I'm writing my personal statement...

[Revilla]

And it feels wrong! I've read that I should be writing about why I want to be a doctor. That's what I did. I wrote about my interest in medicine, why I left my previous career, and what skills I have that would help me succeed in medical school and make me a good physician. The problem is I feel like that formula inevitably makes it very self-centered.

I briefly mentioned the patients I've seen during my clinical experience and how they affected me, but because I was told that the statement should focus on me and why I want to be a doctor, with "a sprinkle" of patient interaction thrown in, it's not the meat of the statement. Is that right?

Can someone who's already been through the process give me advice?

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[armybound]

they want to know who you are, what motivates you, what experience you've had to make sure you know what you're getting in to, and why you think you're a good candidate for medical school. how you write the essay is up to you, but it shouldn't read like a resume.

everyone writes theirs a little different.. some are very creative, some are very ordinary. at the end of the day though, you have to make the reader interested enough in your essay to think you're worth looking at.

 

[jsegalBSD]

my personal statement did not include any discussion of "patient interaction." don't sell yourself short. a non-traditional applicant, like yourself, has the opportunity to write about something different than most applicants (straight outta school, mom and dad are doctors, knew from the very beginning they wanted to practice medicine, etc). try and talk about all the things you mentioned. the best advice, from what i have heard/read, is to make yourself stand out. how has your past experience made you a unique applicant?

 

[Samus Aran]

sounds like you're on the right track to me. if you want feedback from people that have gone through the process and can give advice, have a look at this thread here. people have volunteered to read personal statements and might be able to give you better feedback that way.

 

[Revilla]

Thanks, guys! I appreciate the pointers.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

And it feels wrong! I've read that I should be writing about why I want to be a doctor. That's what I did. I wrote about my interest in medicine, why I left my previous career, and what skills I have that would help me succeed in medical school and make me a good physician. The problem is I feel like that formula inevitably makes it very self-centered.

I briefly mentioned the patients I've seen during my clinical experience and how they affected me, but because I was told that the statement should focus on me and why I want to be a doctor, with "a sprinkle" of patient interaction thrown in, it's not the meat of the statement. Is that right?

Can someone who's already been through the process give me advice?

Have you had the opportunity to read essay collections such as "Essays that will get you into Medical School"? I found it comforting to see the wide variety of essays that people submit. It gave me the confidence to write a bolder essay than I probably would have otherwise.

The trick is figuring out how to demonstrate those qualities you mention in your essay without coming out and just saying it. The hardest part is deciding what experiences you want to discuss and what you are willing to leave to the Activities section.

 

[OldFolkDoc]

The trick is figuring out how to demonstrate those qualities you mention in your essay without coming out and just saying it.

The easiest way to do this, IMHO, is to find a patient experience that reflects personal qualities that you want to discuss. Then, tell the patient's story and relate it to yourself. This makes it an interesting read while also showing how your personal attributes lend themselves to medicine. Just my $0.02

 

[Captain Fantastic]

The easiest way to do this, IMHO, is to find a patient experience that reflects personal qualities that you want to discuss. Then, tell the patient's story and relate it to yourself. This makes it an interesting read while also showing how your personal attributes lend themselves to medicine. Just my $0.02

Exactly.

 

[nevercold]

You definitely want your personal statement to stand out some. You don't have to make it weird or have revitalized healthcare in a 3rd world nation. You just have to make sure it is not boring to read.

Here's what makes a boring personal statement:
(1) poorly written
(2) poorly written
(3) reads like a resume in narrative form (I did this and this and this and this and this and this) -- there's a spot to list your experiences on AMCAS and to write briefly how they've affected your personal growth
(4) writing about non-medical stuff for 80% of the essay and then tying it back in (often poorly) at the end... i.e. "I really like computer science and worked on this great project designing constructs for people to use in developing basic business software tools. Once I talked to a client on the phone and that was great--talking to someone is cool. Then I got into designing graphics systems. At the end, I realized that I didn't want to do this and medicine was right for me."

How to write a good personal statement:
(1) WRITE WELL. The better your writing, the better the read. Do NOT underestimate the value of impeccable grammar. Short sentences help, too.
(2) Get yourself excited about medicine. Think about how much you want to be a physician and let that passion simmer for a bit until it starts to bubble over. Write with that passion. Do not accept anything that doesn't capture that passion.
(3) Essay structure. Opening paragraph. Supporting paragraphs. Closing paragraph.
-Open with something to capture attention--an emotional situation or a powerful thought. Set up your structure (by either defining where you are starting or defining where you hope to end up in the essay).
-Keep one idea or story or theme to each paragraph and develop it enough to fill the paragraph.
-Conclude by tying together the pieces in your essay in the final sentences. Your conclusion should be "I really want to be a physician." Say that elegantly and make sure that it really does tie together the pieces in the rest of your personal statement.
(4) Seriously, excellent writing and form help you to deliver your message effortlessly, which makes it much easier to remember. Despite the "rigidity" there is lots of room for flexibility. Any good story has to start *somewhere*--the author paints a backdrop or a character vignette and has to end with how the story has shaped the character or theme. Any good philosophical discussion starts with premises and finds a conclusion logically. Any good summation of experiences is really an essay with various experiences forming the points that support the ultimate thesis.

 

[Concordia]

An interesting peace of advice I received at one point is that sometimes you have to be self-centered. But you can be self-centered in different ways. You want to present yourself in a way that lets the adcoms see you as someone they want at their school. Let them know that you are confident in your abilities... it may sound self-centered but there is a difference. Just don't err on the side extra humbleness (real or otherwise)...this is your chance to sell yourself.