Getting a feel for Personal Statements

[cocimonster115]

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So I know that there are lots of threads out there about personal statements, but I really want to get a feel of what a personal statement is suppose to look like rather than just what is suppose to go in it. All I know is that I do not have any aah-ha moments (i've been surrounded by medicine all my life - both parents went to medical school) and I've no special experiences with medicine in any sort of volunteer work I did so I don't know where to go from here. Don't get me wrong though, definitely want to be a doctor, not because its the only thing I know but because its what interests me (plus $$$, stability, innovating the field constantly, etc.).

I was just hoping if anyone out there would be kind enough to send me their personal statement so I can take a quick look through and get some brainstorming ideas.

 

[sciencebooks]

I would love to read over one as well... Or maybe somebody could suggest a site with successful examples on it?

PS. How early should you start writing it?

 

[Catalystik]

Google will find you a number of examples (Search "medical school essay", or some such). Due to fears of plagiarism, it might be hard to find someone on SDN willing to share, unless you are volunteering to proofreed them and have some credentials that inspire trust, in which case, look for that thread where you can sign up.

It would be appropriate to start jotting down ideas now and beginning an outline.

 

[Nevryn]

I would love to read over one as well... Or maybe somebody could suggest a site with successful examples on it?

PS. How early should you start writing it?

Like studying for the MCAT. I recommend as early as possible. It will likely be a work in progress for some time as you learn more about yourself and what medical schools may be looking for.

 

[rhesuspieces]

There are a lot of books out there too (just go to the section in barnes and noble or whatever with all the test prep books) that have PS examples along with an MD apps style profile of each student.

The secret to the PS is to NOT sit down and try to write it all at once. Write a paragraph, take a day to clear your mind and let new ideas come, write another paragraph or rip apart the first one, repeat. If you start now you have almost three months to get your PS in great shape, and I honestly think you need at least two weeks to make sure you're comfortable with the finishe product.

 

[EgotiStick]

The secret to the PS is to NOT sit down and try to write it all at once. Write a paragraph, take a day to clear your mind and let new ideas come, write another paragraph or rip apart the first one, repeat. If you start now you have almost three months to get your PS in great shape, and I honestly think you need at least two weeks to make sure you're comfortable with the finishe product.

This is a secret that should be better kept. Most likely this will lead to a disjointed PS that doesn't flow.

Make an outline, decide how you want to organize the beast, and then try to write most of it at once, multiple times. If you really focus your outline on the topics you want to cover, and the transitions between them, writing it is a cinch and you can focus on editing/improvements instead of where you need to go with it.

This will probably take practice, but the more ways you attempt to present your ideas will be advantageous to you in the long run, as opposed to trying to write the ideas as you go.

Strong PS are not about "aha!" moments that lead to clarity or lessons learned, necessarily. This theme is horribly cliche, and its in almost every single PS that I've ever seen. If its genuinely about you, your personality and your interests, it will probably be good.

 

[rhesuspieces]

This is a secret that should be better kept. Most likely this will lead to a disjointed PS that doesn't flow.

Make an outline, decide how you want to organize the beast, and then try to write most of it at once, multiple times. If you really focus your outline on the topics you want to cover, and the transitions between them, writing it is a cinch and you can focus on editing/improvements instead of where you need to go with it.

This will probably take practice, but the more ways you attempt to present your ideas will be advantageous to you in the long run, as opposed to trying to write the ideas as you go.

Strong PS are not about "aha!" moments that lead to clarity or lessons learned, necessarily. This theme is horribly cliche, and its in almost every single PS that I've ever seen. If its genuinely about you, your personality and your interests, it will probably be good.

Ok, moral of this story: everyone writes a PS differently. I've noticed that for some people, outlining leads to a really weird, forced PS. To clarify my original statement, I've noticed the following about PS writing: If you're a creative writer by nature, the method I described earlier is far superior. You won't get anywhere trying to hammer together an outline. Write as you feel inspired, then go back and make sure it's not just a mish-mash of unrelated thoughts. If you're more of a scientific, research-paper type writer, it's better to have a frame into which you can put your ideas.

Really, you know how you write best. I've found that those personal statement guide books and online courses are a waste of time because they try to teach you a new method of writing. By the time you start your PS, you've probably been writing short essays for 10+ years; you should know what works for you.

 

[takk]

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[cocimonster115]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm the sort of writer that can begin with an idea and finish the paper then and there in 3 to 4 hours. I agree that trying to mold writing into a certain style makes for a horrible end product.

So that is why I'm confused, I don't start a paper and come back to it later unless i have to, or its too long to finish in one sitting. I'd rather throw all my ideas at once on paper because then my ideas flow much better. Any revisions can come after, but I can't imagine spending 10 hours on a short essay, let alone 20 hours (including revision time).

 

[halethsonofhama]

Find something stupid to spice up your PS if you don't have anything really interesting to say.

I started my PS off with my childhood dream to save bambi and all his woodland friends from forest fires;

It may not work for all schools but I got secondaries from all my schools and decent selection of interviews.... no acceptances yet (or rejections) though I suspect it isn't due to an odd PS

 

[rhesuspieces]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm the sort of writer that can begin with an idea and finish the paper then and there in 3 to 4 hours. I agree that trying to mold writing into a certain style makes for a horrible end product.

So that is why I'm confused, I don't start a paper and come back to it later unless i have to, or its too long to finish in one sitting. I'd rather throw all my ideas at once on paper because then my ideas flow much better. Any revisions can come after, but I can't imagine spending 10 hours on a short essay, let alone 20 hours (including revision time).

Sounds like you know how to go about writing your PS then. There's no rule that says it has to be a month-long process. Just remember, though, that the PS is no ordinary paper. It can make or break an application. So even if you're the type of person who can't stand revising a paper more than once, you're gonna have to get used to the idea of going back to your PS again and again to fine-tune it.

 

[RelicLTD]

Don't focus too much on the end goal of the "Personal Statement" at this point.

Just sit down and write about why you want to be a doctor. Be honest with yourself. You'll be able to pick out some key ideas that should lead you to a good, focused personal statement.