What I would like to contribute to medicine

[Bored_Conscious]

So, I need some advice regarding a secondary prompt that says the following: What would you like to contribute and be remembered for in medicine?

I know I am going to discuss hoping to be remembered as an empathetic and communicative physician by my patients. However, I would also like to discuss my desires to make some sort of contribution to research. In particular, I have always wanted to make significant contributions to the field of autoimmunity and IBD (I have Crohn's). Is this too specific? Is it an unreasonable/overly ambitious expectation to have these kinds of aspirations? Like...should I just be satisfied with being a good physician?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted1025488]

Just my thoughts as an applicant: being direct and more personal (without you forcing yourself to be unique) is probably better than talking about how you want to be an "empathetic and communicative physician." I feel like the latter, although maybe is something you want to be remembered for, is like....required to be a physician in the first place so it's pretty bland as something that you'd contribute, as everyone should have it. Maybe I'm being too black and white here in my thinking, but I think your second points would make a better essay. Maybe someone else can chime in!

 

[LizzyM]

I've always thought that saying that you'd like to be remembered for the seven figure donation you made to your alma mater might bring a smile but it might not be the right approach. 😉

You can always say that you'd like to be remembered by your patients as someone who was an empathetic listener and communicator and by your fellow physicians as a major contributor to our understanding of the effect of the immune system on IBD.