2007-2008 Personal Statement Question Thread

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mine is completely different.
my do ps focuses on my brief experience at an allo institution and why the expereince there left me with the strong desire to pursue the do route. i also explain why i thought that route was closed to me before (initial interest in speciality choice) but that the info i found out at the allo institution lead me to see that my initial choice was not what i thought it was. i outline why i want to go into med and why that specifically matches up with the philosophy of a osteo school and how it fits more with who i am and my approach and i site a specific example of this said approach.
 
Makes you wonder if one could get away with a PS with 100 characters. Kinda wish I'd tried it. Maybe for fellowship....

jd

"Medicine is the career for me. God and the 1-800-PSYCHIC lady told me so. Plus, I look sexy in scrubs."

102 characters including spaces. Turn that in and see how it goes.
 
So... There's no character count on the AACOMAS application. Will they not accept your app if your PS is over 4500? Mine for AMCAS is 5287, barely under their 5300 mark and I've already pared it down to skin and bones w/o removing major points that I'd like to make. What the F! AACOMAS totally made theirs different from AMCAS just to mess w/ us.​
 
So... There's no character count on the AACOMAS application. Will they not accept your app if your PS is over 4500? Mine for AMCAS is 5287, barely under their 5300 mark and I've already pared it down to skin and bones w/o removing major points that I'd like to make. What the F! AACOMAS totally made theirs different from AMCAS just to mess w/ us.​

The '08 app isnt available yet. How do you know this?
 
The '08 app isnt available yet. How do you know this?

i checked this...you can make a fake account and just see how apps stuff looks like and what kind of info to put there.
That is why i was able to strip my ps down to skin and bones....you really don't need to elaborate on all of your EC, volunteering, shadowing etc in your ps. There is a section to do it where you list all your job, volunteering whatever experiance (up to 750 words per listing which is like a good paragraph).
As for the ps i just coppied and pasted mine to see if it fits...and no they will not accept the one that is even 1 character longer. You will get a pop up window saying "the ps needs to be 100-4500 characters long."
it's ******ed but what can we do...
 
i checked this...you can make a fake account and just see how apps stuff looks like and what kind of info to put there.
That is why i was able to strip my ps down to skin and bones....you really don't need to elaborate on all of your EC, volunteering, shadowing etc in your ps. There is a section to do it where you list all your job, volunteering whatever experiance (up to 750 words per listing which is like a good paragraph).
As for the ps i just coppied and pasted mine to see if it fits...and no they will not accept the one that is even 1 character longer. You will get a pop up window saying "the ps needs to be 100-4500 characters long."
it's ******ed but what can we do...

That's obnoxious, I just saw the character length for EC's... AAAHHHHH!! 1/2 the length alotted for AMCAS?!... LAME! Oh well. Yeah, I basically started a 2007 app just to see what it looked like and see the format first hand.
 
I'm having a really hard time writing my new personal statement (I am a re-applicant). I'm really hung up on my old one (because I thought it was REALLY good). Any advise? Does everyone use an attention grabbing story for their first paragraph?

Thanks
 
I'm having a really hard time writing my new personal statement (I am a re-applicant). I'm really hung up on my old one (because I thought it was REALLY good). Any advise? Does everyone use an attention grabbing story for their first paragraph?

Thanks

The stories get old. No one cares that you want to be a doctor because you saw how great the ICU team was when your grandmother was sick or how you knew going to medical school was for you because an ER doc saved your Dads life when he was in a car accident.

Dont try to be cute or funny. Dont try to write what you think people want to hear. Just write as if you were explaining to a complete stranger why you want to go to medical school.

In fact, when I wrote my PS I think it started out like "I apologize in advance for not having a better opening sentence but in proofreading I realized the story about my sick grandmother didnt sound that interesting, so I deleted that and Im going to write about why I think you should accept me to your school."

Be yourself...unless youre not that interesting, then be someone else...at least for 250 words.
 
I am having my friends and a few other people review my ps but it would be nice if I could get some feedback from people who do not know who I am. I would really appreciate it. Thank you all for volunteering.
 
