Personal Statement Question

[Gobblox]

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Hey guys,

I was on the AACOMAS application server scouting for the 2010-2011 cycle to get a good idea of how it works when I came across the "Personal Statement" section. There was room for an essay....but there was no prompt.

Does anyone know what the prompt is? Does it stay the same every year? If it does that would be great to get so I can start writing.

Thanks for everyones help in advance.

Gobblox

 

[lakers4ever14]

It is an open ended personal statement. There really is not a prompt, but the way I understood it, it should give them an insight into who you are, possibly an experience that was really meaningful, especially if it inspired you to pursue medicine, but that is not a precondition. Also, if you so desire, it can be an excellent location to address something in you application that you might feel needs clarification or explaining.

I know this might not help too much, but it is just my personal understanding of what they want.

Good Luck!!!

 

[175961]

yeah, its a "promptless" essay. Do everything the post above says....except when it comes to clarifying or explain some part of your application (if you choose to in your essay) don't write excuses for bad grades. Focus on the good......ignore the bad. It's your chance to tell them why you're a good candidate before they meet you in person.

 

[Marathon0503]

I plan on reapplying next year if things don't work out for me this year (on the waitlist at one school after interviewing). How should I change up my personal statement if my reasons for choosing D.O. haven't really changed? I have gotten my CNA, volunteered and shadowed more. Should I focus on that or the main reasons for choosing D.O.?

 

[Dr Skeptismo]

I plan on reapplying next year if things don't work out for me this year (on the waitlist at one school after interviewing). How should I change up my personal statement if my reasons for choosing D.O. haven't really changed? I have gotten my CNA, volunteered and shadowed more. Should I focus on that or the main reasons for choosing D.O.?

You should be able to do both: My experience has given me a greater understanding and love of medicine blah, blah, blah. Make your reasons for choosing medicine unique by relating them to your actual experience.

 

[drctother]

Just out of curiosity what is the word count limit????

 

[loveoforganic]

4300 characters is the magic number I believe.

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

Just out of curiosity what is the word count limit????

4500 characters, that IS counting spaces.

 

[jm192]

I more or less took it as "Why do you want to be a doctor?"

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

I more or less took it as "Why do you want to be a doctor?"

At this point I guess I would say that I used my PS to explain how I would become a doctor, what tools I had that would be useful on the journey, and where I acquired them. Yay? Nay?

 

[jm192]

At this point I guess I would say that I used my PS to explain how I would become a doctor, what tools I had that would be useful on the journey, and where I acquired them. Yay? Nay?

That sounds just fine.

Mine told a story about how and why I decided I wanted to be a doctor, and then a moment that kind of "confirmed" the choice.

There is no right or wrong thing to write per se. Just don't come off as a jerk, and try try try not to be boring.

A huge chunk of applicants write this off as an unimportant must-do. Maybe it is. But there's nothing in the world that boosts your confidence like sitting down and hearing "I really enjoyed your personal statement."

It won't be the sole reason you get accepted. But if you're neck and neck with somebody, similar EC's, I think they'd take the person who's shown a more human side or more personality through writing--which is the hardest thing to do.

 

[BassCaster]

oh god, so glad i'm done w/ apps 😀. writing the PS was worse than studying and taking the mcat. took soooo long to write and redrafted it a hundred times.

word of advice: there are many books written on medical school essays. i know barrons and tpr wrote them. if you feel completely lost like i did, these books will help guide you into which kind of PS fits your writing style. it'll help you brain storm and a lot of the tips also helped me out with secondary app essays. Good luck! have everyone read it and redraft afterwards.

 

[csmittyB]

oh god, so glad i'm done w/ apps 😀. writing the PS was worse than studying and taking the mcat. took soooo long to write and redrafted it a hundred times.

word of advice: there are many books written on medical school essays. i know barrons and tpr wrote them. if you feel completely lost like i did, these books will help guide you into which kind of PS fits your writing style. it'll help you brain storm and a lot of the tips also helped me out with secondary app essays. Good luck! have everyone read it and redraft afterwards.

SDN also had a writers workshop artical thingy for writing personal statements. It was useful and free.

 

[Morsetlis]

Actually more helpful for me would be examples of different people's personal statements. Anybody know if certain books/websites have these?

 

[tbcnm]

I finished the first rough draft yesterday. I plan on not looking at it for awhile and come back to it next month because if i tried to revise it now i wouldn't want to change anything cuz i really really like it.

I have to problems if anyone wants to read it and give me feedback. remember it is only a rough draft so i have not grammatically corrected it

PM and I will get your email to send it to you. I am not worried about somebody coping it because it is very personalized to my situation since I am a non trad student.

tbcnm

 

[The Poet Sings]

I finished the first rough draft yesterday. I plan on not looking at it for awhile and come back to it next month because if i tried to revise it now i wouldn't want to change anything cuz i really really like it.

I have to problems if anyone wants to read it and give me feedback. remember it is only a rough draft so i have not grammatically corrected it

PM and I will get your email to send it to you. I am not worried about somebody coping it because it is very personalized to my situation since I am a non trad student.

tbcnm

try the personal statement readers thread. it's in pre-allo, but really, personal statements are the same except for the length and your optional inclusion of why osteo. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=683792