My Determination to Become a Physician

A career as a doctor is demanding, challenging and entails a lifelong commitment to learn and progress. I have not reached the decision to study medicine through a single inspirational moment in my life. It has been fuelled by a lifelong curiosity in biology and more specifically human anatomy.

Medicine is the field in which I can gain knowledge that I am tremendously interested in, and acquire the ability to care for people by applying it. Being a doctor is therefore, in my opinion, one of the most mentally and emotionally rewarding career paths. I was able to gain an understanding into the integral roles of general practitioners during a two-week placement which eventually led to employment within the surgery. During this, I witnessed how varied the role of a GP is. I shadowed a doctor who was performing six week exams for new-borns to visiting a care home to certify a death within an hour. I have witnessed more common problems such as viral infections to more challenging meetings discussing end of life care. I have also been able to provide support and comfort for patients which has been very rewarding. One example of this would be comforting parents whilst waiting for an ambulance for their six-week old baby. I was also given the responsibility of providing support for elderly patients during a change in prescription legislation. I thoroughly enjoyed this and built a good relationship with the patients as well as earning their trust. I have also learnt how GPs work seamlessly as a team especially during intensely busy periods. The partnership between the doctors meant that patients received the best care without compromising on patient trust. I was also fortunate to spend a two-week placement within a learning disability centre. I was responsible for organising and leading group activities and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This experience allowed me to expand on my leadership and communication skills.

During my time as a biomedical student, I gained further insight into disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. I learnt invaluable teamwork skills in seminars solving case studies as well as laboratory investigations. For my dissertation I received a distinction for an investigation into comparing treatments for diabetic food ulcers. This topic is of importance to me as diabetes contributes significantly to the immense pressure the NHS currently finds itself under.

Outside of education, I enjoy baking which helps me unwind and have even started a small cupcake business as a result of this interest. I have been a volunteer in a local Scouts group and led various sporting and educational activities. It was a rewarding experience to witness the girls learn the value of dedication, teamwork, and communication through team-building exercises.

I am a determined individual who has continually chosen paths to actively learn valuable skills that are required in the field of medicine as a physician. I aspire to learn and expand on these skills and will always hold an endless desire to be of help to others.