Personal Statement HELP!!!!

[jlk224]

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Hey guys,

So I'm about to start writing my personal statement and I need some advice on how/if this topic is a good idea....

so when I was a sophomore in college, I was involved in relationship violence and this experience really cemented the idea that I want to be a doctor. How can I talk about this life changing experience without getting too emotional/personal. Is this even an ok topic to write about? I have read a lot of sources saying that talking about too personal experiences is bad but I am wondering if I can discuss this experience in a way that doesn't delve into the details too much but instead focuses on what this process did to me that would make me a good med student/doctor.

Thanks!

 

[takeurmeds02]

I think that so long as you discuss your circumstance tactfully and clearly tie it into your drive for medicine, then you should okay. Briefly address your personal experience, zoom out, discuss how the situation affects a population, and then relate that to how it connects you to medicine.

I think these are the kind of things that adcom wants to read. They want people who have overcome and grown. They want people who have been challenged and truly understand the human condition.

 

[MerYangBey]

Just something to think about-
I feel like you have to be prepared to talk about anything in your app during interviews. So if you or any other applicants mention something very personal or emotional be prepared to talk about it later without falling apart. I personally wouldn't have been ok with crying in front of an interviewer. And I feel like I would have felt more nervous knowing that a complete stranger knows so much about something very personal. So I guess be wise about how much you share. And be able to present it later.
Best of luck with your PS.

 

[LizzyM]

I think that so long as you discuss your circumstance tactfully and clearly tie it into your drive for medicine, then you should okay. Briefly address your personal experience, zoom out, discuss how the situation affects a population, and then relate that to how it connects you to medicine.

I think these are the kind of things that adcom wants to read. They want people who have overcome and grown. They want people who have been challenged and truly understand the human condition.

Golden advice. I wish I had written it.

 

[CardioMark2018]

I believe this is a reasonable topic if it is written correctly, but be aware that most personal statements do not turn out that great the first time around! Do you have someone you trust to proofread and edit it with you?

 

[jlk224]

I believe this is a reasonable topic if it is written correctly, but be aware that most personal statements do not turn out that great the first time around! Do you have someone you trust to proofread and edit it with you?

Hey! Thanks for the advice. I have a few personal friends who are writers to help me.

 

[caffeinemia]

Hey guys,

So I'm about to start writing my personal statement and I need some advice on how/if this topic is a good idea....

so when I was a sophomore in college, I was involved in relationship violence and this experience really cemented the idea that I want to be a doctor. How can I talk about this life changing experience without getting too emotional/personal. Is this even an ok topic to write about? I have read a lot of sources saying that talking about too personal experiences is bad but I am wondering if I can discuss this experience in a way that doesn't delve into the details too much but instead focuses on what this process did to me that would make me a good med student/doctor.

Thanks!

So my advice to all candidates is ... it's not about the excruciating details (generally boring), it's about showing us how you grew and responded and changed from the experience. So if you had a reaction that was... I volunteered with a local shelter and helped other victims of abuse, and it made me realize that I love empowering others.... then that's definitely appropriate.

 

[hemonco]

anyone knows any good service for personal statment? I saw many on the internet!! any good experience?

 

[caffeinemia]

anyone knows any good service for personal statment? I saw many on the internet!! any good experience?

i would get in trouble if i answered this question publicly on the forum... so I wont.

 

[tantacles]

anyone knows any good service for personal statment? I saw many on the internet!! any good experience?

Check the stickies. There's a list of personal statement readers who are SDN users and they may be able to help. Just keep in mind that if your PS is awful, most people probably won't tell you and also probably won't be able to help you much to make it better.

 

[caffeinemia]

Check the stickies. There's a list of personal statement readers who are SDN users and they may be able to help. Just keep in mind that if your PS is awful, most people probably won't tell you and also probably won't be able to help you much to make it better.

Hahaha, back when I used to read for SDN people, I used to tear some PS apart, then people would get all defensive -- even if I warned them that it might be a very honest and brutal critique. Ie... if you're sentence structure sucks and your thesis is convoluted...means you don't know what the hell you're trying to say... so how can I?

 

[tantacles]

Hahaha, back when I used to read for SDN people, I used to tear some PS apart, then people would get all defensive -- even if I warned them that it might be a very honest and brutal critique. Ie... if you're sentence structure sucks and your thesis is convoluted...means you don't know what the hell you're trying to say... so how can I?

I read one that was terrible and tore it apart, but my feedback ultimately came down to: "rewrite it", and I stopped editing after that except for close friends.


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