being happy as a physician in PS...help

[docmayer]

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Hey guys,

So in all honesty, a very important reason as to why I want to be a physician is because it is a career that I feel I will be HAPPY with for the rest of my life. This is and should be important to every one of you... However I don`t know if I should include it in my PS, because adcoms might think something different of it. I dont just say `I think ill be happy`but I expand on its importance with hospital experiences I had. There was a physician that was ALWAYS miserable - never had a smile on his face - and it made a HUGE impact on his patients. They always complained about him. I used these two points to show that this is NOT the physician I want to be, and that being a physician is a career I`d be happy with, which is important for good patient interactions and most importantly patient trust and satisfaction.

Soooo....is this a bad thing to include 😕

EDIT: I see the thread a few below mine now...

 

[semicharmed]

Bad bad bad idea....

The personal statement should be a glowing reflection of positivity-after reading it, the adcoms should have no negative impressions connected with "medicine." Do not criticize physicians. I completely understand where you are coming from, and when talking to another friend I think it's not a bad thing to suggest. But all of my adcom mentors have told me to spin everything in a positive light. You'd be surprised how much unconscious associations play into whether they like your personal statement or not, and the more positive=the better.

That isn't to say that you can't bring up challenges or struggles that you've had-this is a good way of "hooking" the reader. But I would focus more on the good qualities you want to personify and how you do show them, not focus on bad examples, especially when that individual is a physician and you are not.

Good luck!

 

[thlaxer]

Hey guys,

So in all honesty, a very important reason as to why I want to be a physician is because it is a career that I feel I will be HAPPY with for the rest of my life. This is and should be important to every one of you... However I don`t know if I should include it in my PS, because adcoms might think something different of it. I dont just say `I think ill be happy`but I expand on its importance with hospital experiences I had. There was a physician that was ALWAYS miserable - never had a smile on his face - and it made a HUGE impact on his patients. They always complained about him. I used these two points to show that this is NOT the physician I want to be, and that being a physician is a career I`d be happy with, which is important for good patient interactions and most importantly patient trust and satisfaction.

Soooo....is this a bad thing to include 😕

EDIT: I see the thread a few below mine now...

I'd focus on the positives and go with your hospital experiences. I would not talk about this 'miserable physician' as it generally isn't a good idea to criticize others (especially a physician) in your PS. Too much risk with too little potential benefit. Just my thoughts 🙂.

Edit: basically what semicharmed said 😛

 

[Mazdave]

Saying that you'll be happy with a career as a physician in your PS doesn't mean much since if you knew you weren't going to be happy as a physician, then why would you even be applying to medical school? You should instead describe the experiences you've had that lead you to know that you'll be happy with a career in medicine and why you know you're making the right choice; it should be more than just that you'll be happier than this one miserable doctor that patients didn't like.

 

[Oxygen206]

Saying that you'll be happy with a career as a physician in your PS doesn't mean much since if you knew you weren't going to be happy as a physician, then why would you even be applying to medical school? You should instead describe the experiences you've had that lead you to know that you'll be happy with a career in medicine and why you know you're making the right choice; it should be more than just that you'll be happier than this one miserable doctor who patients didn't like.

This.

No one applies to medical school with the desire to be miserable forever. We ALL think that being a doctor will make us happy. I'm pretty sure the point of the PS is to show how you've proven to yourself that medicine will, indeed, make you happy.

 

[Etorphine]

bad idea. what happens after you undergo years of training, and ultimately find out it isn't what you expected and you are miserable. Will you quit? Bad topic to write about IMO.