PERSONL STATEMENT

It is an equally captivating how doctors are skilled to treating the intricacies of the human body,
it never attracted me. My interest in the field of surgery began when I started my house job,
before I always considered myself eccentric in the field of medicine. That day when I realized
surgery is an art! That was the first day when I experienced tingling sensation down my spine, a
tireless journey of repulsion and disagreement between my heart and brain during my medical
school ended there. A person who hate the field, only was keeping the words of his father,
suddenly discovered it most darling among all other careers.

Here my ambition starts, planned to attain for the best, which could only be Neurosurgery. Now
every next moment I found myself more and more pulled towards the field. Industrious and
challenging field of neurosurgery seemed a darling to me, I was the only student among my
contemporaries who opted this field. Every forthcoming day it gave me the pleasant surprise,
where I discovered new windows opening in horizon of my expectations. Since, those days it has
never stopped mesmerizing me.

Devoting my initial experience at my local hospital, and after my board in Neurosurgery, I joined
spine as subspecialty, I was privileged enough to see and learnt different arms of Neurosurgery,
meeting not only neurospine but orthospine surgeons was a great experience. Here I witnessed
the true depth of knowledge within neurosurgery related subspecialties. It made me realize that
my journey is a lifelong process of self-improvement. Being able to specialize in the future, and
make a field of neurosurgery/Spine surgery my own is a thrilling viewpoint, and even though I
may be taking exams until my mid-life.

Moreover, with the future ever advancing the quality of management, success within the field
should be even more collective and fulfilling. An example of this was during my time following a
consultant, who revealed that he is now able to operate successfully more patients than ever
before. Although I am aware that this profession sometimes has downsides, such as mortality,
which is something I have encountered during my experience, I believe I have the strength to
deal with it so that it must not jeopardize my decision making.
A further highlight of my work experience was witnessing a spinal attachment with Professor
Mehmet Zileli as I learnt so much with him. The atmosphere was so deceptively relaxed playing
music, yet focused, and considering the complexity of the operation, prof was so assured, so
calm. It felt that self-care and time management is also as important as anything else in our field.
He always made us realized that each member in the room as important as each other, from the
nurses to the surgeons fellows, witnessing the team in action made me realize how surgery is not
purely a solo effort, and how important teamwork skills are. What was even more surprising was
the complex technology used, like MISS (minimally invasive spine surgery). Being able to embrace
this in the future is something I greatly look forward to.

I initially wanted to volunteer due to my grandmother, who became disabled. The gratitude I
received through aiding her daily outweighed the sometimes unpleasant chores and I felt
humbled.

But aside from academics, I have a profound passion for cricket. Despite my hectic schedule, I
use to manage my time effectively and fit cricket around my tight schedule. Through cricket I
have been able to meet a multitude of people from different backgrounds, as well as having
experienced leadership through captaincy, whereby I have had to make hard decisions under
pressure, raise team morale and lead from the front.

I feel that being a neurosurgeon is not less than a blessing from my father for me as now I can
realize no other job is able to provide me perfect harmony between satisfaction and hard work,
I know that I have the ability to make a really positive, lasting impression in this world of medicine
due to the combination of my fascination, ambition, drive and empathy.

Irfanullah SHAH.