Personal Statement in relations to my interest and reasons for wanting to apply for the degree programme in Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine (BPodM)

According to the National Health Survey carried out in 2004 by the Ministry of Health (MOH), 328,000 people in Singapore aged between 18 and 69 were reported as having diabetes mellitus. Moreover, The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, by 2030, with increased life-expectancy, 695,000 Singaporeans will have diabetes (Emuang, n.d.). The Ministry of Health (2006) statistics rank diabetes as the seventh leading cause of death in Singapore, with 3.3 per cent of deaths attributed to the disease (Chio, 2008). These have resulted in escalating concerns about problems in educating, screening and treating with the increasing trends of diabetes, aging population and obesity increases.

Foot problems in patients with diabetes are a major public health concern. Cavanagh et al (2008) asserts that the complication of diabetes most relevant to the lower extremities are distal peripheral neuropathy and, to a lesser extent, peripheral vascular disease. Losing part of a limb or major amputation are the most feared problems among patients with diabetes mellitus. Sensation loss predisposes the patient to unrecognised injury and ulceration (Rahman et al, 2006). In a few unfortunate cases pointed by Charanga et al (2004) this leads to infection and amputation. It has been observed that thickening of skin and increased pressure in the foot sole precede ulceration. Therefore, it is essential to find and quantify patients at risk of ulceration and getting clinician to make appropriate steps to prevent ulceration and amputation. As such I foresee that more and more qualified podiatrists are in demand to prevent escalating effect of diabetes in the future. With this, I personally think that podiatrist is a highly field to be explored and researched on especially in Singapore context. I am interested in diabetic foot care, biomechanics and sports medicine.

An important reason why I am interested in studying podiatry is the career prospect. Although I am equipped with a diploma in Biomedical Engineering, I am confident that I have the necessary skills, attributes and commitment to complete this demanding course. During my final year project, I did a project entitled ““Analysis of plantar pressure in diabetic type 2 subjects with and without neuropathy” (Rahman et al, 2006; Acharya et al, 2008). We published 2 papers based on this work. This project has enriched and exposed me to the health sciences field especially in an evidence-based research. Moreover, my engineering background could perhaps enhance the education, training and experience that come along studying with this degree. This degree will train myself to become a professional podiatrist who deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of medical and surgical conditions of the feet and lower limbs.

I will learn how to assess, diagnose and treat foot ailments. Being someone who is interested especially wound care and rehabilitation, I am adamant in understanding and explore minor foot conditions such as ingrown toenails, corns and calluses, to more complex conditions such as sports injuries, foot deformities and side effects from other medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus which is a prevalent disease in my home country, Singapore. With an increasing healthcare institutions (e.g. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (under construction) and Jurong General Hospital (planned)) sprouting in Singapore, I really hope that I could be part of the healthcare professional sphere in treating foot conditions before they become a problem, by providing preventive medicines.

Another reason is that I like interacting with people on a daily basis. The strong emphasis on hands-on podiatry practice, such as clinical practice and internships are what I am looking for in a job. In a nutshell, it is actually a more practical sense in fulfilling my ambition in helping others as well as providing a good clinical care for a greater good. Being 24 years old, I know what I want in life, which is to get a good education that enables me to contribute back to society. My interpersonal skills through social communication and interactions have improved throughout the years. My final year project helped me to be approachable and to work closely with patients while collecting diabetic data. Not only that, my industry attachment programme at Alexandra Hospital which I am responsible in provisioning breakdown services, preventive maintenance and commissioning new equipment provided me with the analytical, interpersonal communication and computations skills which I could implement during my study as an podiatrist.

The last reason is my love of science and aspiration for a medical career is reflected in my polytechnic choice where good time management, self motivated study skills and ability to cope with stress and pressure are essential. Modules such as biomechanics which I took have helped me further my interest and develop my analytical skills whereas mathematics improves my problem solving skills, which helps me to work logically. Ngee Ann polytechnic’s integrated computer environment gives me a valuable insight into the rapidly developing technological world where computers are crucial. I believe all the qualities I have developed through my courses are essential for any good podiatrist.

In conclusion, it is evident that podiatry is a vast field to be explored in Singapore; therefore the demand of podiatrists should be well received. The career prospect, interaction with people and the love for science should be my good testaments in being a good podiatrist. I hope the University of Western Australia’s selection committee could deliberate, evaluate and weight my reasons for application in the Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine (BPodM) Programme. Below are two referees for your references. I look forward to the challenges and range of experiences that awaits me in higher education and university life. Thank you.

References
1.Acharya R.U., Rahman, M.A., Aziz Z., Tan P.H., Ng E.Y.K., Yu W., Law C., Subramaniam T., Wong Y.S., Sum C.F. (2008). Computer-based identification of plantar pressure in diabetic type 2 subjects with and without neuropathy. Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology (JMMB), USA, 8(3), 363-375. Retrieved January 02, 2010 from http://www.worldscinet.com/jmmb/08/0803/S0219519408002668.html
2.Cavanagh, P.R. and Ulbrecht, J.S. (2008). Levin and O’Neal’s the diabetic foot 7th Edition. Section A, topic 6: The biomechanics of the foot in diabetic mellitus. Philadelphia: Mosby Elsevier, 115-185. Retrieved January 02, 2010 from http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=M7ENEwXCTYwC&pg=PT132&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q=&f=false
3.Charanga, G., Patil, K.M., Narayanmurthy, V.B., Parivalan, R., Visnanathan, K. (2004). Effect of foot sole hardness, thickness and footwear on foot pressure distribution parameters in diabetic neuropathy. Proc. Instn Mech, Engrs, Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 218, Part H, 431-443. Retrieved January 02, 2010 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15648667
4.Chio, S.M. (2008, June 07). Health Promotion Board (HPB) kicks off six-month diabetes awareness campaign. Channel NewsAsia. Article retrieved January 02, 2010 from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/352604/1/.html
5.Emuang, K.G. (n.d). Young with Diabetes. National Healthcare Group. Article retrieved January 02, 2010 from http://www.nhgiplc.com/files/healthBites/others/YoungWithDiabetes.pdf
6.Rahman, M.A., Aziz Z., Acharya R.U., Tan P.H., Natarajan K., Ng E.Y.K, Law C., Subramaniam T., Wong Y.S. (2006). Analysis of plantar pressure in diabetic type 2 subjects with and without neuropathy. Innovations and Technology in Biology and Medicine (ITBM-RBM), France, 27(2), 46-55. Retrieved January 02, 2010, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science
7.The Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore web site (http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/default.aspx)
8.The Podiatry Association of Singapore web site(http://www.podiatryassociationsingapore.com/)