The Medfools IM Internal Medicine Sample Residency Personal Statement Library is now open!
These sample Internal Medicine residency personal statement examples for Internal Med are here for your viewing pleasure (fully anonymous). We’re hoping to add more in the future, including Pre-Med personal statements. If you’ve got one to add to the free library, don’t forget to contribute yours.
My passion for Internal Medicine grew during my clinical rotations where I was inspired by numerous physicians. The internists were both knowledgeable and skilled. I eagerly spent my free hours sitting on the wards, interacting with my patients to learn more about their symptoms, and analyze their disease pathophysiology. I found myself actively involved in ward duties and life and death struggles. I almost started my career as a physician right after my internship, until I learned the shocking news that my classmate and a good friend, was diagnosed with Leydig-Cell testicular tumor with lung metastases. I buried myself into the medical literature concerning Leydig cell cancer and eventually had to accept that there was nothing that could be done once metastases occurred. I still remember last time I saw him on the ward. He pretended to be strong in front of his parents , but whispered privately to me his fear of death and his unfulfilled dreams. I felt so helpless that I could not save him or prolong his life. It was at that time that I decided to devote myself to academic medicine – not only to treat the disease, but also to research it, and to fight against it. I came to United States after my internship, to follow my dream: to become an outstanding physician-scientist.
I am proud to have completed my PhD studies in the Department of Pathology, University of State, and later, research fellowship at the Department of Medicine of State. Throughout my graduate training in United States, I have been further inspired by great teachers, i.e., Dr. J, my thesis advisor, and Dr. Z, my postdoctoral mentor. They are both physician-scientists. Working under their guidance, I gained invaluable insights in academic medicine and also received solid training in molecular biology and genetic research. Years of hard work in research yielded fruitful results: I published fourteen first-authored and co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals and had the opportunity to present at national and international conferences.
Beyond basic research, I also learned first hand knowledge of how modern clinical practice occurs in the U.S. After discussing my dream of being an outstanding physician-scientist with Dr. Z, he brought me to his clinic to see patients with him. Studying with him, I gained invaluable knowledge, far beyond what I could learn from textbooks. The first patient I encountered with him was Mr.C, a 40-year-old musician, with twin boys. He suffered from Ulcerative Colitis for four years. During physical examination, I noticed he was wearing a diaper and later found out that he had several embarrassing experiences of fecal incontinence. Later, Dr. D told me that Mr. C might eventually need to have his colon removed due to unresponsiveness to medications. That night, I could not fall asleep, thinking of the poor quality of life ahead of him. I decided I would stand on the front line to fight against this disease as I pursued my medical career. I want to combine my basic science abilities with clinical skills to fully understand the basic molecular impairments with IBD, to devise and test new strategies for treatment, to care and to even prevent it.
Through my experience in clinical rotations and research, Internal Medicine is the best place for me to integrate my basic science knowledge with clinical care. I believe that I have become equipped with important skills for an internal medicine residency. My passion, my disciplined work-ethic, my critical thinking, and my sense of confidence will allow me to conquer any challenge. In addition, I will also bring my knowledge and advanced training I have received during my PhD and postdoctoral studies to my future residency program, and these will allow me to make a great contribution to the team. Upon completing residency I intend to pursue a fellowship in gastroenterology. My dream is to be able to have direct clinical contact with patients, to teach, to be at the cutting edge of clinical research advances, and to become a leader in translational work.