*Official Personal Statement Guide and Reader List 2011*

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Members don't see this ad.
I would love to help. I was a writing tutor for my college writing program and read over a lot of personal statements for various programs. I won't go deep into correcting grammatical errors, but I will read for general syntax and flow. The big picture 🙂
 
I would like to be taken off of the list for a little bit. Wayyy too many statements lol
 
I have a question about a topic in my personal statement. I read that if you have a special talent, you should definitely mention it. I was very serious and involved in ballet and modern dance when I was in high school. could've gone pro with modern, but decided not to major in dance when I came to school, because I decided I couldn't/didn't want to do both. I did take the highest level of majors classes for a couple years, choreographed a show for my sorority in a competition, and joined a university-sponsored dance company. Although the majority of my achievement was in high school, should I mention it?
 
I'm slammed with requests to read personal statements and I'm still trying to play catch up. I can't take on any more at the moment. Please list me as temporarily inactive. Thanks.
 
I've never done this but feel free to PM your PS if you want feedback. I'm not big on grammar; I will focus more on structure and ideas. I also don't have much time, so I will be slow to responding back. 👍
 
i need to be put on hold too. I'm getting too many a day to keep up with at the moment.
 
hi!

could you please take me off the list? im leaving the country in 2 weeks until school starts and have about 20 to get through until then! thanks 🙂

doopdidoop
 
Can you take me off the list, too? Thanks!
 
Hi, could you please take me off the list for now? I'm leaving the country on vacation. Thanks!
 
Since I have a direct relative that serves on the adcom for a medical school, I can offer some help to students in reading personal statements, and giving back some advice

PM me the statement, and allow for some time!
 
Hi,

I have been trying to PM people, but the SDNers who replied said they won't be able to view my PS until next week. I am looking to submit it on June 1st.

Can anyone PM if they have time to view it before June 1st?
 
Officially taking on too many now. Please put me on do not contact list.

Anyone who has sent me their PS should expect a reply by tomorrow at the latest (for June admission). Sorry for taking so long.
 
Not accepting any more currently.


I am available to read a few. I will do a little spelling grammar when I see it, but I focus heavily on my perspective of the goals of a personal statement in the eyes of an adcom reading it. I did this last year as well. I know there is a lot of people that are going to immediately bombard me with these PSs, so if you see this and it is past Sunday the 30th don't expect me to have it ready by June 1st (btw, it really doesn't matter as long as you submit early in June. Only a couple schools even send out secondaries until July and it is finishing the secondary that will determine your review order as far as I know.)

Now lets see how many pre-meds are stalking this thread at 2:00Am easter time 😀
 
Last edited:
I would be happy to read essays as well. I was a writing tutor during undergrad, and with this credential I became my friends' go-to editor! I must clarify that my expertise is reviewing content, organization, and transitions. Although I have strong grammar skills, I will point out grammar error trends that I note, but I will not correct everything (similar to how I conducted tutoring sessions at school). I have read several PS when my friends were applying, and I have a good idea of what to do and what not to do.
 
mmmcdowe said:
I am available to read a few. I will do a little spelling grammar when I see it, but I focus heavily on my perspective of the goals of a personal statement in the eyes of an adcom reading it. I did this last year as well. I know there is a lot of people that are going to immediately bombard me with these PSs, so if you see this and it is past Sunday the 30th don't expect me to have it ready by June 1st (btw, it really doesn't matter as long as you submit early in June. Only a couple schools even send out secondaries until July and it is finishing the secondary that will determine your review order as far as I know.)

Now lets see how many pre-meds are stalking this thread at 2:00Am easter time 😀
Click to expand...

Yep, swamped. No more for now but maybe later.
 
I'm submitting tomorrow - does anyone in a similar situation want to trade PS's for a quick review of each other's essay? PM me.
 
If anyone is gracious enough and willing to help out a fellow potential physician please PM me. I'm having a ton of trouble with the PS and I could use any help I can get. Thanks in advance!
 
