Adesiretopositivelyimpactthelivesofotherswhilebeingintellectuallyengagedandconstantly

challengedledmetomedicine.Aftersevenyearsoftraininginmedicalschool,thosegoals,combinedwith
thefeelingofaccomplishmentgainedthroughmyexperiencewithdirectlyandphysicallycontributingto
thehealthofmypatientswhileonsurgicalrotations,drovemetopursueacareerinsurgery.
IwillneverforgetthedaywhenIdidmyfirsthomevisittoacancerpatientasavolunteeroftheNational
HospiceInstitute.Thepatienthadmetastaticcoloncancerandwaslivinginapoorfinancialconditionthat
kepthimfromgettingsurgeryearlier.Astimewentby,hispainincreasedsomuchthathehadtoseek
medicalhelpagain.Unfortunately,itturnedouttobelivermetastaseswithalargebowelobstructionand
thedoctorwasunabletohelphimwithanoperation.AllthatIcouldgivehimonthatdaywaspain
medicationandconsolation.However,ittouchedmedeeplywhenhekeptaskingmeagainandagainifhe
couldhavesurgerytorelievehissuffering.ItwasatthatmomentthatIrealizedwhiletheultimategoalis
cureofpatient,stilltherearesituationsinwhichsurgerycanthelpandtheimportanceoflearningwhento
operateandwhennottooperate.
MyfirstintroductiontothepracticeofmedicineintheUnitedStateswasa2monthclinicalrotationof
internalmedicineatStanfordHospitalthatwassponsoredbytheLiKaShingFoundation.Thisrotation
gavemeagoodunderstandingoftheAmericanhealthcaresystemrangingformpatientcentered
philosophytoresidencytraining,whichisverydifferentfromthepracticeofmedicineinChina.Afterthat,
whileconductingclinicalresearchoftargetgenesinesophagealcancer,Icompletedanother2surgical
rotationatHarvardandYale.Stricttraininginmedicalschoolhasequippedmewiththeknowledgeof
basicsurgicalskillsandfamiliaritywithsimplesurgicalprocedures.Thisprovidedthefoundationformeto
beasolidteammateineachrotation.Afterfamiliarizingmyselftothesysteminafewdays,Ifeltexcited
andmotivatedaboutusingmyhandsintheinterestofhealing.ItwasduringtheserotationsthatIlearnedto
workwithmyhandsandcompletesimplesurgicalprocedures.Despitebusyschedules,goodteamwork
betweendoctors,studentsandnursesboostedtheefficiencydramatically.Isawthevalueofteamwork
complementingleadershipfromsurgeons,andIwasexcitedtoseenewtechnologybothinresearchandin
theoperatingroom.Ilearnedthateachpatientandscenariocouldbringauniquechallengetowhatmay
seemlikeastandardsurgicalprocesssinceunexpectedthingscouldhappenandthesurgeonsmustalways
bepreparedfortheunexpected.Themostfeaturedpointofsurgicalservicetomeisthatitisproblem
focused,requiringnotonlysurgicalskillsbutalsoenormousknowledgeofmedicinetoevaluatepatients
prudentlybeforeoperationsandhandlevariedpostoperativecomplications.Inlinewiththisthought,Ifind
thatthepatientcontactitselfismeaningfulandrewarding.Ithinkthisisduemainlytothefactthatpatient
interactionsarelargelygoalorientedthemselves.Intheperspectiveofcancerpatients,Ihavebeenamazed
athowtheyallowyoutowitnesstheirvulnerabilitiesandtheirtriumphs.Itisanultimatesenseof
satisfactiontobeabletooffersomeoneatreatmentthatcouldbelifesaving,lifeprolonging,orevenjust
painrelieving.
DuringmyrotationsinChinaandtheUnitedStates,theimportanceofteachingbothclinicalmedicineand
surgicaltechniqueshasbeenobvious.AsaseniorstudentIvolunteeredtohelpoutbytutoringjuniorsin
anatomyclasswhileIwasinmy3rdyear.Iwastoucheddeeplybyhowateacherwhospendsextratime
canmakeadifference.Thelookofclarityandunderstandingthatwashesoverastudentsfacewhenheor
shesuddenlyfiguresoutadifficultconceptissomethingIwanttoreproduceinthefuture.

Intodaysenvironmentofspecializationandsubspecialization,Istillfindgeneralsurgeryisriveting.
Generalsurgeryprovidesbroad,yetoftenveryspecializedtraininginalldisciplinesofsurgeryand
medicine.Generalsurgeonsarequalifiedtomangeawidevarietyofailmentsfromgastrointestinalto
endocrinesurgeryandusuallyarethebestpersontomanagepatientsrequiringmultisystemcaresuchas
majortrauma.Tenyearsfromnow,Ienvisionmyselfasaskillfulgeneralsurgeonmakingacontributionto
promotingthegrowthofsurgeryasbothasurgeonandateacher.Toachievethisgoal,Iamlookingfora
programthatcanprovidestructureanddisciplinetomyadvancementinthesurgicalfield.Anenvironment
whereresidentssupporteachotherandstrivetogether,whileattendingsurgeonsarewillingtosharetheir

vastwealthofknowledgewouldbemypreference.IwasdeeplytouchedbyDr.Shellito,whotoldme,
Surgeryisalifelongcareerrequiringfulldedicationofourlife.Assurgeons,weneedtothinkatleastone
stepaheadbecausethisjobisalsoaprivilegegrantedbyourpatientsandtheydeserveourbestefforts.
Throughmyintellectualandtechnicalabilities,Iwillnotonlyprovideservicetopeoplewhentheyarein
theutmostneedbutwillalsotrytoinfluenceyoungdoctorswhentheypracticesurgery.Myloveforthis
fieldwillneverbecompleteuntilIpassthebatontothenextgenerationofdoctors.Thereisasayingin
China,Jianxiansiqi,jianbuxianneizixing(Whichgenerallymeansifyouwanttolearnsomething,
learnfromthebest).ItisbecauseofthisexperienceIhavechosentobetrainedintheUnitedStatesasa
surgeon.Iamadedicatedandtalentedstudent,whoisreadyandeagertobeginmylifelongcommitmentto
surgeryatyourinstitution.