Help Starting Personal Statement

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

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Hey everyone, I'll be applying for medical school next cycle. I have started getting my letters of recommendations, school list done, etc. I'm having a lot of trouble writing a personal statement though. I'm more confused on what to talk about in it. I grew up in a very poor and crime ridden part of Chicago. Do I talk about that in the personal statement, or later on? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[paradoxic_toxic]

I grew up in a very poor and crime ridden part of Chicago. Do I talk about that in the personal statement, or later on? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I was in a similar situation growing up, and I mentioned this in my PS.

I would mention this and relate it back to your desire to pursue medicine.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

I was in a similar situation growing up, and I mentioned this in my PS.

I would mention this and relate it back to your desire to pursue medicine.

Thank you so much for the advice! Is that the only thing I should mention. Like I'm really clueless when it comes to personal statements. How long are they usually?

 

[paradoxic_toxic]

Thank you so much for the advice! Is that the only thing I should mention. Like I'm really clueless when it comes to personal statements. How long are they usually?

No it shouldn't be the only thing. Your childhood situation is a good starting point for your PS, but afterwards there are many ways to go about it.

One thing I can tell you is to make sure your PS is NOT a rehash of your primary app/resume. The adcoms will have your stats in front of them.

There are many threads on PS topics and tips on SDN if you look for it.

The max length is 5300 characters on both AMCAS and AACOMAS. This approximately 1.5 pages, single space, 11 font.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

No it shouldn't be the only thing. Your childhood situation is a good starting point for your PS, but afterwards there are many ways to go about it.

One thing I can tell you is to make sure your PS is NOT a rehash of your primary app/resume. The adcoms will have your stats in front of them.

There are many threads on PS topics and tips on SDN if you look for it.

The max length is 5300 characters on both AMCAS and AACOMAS. This approximately 1.5 pages, single space, 11 font.

Okay cool I will check those threads out! Thank you for your help

 

[Kardio]

Hey everyone, I'll be applying for medical school next cycle. I have started getting my letters of recommendations, school list done, etc. I'm having a lot of trouble writing a personal statement though. I'm more confused on what to talk about in it. I grew up in a very poor and crime ridden part of Chicago. Do I talk about that in the personal statement, or later on? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Don’t forget, it should ultimately answer the question:
“Why do you want to be a doctor?”

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Don’t forget, it should ultimately answer the question:
“Why do you want to be a doctor?”

Okay, makes sense. I think that is why it is hard for me because I've only wanted to be a doctor for about a year now unlike some people that have known their whole life or for awhile. Should I talk about the situation that led me to really have a passion to pursue medicine? Or is that something I talk about in secondaries and interviews?

 

[Kardio]

Okay, makes sense. I think that is why it is hard for me because I've only wanted to be a doctor for about a year now unlike some people that have known their whole life or for awhile. Should I talk about the situation that led me to really have a passion to pursue medicine? Or is that something I talk about in secondaries and interviews?

I believe the prompt given by AMCAS is: “Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school.”

I’d 10000% talk about that situation. Tell your story, what got you interested in medicine in the first place, and what’s propelling you now.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

I believe the prompt given by AMCAS is: “Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school.”

I’d 10000% talk about that situation.

Okay! Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it

 

[Saturday’s Child]

Okay! Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it

If you don’t have a ton of medical experiences due to your interest in medicine being relatively new, you can and should focus more on what qualities you have that show why you will be a good doctor. Think about experiences in your life, whether medically related or not, that showcase your strengths that will make you a great physician—compassion, resilience, creativity, empathy, curiosity, dedication, leadership, etc. A friend of mine spent a good chunk of his PS talking about how difficult it was moving to the US in high school and how he had to adjust to a new culture, teach himself English, etc. Although not medically related, it conveyed many good attributes that he has developed and painted a great picture of him as a person (novel idea for a personal statement, right?). You will want to make sure you pepper in and/or create bookends to your essay that reinforce the “why Medicine?” part, but the meat of your story is more flexible.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Creative writing major here! Pick up a pencil and paper and free write (or type). Just give yourself time to relax and think Write words that come to mind, specific memories, hardships (even totally minor seeming details) etc about your upbringing, and then go back and see where medicine can fit its way in. See what falls most naturally with your story, and scrap the rest so you can keep a tight focus on your narrative. The hardest part is def starting, you'll pick up momentum only once you start

I will definitely try this out! Would you be willing to read it after I finish it since you have a lot of experience with writing, grammar, etc?

