Urology is a field where surgical competence, compassion, and sensitivity are paramount to patient care. I believe my personal strengths and experiences will allow me to succeed in the area.
My interest in urology began in college. I lived in a fraternity and served as a Peer Health Counselor while attending UCLA. This meant conducting student seminars discussing topics ranging from dysuria to sexually transmitted diseases. I felt privileged to be confided in by so many people about their intimate personal problems. As a result of this experience, I authored a paper exploring the psychogenic versus the organic causes of impotence among the elderly as a class project during my senior year.
After college, my road to becoming a physician took a detour. I worked in a business management company for the music entertainment industry and then started and operated a computer consulting company. These experiences taught me critical organizational skills, self-discipline, and knowledge of the inner workings of computer hardware and software.
My vision to pursue urology came into sharp focus in medical school. After my first exposure to the operating room, I realized the structure, teamwork, and the challenge of the various surgeries had sparked an interest in me. I jumped at the opportunity to do everything in the operating room, from starting IVs and intubating the patient to closing the wound. I enjoy staying late in the hospital, which means more opportunities to be involved with cases I would have otherwise missed. My interest and love of surgery were reflected in receiving a rating of 11 out of 10 from my first surgical clerkship, as well as excellent comments from all of my preceptors. Coincidentally, it was during my urology rotation that my father suffered urinary retention secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Through the process and my father's experience, I could fully appreciate the prevalence and management of prostatic diseases and other urologic abnormalities. Just when I thought the cases could not become any more interesting, I was fortunate enough to assist in a ureteral-appendiceal interposition in a trauma patient. Needless to say, I was fascinated. After speaking with practicing urologists both in private and academic settings, I decided that I want to combine my natural ability to discuss sensitive issues and my love for the operating room with the fascination I have dealing with urological pathologies.
I have balanced my academic and clinical endeavors with an active personal life. Shortly after I immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan at age 11, I became involved with two-way amateur radio communications. I enjoy the ability to succinctly and accurately relay messages. I have found this to be an essential skill both in and out of the operating room. With English as my second language, I especially welcome the challenge of public speaking. Synthesizing my knowledge of medical education as a student and personal computers, I frequently give presentations in front of large audiences. In my spare time, I like to run, play basketball, and weightlift. Having completed a marathon and numerous 10K runs, I feel that I have the stamina to endure the rigors of a surgical subspecialty. Lastly, there is nothing more relaxing than spending a weekend with friends snow skiing on a monoski.
My varied interests make deciding on my future goals in urology a problematic task. There are many topics in urology that intrigue me, and I cannot decide on a specific area at the moment. I would consider furthering my training in a fellowship program as I learn more about what is available. To combine my desire for public speaking, love for helping others, and ability to explain complex topics briefly, I am confident that I will be involved with teaching. I want to continue my clinical research efforts and to practice urology in an academic setting eventually.
I seek a well-balanced program that will further my intellectual and technical development through varied and numerous surgical cases, along with exposure to different subspecialties within urology. Combining my personal strengths and education with a strong residency program, I am looking forward to incorporating compassion with results in becoming a urologist.
