Negative in Personal Statement??

[MedicineMike]

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Is it bad to start off your personal statement talking about how I didnt always know i wanted to go to med school?

i.e. speaking about how I was an athlete growing up and how i didnt put too much weight upon academia because of it, until my non-traditional years?

Im 25.

 

[LizzyM]

Is it bad to start off your personal statement talking about how I didnt always know i wanted to go to med school?

i.e. speaking about how I was an athlete growing up and how i didnt put too much weight upon academia because of it, until my non-traditional years?

Im 25.

I'd suggest starting out talking about why you enjoyed being an athlete and then show how the skills honed as an athlete are now things that will serve you as a physician (hard work even working through discomfort, teamwork, flexible thinking, physical strength, healthy lifestyle, effective communications or coaching or teaching, whatever seems to fit with your sport(s)).

Not putting weight on academia is a zit... and as I say about zits, don't mention them. We can see them but what you want us to see are the good characteristics that should distract us from that zit.

 

[MedicineMike]

I'd suggest starting out talking about why you enjoyed being an athlete and then show how the skills honed as an athlete are now things that will serve you as a physician (hard work even working through discomfort, teamwork, flexible thinking, physical strength, healthy lifestyle, effective communications or coaching or teaching, whatever seems to fit with your sport(s)).

Not putting weight on academia is a zit... and as I say about zits, don't mention them. We can see them but what you want us to see are the good characteristics that should distract us from that zit.

wow thank you LizzyM!

Do you think a personal statement mostly my athletic life (division I scholarship athlete) and how it correlates to my future skills in medicine would be too much?

 

[LizzyM]

wow thank you LizzyM!

Do you think a personal statement mostly my athletic life (division I scholarship athlete) and how it correlates to my future skills in medicine would be too much?

I'd start by thinking about the personal traits and skills (not medical training on procedures, etc) that a doctor needs. Then take each trait/skill and show how you've seen that demonstrated by a physician in a clinical setting (when you shadowed, volunteered, worked or otherwise witnessed physician & patient interaction) and then how you developed that skill as an athlete and how you hope to build on that skill through med school, residency & onward as a life long learner.

 

[organdonor]

My PS started out with how I went through the normal childhood career choices, dinosaur (jk), fireman, fighter pilot, and settled on doctor,pretty much solely because I got good grades. Then I had a personal experience that solidified my choice. Worked for me.