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

If you don’t have a ton of medical experiences due to your interest in medicine being relatively new, you can and should focus more on what qualities you have that show why you will be a good doctor. Think about experiences in your life, whether medically related or not, that showcase your strengths that will make you a great physician—compassion, resilience, creativity, empathy, curiosity, dedication, leadership, etc. A friend of mine spent a good chunk of his PS talking about how difficult it was moving to the US in high school and how he had to adjust to a new culture, teach himself English, etc. Although not medically related, it conveyed many good attributes that he has developed and painted a great picture of him as a person (novel idea for a personal statement, right?). You will want to make sure you pepper in and/or create bookends to your essay that reinforce the “why Medicine?” part, but the meat of your story is more flexible.

Yeah, having not much medical experience is causing me to struggle writing the personal statement. I will try to relate my upbringing but also my attributes to why I want to be a doctor and why I am qualified to start the journey! Thank you so much!

 

[Goro]

Hey everyone, I'll be applying for medical school next cycle. I have started getting my letters of recommendations, school list done, etc. I'm having a lot of trouble writing a personal statement though. I'm more confused on what to talk about in it. I grew up in a very poor and crime ridden part of Chicago. Do I talk about that in the personal statement, or later on? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Get your cell phone out, set to record, and talk out your essay.

Then transcribe and edit.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

I was also having trouble with starting so I broke it down by section into paragraphs:
Why medicine? -> I like science (elaborate),
I want to continue education (want the deepest understanding I can have of medicine)
I like helping people (good time for a story!)
I like protracted patient relationships
etc

Make a bullet list for each reason of the original question of "why do you want to be a doctor" and fill each paragraph out. If you cannot come up with enough bullets (3-4 depending on depth) you have some reflecting to do on why you want to be a doctor.

 

[LizzyM]

I have one "don't" and a suggestion.

Don't begin your essay with a first person account or the opening lines of your next screenplay, "The radio crackled as we stood there in the ER. As the news came through the wires, we could already hear the sirens in the distance..."

Do consider the 5 paragraph essay. One paragraph each for introduction of your theme, three points and the summary. I've seen it done well with examples of service to others (or work experience or life experience), research, and clinical experience as the three points.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Get your cell phone out, set to record, and talk out your essay.

Then transcribe and edit.

That is a really good idea! Thank you so much!

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

I was also having trouble with starting so I broke it down by section into paragraphs:
Why medicine? -> I like science (elaborate),
I want to continue education (want the deepest understanding I can have of medicine)
I like helping people (good time for a story!)
I like protracted patient relationships
etc

Make a bullet list for each reason of the original question of "why do you want to be a doctor" and fill each paragraph out. If you cannot come up with enough bullets (3-4 depending on depth) you have some reflecting to do on why you want to be a doctor.

I will definitely try that out. I'm thinking that making an outline with bullet points for ideas will help me start and organize everything!

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

I have one "don't" and a suggestion.

Don't begin your essay with a first person account or the opening lines of your next screenplay, "The radio crackled as we stood there in the ER. As the news came through the wires, we could already hear the sirens in the distance..."

Do consider the 5 paragraph essay. One paragraph each for introduction of your theme, three points and the summary. I've seen it done well with examples of service to others (or work experience or life experience), research, and clinical experience as the three points.

I will definitely format it like this. Thank you! So, we can talk about experience that we did after wanting to become a doctor?

 

[LizzyM]

I will definitely format it like this. Thank you! So, we can talk about experience that we did after wanting to become a doctor?

Yes, typically you get the idea that you want to be a doctor based on some experience (often a personal or family experience with an injury, an illness or a specific interaction with a physician-- but it could be any other experience, too), and then you test that idea by doing a few things that give you an idea of what being a doctor will be like... shadowing, doing research, volunteering or working in a clinical setting, helping people in need. Based on "testing that interest" you write your personal statement.

 

[_Cloud9]

Okay, makes sense. I think that is why it is hard for me because I've only wanted to be a doctor for about a year now unlike some people that have known their whole life or for awhile. Should I talk about the situation that led me to really have a passion to pursue medicine? Or is that something I talk about in secondaries and interviews?

Hey! I know this question can be hard to start, especially for someone who didn't always just know they wanted to go into medicine. You definitely want to mention it in your personal statement to start off with, and likely it will be asked in your secondaries/interviews too. Others have given great advice already, here's a post that I also found really helpful in figuring out and organizing my answer for why I want to be a doctor.

Good luck!!

 

[carboxylicpremed]

I will definitely try this out! Would you be willing to read it after I finish it since you have a lot of experience with writing, grammar, etc?

Sorry for late reply. Sure thing!

