Personal statement--ok to say want to be X (pediatrician, neurologist...)?

[lychee3]

I am in the midst of writing my personal statement. I know that the essay involves me asserting the reasons that I want to go to medical school to become a doctor. however, can I also claim that I want to be a _________ (fill in the blank--pediatrician, surgeon, neurologist, etc.)?

In other words, will I appear too close-minded if I say that my dream is to be a pediatrician, for example? I am no doubt interested in other specialties and would love to explore them while in medical school, but I also want to convince the adcom that I know what I want and am not wavering in my decision... or is this approach too aggressive??

Please help!

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[CoolWhipp]

You won't truly know what you want until rotations, at least this is the case for most people. Personally, I wouldn't do that because it is the truth (for me). I know that I have some ideas about what I might be interested in But in all honesty, I know that they will likely change.

Good luck.

 

[LizzyM]

You might want to break down what appeals to you about a particular specialty. Is it developing long term relationships with patients and providing health education and prevention? Are you more interested in diagnostic challenges, making diagnoses and applying modern medical science to treat and perhaps cure? Are you a hands-on person who likes working with high tech devices to fix things, repair injuries and improve patients' quality of life? What attracts you to medicine, what you like about it, and why you think that x or y might be a good fit with your intersts would be the way to go, I think.

 

[Jolie South]

I wouldn't say definitively that you want to be the #1 top ortho in the world, but I think it shows thought if you say what specialty currently interests you and why.

 

[erdavis]

I wrote in my personal statement that I plan on working as internist in the underserved area of my city for a few years before I would pursue a medical onocology fellowship. My grandparents die of cancer, I volunteer and work with cancer patients and shadow mainly onocologist.

I talked about reasons and ideas that LizzzyM said in her post. This helped my PS to be connected and unified. It was a good way too want to show them that I was dedicated and serious about my medical career! My interviewers said that they like that I was focus and knew what I want!

I say go for it. They wont think you're closed minded because they know people's mind are likely to change during medschool. So there is no reason for them to shun you for having an idea about what kind of doctor you want to be.

 

[JamesBond15]

Also depends on the specialty. Don't say you want to be a plastic surgeon so that you can do breast augs all day long.

 

[Blesbok]

If you have a damn good reason, then I don't think it will hurt you. However, I would also qualify that you are uncertain and are open to other specialties.

Keep in mind that your interviewer may be in a field that looks down upon that field. I am not saying it is right, but it does happen.

 

[Beta Cell]

It adds another batch of questions for interviewers too.