Roaring applause, loud cheering, and the ringing of a bell. These were the sounds I heard while I was restocking the examination rooms at the hospital. Curious, I walked to the reception area and saw an elderly woman celebrating with her family and the entire oncology care team. A team member explained to me that patients ring the bell to mark the end of their cancer treatment. This patient was so special to the entire treatment team because she had such a long and strenuous battle with her breast cancer and developed so many close relationships with the staff on the floor, which led to a rather emotional farewell moment.
In that moment, I was overcome with inspiration as I wanted to be one of those physicians taking care of and building relationships with patients. My love for serving underserved patients, especially those from underserved communities, began in high school at the SHIFA clinic in Duluth, Georgia. This clinic was a non-profit organization that focused on serving patients from immigrant and marginalized communities. Working with these patients taught me about the challenges in accessing care and inspired me to pursue a field that takes care of every medical problem a patient has, such as Internal Medicine. At EVMS, with its mission of community-based care, I had the chance to continue this commitment as I became involved in the HOPES clinic, a student-run nonprofit clinic, and participated in local outreach programs.
My academic journey was marked by numerous transformative research experiences. As an undergraduate, I participated in the Mayo Clinic SURF program, where I developed a machine learning algorithm to aid in the diagnosis of biliary tract cancer. This was truly a life-changing experience, as I had the opportunity to work with faculty at the top of their fields, who taught me the value of research and translating lab results into better outcomes for our patients. I continued my work with AI at the USC/CHLA summer research fellowship during the summer after my first year of medical school, where I developed a sorting algorithm to reconstruct neuronal development using CpG methylation markers. These amazing research experiences taught me the value of using advanced technologies to improve patient care.
While I have been blessed to explore many opportunities throughout my medical school career, taking care of patients has by far been the most rewarding. Amongst all my rotations, internal medicine stood out from the rest. IM provided me with the opportunity to take care of very complex patients with multiple overlapping chronic conditions. Each patient has a unique presentation that requires nuance and critical thinking. In addition, IM provides me with the ability to collaborate with specialists from every department of the hospital and continuously learn in the process. Ultimately, I would love to go to a program that will help me take care of any patient, regardless of how complex their history may be or how dire their prognosis is.
One case that stood out from the rest happened during my first week on the wards. Our team went down to the ED to find a young male who was very sick, complaining of non-specific symptoms. After an extensive workup over a few days, it was found that he had Acute Myeloid Leukemia. However, despite this difficult news, he never let this affect his outlook on life. I had the pleasure of rounding on him during his entire induction chemo hospital course and had many wonderful conversations with him and his family. His determination and positive outlook truly inspired me and furthered my passion for serving patients with difficult challenges.
My diverse range of experiences has provided me with a unique skill set that has prepared me to contribute to a residency program that values intimate patient care while striving to improve patient outcomes. I enter this next phase of training, enthusiastic about the endless possibilities and with a deep commitment to serve my patients to the best of my ability. One day, I hope that I will be standing next to my patient, celebrating their journey, as they ring the bell.