Emergenc Emergency Medicine Personal Statement

The patient had suddenly gone into cardiac arrest. People surrounded the bed, so I went aside to observe. The resident asked for someone to take over bag-valve-mask ventilation while she prepared for intubation. At first, I was unsure whether I was allowed at the head of the bed. When I took the bag from her, I could see the appreciation in her face. This was my first time ventilating an actual patient, and I struggled in maintaining a tight seal on the mask. The resident patiently worked with me to improve my technique, and when I finally got it, I felt so proud of what I had accomplished. While continuing to squeeze the bag, I truly felt like I was part of the team and playing an important role in attempting to save that patient’s life. As I experienced more moments like this, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in emergency medicine. …show more content…
I like how important teamwork is in the emergency room. Experiences during which the team works together towards a common goal have been the most rewarding. These include helping to place a difficult I.V., assisting in obtaining an almost-champagne spinal tap, and contributing to successful resuscitations. I enjoy the numerous learning opportunities that the wide variety and large volume of patients have to offer. With the guidance of attendings, residents, nurses, and staff, I have learned many practical skills during each patient encounter. I find it fascinating that there is nothing routine in emergency medicine. The uncertainty of what problem may present makes each shift exciting, yet the certainty that I helped ease someone’s suffering by the end of the shift is satisfying. While the responsibility to be prepared for anything is daunting, I accept it as motivation to be the most knowledgeable and confident physician I can