I will if you PM it to me.
 
i'll switch w/ ya if you wanna review mine, too. if not, i'll still review yours.... just pm me
 
I'd be glad to give it a read. PM me for feedback.
 
pm me...if you need another volunteer. I have a lot of time now so I should be able to get back to you fast.
best of luck:luck:
 
quick question I am interested in a DO/PhD program so do you all think that I should express that interest in the general app.?
 
Hi everyone!I am new to this network (I just signed up today), but I have been viewing the posts for a couple of months now. This website is terrific. I have learned so much just by reading the questions and responses from many people. Honestly, this newtork is addicting!! I am planning on applying to osteopathic med schools when AACOMAS opens up (hopefully tomorrow!). I would like to have my personal statement read and critiqued so I can fix weaknesses, problems, etc. Anybody willing to read it would be greatly appreciated. I can PM it to anyone who wants to critique it for me. Thanks.
 
I dont mind, PM it to me.
 
DrA,

I couldn't figure out how to attach a document under personal messages so I am using the general forum. Thanks.
 
DrA,

I couldn't figure out how to attach a document under personal messages so I am using the general forum. Thanks.

Melissa, as a precaution, I would take your PS off this website. If you need to send it to some, just ask him/her for an email address.
 
Agreed. Just copy and paste it into a PM.
 
pm me if you need more volunteers🙂
 
PM it to me. I would be happy to help
 
PM it to me if you need more help
 
Send it to me if you still need a volunteer to read it. 🙂
 
I'll take a look at it too if you want to PM me
 
PM me and I will look at it too
 
i have much time now than before
pm to me
 
is anyone willing to review my personal statement...please let me know I really need help with it. Thanks in advance!
 
PM it to me, I can take a look at it.
 
is anyone willing to review my personal statement...please let me know I really need help with it. Thanks in advance!

This is an important area and one that I think put me over the top. I'll take a look if you want.
 
Awsome, thanks for the inspiration.

Was that inspiration you got from JPH?! Maybe you did have a great essay and should stick with it, I don't know. You should be yourself but also very compelling. I have seen friends with applications to die for with pathetic essays and in some cases they didn't get in. What I tried to do was explain myself in such a way that was convincing and in a manner that was enjoyable to read. I tried thinking of myself as an author and would I want to read this essay. I also outlined key points that I wanted to communicate and explain. If stories got old then no one would continue to write or read... bottom line a compelling story may just open a door. If that story includes grandma in the ICU then so be it! This is especially true if the moment spurred an epiphany or a life calling. Being genuine, speaking from the heart, and articulating well is all you can ask for and in the end that is what will get the job done. Good luck! Keep in mind we all did it a little differently and what might work for me or some other med student may not work for you.😎
 
Was that inspiration you got from JPH?! Maybe you did have a great essay and should stick with it, I don't know. You should be yourself but also very compelling. I have seen friends with applications to die for with pathetic essays and in some cases they didn't get in. What I tried to do was explain myself in such a way that was convincing and in a manner that was enjoyable to read. I tried thinking of myself as an author and would I want to read this essay. I also outlined key points that I wanted to communicate and explain. If stories got old then no one would continue to write or read... bottom line a compelling story may just open a door. If that story includes grandma in the ICU then so be it! This is especially true if the moment spurred an epiphany or a life calling. Being genuine, speaking from the heart, and articulating well is all you can ask for and in the end that is what will get the job done. Good luck! Keep in mind we all did it a little differently and what might work for me or some other med student may not work for you.😎

I am just speaking from what I know. You read enough stories in personal statements and you too would stop caring.

Do you know what percentage of applicants write some cutesy type story in their application that the admissions office is forced to read? I can tell you its more than 80%.

EVERYONE has a story.

Half the people wanted to be doctors since they were a child. The other half want to be doctors because grandma or uncle joe is all better now. They either write about their first toy being a plastic stethescope or how they were amazed at the confidence and knowledge of the doctor taking care of their grandpa.

Give me a break.

