Personal Statement Question

[Johnson282]

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Hi, first off I would like to apologize in advance if I am posting this in the wrong section.

So here is my issue, I am finalizing applications for medical school, and I had a question regarding my personal statement. I have two finished copies, one which is formal and one that is...riske. I have read that we are allowed to ask specific questions with regards to our statement, but not to have the entire thing edited. However, I do not need it edited, I am just looking for opinions from members of the community if, in their opinion, the essay I wrote is a feasible option, or if it is too far in left field.

I do not wish to post it publicly, for obvious reasons, but I would appreciate any help with regards to my issue. It is a page long and not a strenuous read. Hopefully someone can help, I am in dire need of a second sober thought.

Regards,
Andrew

 

[PsP for real]

Is this for the 2011-2012 cycle?

 

[slatermd]

Hi, first off I would like to apologize in advance if I am posting this in the wrong section.

So here is my issue, I am finalizing applications for medical school, and I had a question regarding my personal statement. I have two finished copies, one which is formal and one that is...riske. I have read that we are allowed to ask specific questions with regards to our statement, but not to have the entire thing edited. However, I do not need it edited, I am just looking for opinions from members of the community if, in their opinion, the essay I wrote is a feasible option, or if it is too far in left field.

I do not wish to post it publicly, for obvious reasons, but I would appreciate any help with regards to my issue. It is a page long and not a strenuous read. Hopefully someone can help, I am in dire need of a second sober thought.

Regards,
Andrew

Copy and paste it into a PM and I'll give you my opinion. You should also send the other one as a baseline for comparison.

 

[Dr. Ducky]

Copy and paste it into a PM and I'll give you my opinion. You should also send the other one as a baseline for comparison.

Same here. I'll look it over.

 

[Johnson282]

Copy and paste it into a PM and I'll give you my opinion. You should also send the other one as a baseline for comparison.

Thank you for your assistance medzealot.

I am looking for another person to read it over if they would as well?

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[Dr. Ducky]

Thank you for your assistance medzealot.

I am looking for another person to read it over if they would as well?

Cheers,
Andrew

Offer still stands. 😉

 

[justoneplease]

Thank you for your assistance medzealot.

I am looking for another person to read it over if they would as well?

Cheers,
Andrew

I can read it as well if you'd like. Without knowing what you wrote about, I'd say its always better to go with the safe one but as always, if done in the right way, I think either would work.

 

[Johnson282]

Offer still stands. 😉

Hey man, thanks for the offer. And I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but this is an "internet forum", which inherently has the possibility of having a lot of untrustworthy people. Not saying you are, but I am trying to screen who I send my personal essay to, to people who have at least been accepted into an MD/DO already, therefore limiting the risk of it being stolen/abused.

I appreciate the offer though.

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[Dr. Ducky]

Hey man, thanks for the offer. And I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but this is an "internet forum", which inherently has the possibility of having a lot of untrustworthy people. Not saying you are, but I am trying to screen who I send my personal essay to, to people who have at least been accepted into an MD/DO already, therefore limiting the risk of it being stolen/abused.

I appreciate the offer though.

Cheers,
Andrew

I understand. Just FYI: I have been accepted already to MD and DO......Just trying to help where I thought I would have useful suggestions.

Good luck with the PS!

 

[justoneplease]

Don't feed the troll. Apparently OP's PS is about how he's already graduated from medical school and has saved the planet a couple of times, not to mention he can also time warp back into the past.

 

[slatermd]

Don't feed the troll. Apparently OP's PS is about how he's already graduated from medical school and has saved the planet a couple of times, not to mention he can also time warp back into the past.

Not quite.

Before I was halfway through the PS I did indeed think he was trolling, but he's not. It is a very unconventional approach that some would consider gimmicky; he just wants a handful opinions on whether or not he should use it.

 

[Dr. Ducky]

It just seemed odd that OP just joined yesterday, and seems to have the discernment of who to trust and not to trust on here. I am in no way implying that my month longer membership gives me any room to talk, but my signature explicitly states I have been accepted into an MD program. Not sure how that was missed......hmmmm.

 

[Johnson282]

It just seemed odd that OP just joined yesterday, and seems to have the discernment of who to trust and not to trust on here. I am in no way implying that my month longer membership gives me any room to talk, but my signature explicitly states I have been accepted into an MD program. Not sure how that was missed......hmmmm.

Sorry, I don't see you with a signature? Maybe filters are set to who can view it or not, or maybe my browser is not functioning properly.

And with regards to me joining yesturday, I have been a member on valuemd for several months, and have posted a similar topic on there, where one of the moderators advised me not just send it out to anyone, in which I agree with.

Don't feed the troll. Apparently OP's PS is about how he's already graduated from medical school and has saved the planet a couple of times, not to mention he can also time warp back into the past.

