Sponsored by A dmitRx : We are a group of Chicago-based medical students who realize how challenging medical school admissions can be, so we want to provide our future classmates with resources we wish we had. Our mission at AdmitRx is to provide pre-medical students with affordable, personalized, high-quality guidance towards becoming an admitted medical student.
These are all words one would use to describe their motivation by a higher calling to achieve something great. Such an experience is often cited as the reason for students to become physicians; I was not one of these students. Instead of waiting for an event like this, I chose to get involved in the activities that I found most invigorating.
Slowly but surely, my interests, hobbies, and experiences inspired me to pursue medicine. As a medical student, one must possess a solid academic foundation to facilitate an understanding of physical health and illness. Since high school, I found science courses the most appealing and tended to devote most of my time to their exploration. I also enjoyed learning about the music, food, literature, and language of other cultures through Latin and French class.
I chose the Medical Sciences program because it allowed for flexibility in course selection. I have studied several scientific disciplines in depth like physiology and pathology while taking classes in sociology, psychology, and classical studies.
Such a diverse academic portfolio has strengthened my ability to consider multiple viewpoints and attack problems from several angles. Once you submit the application, changes cannot be made. Even though the majority of medical school applicants have not conducted groundbreaking research to cure cancer, built a new hospital, or supplied water to a village in a third world country through outreach, medical schools still seek specific qualities when reviewing personal statements — specifically: accountability, reliability, and maturity , which are demonstrated through research, volunteer activities, and mentorship experiences.
If a student can show that they possess these characteristics through their personal statement, they can set themselves apart from other applicants. So what, exactly, makes a great personal statement? Being authentic in your personal statement is essential. Your goal is to engage the reader, but in a way that is authentic to you and your personality.
Resist the temptation to write what you think admissions committees want to hear. What they want to hear is your truth about why you want to be a doctor, and what specifically sets you apart from other applicants. We talk a lot about avoiding cliches in your personal statement. Of course you want to help people if you are going into the field of medicine. Developing a central theme that connects your passions to medicine is a critical component of your personal statement.
A consistent narrative keeps your essay focused, aids the flow of content, and keeps the reader engaged and reminded of your unique story throughout the beginning, middle, and end of the piece.
You can draw on many personal experiences and attributes during the process of developing your theme, including:. However, some students tend to go over the top, let their anecdote carry on a bit too long, and ultimately come off as trite or immature.
Your personal statement gives you the opportunity to show, not just tell, how your experiences have impacted your journey to medicine. Jones, a regular at the kitchen, struggling to maneuver his grocery cart through the door, I hustled over to assist him.
My heart sunk when I saw he was wearing a new cast after having been assaulted the night prior. Which do you think performed better in terms of conveying personal characteristics?
Yes, admissions committees want to know why you want to become a doctor. But they also want to know how you envision yourself impacting the medical community in the future. In addition to your personal statement being grammatically accurate and error-free, there needs to be a little something-something to it! Admissions committees read hundreds, if not thousands, of essays every year.
Creative writing, a distinct voice, and letting your personality shine are all good things when it comes to your essay. This is the time to ditch the onerous APA formatting and hypothesis-based research papers and dazzle adcoms with your unique story. As Dr. Personal tragedies, like the death of a loved one, can be a powerful motivator for a personal statement.
In a field where life and death are constantly at odds, experiences in death can seem like an impressive qualification, but must be treated with caution. How did it help you develop skills?
Have you changed your perspective as a result? How did you use that new perspective or those new skills? Would it make you a better medical student?
If your personal statement is being read, then you can be assured that adcoms know your scores are worthy. Name dropping is obnoxious in almost any situation.
False or embellished stories could backfire and tank your reputation. The personal statement is not the time to rehash your resume. It IS the time to talk about how those experiences impacted you and steered you toward medicine. Your personal statement is about you. Personal stories are good, but remember that they need to be relevant, engaging, and close to you to be impactful. If your essay is being read, it means that your grades are strong enough to have gotten you here.
Easy enough, right? Breaking the personal statement down into manageable chunks can help some students better conquer it. In general, think about the structure of your essay containing components:.
This is your first impression, and it needs to be memorable. Expand on your theme. You can also use this space to discuss your admirable traits that will make you a good physician. As cringeworthy as it feels to toot your own horn, the personal statement truly is the place where you need to shine and set yourself apart from other applicants. This is where everything comes together and you leave a lasting impression on the reader. Instead of using the conclusion to rehash the points you already covered i.
Your personal stories, pivotal experiences, and admirable attributes you already shared will all naturally support this vision and your reason for applying to medical school.
Just wrap it up and conclude. You know what makes a strong personal statement, what missteps to avoid, and have a plan for breaking it into manageable sections. Not all of these tips will work for all students. Here are seven tips to help you as you write your essay. Many admissions committees place significant weight on this section, so we have compiled a list of seven tips to help you craft a well-organized and compelling essay.
Take the time to think about the content of your essay before writing a first draft. Also try not to duplicate information provided elsewhere in the application as you only have about a page to write. Some questions you may want to consider before you begin writing include:. Include details that might better explain your path to medical school. Remember, everyone has trials, successes and failures. What's important and unique is how you reacted to those incidents. Bring your own voice and perspective to your personal statement to give it a truly memorable flavor.
Make the admissions committee want to read on! Instead of telling the admissions committee about your unique qualities like compassion, empathy, and organization , show them through the stories you tell about yourself. Good medical students—and good doctors—use clear, direct language. Your essays should not be a struggle to comprehend. Be sure to vary your sentence structure. Pay attention to how your paragraphs connect to each other. Watch your word count.
Rambling not only uses up your precious character limit, but it also causes confusion! The more time you have spent writing your statement, the less likely you are to spot any errors.
A professor or friend whose judgment and writing skills you trust is invaluable.
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