Askanda Osman

Personal Statement
I grew up in a remote and a desolate farming community in rural Ghana where access to most basic healthcare was nonexistent, and the tragic regularity with which people died was heartbreaking. Most people who were sick rarely saw a physician because the only clinic in the district was simply too far away. Those who did manage to make the arduous journey to the clinic had to wait endless hours to see a doctor. People died of curable diseases and pregnant women rarely saw a physician during their pregnancies. For young people growing up in such a trying environment with uncertain futures, the next logical step was to seek greener pastures in the city. Through hard work and tenacity, I was accepted to the University of Ghana to pursue a degree in Business Administration. While in my first year in college, I began to contemplate my future career path. I asked myself if I would be happy working in a bank while there were many communities in my village that were in dire need of physicians. In what ways could I impact the lives of people from my village? After a period of introspection, I knew I was ready to make the necessary commitment to study medicine. However, the rigidity of Ghana’s educational system dampened my newfound aspirations; It was not possible for students to study medicine at the university if they did not pursue a science major in secondary school. This was precisely my case. No matter how passionate I was about becoming a physician, I was compelled to continue with my business degree. Fortunately, when I moved to the United States after graduating from business school, I found out that I could pursue a career in medicine regardless of my undergraduate major. I seized this opportunity, took the needed prerequisite classes and applied to medical school.

Why I Chose Cincinnati
When I was thinking about where to go for residency, one major factor was to stay in Ohio because of my friends. On my interview day at UC I had fun. Apart from the amazing group of people at UC, Dr. Warm’s presentation sealed the deal for me. The passion with which he talked about resident education showed how the program is invested in my growth as a resident.

MD: University of Louisville School of Medicine

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati  Ohio, 45267
OSMANAN@UCMAIL.UC.EDU