Study Plan - KGSP scholarship 2017 - Master Degree in Plastic Surgery

Hello, here I am needing your help again.
I was required to write a Study Plan (as well as a Future Plan, but I will post it in another thread when that is done) as my statement of purpose for the KGSP Scholarship and the prompt was:

Goal of study, title or subject of research, and detailed study plan

Because I am applying via embassy track I have to choose 3 universities, so I decided not to speak about one institution in particular but I tried to focus on the general aspects common to all three of them that made me decided to go for them.

I'm also not really sure about the research part, as here where I live Master's degree students do not choose their subject of research but professors assign it to them during the course, so I was a bit at loss. Anyway, here's my draft.

enhancing knowledge in plastic surgery field

Study Plan

The choice of pursuing a Master Degree in Plastic Surgery came from the need to enhance my knowledge in the field of study I wish to progress in. As all specialistic subjects it is not treated as in depth as other branches of the medical science during our undergraduate program, such as general pathology, general surgery or internal medicine. Therefore I would take this chance to learn in depth about the pathologies and the clinical conditions interesting from the plastic surgery point of view and also the treatments that they require.

There are also many innovations that are being made in plastic surgery, such as the recent development of microsurgery, or the studies that are being conducted on adipose cells derived stem cells. Even the possibility of transplants is currently being researched for its possible clinical application, something that not so long ago could only be imagined in this field. Progressing my studies with this master degree would mean to also gain a knowledge on these matters that I consider a fundamental step in the education of an aspiring plastic surgeon as they represent what we could be working with in the future. I believe that in the constantly going forward world that is medicine, wanting to go ahead with only traditional knowledge is unrealistic and that we, as future specialists, are required to know as much as I can on newer techniques and undergoing researches.

Even though I am interested in plastic surgery as a whole I am particularly fascinated in the head and neck oncology. I find extremely interesting how plastic surgery allows the excision of a tumor and the reconstruction of the removed part, thus preserving as much as possible the integrity of the structure. Even though this is true not only in the head and neck surgery, I think it's even more important in this area considering that our face is what identifies us most, therefore any deformity or mutilation in this particular region might have serious repercussions on the individual and influence his ability to go back to a normal life even after the illness is cured.

In regard of that I would like to research how the newest discoveries in plastic surgery may apply to head and neck oncology, in order to get even better results in terms of reconstruction. I would like my research not to be limited to only collecting evidence on how those innovations improved the outcome of the operation but to also comprehend how it influence the quality of life perceived by the patient.

Doing so in a university which values the personal growth and development of the individual and that puts great emphasis on innovation and research in order to build a better future to live in, would be not only beneficial to me, but a great privilege. I looked for an institution who could offer not only great teaching, but could also provide the individual with adaptability, with the ability to contribute to society and with the constant desire to search for self improvement and the means to reach for it. I believe that the universities that I chose will help me reaching this goal and will help me become a good professional by making me a great person to begin with.

There is a need for further specifications in your study plan. While the general idea behind head and neck oncology is represented in your essay, what you need to define, is which area of the head or neck you wish to focus on for your research. Bear in mind that these types of oncology are broad and cover the oral cavity, salivary glands, paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx (voicebox), and lymph nodes in the neck. You need to properly develop a study plan that focuses on only one topic instead of numerous, under researched topics.

As a masters degree student, you are expected to gain an expertise in one field. So, as a plastic surgery masters degree graduate, you will need to focus on one area for your research, but then gain training in the overall field during your internship, slowly focusing on a particular field of specialization over the years.

Which of these areas are the most commonly affected by cancer in your opinion? How devastating are the repercussions of the removal of the tumor? What kind of non invasive tumor removal surgery might you be able to develop based upon research? Or is your goal to shrink the tumor and allow it to simply melt away using drugs and laser procedures? Think of the question you want to answer, develop a possible response, how might that response be best researched, then include that in your study plan. These will cover the goal, the subject, and the details of your study plan.