Personal Statement Length?? Not covered elsewhere I checked

[TheCat]

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So all those doing their PS-on ERAS it says you can have a max of 28000 characters! LIke that is like 6 pages or something-I am thinking NOBODy wants to read 6 pages-I was thinking of doing 2-3 pages double spaced 12 point font-what is the lenght most of you are doing?

 

[vwhan]

So all those doing their PS-on ERAS it says you can have a max of 28000 characters! LIke that is like 6 pages or something-I am thinking NOBODy wants to read 6 pages-I was thinking of doing 2-3 pages double spaced 12 point font-what is the lenght most of you are doing?

1 page, single space, with wide margins

 

[SurgeryChef]

So all those doing their PS-on ERAS it says you can have a max of 28000 characters! LIke that is like 6 pages or something-I am thinking NOBODy wants to read 6 pages-I was thinking of doing 2-3 pages double spaced 12 point font-what is the lenght most of you are doing?

Definitely only 1 page unless you're going into psych - apparently it's acceptable to have a longer length there. The ERAS prints up single spaced in 10pt courier new font, so I'd draft with that.

 

[Agent Splat]

Just spoke with some emergency faculty last night, and they also said 1 page is sufficient...they stressed that the PS is only the "dressing" on the "salad" which should already be "tasty."

 

[TheCat]

wow getout-only 1 page single spaced huh-why the heckdoesnt eras come out and say this-iwas thinking their 7 page limit was too much! You guy sarent messing with me eitiehr are ya?? ok thanks that is encouraging-1 page isa cinch to write!

 

[njbmd]

wow getout-only 1 page single spaced huh-why the heckdoesnt eras come out and say this-iwas thinking their 7 page limit was too much! You guy sarent messing with me eitiehr are ya?? ok thanks that is encouraging-1 page isa cinch to write!

Hi there,
ERAS is not in the business of limiting your personal statement. You can write up to their maximum but most faculty and program directors do not WANT to read that much.

The usual norm is 1 to 1.5 pages, clear and well-written. After reading bunches the these personal statements, it gets tiring as about half are very poorly written and full of tiresome "cliches". I can hear the groans from the faculty already and we haven't even started downloading applications yet.

njbmd🙂

 

[funshine]

Have any previous applicants to non-psych programs turned in long personal statements (3+ pages)?

I am writing mine now, and it is currently 3 pages single spaced, 12 font.
I will definitely edit, but I am in favor of turning in a longer PS for LOR writers to read. I like to write, and generally spend a lot of time on my PS. Regardless of how much it matters, a good PS can only help, right?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Have any previous applicants to non-psych programs turned in long personal statements (3+ pages)?

I am writing mine now, and it is currently 3 pages single spaced, 12 font.
I will definitely edit, but I am in favor of turning in a longer PS for LOR writers to read. I like to write, and generally spend a lot of time on my PS. Regardless of how much it matters, a good PS can only help, right?

I can assure you that hardly anyone will read a 3 page, single spaced PS. Faculty are very busy and are often only given the applications the night before your interview. They are interested in getting through them quickly. We are not interested in spending our precious non-work hours wading through War and Peace disguised as your PS.

Even if your PS was award winning - no one will see how good it is. And what can you possibly have to say that needs 3 pages? This is NOT the time to tell the long-winded story of how you wanted to be a <insert specialty X here> ever since you were a child and how you strove during your life to reach this goal.

You risk losing your audience and being labeled as someone who doesn't understand the nuances of residency applications. A 3 page, single spaced PS will not only not help, it may hurt you. It will most likely be skimmed very very lightly if not ignored.

One page, perhaps a couple of lines over, MAX.

 

[gutonc]

One page...period. Ask several people (one of them should be a PD or similar type person) to edit it. Even at 1 page, only about 20% of it will get read. The 3 pager will just go back in the file without even flipping to page 2.

Trust me, your story is not that interesting. And if it is, write a memoir, get on Oprah and bag this whole medicine thing.

 

[Ash MD]

Suggest short and succinct. There's only so much time in the interview to read the PS. Too long of a PS and your attending never gets to the end. Most PS's are skimmed for highlights.The PS should really be used to address your faults/deficits in your app.

 

[Ludicolo]

One page, perhaps a couple of lines over, MAX.

I personally get annoyed if I get any document that is one page plus one to two lines only. Either shorten it or lengthen it. And when it comes to the PS – less is more. One page only please.

Save paper. Save trees. Go green. 😀

 

[medsRus]

So, the font type and size are listed here, but what margins? I want to be sure that mine fits 1 page.

 

[gutonc]

So, the font type and size are listed here, but what margins? I want to be sure that mine fits 1 page.

An inch all around is best but no less than 0.75.

 

[cgk]

An inch all around is best but no less than 0.75.

I thought someone in the past mentioned that the margins should be 0.3 on left and right and 0.8 for the top and bottom. Clarification please..

 

[bluealiendoctor]

You've just read how programs don't have the time to sit back in a lazy boy chair with a smoker's jacket on, sipping chianti and reading your multiple paged PS and then you go and ask about margins? Geez, let me guess, you're one of those 260+ I and II and always started a rotation by asking, "Do we need a stethescope?"