Thursday, February 18, 2010

ERAS and Application Process...

Haha, bet you thought I was gone eh? Just kidding... Had a couple exhausting days and really wasn't up for talking about this long, long process called The Match, lol. But man, what a ride it has been.

So jeeze when did all of this begin? Right around June/July of 2009. This is when the ERAS application service opens up and basically you can start saying you are in "application season" when in fact you have until the begining of September until you are allowed to submit it - but yay anyway! So the application process is pretty straight forward. If you have gotten this far in your medical education this is just another hoop to jump through to be honest. By this time you should have your letters of recommendation written or soon to be written as the authors will have to send in their thoughts on you to ERAS directly (cover sheets are included in this section of the application that they have to submit as well). How many do you need? Most programs I think are 3-4. I had 6 but picked the top 4 that I thought would be the strongest. There were a couple people I asked early on in my 3rd year that honestly, and I say this in the most lovingly way possible - finished too quickly. I knew they didn't REALLY know me THAT well and that it was a possibility of being a "cookie cutter" LOR. In the end I ended up picking my family medicine preceptor (someone I've known for a great deal of my life and who was there to even write me a LOR for entering medical school!), my OB/GYN preceptor and assistant program director (absolutely wonderful woman who was so near convincing me that OB/GYN was for me, lol). My third came from my senior resident from heme/onc who prior to my interviews graduated to attending and staff in internal medicine. Finally my last was from my preceptor in my outpatient internal medicine clinic and division head of the program. I have to say, before I get to talking about my interview - this was one of the highlights of my interviews. In all of them, I was told how glowing and wonderful they were and in one instance how they had never seen a two page LOR before, lol! Someday I would really love to read them if I ever could do that...

Up next was my personal statement. I really worked for maybe a week on it. Not that I was lazy but usually when I get into it - I really do and I don't stop until it is perfect. I will post it at the end here to use as inspiration because after all, this is all about YOU! Stealing ideas is only refective of your own personality but getting inspiration to shine your own thoughts and journey to this point are what is important! Really there isn't much to say about this other than to show it to you but, again - and I swear that I am not trying to toot my own horn (come on you have seen all of my board scores lol) but it was loved by my interviewers as well!

There are many other aspects to the application but most are personal data, boring and obvious stuff... Though finally, it comes down to where you want to spend the next 3-5 years of your life. In the end, you submit the application in September or so then await emails to your ERAS message box - waiting for interviews! It's really that simple... Speaking of which, I had received a comment talking about how risky it seems to go the way I did. Well, could not agree with you more! It is a risky thing but the fact of the matter is - I have no interest in moving anymore, even if that means I do not match this year. Call me crazy but it has been a long road for me and Tony and right now we need to be near each other. I applied to most Michigan places and a couple Toledo places as well which were driving distance. I ended up with 8 interviews out of the 15 places I applied. I let go of two other places because I applied to them thinking - worst case I would do the distance for residency. Since I was blessed enough to receive six interviews very close to home, I dropped the other two.

I honestly think that this might be a two-parter, lol. I have so much to talk about regarding interviews that I think it is a topic in itself. So, I will let my next post deal with the fun yet at times nerveracking time visiting and interviewing at other hospitals! Until then, please partake in reading further if you so wish to :)!


So, as promised - my "Internal Medicine Personal Statement"!

In life, many hope to find their passion of what they were meant to become. It is this passion that sustains my own drive, determination and promise of a lifetime service to the health and well-being of others. Through years of preparation for this application, I have found my purpose in the practice of Internal Medicine. Since the beginning of medical school, I have always thought that this was my field of choice. Although not until my clerkship experiences fully exposed me to this field, was I completely captivated by numerous factors. Among these lay the fascination of an internist's practice. To have been educated in the foundation that all of medicine has subsequently developed, truly shows the depth of understanding and complexity of thought that must be utilized throughout any given day. In addition, the role of prevention proves to be an incalculable asset to this practice of medicine. Looking towards preventative medicine instead of chasing a cure not only provokes interest but should make even ourselves strive for such measures. Finally, throughout my clinical experience, I have discovered the perpetual importance of patient continuity. It is for these reasons to be expanded upon that I find Internal Medicine to be the specialty that I was meant to focus my innermost passion towards.

