Personal Statement

[DocSqd]

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I have a question regarding personal statements. I have gotten conflicting advice from both the forums and people I've met at away rotations about the merits of including a program specific paragraph in personal statements. If you have a strong desire to be in a particular geographic region is specifically stating why you think a program and locale are a good fit for you and your career goals, or do you wait, hopefully, for an interview to convey that message. Thanks.

 

[1r1d1um]

I have a question regarding personal statements. I have gotten conflicting advice from both the forums and people I've met at away rotations about the merits of including a program specific paragraph in personal statements. If you have a strong desire to be in a particular geographic region is specifically stating why you think a program and locale are a good fit for you and your career goals, or do you wait, hopefully, for an interview to convey that message. Thanks.

I'd try to convey why you want to go into radonc and not limit your options by stating your geographic preferences. you can always train somewhere and practice in your ideal locale eventually. I don't know how much bearing it would have in interview selection anyway.

 

[hot sauce]

You can send different statements to different programs. So if you have a reason for a geographic preference I don't think it would hurt to mention it to the programs that fit that preference. Particularly if this preference wouldn't be clear from where you live or did medical school.

Now if it a very specific area (like only 1 or 2 programs) then the best thing would be to an away there so you can tell them how much you like them in person.

 

[Seldon1985]

Like hot sauce said, you can send different PS to different programs. You could highlight your geographic preference in the last paragraph briefly or even a specific program, IMHO. Will it help? Probably not, since the PS is of overall unknown use in the process. However, if you're a strong applicant who otherwise typically wouldn't match at that program BUT you have a strong interest to be there, then adding a line at the end of the PS wouldn't hurt I think.