Abbreviations in personal statement

[mednola]

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In a personal statement, can you abbreviate things like Principal Investigator as PI without ever writing out Principal Investigator? Also, could I use HPI instead of History of Present Illness? Are these safe enough to assume?

 

[Goro]

Yes and no

In a personal statement, can you abbreviate things like Principal Investigator as PI without ever writing out Principal Investigator? Also, could I use HPI instead of History of Present Illness? Are these safe enough to assume?

 

[1badmamajama]

I think you should always introduce the original phrase then use the abbreviation. It's a formal piece of writing and that's the appropriate way.

I don't think you should assume. It's not just doctors (even medical professions) who read personal statements... students, PhDs, office assistants, etc.

 

[corndogger]

In a personal statement, can you abbreviate things like Principal Investigator as PI without ever writing out Principal Investigator? Also, could I use HPI instead of History of Present Illness? Are these safe enough to assume?

If a random person on the street wouldn't automatically know it, I wouldn't (until you introduce it). For example, you could use the abbreviation NYC without introduction, but I wouldn't for HPI.

more importantly, I think your essay could come of as a little stuffy if you are using terms like history of present illness. Simpler is often better.

 

[LizzyM]

Do keep in mind that the adcom members reading your application will come from any clinical field (pediatrics, derm, cardiology, etc) or basic science (pharmacology, physiology, molecular biology, etc) or medical humanities (history of medicine, medical ethics, health law, literature, etc) . They may be M3 or M4 medical students in their eary 20s or professors emeriti in their 80s or something in between.

 

[baconshrimps]

In a personal statement, can you abbreviate things like Principal Investigator as PI without ever writing out Principal Investigator? Also, could I use HPI instead of History of Present Illness? Are these safe enough to assume?

It seems like your itching for space in the personal statement, given the character limits. Instead of Principal Investigator, try "research mentor"

 

[wtr24]

If you want to use the abbreviations, just introduce History of Present Illness (HPI) and then use HPI from that point forward, for example.

 

[mednola]

Thanks so much for the responses! I've got plenty of space, so I just reworded so as not to use the abbreviations. And I agree with corndogger, using an abbreviation like HPI is probably not best for the flow of my essay anyway. Thanks again!

 

[knv2u]

In a personal statement, can you abbreviate things like Principal Investigator as PI without ever writing out Principal Investigator? Also, could I use HPI instead of History of Present Illness? Are these safe enough to assume?

If you are going to abbreviate, I would at least spell it out the first time and then put the abbreviation in parenthesis. For instance, if you are using the term PI several times the first appearance would be the "principal investigator (PI)" and every subsequent occurrence would be "PI." This limits any potential confusion. I personally hate abbreviations because a lot time they can be ambiguous. It's not too bad when you are given what the abbreviation stands for; however, if you don't I can see you frustrating those reading your application potentially if they don't know.

 

[baconshrimps]

Some abbreviations are okay, like for institutions. For example, if you worked at Masschusetts General Hospital's Cardiovascular Research Center, you could mention it in full length the first time, and if you need to refer to it again, MGHCVRC or MGHCRC.