Cuss word in your personal statement?

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lmnguye4

lmnguye4

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If I have ONE cuss word in my personal statement because it is a QUOTE from the doctor I shadowed to eccentuate my point of the experience, will it look bad?
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Take this with a grain of salt because I haven't even applied yet, but I would avoid it at all costs. It just sounds really unprofessional. If it's something mild like 'damn' or 'hell' then you could probably slip it in...but I'd still think twice about it.
 
Whats the word? Theres a big difference between something like "Dammit" and the F word.
 
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I think you need to find a different and slightly more professional way of describing your experience...of course this can be subject to context, but one should err on the side of caution in your personal statement. You wouldn't cuss in an interview would you?
 
Keep quote, just remove cuss word. You don't want to risk a single rejection because a school might happen to have a conservative admissions committee.
 
How about if I include a dissertation on the word ****?
 
I'm having fun picturing this quote:

"I'm a doctor, I'm a bomb ass mother ****er!"

"I had this one patient today, he was totally ****ed"

"**** my life, I'm on call tomorrow"

"**** the police!"

"One of my patient's today asked me to **** on her face"

I had some more but I don't want to get warned or anything hahaha :laugh:
 
chances are if it turns into all stars on this forum...you might want to avoid it.
 
The cuss word was "****" but instead, I put *bleep*. Still bad? 😕 I wrote my personal statement somewhat like a book where's there's quotes and stuff.

Thanks for all the replies, btw!! 🙂
 
Easy. Substitute with 'poo'
 
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just switch to "damn" or something.
Don't actually use "bleep", man. That sounds so corny.
 
If its coming out "like a book" with a bunch of quotes, I think you need to put a little more thought into why you're using quotes to express your motivation to be a doctor instead of in your OWN words...just a thought.
 
Heheh. Okay, thanks for the advice everyone! 🙂 Well the quotes reallllllllly need to be there. I have about only 2 or 3 quotes from the doctors I shadowed. The rest are my thoughts and other stuff.

But yea, my personal statement literally opened with the quote:
"Shut that piece of "bleep" up."
😀

So, I guess I'll change it. Will it be okay to say:
"Shut that piece of poo up."
.. instead? 😕
 
lmnguye4 said:
Heheh. Okay, thanks for the advice everyone! 🙂 Well the quotes reallllllllly need to be there. I have about only 2 or 3 quotes from the doctors I shadowed. The rest are my thoughts and other stuff.

But yea, my personal statement literally opened with the quote:
"Shut that piece of “bleep” up."
😀

So, I guess I'll change it. Will it be okay to say:
"Shut that piece of poo up."
.. instead? 😕
Click to expand...

In case you're misinterpreting my lame attempt at a funny, I'd go with **** (I typed stars, not a naughty word) instead of the real thing if you must have it in there.
 
I don't know the context, but even "Shut that piece of shi!t up." sounds like an edgy opener. Shut that piece of poo up is pretty raunchy.

If having this quote as a launch into your essay makes sense and helps it flow, then use "Shut that piece of crap up." It won't offend conservatives and it isn't corny enough to make them laugh and not take your app seriously.
 
GonnaHappen said:
I'd use (expletive)
Click to expand...

yeah. "shut that [expletive] up" is the best option, IMO. but seriously, i think including too much dialogue, especially if you're opening with it, can seem gimmicky and just take up space (which is a precious commodity in the AMCAS form!). i'd steer clear.
 
phew, i'm glad to have you all's responses and opinions. 🙂 i'm definately changing my PS up. 👍
 
Just change it to "shoot".

Def NOT worth the risk. You could put yourself in a pretty "shooty" situation.
 
mbe36 said:
Just change it to "shoot".

Def NOT worth the risk. You could put yourself in a pretty "shooty" situation.
Click to expand...

"shooty"? Now that's one I never heard before.
 
If I'm ever on an adcom, I'm going to throw every PS in the garbage that opens with a quote.
 
Bacchus said:
I'd scrap the idea completely. Do you want to be here in about a year asking if your application has improved enough to reapply?
Click to expand...
That's a great way of putting it. Being in that position sucks so much, that it's almost an understatement.

FWIW, I actually like the "Shut the [expletive] up!" as a PS opener. Then again, this is probably why I'm reapplying 😉
 
I'd go with the S-bomb if you are gonna use that opener. It's a risk, but if there is an awesome story behind it, you can pull it off. If it isn't that great a story or the quote isn't that necessary, then take it out all together. Using bleep, expletive, poo, or anything like that sounds awful. The true quote or no quote, those are the best options. If you absolutely must change the word, I'd go with "garbage" or "dirt" instead of a childish euphemism for excrement.
 
"Shut that damn fool up!" sounds better.
 
AdmiralChz said:
I'm having fun picturing this quote:

"I'm a doctor, I'm a bomb ass mother ****er!"

"I had this one patient today, he was totally ****ed"

"**** my life, I'm on call tomorrow"

"**** the police!"

"One of my patient's today asked me to **** on her face"

I had some more but I don't want to get warned or anything hahaha :laugh:
Click to expand...


What is this? Are "The Sopranos" applying to medical school now?
 
