Internal Medicine Residency

Like many adolescents growing up in the suburbs of a major city, I had dreams of someday engaging in dogfights far above the streets or frantically pursuing bank robbers. My childhood fantasies quickly dissolved, however, when at the age of 13 I was faced with the harsh reality of my father's paralysis. From that point on, my definition of heroism became rooted in the courageous battle my father fought with the disease that had left him bedridden, and with the efforts of his new physician, Dr. Douglas, who quickly became my most important role model. Looking back, I have realized that it was his bedside manner, his many-comforting conversations, and his unrelenting approach to his patients' problems that influenced me so greatly and unexpectedly.

In an effort to be more like Dr. Douglas, I strove to develop varied abilities at school. Serving as President of the Muslim Student Association and the Pakistani Club, as a student coach for school volleyball team and as a volunteer tutor for ESL students, I incorporated a balance of academics, athletics, and leadership into my high school experience. During this time, my interest in medicine was further reinforced by my encounters as a volunteer at Northern Virginia Community Hospital. Although I could not treat the patients, I was able to provide companionship and emotional support, which helped them in their recovery and provided me in return with a great sense of fulfillment.

At Marymount University, my interests in science and research prompted me to study Biology with a concentration in Cellular and Molecular Biology. In the course of my studies, I participated in a research project involving turtle egg incubation methods, completed my internship at The Institute for Genomic Research, and worked part time to help support myself. Following graduation, I took a year off from academics, and then entered Ross University of Medicine in the fall of 2002. I was highly successful in my basic sciences year with the exception of my third semester, when my father's worsening condition distracted me from my studies.

When I entered my clinical years, I truly hit my stride, finding them engrossing, intellectually challenging, and ultimately very rewarding both emotionally and educationally. In particular, my favorite experiences have been the core internal medicine rotation, where I discovered many of the challenging tasks of primary care: the establishment of an extended relationship with the patients and their