 

[Jungkookie]

Yes you can bring up that you grew up in a poor/crime ridden area of Chicago! Lots of people talk about where they grew up, just be sure that it ties into your overall story, flows well, and answers the "why medicine" part of the personal statement. Good luck 🙂

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Hey! I know this question can be hard to start, especially for someone who didn't always just know they wanted to go into medicine. You definitely want to mention it in your personal statement to start off with, and likely it will be asked in your secondaries/interviews too. Others have given great advice already, here's a post that I also found really helpful in figuring out and organizing my answer for why I want to be a doctor.

Good luck!!

Awesome thank you! I have started it so I'm hoping I'm on the right track!

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Sorry for late reply. Sure thing!

I am almost done with it, would you be willing to read it here in the next two weeks?

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Yes you can bring up that you grew up in a poor/crime ridden area of Chicago! Lots of people talk about where they grew up, just be sure that it ties into your overall story, flows well, and answers the "why medicine" part of the personal statement. Good luck 🙂

Thank you for the advice! I need all the luck I can get!

 

[carboxylicpremed]

I am almost done with it, would you be willing to read it here in the next two weeks?

yep just pm me!

 

[scubaboy]

Hey also this may seem obvious, but when I first wrote my PS it was great at addressing that I was interested in medicine, but it wasn't about my story. It had pieces about experiences I had in medicine, but it didn't show who I was. Make sure what ever you write about, show them who you are with your words, don't just tell them things about you. Also make sure your experiences can add to your main story. I treated the PS as the pillar that my experiences revolved around.

 

[Pluto98]

I have one "don't" and a suggestion.

Don't begin your essay with a first person account or the opening lines of your next screenplay, "The radio crackled as we stood there in the ER. As the news came through the wires, we could already hear the sirens in the distance..."

Do consider the 5 paragraph essay. One paragraph each for introduction of your theme, three points and the summary. I've seen it done well with examples of service to others (or work experience or life experience), research, and clinical experience as the three points.

Can you give more funny examples of essay openers LOL

 

[LizzyM]

Can you give more funny examples of essay openers LOL

Funny but cringy are stories that sound like one is in the OR but it is actually a frog dissection in junior high anatomy class and the stories about grabbing the doctor's stethoscope in the delivery room and knowing from that moment that medicine was the career for you.

 

[Pluto98]

Funny but cringy are stories that sound like one is in the OR but it is actually a frog dissection in junior high anatomy class and the stories about grabbing the doctor's stethoscope in the delivery room and knowing from that moment that medicine was the career for you.

LOL. If anyone can give funny examples of essay openers that would be much appreciated!

 

[LizzyM]

LOL. If anyone can give funny examples of essay openers that would be much appreciated!

It's fine if you want a laugh now but a laugh is not what you should be going for in the opening of your personal statement. Any example I'd give would be a "don't".

 

[Engrailed]

It's fine if you want a laugh now but a laugh is not what you should be going for in the opening of your personal statement. Any example I'd give would be a "don't".

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Yes you can bring up that you grew up in a poor/crime ridden area of Chicago! Lots of people talk about where they grew up, just be sure that it ties into your overall story, flows well, and answers the "why medicine" part of the personal statement. Good luck 🙂

Would you be willing to read the draft of my personal statement?

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Hey also this may seem obvious, but when I first wrote my PS it was great at addressing that I was interested in medicine, but it wasn't about my story. It had pieces about experiences I had in medicine, but it didn't show who I was. Make sure what ever you write about, show them who you are with your words, don't just tell them things about you. Also make sure your experiences can add to your main story. I treated the PS as the pillar that my experiences revolved around.

Would you be willing to also read the draft of my personal statement?

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Hey! I know this question can be hard to start, especially for someone who didn't always just know they wanted to go into medicine. You definitely want to mention it in your personal statement to start off with, and likely it will be asked in your secondaries/interviews too. Others have given great advice already, here's a post that I also found really helpful in figuring out and organizing my answer for why I want to be a doctor.

Good luck!!

Would you be willing to read the draft of my personal statement?

 

[TheDataKing]

Would you be willing to read the draft of my personal statement?

Try this thread *~*~*~*~*~*Official Personal Statement Guide and Reader List 2020-2021*~*~*~*~*~*

 

[deleted393595]

LOL. If anyone can give funny examples of essay openers that would be much appreciated!

1) "Mbuto.” My African driver springs to his feet. “Yes, Sahib.” “Pass me another baby, I think this one has died.”

2) "Fear is the mind-killer. I must face my fear". Though I had long abandoned PPE and any semblance of safety to prolong the supply for my team, the blade shook in my nakedly ungloved hands. YouTube videos were one thing. Intubating a morbidly obese HIV+ adult with COVID was another. As the psych intern guided me in, it was at that moment as a pre-med volunteer that my passion for a medical career was crystalized."