Oncology Personal Statement

I have always been a composed and meticulous student who pays great attention to small details. Although these qualities are useful for a doctor, I have never been certain about a career in medicine until last year where a lesson on the cell cycle sparked my interest in oncology.The immense challenges within the course and the profession have made me think thoroughly about the decision; spending a week in a hospital certainly encouraged me to do medicine as a career.

During my week of work experience, I was able to spend a day in the oncology department where I observed an unforgettable experience of an old lady who had advanced ovarian cancer.The oncologist tried to convey the message that coming to the hospital will no longer be beneficial and recommended her to a local hospice where she would receive palliative care. The process was very sentimental and I learnt that a large part of oncology is not prescribing drugs, but dealing with the emotional effects of the patient and their relatives.I was deeply impressed with the oncologist’s ability to remain calm whilst showing empathy, given the fact that he has been treating her for 3 years.This experience clearly demonstrated the professionalism that a doctor needs and the importance of how messages are conveyed from a doctor to a patient—doing it wrongly may have severe impacts on the doctor-patient relationship.