Statement of Purpose

SHEIKH MD SHAFIQUR RAHMAN

UNIVERSITY of Hertfordshire

MSc Clinical Dermatology Application

September 2020
The skin is the first line of defense of human body against the outside of the environment. It is the
largest organ of human body that comprises many of the dualities of medicine which makes it so
complex. The skin has both living and dead components and does require probiotics on the surface
to keep out the pathogens. The skin also plays a role as a barrier against all the environmental
pollutants. My interest about the skin was grown up during middle school period when I saw a
diagram of the layers of skin and it showed that the outer layer was completely covered and
replenished with dead cells on a continuous basis. During medical school the various applications
of clinical dermatology made me more interested towards a career as a dermatologist. My passion
always has been in dermatology since I entered into the medical school and for this reason, I am
applying to MSc in clinical dermatology program.

During my clinical internship rotation, I personally embraced every opportunity to focus on the
dermatological diseases as well as skin conditions as a medical student. I continued to find
“dermatology” patients in every department; babies with severe eczema in pediatrics, a patient
with metastatic melanoma in surgery, a woman with pulmonary sarcoidosis who presented with
cutaneous granulomas in internal medicine and in family medicine numerous patients with skin
conditions that often bewildered their primary care providers. The more patients I saw with skin
diseases, the more I wanted to see and learn.

During my rotation in department of dermatology, I had the opportunity to work at skin disease
center at the hospital. This experience exposed me to applications of dermatology in the field of
oncology, geriatrics, nutrition, and disease. I learned that pathologies of the skin can be sign of
different systemic disease, and how different skin diseases could also develop systemically.

I can bring this transferrable practical knowledge and skills to enrich post graduation study and
make my learning more meaningful and gain the maximum output from this study. This MSc in
clinical dermatology has been designed to provide theoretical knowledge and practical skills in
dermatology which will be a great benefit to me as I will get dermatology post graduate level
knowledge through this course which I have always dreamed of in my medical career profession.
This course will give me the opportunity to learn to learn clinical dermatology practiced in the UK
and other developed countries that are advanced in the arear of dermatology. My knowledge and
skills so far have been limited to my native country to local extent. This practice-led MSc study
will give me a real chance to expand my horizon at border level with global context of dermatology
practice.

In this clinical dermatology post graduate course, I will have the chance to gain higher level
academic knowledge and professional skills in the area of the skin disease, diagnostic techniques,
skin histopathology, disorders of skin and mucous membrane, environmental and lifestyle factors,
immunology and biology, cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease, inflammatory skin
conditions, microbiology of the skin, pigmented skin disease, skin cancer, surgical intervention,
psychological impact of skin disease, patient education and optimal service delivery – a wide range
of crucial areas that will allow me to get insights of dermatology. Some of my earlier study units
at my Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery have similarities in learning to the above though
at lower level. Nonetheless, those will complement this MSc learning and give me a strong base
to build higher blocks of knowledge that this post graduate course has to offer at diverse level.
From this advanced level dermatological studies, I will learn to develop methods of inquiry as well
as skills required to research and advanced dermatology practice using in-depth current and
relevant evidence base; accomplish knowledge and understanding to foster the further
development of critical, contemporary, evidence based and patient centered practice in
dermatology. I will also be able to acquire a systematic advanced knowledge and understanding of
the application of specialist dermatology to practice in the context of multi-professional as well as
inter-professional working in the contemporary healthcare setting.

This post graduate studies in dermatology will indeed provide me firm grounding foundation in
the fundamentals of clinical and scientific dermatology, clinical instruction and the scientific
contents of dermatology. I will have better understanding of skin disorders, upskill in the diagnostic
and management of dermatological disorders, plan and organize a literature review in a coherent
and scientific manner on a specific topic in dermatology applied understanding of how established
techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interrupt knowledge in an appropriate
clinical setting. With the advanced knowledge skills, I will have enhanced confidence to practice
as competent health professional and conquer medical challenges related to dermatology in my
objective to provide expert service in the treatment of patients.

One important thing I have observed in recent times that is to say post “Social Media Era” people
are becoming beauty conscious more than ever, especially women and teenage girls are into this
and they are using non-scientific methods to get rid of dermatological issues. It is real fact that
those dermatological issues are on rise. Now a days, not only the female population but also the
male population are conscious about their physical appearance and they are also becoming beauty
conscious day by day. As a physician, I can understand how depressing and anxious it is for all
women as well as men not to have right advise and management of dermatological conditions. It
is not only about looking good but also feeling good. There are several dermatological issues
related to pollution, weather, profession, cosmetics usage, aesthetic beauty, age, inheritance etc.
which can be dealt with evidence based practice and modern technology. So, there is a great
demand in society for trained dermatologists. For this reason, I would like to pursue this advanced
post graduate level degree in dermatology in order to establish my future medical career as a
specialist dermatologist.

Dermatologic conditions significantly impact patients’ quality of life whether it is the

embarrassment caused by disfiguring acne, a decline in social status, or the taunting and teasing
experienced by young generations; dermatology is more deep than skin. In addition, I have noticed
that dermatologic conditions extend over multiple medical specialties which make knowledge of
these conditions invaluable to any physician. As a result, I have a cherished desire to obtain
advanced dermatological skills in order to excel in dermatology as well as become a proficient
consultant of dermatology and I would like to join the field gladly that diagnoses and treats these
dermatologic diseases and ultimately helps to restore a sense of self-confidence of the patients.

As an aspiring dermatologist, I know that I will face many patients with different types of skin
diseases. I believe that this post graduate level advanced dermatology program will broaden my
medical knowledge in the field of clinical dermatology as well as make me capable to diagnose
and treat my patients in a better way and enhance my medical career as a dermatologist in the
future and provide me skills and knowledge that I need to become a dermatology specialist.