Is it a problem if I have no event that inspired me to become a doctor?

[happyfeet42]

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I'm wrapping up my personal statement these days and hope to submit amcas very shortly (I know some of you will think it's late and some of you won't. I dont want to go into that topic).

I realized that my PS talks about activities and experiences I've had during college and how those have confirmed/impacted my desire to go to medical and become a doctor.

However, unlike some of the personal statements I have read, I have no childhood event or injury or anything like that that influenced my decision to become a premed in college. What do I say about that? I don't know exactly WHY I chose to do premed - but the activities I have done confirmed my decision. Is it okay if all I talk about are those activities and why I want to become a doctor?

 

[flatearth22]

People who had single "events" that made them decide to go into medicine are usually full of crap. It's better to have a long, consistent, in depth view and knowledge of the profession and make sure it fits your talent and personality.

 

[aSagacious]

That's quite common actually. In fact, I hardly know of any applicants who had an epiphany that sharply focused their career path towards medicine. Instead, many have described their gradual progression towards the decision and how they later verified their aspirations through their actions (ECs, coursework, etc).

 

[MrBigglesworth]

x

 

[StudyShy]

People who had single "events" that made them decide to go into medicine are usually full of crap. It's better to have a long, consistent, in depth view and knowledge of the profession and make sure it fits your talent and personality.

I did. I had a life-threatening illness, and now I want to help others get through what I had. My sickness was a transformative event for me.

 

[cmwhite11]

Kinda reminds me of people who claim to have had an enlightening, life-changing experience one day that made them believe in God. It's great and all if you did, but it's certainly not the case for everyone who's religious (or wants to be a doctor).

I considered a bunch of different careers (from elementary school right up to the summer before my freshman year of college) before finally settling on medicine as the right choice for me.

 

[tima]

I have read some PS where they exaggerated how one small event made them want to go into medicine. Keep it simple and real.

In my PS, I talked about activities and going abroad as an international medical volunteer, and how it confirmed my interests in medicine.

 

[aSagacious]

Keep it simple and real... I talked about activities and going abroad as an international medical volunteer, and how it confirmed my interests in medicine.

 

[Political]

I'm wrapping up my personal statement these days and hope to submit amcas very shortly (I know some of you will think it's late and some of you won't. I dont want to go into that topic).

I realized that my PS talks about activities and experiences I've had during college and how those have confirmed/impacted my desire to go to medical and become a doctor.

However, unlike some of the personal statements I have read, I have no childhood event or injury or anything like that that influenced my decision to become a premed in college. What do I say about that? I don't know exactly WHY I chose to do premed - but the activities I have done confirmed my decision. Is it okay if all I talk about are those activities and why I want to become a doctor?

You could lie and say that you did, if you really think that having a "life changing experience" is key to getting in, but then you have tell a very intricate and relatively complex set of lies making sure you dont ever once contradict yourself from your ps to secondaries to finally interviews and maybe beyond.

or you can just talk about how those particular activities you did in college influenced your decision into medicine

I vote lying fyi, i always love to hear a good story 🙂

 

[HINKLO]

i did. I had a life-threatening illness, and now i want to help others get through what i had. My sickness was a transformative event for me.

+1

 

[ponyo]

Is it a problem if my event was going to anatomy lab, poking at cadavers and realising that I would get to actually dissect them if I went to medical school?

Because that was actually the turning point... even though a ton of other things happened later on that confirmed my interest in medicine... Something tells me it doesn't make for a good story though

 

[eli20]

Is it a problem if my event was going to anatomy lab, poking at cadavers and realising that I would get to actually dissect them if I went to medical school?

Because that was actually the turning point... even though a ton of other things happened later on that confirmed my interest in medicine... Something tells me it doesn't make for a good story though

I think the most important question is whether or not you were enrolled in said anatomy lab...

 

[StudyShy]

I think the most important question is whether or not you were enrolled in said anatomy lab...

 

[drdan83]

People who had single "events" that made them decide to go into medicine are usually full of crap. It's better to have a long, consistent, in depth view and knowledge of the profession and make sure it fits your talent and personality.

WOW.

That couldn't be farther from the truth.

 

[flatearth22]

I think the most important question is whether or not you were enrolled in said anatomy lab...

Hey...eating ramen gets old in college.

 

[IHOPness]

I'm wrapping up my personal statement these days and hope to submit amcas very shortly (I know some of you will think it's late and some of you won't. I dont want to go into that topic).

I realized that my PS talks about activities and experiences I've had during college and how those have confirmed/impacted my desire to go to medical and become a doctor.

However, unlike some of the personal statements I have read, I have no childhood event or injury or anything like that that influenced my decision to become a premed in college. What do I say about that? I don't know exactly WHY I chose to do premed - but the activities I have done confirmed my decision. Is it okay if all I talk about are those activities and why I want to become a doctor?

Say that medicine is your destiny. You were born to become a doctor.

 

[ponyo]

I think the most important question is whether or not you were enrolled in said anatomy lab...

Haha we had a pre-med tour thing where the university let a couple of med students lead us around to see the kind of dissections they do. This was in the psychiatric hospital in which I definitely would not have had the balls to roam around

Hey...eating ramen gets old in college.

That is disgusting... although I did really get reminded of shredded beef

 

[Whatyousay]

I have a nagging feeling that a decent portion of applicants don't even fully commit to the medical path until they started writing their PS and filling out AMCAS.

 

[Soulstice]

I did. I had a life-threatening illness, and now I want to help others get through what I had. My sickness was a transformative event for me.

Right but that's an extended one, not just "interaction with single patient" = "validation of entire career choice"

I think there's a difference there.

 

[Narmerguy]

Right but that's an extended one, not just "interaction with single patient" = "validation of entire career choice"

I think there's a difference there.

Why do you feel qualified to discern which motives are legitimate and which aren't?

 

[Whatyousay]

Why do you feel qualified to discern which motives are legitimate and which aren't?

Cynicism.

 

[IHOPness]

Why do you feel qualified to discern which motives are legitimate and which aren't?

i.e., surviving cancer and gaining empathy for patients>>>>>>>>>checking someone's blood pressure one day at a free clinic