I just started trying to write my personal letter for my residency application (gen surg). I'm really struggling trying to figure out what to write. Does anyone know of any links to sites that have some sample letters, or advice on how to write one of these letters?

Thanks

I am sorry to tell you. Surgery is not for you.

I can think of many things to write when I applied for residency. But just have to keep it concise, and up to the point.

Family practice looks good for you, dude.

huh?

Surgery you have a negative attitude....that was uncalled for. how can you judge someone and their qualification for a residency based on a 3 sentence blurb on a letter for applying? makes no sense?

Just my 2 more cents.

Program directors look for candidates with confidence, assertiveness, and to a certain extent, aggressiveness.

If you don't know why you want to do surgery, you should not be in surgery.
Personal statement(not letter!) is not the most importantant part of your application, if this wanna be surgeon student doctor is AOA, >90% percentile USMLE, strong recommendation letters, I bet he/she will get a good number of interviews even without a statement.

Again, primary care looks good.

You imply that, because an individual is struggling with format and appropriate content, that s/he should not go into your chosen field. What bull.

I believe the individual asking for help has the drive and desire to be a surgeon, and is simply asking for a bit of help in the actual writing of the statement. The original poster did not say, "help me figure out why I want to do this." To me, at this point, it should be assumed that the "dude" knows which track is right and now it's just a matter of getting there. What premed who knew down to their toes that they wanted to go to med school *didn't* wrestle with their personal statement? I am happy to see the effort to help, but I think your response, "surgery," goes only to exemplify the cutthroat attitude of many surgery docs and residents -- which the world could do without.

Surgery is assuming that the original poster is applying for an American residency position. In Canada and other commonweather countries the personal statement is indeed referred to as a "letter". In addition, given the timing (ie, most US surgical programs deadlines were Nov 1)I suspect this might be the case.

At any rate, being unsure of what to include in such a statement is not a measure of one's qualifications to be a surgeon, IMHO.

Check out the website http://www.medschool.com/
for sample personal statements in a variety of specialties. Good luck with your letter writing. Personally, I found it helpful to sit down and write a paragraph then set it aside and come back later that day or the next and continue. This technique breaks up the monotony and helps to overcome writers block.

Surgery,
All surgeons are know as arrogent pricks who think they are god......that is until they meet up in the courtroom. I have a funny feeling this will be a regular occurrance for you.
Good luck, sounds like you'll need it.

DRC,

WOW, WOW, WOW.

Very enlightened statement.

I only know one "GOD" in my life, and that is Jesus Christ, our Lord.

I thank you for your kind wishes but perhaps your comment should better kept within yourself, and not to anyone else, especially not the surgeons at your institution.

Surgery,

What does it take to be a surgeon. Brains???Not really!! I was a gunner for surgery and now that I am in rotations I have a new understanding of surgery. The goal of becoming a surgeon has become a game of numbers and attitude. Who would want to be a part of this. Brains do not make up for skill. Unfortunately I have worked with some brillitant surgeons who couldn't cut themselves out of a paper bag. Surgery has become so specialized that the scope of knowleged is quite limited.

What field/s have the greatest scope. My vote is Family practice. What is a Family Physician??

1) OB/GYN
2) pediatrician
3) internist
4) general surgeon
5) dermatologist
6) etc

The list goes on. It makes you wonder why the field with the greatest scope is one of the least competitive. Personally, I could care less if my surgeon scored >90% on the boards and was in the AOA. I want someone with skill and compassion, not brains and attitude working inside my body. I have the numbers to become a surgeon, but I can best use both my brains and skill to serve the community as a Family Physician.

Think long and hard about the career you choose. It is more than just prestige and money. There are very few surgeons that I respect and very few Family Physicians that I don't.

My 2 cents