personal statement for medical school

Getting an MD doesn’t solely rely on memorizing all the medical theories by going over the medical books. In fact, the medical profession is one of the most dynamic industries. That’s why professionals are required to always be updated with the latest treatments for illnesses. To answer the need for development, teaching hospitals have been put up to provide venues for practice for interns and medical students. Here are some of the finest teaching hospitals in the US :

Johns Hopkins Hospital

John Hopkins Hospital sets the bar after 18 years of continuous excellence by being recognized as the best teaching hospital in the country. Success and breakthroughs in the fields of endocrinology, neurosurgery, pediatrics, and urology have brought many doctors and patients relief and hope for various sicknesses. John Hopkins has produced notable medical professionals who are being nurtured with excellent training and enough resources to continue their research and studies.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

A low mortality data sets Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center apart from others. This teaching hospital provides medical care to patients through its extensive medical services and programs. The advanced medical facilities and brilliant medical practitioners housed in this institution also make it a notable teaching hospital in the US. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center not only provides excellent clinical education and training for interns but also to its residents.

Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital not only prides itself by being one of the oldest medical institutions of the US, but also because of the number of great medical practitioners it has produced. With its partnership with Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital strives to find new and improved ways of providing excellent medical services to patients. Having an annual budget of over US$400 million definitely allows this hospital to provide quality education to interns and other medical professionals as well.

Photo Credit : NCinDC

You may have your plans set on stone the moment you enter medical school. But through the course of your studies, you begin to see other aspects of your would-be profession. Finally, you do get awarded the degree, the title, the responsibility to practice medicine, and another dilemma – what kind of practice should you go into? There are a lot of factors to consider before deciding whether you’d go into private practice or work in a government hospital.

Government vs. private hospitals

Public hospitals are government-run medical institutions, which make healthcare also accessible to indigents. These medical institutions are dependent on the national budget for the supply of medical equipment, the maintenance of the facilities, and for the fees paid to the medical professionals employed in such. Private hospitals, on the other hand, are owned and run by private individuals or entities such as healthcare insurers. Funding comes from the hospital fees that these institutions charge to patients.

Medical facilities and equipment

Excellent medical equipment and facilities are often hard to come by in public hospitals. Usually, the funds allotted for a year of service is very limited. Private hospitals, meanwhile, have enough funds from the fees charged to patients to continually update and develop their facilities and services. If you prefer to work in a hospital that would foster research and development in the field of medicine, as well as easy access to facilities and equipment, practicing in privately run hospital might be good for you.

Salaries and debts

Admittedly, the salary for doctors in public hospitals are not as high as those that doctors in private hospitals. The workload is not the same as well, because more patients flock to public hospitals for the cheap or even free medical services. Private practice allows you to attend to a limited number of patients, as private hospitals usually charge higher fees.

Repaying your debts and loans, however, can be remedied immediately when you work for government hospitals. There are some student loan programs that ask students to perform public service for a certain period of time as a form of payment. But if the salary you get from practicing in a private hospital is enough, you can also repay your debts easily. With a little financial management, you can pay off your loans in just a short while.

Photo Credit : Joe Shlabotnik