I am a New Yorker, a physician, a woman of Italian origins, who has dedicated her to life to the study of medicine for many years now. For some time, my personal reading and intellectual progression have been in the area of psychiatry. Now a mature doctor at the age of 38, this trend continues to deepen, and I hope to continue my special dedication to psychiatry throughout the balance of my professional life. I am enormously responsible, and a quick learner, and most associates compliment me on my sense of humor. I feel that I could be an asset to your team.
I feel privileged to have the opportunity to be a physician. Mine has been a long and winding path to becoming a doctor. I have tested myself, setting concrete goals to pursue and sticking to them with great diligence. First, I became an accomplished nurse and then chose to pursue and attain an MBA. Throughout this period, my goal of becoming a physician never left me, always hovering in the background. While I was highly successful in nursing and business, as well as becoming a mother, I followed my heart and went through medical school. The challenge was great, especially since I also had to care for my son, but the rewards have been most worthwhile.
Throughout the course of my many years of study, what I have found most fascinating have been the behavioral sciences and especially neuroscience. I even considered a career in neurology for a while since I find the brain so overwhelmingly intriguing. It was not until the clinical rotations that I decided to pursue psychiatry—for various reasons, primarily because psychiatry focuses on the aspects of the brain that I find more interesting. I also came to understand more than what I most love about practicing medicine is interpersonal interactions. My psychiatry clerkship further reinforced my passionate drive to pursue a career specialty in psychiatry.
I firmly believe that I have much to contribute to the practice of psychiatry as I am empathic, enthusiastic, hard-working, creative, and I have always enjoyed a natural ability to connect with people. I am genuinely interested in other people’s lives, especially the many ways in which they suffer. My diverse work and educational experiences have enhanced my communication skills and ability to adapt to challenging situations. As a nurse, I learned how to listen to patients most effectively and to value the enormous assistance that an empathetic person can be to a sick patient. As a business person, I am fascinated by the complex mental health system and look forward to contributing some of my business savvy to helping your program meet some of the many challenges facing mental health systems today.
I am seeking a program that includes a good integration of physical and psychotherapy training and opportunities in clinical and neuroscientific research. I find the future of psychiatry especially exciting as we continue to make progress in our understanding of genetics, pathophysiology, and psychopharmacology, and I keenly look forward to the opportunity to improve assessments and treatment options for patients. I hope to join a residency team that fosters an atmosphere of learning and has an exceptional level of camaraderie between residents. After residency, I hope to continue my work in adult inpatient psychiatry. Ideally, in the future, I would most like to work at an academic medical center where I would have the opportunity to participate in research as well as the privilege of sharing in administrative responsibilities. While I foresee that patient care will always be the central focus of my career, I am also interested in improving the quality and delivery of the healthcare system.
I am well aware that the profession of Psychiatry comes with many challenges and frustrations, but also the incomparable rewards of alleviating the distress and disability caused by psychiatric disorders. I am excited and eager to start my career in psychiatry. I hope to make a meaningful contribution to my patients, the field of psychiatry as a whole, and the rapidly evolving health care system that is evolving in America today.