There's always more creative ways to get around cursing, even in quotes, and sometimes there's more truth in fiction (just as someone who once contemplated, and enjoyed, writing). I'm not saying to fabricate anything, or in anyway lie, but in reality: is the quote that crucial to the idea you're trying to express in your PS? Can you not get the same point across, and possibly stronger, through editing the quote or even leaving the quote out entirely? Often cliche, but it is true, show rather than tell - its vastly more effective in writing.
 
The PS is supposed to be about you--you probably don't even need 3 quotes from physicians you shadowed let alone one with a cuss word.

After reviewing many PS's I realize so many applicants use their PS to list their great experiences and give more details about them in paragraph form...if you are quoting doc's, I'd double check you're not falling into this trap.
 
It sounds a lot more interesting to me with the expletive in place. I'd leave it in there if your PS is otherwise very strong. However, if you have a weak PS and then strap that quote on there, it's going to make a bad situation even worse.
 
No, no, no, no...don't do it.

Although one or two people might think it's original, remember that your application has to be reviewed by an entire committee.

Not everyone is going to see your cuss word as funny, cute, original, or whatever you intended.

Remember that some of these ad-com members are much older and from different generations....generations where "damn" is a really bad swear word.

Trust me when I say there are some extremely uptight people in medical school. Some of the older faculty take themselves EXTREMELY seriously.

One of the first things you'll do in medical school is get a bunch of lectures on professionalism and such. They will grind it in your head that things like this are not ok. Even the tiniest insignificant issues are made into mountains in medical school. You wouldn't believe some of the things I've seen people have to meet with the dean for in regards to professionalism. How professional do they think you're gonna be when you're already cussing in the first piece of writing they ever see from you?

Seriously...don't be an idiot. Don't do it.
 
Last edited:
off the subject...

OP, are u vietnamese? ur the 1st person on sdn that post a real pic of yourself
 
lmnguye4 said:
Heheh. Okay, thanks for the advice everyone! 🙂 Well the quotes reallllllllly need to be there. I have about only 2 or 3 quotes from the doctors I shadowed. The rest are my thoughts and other stuff.

But yea, my personal statement literally opened with the quote:
"Shut that piece of “bleep” up."
😀

So, I guess I'll change it. Will it be okay to say:
"Shut that piece of poo up."
.. instead? 😕
Click to expand...

DrYoda said:
I would paraphrase what he said, so what he meant is conveyed sans expletive.
Click to expand...

I like this idea of paraphrasing; why not, "Shut that thing up." No, it's not as edgy, but I think it's still attention-grabbing and is far less risky.

BJPENNSTATE said:
off the subject...

OP, are u vietnamese? ur the 1st person on sdn that post a real pic of yourself
Click to expand...

No, they wouldn't be the first... however, as always, while it's each user's prerogative to reveal as much personal information as they want, I always caution users about posting potentially identifying personal information on an anonymous internet forum.
 
What's this? you're putting a quote in your personal statement? Don't be that guy.

Also, whatever you do, do not use the word sh.it in your personal statement.
 
NotAndrew said:
What's this? you're putting a quote in your personal statement? Don't be that guy.
Click to expand...

If I recall correctly, LizzyM apparently actually said that the idea that using quotes is "cliche" in personal statements has become so widespread that hardly anyone does so anymore, with the end result being that using a quote isn't nearly as bad as it was when everyone and their mother was using them.

Also, I think the taboo is only against using a quote from a famous person (i.e., "If Thomas Jefferson said it, it MUST be true!"); I think quotes from normal people are ok.

And after all, leading off with a quote worked for Panda 😀
 
GoSpursGo said:
If I recall correctly, LizzyM apparently actually said that the idea that using quotes is "cliche" in personal statements has become so widespread that hardly anyone does so anymore, with the end result being that using a quote isn't nearly as bad as it was when everyone and their mother was using them.

Also, I think the taboo is only against using a quote from a famous person (i.e., "If Thomas Jefferson said it, it MUST be true!"); I think quotes from normal people are ok.

And after all, leading off with a quote worked for Panda 😀
Click to expand...

Yes, but how long until everyone is using quotes again?
 
Doc: Could you hand me my stethoscope?
Me: Which one is yours?
Doc: It's the stethoscope with the words "Bad A** mother F***er" written on it!!!!


Personal Statement Translation: "I wish to be a doctor because I want to be cool like Jules."
 
lmnguye4 said:
The cuss word was "****" but instead, I put *bleep*. Still bad? 😕 I wrote my personal statement somewhat like a book where's there's quotes and stuff.

Thanks for all the replies, btw!! 🙂
Click to expand...

As others have said, onomatopoeia tends to look a little immature. "[Expletive deleted]" is a little more pro, but do you really, really, really have to quote?

You could also play the bracketed substitution game.

"[Fudge] my life!"

"Well, [shucks]."

...and so on...:laugh:
 
lmnguye4 said:
If I have ONE cuss word in my personal statement because it is a QUOTE from the doctor I shadowed to eccentuate my point of the experience, will it look bad?
Click to expand...
Why don't you PM Lizzy M and see what she thinks about it seeing as she reads these things for a living...:idea:
 
OP, it might be easier to judge the appropriateness if you give us the rest of the paragraph. If you PM me your statement I'd be happy to read it for you.
 
hahaa remember that thread about using a poem as a PS. i like this better
 
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