Hey JJMrK, I am back on the market. Again it is the same as before: only content and flow, NO grammar...PM me for my email address so you can send your PS in word format along with your resume of all the activities which are going on AMCAS....I got into both DO and MD...so I can do both.
Fair warning: give me at least week to a week and a half to get it back to you!
GL class of 2015!!!!!!! Relax, Dont sell yourself short and DON'T lose hope!😀
 
I need my PS to be analyzed. I am not the best writer and need fine comments. I cannot attach it here b/c it is too long, please PM me to so I can send it to you via email. Thanks!
I would gladly send it to you. Please help em as soon as you can. I would appreciate your prompt replies!
 
Is there anyone willing to read my PS? PM me if so. I PMed a few people and no one can at the moment, I'm sure willing readers are swamped so I figured I would go about it this way.

Thanks
 
JJMARK, you have to put me on hold...i gotten 15 since yesterday and i need to finish them before i take any more...so none for now...first i finish these then i do the new ones
 
OK, updated. Remember to send me a PM so I know to check the thread if you want to change your status. I'm fairly busy right now so expect a 2-3 day delay between your request and your username being added/switching lists.
 
I need some help with my PS!! Anyone available over the next week to look over it?
 
I'd like some help with my PS, particularly in terms of content. I've already PMed people on the active list, but I've only gotten one response, so I thought I might advertise that I'm looking for help.

Please PM me if you're willing and have free time! Thanks 🙂
 
I'm not sure who to PM because so many people seem to be too busy or overloaded. I'm looking for some feedback on my PS that I actually submitted the 1st time I applied. I think I just need to re-work it a little and need critique on content and style. Please PM me!
Thanks!
 
Hey everyone. I've PMed around 10 readers 3 days ago with no response 🙁 Maybe I'm doing something wrong with my PMs?

If there is someone available to read, I'd really appreciate it. My PS is edited and everything; I'd just appreciate some feedback to make sure it's good to go.

Thanks
 
alimo110 said:
Hey everyone. I've PMed around 10 readers 3 days ago with no response 🙁 Maybe I'm doing something wrong with my PMs?

If there is someone available to read, I'd really appreciate it. My PS is edited and everything; I'd just appreciate some feedback to make sure it's good to go.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I figured I'd just respond here and I know you didn't personally PM me, but some readers, like myself, have taken breaks from being able to read. This is listed at the beginning of the thread. So I apologize to all the applicants PMing me with their PSes, but as a general memo to this thread, please check the list before PMing.
 
If anyone is free to read mine this weekend, I'd be happy to help you with yours!
 
Can you please take me off the list temporarily as I am leaving for a wedding later this week and need to finish the ones that I already have by then. I'll be in touch after 12th and get back on the list.

Thanks!
 
jmb23 said:
I'm not sure who to PM because so many people seem to be too busy or overloaded. I'm looking for some feedback on my PS that I actually submitted the 1st time I applied. I think I just need to re-work it a little and need critique on content and style. Please PM me!
Thanks!
Click to expand...

In general, it is suggested that if you are a reapplicant, you should write a new PS for the new cycle.
 
wait, I'm confused here. Is there a "list" posted somewhere? or do we just go off of who replied to this thread that said they would be willing to help read?

I'm also willing to read. I will mainly edit for content, flow, and structure, which is what I'm good at. I can edit for grammar, typos, etc as well but I likely won't pay as much attention to those/will miss mistakes.
 
Hey everyone,
I have tried PMing a lot of people too but have received just one person's feedback and am hoping to get more. I understand everyone gets a lot of PS's, so I figure I would try posting here.

If someone is available to read my PS, please PM me letting me know how I can best get it to you. I am looking for mainly content help/flow/general thoughts.

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration!
 
edit: I'm really swamped with them right now and can't take anymore (though I will finish all the ones that have already been sent).
 