Well, a reply back would have been nice, good to know how you feel about it though, I suppose thank you. But honestly, if you're going to offer your help/advice to someone, a response back would be nice, but I guess that could be overlooked if you thought I was trolling. However outright insulting me about a piece of work that I put some time and thought into is unjustified.

EDIT:
And just so I can show you what I mean about your signature that supposedly states you're an MD.

 

[JCTWP46]

TNMD2BE is accepted to Quillen College of Medicine. It is in his signature in post number 4, but not the others. Search his previous posts if you still feel uneasy.

 

[Dr. Ducky]

Lol. Sorry, about the confusion. I use my iPhone most of the time and maybe it doesn't post the signature. ????

I am not an MD, only accepted to several schools (Quillen is where I am going). I'm not "hard up" to read your PS or steal/sabotage your idea. Lol. When I initially offered, the thread was new, and only one person had offered help. I feel silly even explaining myself. I offered, you declined. Like I said, good luck!

 

[thlaxer]

Don't feed the troll. Apparently OP's PS is about how he's already graduated from medical school and has saved the planet a couple of times, not to mention he can also time warp back into the past.

Not quite.

Before I was halfway through the PS I did indeed think he was trolling, but he's not. It is a very unconventional approach that some would consider gimmicky; he just wants a handful opinions on whether or not he should use it.

Without having read his PS, I think that this is a horrible strategy. You want your essay to be as easily read and understood as possible (straight from a former adcom's mouth). Making your application's reviewer wonder if you're even serious during the first half of your PS just isn't a wise move imo and it's also wasting valuable space that can be used to write something more substantial and meaningful. When he was reviewing applications, the first and last paragraphs got the most time, so if you have something truly important to say, it should be mentioned there (not hidden somewhere in the middle of the PS). Another piece of advice I got from him that is applicable here: you shouldn't rely on a gimmick to catch someone's attention, it rarely works the way you intend it to. Also, if you talk about your future goals and aspirations in your PS, you want them to be realistic. If justoneplease's summary is true, saying you've "saved the planet a couple of times" just screams of naivety and daydreamer (neither of which are qualities you want associated with your application). These are just my thoughts without having seen the PS. Good luck.

 

[Tots]

Lol. Sorry, about the confusion. I use my iPhone most of the time and maybe it doesn't post the signature. ????

Signature is only posted in your first post on the page.

 

[Johnson282]

Signature is only posted in your first post on the page.

Good catch. I actually didn't even see that, my mistake. Either way I sent him an apology and my personal statement, so hopefully he is in the process of reading it 🙂

 

[Dr. Ducky]

Good catch. I actually didn't even see that, my mistake. Either way I sent him an apology and my personal statement, so hopefully he is in the process of reading it 🙂

😉 I'll send you a reply in a bit

 

[Johnson282]

😉 I'll send you a reply in a bit

:O I have a feeling you're about to go all Dr. Cox on me, lol.

Thanks though.

 

[BA11]

I'd be happy to read it and give you my thoughts if you'd like. Already been accepted for 2012 admission BTW if that's part of your criteria.

 

[Total180]

I'd also be happy to read it. I'm procrastinating a bit....haha. 🙄

 

[Dr. Ducky]

:O I have a feeling you're about to go all Dr. Cox on me, lol.

Thanks though.

Hahaha. Just started watching it recently on Netflix. He's the sole reason I keep going on to the next episode.

 

[justoneplease]

Well, a reply back would have been nice, good to know how you feel about it though, I suppose thank you. But honestly, if you're going to offer your help/advice to someone, a response back would be nice, but I guess that could be overlooked if you thought I was trolling. However outright insulting me about a piece of work that I put some time and thought into is unjustified.

3/4 of the PS seemed liked you were were trolling so I called you out. I apologize if you weren't. If the PS you sent me was truly genuine, then I would advise NOT to use that. I'll PM you a little more details about my thoughts.

 

[Dr. Ducky]

Sent you a PM, Johnson...

 

[Johnson282]

3/4 of the PS seemed liked you were were trolling so I called you out. I apologize if you weren't. If the PS you sent me was truly genuine, then I would advise NOT to use that. I'll PM you a little more details about my thoughts.

Thank you for the reply, and I do value your opinion. It is definitely out there, and it is not for everyone. I am looking for exactly your type of feedback, to determine if it is worth the risk. I do appreciate it and will take your view into consideration.

Sent you a PM, Johnson...

Got it,

Thanks to both of you again,
Andrew

 

[thlaxer]

Thank you for the reply, and I do value your opinion. It is definitely out there, and it is not for anyone. I am looking for exactly your type of feedback, to determine if it is worth the risk. I do appreciate it and will take your view into consideration.

Fixed 😛. As others have said, that PS in its current state should definitely not be used. It's making you stand out for all of the wrong reasons.. More details were sent earlier. Focus more on substance in your future drafts (I would start from scratch). Good luck again