Personal Statement Based on Global Health

[sof18]

Is it a bad idea to base a personal statement for medical school around wanting to work abroad in developing countries for international organizations, as medical school seem to be more inclined to accepting students interested in staying in the US, working in the US and giving back to their community in the US? For example, why would a medical school want to invest in a student that just wants to leave the country and work for Doctors Without Borders instead of giving back in their country?

My passion lies within working in developing countries and my ultimate goal is to work for Doctors Without Borders but I do not know if emphasizing this will lower my chances of getting accepted

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[TMC07]

I have the same aspirations, but few US medical schools will want to accept an applicant who does not plan on addressing health disparities in the US as well. I would mention it briefly but wouldn't make it the topic of my PS.

Also, if you aren't someone who has spent large amounts of time in a developing country (+1 year), you cannot really understand what it means to work in a place like that. Such a statement would come off (at least to me) as BS because you do not really know what you are talking about.

 

[mgzavri]

I have the same aspirations, but few US medical schools will want to accept an applicant who does not plan on addressing health disparities in the US as well. I would mention it briefly but wouldn't make it the topic of my PS.

Also, if you aren't someone who has spent large amounts of time in a developing country (+1 year), you cannot really understand what it means to work in a place like that. Such a statement would come off (at least to me) as BS because you do not really know what you are talking about.

I strongly agree that you should only make your global health aspirations a central topic if you have had significant experience abroad.

I heavily relied on my 5+ years of experience working and living in developing countries in my personal statement - and made it clear that working for an organization like MSF was part of my future as a doctor - to no ill effect (snagged 8 interview invites). I was, however, asked in some of my interviews to explain how my experiences abroad could translate to me being a better doctor here in the US.

 

[caffeinemia]

Is it a bad idea to base a personal statement for medical school around wanting to work abroad in developing countries for international organizations, as medical school seem to be more inclined to accepting students interested in staying in the US, working in the US and giving back to their community in the US? For example, why would a medical school want to invest in a student that just wants to leave the country and work for Doctors Without Borders instead of giving back in their country?

My passion lies within working in developing countries and my ultimate goal is to work for Doctors Without Borders but I do not know if emphasizing this will lower my chances of getting accepted

It's all in the spin.

As a whole, the Docs Without Borders thing feels very gimmicky at this point - I'd be sure to include compelling reasons as to why you find a life of doctoring abroad is right for you. "Because I like it" or "Because I'm interested in it" is rarely enough. Have you worked abroad? Volunteered abroad? What issues abroad do you find so personally significant that it warrants going to medical school to get a degree to right?

Also consider that many schools have locality specific or community specific missions that may look at your international aspirations in a less than favorable light. Sure, a school like Harvard may have great international vision, but the University of New Mexico or whatever is going to have a vested interest in training docs who work in that state, taking care of its people.