Personal Statement content question

[evoviiigsr]

Hey there,

Do you guys think that it is a good idea to dedicate a good portion of my PS to describing what my strengths are and how they will help me be a good doctor?

What about weaknesses, or weaknesses with a positive twist?

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[Isis24]

I don't know any more about this whole process than you do, but here's my opinion anyway:

I think it's better to illustrate your strengths by telling a story rather than just stating your strengths. It's more interesting and more real. Then you can say how those strengths will help you be a good doctor.

 

[Textuality]

I'd agree, strengths are a good idea, as long as you can SHOW what they are before explaining why you think it'll make you a strong candidate. It won't be as effective if you just list your self-perceived strengths and then explain it, you'll want to "show" how you've developed those strengths through your experiences. That being said, you want to make sure to still be somewhat humble about stating your strengths, because if you're too brazen about it, it can back fire. For example, if you say you're an amazing listener and can gain people's trust quickly, your interviewer is probably going to expect to be wowed by your interviewing and communications skills, and if you choke, they might just think you were full of it in your PS. It's a fine line between selling yourself, and being boastful, so just step carefully I'd say. That's why people advise you to "show and don't tell" in order to let the reader draw their own conclusions about your strengths.

I'd stay away from weaknesses, unless it's an important instance of where you overcame one. There really isn't a need to direct the adcom's attention to your weaknesses otherwise. You can probably use the character count more effectively elsewhere.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck

 

[evoviiigsr]

Thanks for the input, it has been really helpful so far..

This is a silly question, but do you think that a 1 sentence paragraph in the middle of my PS is strange? I did it for structural purposes..

 

[DwyaneWade]

Thanks for the input, it has been really helpful so far..

This is a silly question, but do you think that a 1 sentence paragraph in the middle of my PS is strange? I did it for structural purposes..

A 1-sentence paragraph would be strange to be unless it is a really long sentence. Again it all depends on the situation.

 

[schismal]

If it fits stylistically, I say go for it.