Personal Statement Help

[BobaBoba]

I have been trying to get my personal statement started for the past month, but I cannot figure out what I want to write about. I have read through the guide that is stickied on the front page. On that guide, @Depakote talks about using one specific example to write about and to stick to it, but I never had one certain thing that made me decide to pursue medicine. Now I am sorting through different examples in my life that I would like to write about but let me ask you guys and gals what you think would be the best option.

1. Family member(s) fighting cancer and other disease and me being there with them (I do not really want to write about this because it seems like I would be giving them a sob story when they probably get that all the time).

2. Even though Depakote said to save your E.C. for your application, the most important thing that made me decide on medicine was volunteering with cancer patients the past 3 years. I get to speak with all the patients receiving chemotherapy and it has been a great experience for me. The problem I have for this is that I don't have one specific example but simply multiple experiences with these patients where I am trying to understand them as much as possible (I can probably tie my first example with my father having cancer into this since that is how I found out about this volunteer organization).

Can someone please steer me in the right direction? I am desperate since this is the last piece to my application.

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[BobaBoba]

bump

 

[zylstrajs]

Your description of your experiences and time with family members with cancer is not intrinsically a sob story. You need to be captivating, readers are looking over tons of statements - a personal or intimate statement can get the reader interested not just in your statement, but in you as an applicant and a person.

Get writing your statement. The first one you write won't necessarily be the one you submit, but it will help you connect to perspectives you might use elsewhere, like interviews.

 

[lyana]

Tell a story and be specific. Choose one patient who really really made a big impact on you and write about it. Concentrate more on your recent clinical experiences rather your family.
Most importantly just start, brainstorm. I believe I had 6 rough drafts before I crafted my final one.

 

[BobaBoba]

Tell a story and be specific. Choose one patient who really really made a big impact on you and write about it. Concentrate more on your recent clinical experiences rather your family.
Most importantly just start, brainstorm. I believe I had 6 rough drafts before I crafted my final one.

You guys and gals gave me the motivation to finish my PS. I have been staring at a blank screen for the past month and then I busted this sucker out in a couple hours. Still have tons of work on it but at least there is a rough draft that I think has a really decent theme. Thanks!