My enthusiasm for keeping fit led me to become a sports leader where I motivated and played sports with young children maintaining a healthy work-life balance as it kept me relaxed yet disciplined. My leadership roles gave me great pride in encouraging large teams and supporting them when needed. I love keeping fit by playing tennis and attending spin classes. To relax, I also bake and have baked for charities.
A doctor's role is intellectually challenging instead of glamourous. I believe I have the capacity to succeed in this occupation that demands sacrifice, a life-long commitment to learning and diligence.