Last edited:
Hey, I have a question about the personal statement. I have read many personal statement which refer back to their clinic experience or research or anything medical related to say what influenced them become a doctor. However, I have nothing like that for me it was the continuous doctors visits with my father that have influenced me. Since it's recommended that you should show rather tell. I don't know how to show that I do have the qualities that a physicians should have. For example, since I have never shadowed a doctor or never came with direct contact with a patient, I don't know how would to show that I still admire the patient-physician relationship. I have interacted with lots of different doctor due to my father as an translator.

Also, is it necessary to write about your research in your personal statement? I was thinking about using my research experience to show how it's the interaction with the patients that fascinates me. For example, I have been part of three different research projects, two of which involves environment regulation ways to reduce carbon dioxide in environment and other involves molecular biology the signal pathway in mating of yeast cells? I didn't really enjoy working in lab without that many people to interact with as it was usually me and the other graduate student. So, I was thinking of using this to display that it's the interaction with the people that I enjoy, but I worried if this is going to taken the wrong way?

So any advice on how to go about this? Should I include my research experience or not?

Thanks in advance for your Help
 
Just finished another draft of my 5th or 6th personal statement!

Anyone want to trade personal statements with me? I'm not a genius writer or anything but I have read 30 or 40 of these so far and I think I'm getting a hang of what the adcoms are looking for.

And I could use all the advice I can get on mine!
 
If anyone needs someone to read their PS please send me a PM and I will give you my email. I have been pretty bored at work lately...
 
any good readers willing to take a look at my PS? FYI, i'm writing about how my commitment to lgbt issues led me to the path towards medicine...
 
I wrote my statement basically about why medicine and how I figured out i wanted to apply. Problem is, I'm absolutely maxed on characters and I've already cut out a lot I didn't really want to. The other problem is, my GPA is garbage (3.4; 32R) and I felt like I should have explained it somewhere in the statement, but I don't have room.

Should I rewrite to incorporate the GPA? Or just write an addendum to the schools in addition? Or just don't mention at all?
 
Slack3r said:
I wrote my statement basically about why medicine and how I figured out i wanted to apply. Problem is, I'm absolutely maxed on characters and I've already cut out a lot I didn't really want to. The other problem is, my GPA is garbage (3.4; 32R) and I felt like I should have explained it somewhere in the statement, but I don't have room.

Should I rewrite to incorporate the GPA? Or just write an addendum to the schools in addition? Or just don't mention at all?
Click to expand...

Maybe you can cut down on how you figured out you would apply and just talk more about yourself. After reading like a dozen PSs in the last 2 days, I can say that the best ones were the ones that gave me insight into the person as a whole. It doesn’t just have to be about medicine the whole time. It’s a time to tell about who you are and what you stand for as well as your pure desire for pursuing the path to becoming a physician.

I addressed my poor GPA in my PS, but only because I wanted to tell why I went to grad school... I worked full time throughout high school and college so I had a great way to present it. But you don’t have to write about it, your MCATs ok, and if you don’t have a stellar excuse for your GPA then it will just end up looking like you are grabbing at straws and making excuses.
 
I will read...this thread helped me write the perfect statement. 🙂
 
Is it okay in terms of HIPAA, privacy, etc. to talk in detail about a particular shadowing experience (I watched as the doctors removed Johnny's tonsils and made me feel called to pursue a career in medicine)? Obviously I would change the kid's name.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Moko
Forum Members *~*~*~*~*~*Official Personal Statement Guide and Reader List 2025-2026*~*~*~*~*~*
2
Replies
58
Views
10K
lychee5000
L
Moko
Forum Members *~*~*~*~*~*Official Personal Statement Guide and Reader List 2024-2025*~*~*~*~*~*
2
Replies
90
Views
19K
hamiltonmed
hamiltonmed
I
Personal statement
Replies
0
Views
287
ilikekitkats
I
Moko
Forum Members *~*~*~*~*~*Official Personal Statement Guide and Reader List 2023-2024*~*~*~*~*~*
2
Replies
61
Views
20K
MEDNERD13
M
Captain Duckie
Personal Statement Review
Replies
2
Views
613
Captain Duckie
Captain Duckie
Top