Personal Narrative-Lasting Health Disparities

“Why did I lose my toes?” inquired Mr. X, a seventy-year-old Hispanic man with uncontrolled diabetes and two missing toes. I informed him that his diabetes resulted in his missing digits. Feeling defensive, the patient explained that he had a longstanding history of the disease, and he last visited a doctor fifteen years ago. He listed several factors that impeded him from seeking treatment. He said he worked often; the clinic was too far, and he underestimated the severity of his condition. This patient interaction occurred during my internal medicine clerkship at Reading Hospital. A hospital in one of the poorest cities in the country. As expected, during my rotation, I encountered similar patients to Mr. X. People with severe, debilitating …show more content…
And I observed how poverty and inadequate access to medical care combine to create lasting health disparities that can mar communities for generations. My life experiences coupled with incidents from my clerkship stirred an interest in working in underprivileged areas. Meanwhile, the in-depth teaching, mentoring and camaraderie displayed by internal medicine attendings and residents, inspired me to consider the discipline as a possible career path. Besides, compared to the other specialties, internal medicine offered excellent opportunities to develop the robust medical training necessary to treat complex and complicated patients. But during the application cycle, I took a gap year due to doubts on my prospects and the ambiguity surrounding my choice of location and patient population. During this time off, I rotated at hospitals serving underprivileged areas. I volunteered at the student-run clinic taking care of the impoverished residents of Philadelphia. These experiences reaffirmed by dedication to internal medicine and amplified my wish to work in disadvantaged cities. Thus, I am confident that an internal medicine program will, first, offer an environment for continued growth, both as a lifelong student and as a physician. And second, contribute to my long-term goal of becoming an internist working in needy