Believe it or not! This personal statement won 32 interviews for this applicant!

1. Internal Medicine – Sample 1
At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been
growing ever since"-Salvador Dali.
My entry in to medical profession was by no means a chance occurrence. I call it Destiny. I originally
became interested in medicine in my teens because of a very important incident in my life. I come from
an agriculture family in which no one has studied beyond high school. I had two aunts who suffered
from paranoid schizophrenia. Their paranoia made them unacceptable to the family because the family
had no knowledge of the pathology. They were not given any treatment. Consequently, one of my aunts
died of refractory schizophrenia. Eventually, my family realized that my aunts were not mentally normal
and got my second aunt treated. She had a remarkable recovery. This incident made me realize the
difference medicine had made to my family. This incident sparked my interest in medicine and it got
confirmed when I discovered my predilection towards Biology in my higher secondary school. This
propensity for medicine led me to take a highly competitive medical entrance exam in which I was
placed in the top 1% and I eventually got admitted in to XXXXXX Medical College, a premier medical
institute which is ranked as the fourth best medical college in India.
My undergraduate college education was filled with great competence. The excellent faculty and four
affiliated 500 bed multi-specialty hospitals provided me with hands-on experience right from the start. I
consistently maintained good grades in all the subjects but I found myself inclined more towards
Internal Medicine because Internal Medicine offers a great variety and diagnostic challenges. Eventually,
I obtained second best score in General Medicine in university final examination. During my clinical
clerkships, I experienced a variety of medical specialties but consistently found Internal Medicine to be
the most interesting. I was also impressed with the knowledge of physicians and their ability to treat the
most acutely ill patient, who led me realize the importance of the physician in the medical environment.
During my one year internship in XXXXXX Hospital, I had the privilege of working with some of the finest
doctors of our country.
Medical education is not completed in the medical school. It is only begun. My internship in the college
was completely under supervision of excellent physicians. This kindled a strong desire in me to apply the
knowledge I have gained and motivated me to join as a medical officer under the State Government. As
a Government medical officer I worked in a 50 bedded ,well equipped hospital in a tribal area for two
years. These two years gave me an opportunity to prove myself as a hard-working, compassionate
doctor as well as an excellent administrator. I was successful in winning the confidence of the tribal
patients and consequently I was soon promoted as Hospital Superintendent. During this period I had to
supervise the hospital staff, maintain the hospital, attend the patients and take care of all their needs.
This gave me an opportunity to discover and refine my leadership and communication skills. The
hospital under my supervision gradually moved from Grade-C to Grade-A and consistently remained in A
thereafter. The Government recognized my services and awarded me the Best Medical Officer twice
consecutively in a year. The area I worked in, was hyper-endemic in Malaria and had a high incidence of
Tuberculosis. During my service in this area, I was fortunate enough to come across and treat

2. successfully the worst cases of Cerebral malaria, Black water fever and Disseminated Tuberculosis.
Malaria in this area presented in all forms-ARDS, ARF, Cerebral malaria, Black water fever,
Gastroenteritis, Anemia, Tropical splenomegaly, hemolytic jaundice and liver failure. I was amazed to
know practically how a single disease Malaria, unfolded the diversity and challenges in Internal
Medicine. This practical experience multiplied my love for Internal Medicine.
While working in the hospital, I met many patients struggling with terminal disease. Their courage and
willingness to continue fighting despite diminishing hopes reinforced my commitment to becoming a
good physician to assist in this valiant struggle. While I had many meaningful encounters, one
particularly stands out. Last year in the month of June, a tribal family brought their only son to the
hospital in a stage of coma and respiratory distress because of aspiration. His throat was blocked with
thick secretions for which I performed suction and left orders to the nurse on duty to continue
intermittent suction. Next morning when I went for rounds I found him in a worsening condition. The
nurse did not do her job properly. The patient's family pleaded me to stay with the patient and showed
enormous trust saying that my presence itself would heal him. I was moved and took care of the patient
all by myself. It worked and he came out of coma the next day. His family fell on my feet and offered
their thanks in tears. I realized that my future must revolve around instances like this one and that true
fulfillment comes from helping another person heal. My job experience at the hospital taught me that
patience, compassion and sensitivity are just as crucial as scientific skills to medicine. Though I had some
sleepless nights in the hospital, they were worth the satisfaction.
However, I did not feel qualified enough to receive the trust the tribal people gave me so willingly. I
have this burning desire to expand my knowledge in Internal medicine and to become a great physician.
I am dedicated to meeting new challenges and applying the knowledge that I have obtained through all
these years. I realize this will be not an easy road but with perseverance, commitment, and hard work, I
believe that I can become a valuable addition to your institution. I am proud to see that I have come this
far but it is my quest for academic excellence and service to mankind that spurs me to reach greater
heights.
As I evaluate programs for my residency training, the first and foremost quality I seek is the ability to
further my education-both clinically and academically. My desire is to find the residency training
program which will best prepare me in all the fields of medicine by first offering excellent clinical
resources and teaching in a setting where the residents are encouraged to be independent and take on
a higher level of responsibility for cases as their proficiency increases. I look forward to a program
offering a diversity of experience and a staff that works as a team to provide education for patients,
family, community, and faculty. I want to seek a residency program that will enrich and augment my
clinical skills and also to participate in community based research. The excellent reputation of your
academic program influenced me too choose your hospital for pursuing my residency program. The
ambient and competitive atmosphere of your hospital will help me to improve my clinical skills. Thank
you for your consideration of my application and I hope that you will give me an opportunity to come
and visit your program to experience it firsthand.