None of these stories are interesting or unique. I have them as well. My dog got hit by a car, my grandmother had cancer, grandfather had a stroke and mother had osteomyelitis. All of them had great caregivers and all are alive today...except the dog.

Why do I want to talk to YOU?

Why do I want to invite you to MY school to possibly become part of MY profession?

Not because you like 'ER' or because your family has had a run of bad luck with their health. I want to meet you because YOU are an interesting person.

True, our experiences can influence our personality and beliefs, but I am more interested in what have you done to develop that interest in medicine?

I first started liking soccer when I watched the 86 World Cup, but no one cares about that. Now...telling people about how I went to develop a soccer program for the handicapped or how I was offered scholarships but chose academics over athletics...now THATS the story. The sick grandmother doesnt interest me (no offense to all of your relatives) but what YOU DID with that desire and drive...that I can spend a minute to hear about.
 
Now...telling people about how I went to develop a soccer program for the handicapped or how I was offered scholarships but chose academics over athletics...now THATS the story. The sick grandmother doesnt interest me (no offense to all of your relatives) but what YOU DID with that desire and drive...that I can spend a minute to hear about.

I kinda agree with you JP. But to be honest what % of pre-meds have an experience like this? I will bite the bullet and say that most don't. Many don't have the chance to go to Africa to cure AIDS. Most don't work in a refuge camp. Is it really fair to say that working a teen suicide help line or setting up a foundation for the Pygmies in New Ginea are a better story than seeing a love one die and wanting to help the sick? Is shadowing a family physician and realizing that you could do this the rest of your life less of a story than buildling a hospital in the Andes? Each one of us that has gotten into med-school has a "different" story of how we fell in love with medicine. While many pre-meds have the same stories, does that really take away from their authenticity? What do admissions counselors think, that each story will be completely different from the next? I was fortunate enough to have had a unique story to write about, and that probably played a part of why I received a bunch of interviews at my top schools. 👍
 
Is shadowing a family physician and realizing that you could do this the rest of your life less of a story than buildling a hospital in the Andes?

Quite honestly, yes.

Ask 100 people which they would rather hear about.

Heres a good test. If a stranger on the subway doesnt want to hear it, neither does the medical school you are applying to.

Just because your mother, roomate or girlfriend thought it was a good story doesnt mean it really is.

If the only story you have is "I shadowed a family doctor and I really liked it" or "so there I was, standing by the tongue blades in a family doctors office, stethescope in hand when suddenly I realized (pause for dramatic effect) that I wanted to be...a doctor."

If you DIDNT help treat AIDS in Africa or build a hospital in the Andes, find something else to talk about. Something interesting.

Not everyone has done interesting things...the trick is to make the admissions people THINK you have.
 
Quite honestly, yes.

Ask 100 people which they would rather hear about.

Heres a good test. If a stranger on the subway doesnt want to hear it, neither does the medical school you are applying to.

Just because your mother, roomate or girlfriend thought it was a good story doesnt mean it really is.

If the only story you have is "I shadowed a family doctor and I really liked it" or "so there I was, standing by the tongue blades in a family doctors office, stethescope in hand when suddenly I realized (pause for dramatic effect) that I wanted to be...a doctor."

If you DIDNT help treat AIDS in Africa or build a hospital in the Andes, find something else to talk about. Something interesting.

Not everyone has done interesting things...the trick is to make the admissions people THINK you have
.


True. Or could it be that you take a normal event like shadowing a FP or watching a surgery, and make it sound more interesting than it really was? To be honest I haven't had any earth shattering experiences, but my ps was well written and different than the typical pre-meds. I have read a few personal statements, and most of them just weren't really well written and didn't catch my attention. I think many pre-meds who majored in the physical sciences haven't developed their writing ability. As a result they don't present their stories in a manner that differentiates them from the next 100 stories.
 
OK, youre right.

Im done with this thread. 🙂
 
I'm willing to read anyone's but I will warn that I'm probably better with grammatical corrections than content.
 
pm me if you need a 3rd opinion, i like writing/editing 🙂
 
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