Do applicants also "beef up" their personal statement?

[chillinillinkillin007]

Title says it all. Does the theme or message of your personal statement suggest that you want to go into primary care or help the underserved? I know there are numerous people passionate about those topics but it seems like its what is "in" for medical school admissions and knowing that numerous people do EC's just for their application, it won't be crazy to see them do the same thing for their personal statement. In other words, what do you guys plan to write about in your personal statement (or what did you write about?) in terms of your professional goals and what type of physician you want to be.

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[mrh125]

Title says it all. Does the theme or message of your personal statement suggest that you want to go into primary care or help the underserved? I know there are numerous people passionate about those topics but it seems like its what is "in" for medical school admissions and knowing that numerous people do EC's just for their application, it won't be crazy to see them do the same thing for their personal statement. In other words, what do you guys plan to write about in your personal statement (or what did you write about?) in terms of your professional goals and what type of physician you want to be.

Some may, it's ultimately what works for you. I made mine more general and about meaningful experiences. Although I'm driven by experiences working with the underserved and shared some, I have to admit that my goals in medicine may change in the next few years, and I didn't really want to limit myself to one cause.

Also, in secondaries you have more of a chance to do this. A lot ask about your speciality interests, so you may be better off just discussing it in secondaries.

 

[chillinillinkillin007]

Also, in secondaries you have more of a chance to do this. A lot ask about your speciality interests, so you may be better off just discussing it in secondaries.

What if you have no clue what field you want to go into? Do you really have to be that specific with your future goals cause in all honesty I don't see how anyone can be certain where they will be a decade later.

 

[kyamh]

In other words, what do you guys plan to write about in your personal statement (or what did you write about?) in terms of your professional goals and what type of physician you want to be.

I never mentioned primary care

In general, I was honest. I said that, because of my extensive experience with and interest in pursuing research, I saw myself at a major academic hospital where I can be a scientist. I talked about how I wanted to work with residents and medical students because of my interest and previous experience in teaching/mentoring...again, major research/teaching hospital. Finally, I said that I saw myself at a hospital in a major city because I have an interest in working with immigrant communities (being an immigrant myself) and how I see my native language skills and understanding of a particular culture group to be an asset in this pursuit.

I acknowledged that I didn't know what specialty I may end up interested in (I have almost no idea) but that I had some clear goals as far as my career setting.

 

[Ruby109]

I definitely focused my PS about underserved populations, but to be fair, I'm an inner city high school teacher so the motivation is grounded in experience!

 

[Mad Jack]

I had a primary care focused application because it was what I thought I might want to do, and even consider to this day. Then I talked to multiple PCPs that tried to steer me in ANY other direction. Young ones, old ones, they all hated primary care and what it had become. I've still got some hope for rural primary care though- I'm going to do a 6 week rotation in it in school, hopefully it is better than what I saw in the suburbs and urban clinics.

 

[ndafife]

I wrote about some life experiences that made me want to be a doctor, then some experiences that show how I would be a good doctor. I didn't have anything profound to say (URM/living in an underserved area/surviving cancer/abroad experience) and I don,t know what kind of doctor I want to be, so that kind of prompt was a nice way to put some of my experiences and some anecdotes about me into the application


The big thing I was always told is to "show not tell" - aka don't just say you are a leader, show how you are a leader.

 

[Goro]

Talk is cheap. Evidence counts.

Title says it all. Does the theme or message of your personal statement suggest that you want to go into primary care or help the underserved? I know there are numerous people passionate about those topics but it seems like its what is "in" for medical school admissions and knowing that numerous people do EC's just for their application, it won't be crazy to see them do the same thing for their personal statement. In other words, what do you guys plan to write about in your personal statement (or what did you write about?) in terms of your professional goals and what type of physician you want to be.