"There are, in truth, no specialties in medicine, since to know fully many of the most important diseases a man must be familiar with their manifestations in many organ" - Sir William Osler

Internal Medicine is the cornerstone of the medical world. Throughout my clinical experience, I have enjoyed my exposure to many different specialties. In their own time, however, each has fallen towards the way-side, unable to fulfill what I aspired to become as a physician. Upon beginning Internal Medicine, I felt that I had found a role that best complemented my personality. Over time, I found myself becoming more astute in my pursuit of diagnoses. I have developed a wider array of thoughts in my differential, pathophysiology and have begun to gain a strong foundation for my lifelong practice as a physician. Additionally, through my work in research, I have found a deeper appreciation for the efforts that make advances in medicine a possibility. This teamwork, which possibly could answer questions that have never been investigated, is an exciting experience. Being part of this team gave me a great feeling of self-worth; to impact how clinical medicine can be improved to become safer and more efficient in addition to positively influencing the future of our health care system.

"One of the first duties of the physician is to educate the masses not to take medicine." - Sir William Osler

Upon beginning my Internal Medicine rotation, it felt that I had found a role that complemented my personality. One core focus, preventative medicine, impacted me the most. In preventative care, seemingly under-appreciated in society today, lay the true foundation of the health care system. During my time in Dominica for the first two years of my medical education, I had spent a great deal of time working with the people of the island in preventative care. Most notably, the Ross Foundation for Dominican Health was a cause which I was delighted to take part. This became my most pivotal experience while in Dominica. After RFDH's first semester, there was no one willing to take control over its leadership, which left this organization a fallen victim to neglect. I found myself wanting to do more with the time that was given to me at this university and chose to lead it from that moment forward. Through RFDH, we were able to raise funds to provide their small hospital with some of their greatest needs, particularly in their neonatal unit. It was with this work that we were able to provide oximeters, an incubator and ventilator, as this facility had only one of each for a population of seventy-three thousand. For the first time in my life, I felt that my efforts made a difference and that without my efforts in this organization, these donations would not have been possible. It was an incredible feeling that will remain with me forever. In such practices of preventative care, we can find ourselves maintaining health instead of chasing after it, allowing us to remain one step ahead of the disease process.

"The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease." - Sir William Osler

An aspect of this specialty which has great importance to me is patient continuity. I feel that it is my duty and privilege to broaden the minds of my patients in order to encourage them to become an advocate for their own health. At the same time, the patients have so much to teach the medical community as well. In my clinic and ward experience, it was wonderful to see how relationships developed that further served to be a stepping stone to improved individual health care. Never will I forget my most memorable patient during my entire clinical experience thus far. This patient was a middle-aged gentleman, kind-hearted with a fantastic sense of humor. Admitted for an exacerbation of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it was soon found over his two week stay that he had inoperable cancer. Throughout the two weeks that I spent with him, I found myself wanting to be there not only for him but also for his family, whether it was for medical care, a shoulder to cry on or lended ear. In his last days before passing, I recall being there with him, now unable to recognize who I was, as he began to succumb to his overwhelming illness. Minutes after he had passed, much of his family came to visit, none of whom knew of his demise. Standing alone with this family about to enter the room, I was the only one to deliver the devastating news. It was from our continuity that they found at least some small amount of peace in my being there. It is with this patient continuity that I find purpose and potentially many future gratifying outcomes for those I will serve. This man will always be a reminder of why I belong in this specialty. To me, he represented not only the importance of continuity, but how the prevention of disease holds higher precedence than a cure. Past feelings I once had for RFDH arose in me once more, as I built a rapport with this man and many others, who have confided and trusted in me. In the future, I believe that I will incorporate into my practice this basic human connection. It is this connection that fuels my desire to continually create an atmosphere of patient education and trust, thus allowing me to guide each patient through their continuity of care.

For the next step in my medical career, I hope to join a residency program instilled with these characteristics. I further hope to be part of one rich in the tradition of teaching, as I aspire to one day pass on my knowledge to subsequent generations of physicians. Academic medicine is an extraordinary opportunity to not only continue in my education as medicine advances, but to interact with multiple levels of expertise in the fundamentals of medicine and engage in healthy, intellectual discussions.

All of my experiences that I have been through leading up to this moment have prepared me for the rigor of a competitive residency program. My affinity for teamwork will bring comradery among my colleagues and a deeper appreciation for what can be learned from each other. My goal-oriented, hard-working personality constantly challenges me to push forward towards my aspirations. It is my perseverance, determination and above all my profound passion for this profession which carries me through each passing day, dedicated to the study and the practice of medicine. I know these assets, that define my personality and character, will drive me to bring only my very best everyday to this residency program and throughout my entire career.

6 comments:

bellocielo said...

hi jess! =) Thank you for sharing your stories and experiences! your personal statement is definitely awesome! I wish that I could write like that! (struggling with my own ps) =P I'm really happy for you and I have no doubt that you will make an excellent physician.

Anonymous said...

you certainly like the word "continuity."

Dr. Jessica, M.D. said...

It's a good word lol...

Anonymous said...

Generally I do not post on blogs, but I would like to say that this post really forced me to do so! really nice post.

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