Personal statement question

[yellowjellybean]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Is it OK that my PS implies I became interested in medicine just two years ago? Do I have to want to be a doctor since I was a child?

One more question, it just doesn't seem like people emphasize getting secondaries in ASAP like they do for primaries, do schools look at your application without them?

Thanks.

 

[theseeker4]

Is it OK that my PS implies I became interested in medicine just two years ago? Do I have to want to be a doctor since I was a child?

One more question, it just doesn't seem like people emphasize getting secondaries in ASAP like they do for primaries, do schools look at your application without them?

Thanks.

Many people haven't wanted to be a doctor since they were children. They don't have to pretend they did to have a shot at admission. Adcoms are more likely to take seriously the candidate who started exploring medicine through volunteering, shadowing, talking to those in the field, researching health care, etc. than they would someone who "wanted to be a doctor since I was 3" but never did anything with doctor or patients. Have legitimate exposure and reasons to pursue medicine, and they really don't care when you started wanting to be a doctor.

You need to get the secondary in before you will be invited for an interview (in most cases.) Most schools want the secondary turned in in 2-3 weeks after sending it to you. It is in your best interest to get the secondary turned in as quickly as possible, as you won't be considered for an interview invite until you do.

 

[yellowjellybean]

Thank you!

 

[thlaxer]

The goal is to submit in your secondary early as you are not considered 'complete' at a school until after it receives your secondary application. Most schools won't review your application and send you an interview invite until after it receives all your materials.

The goal of submitting (and verifying) your primary quickly is to be able to submit in your secondaries as soon as possible. Being 'complete' by late July/early August is still pretty early in the cycle imo. You'd still have your picks of the interview dates if they invite you for interview.

 

[Ironmandoc]

It doesn't matter when or why you want to be a doctor. They really don't care. All that matters is who you are and that your PS conveys that WHO you are is someone who will be successful in medicine

 

[riddler]

It doesn't matter when or why you want to be a doctor. They really don't care. All that matters is who you are and that your PS conveys that WHO you are is someone who will be successful in medicine

The PS prompt clearly states "Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school."

You do have to explain why you want to go to medical school / be a physician.

 

[kpcrew]

why you want to be a doctor is important. the when isn't.

send your secondaries in a timely fashion. i've heard that some schools have an informal deadline, like 2 weeks for nyu. however, that doesn't mean that you should rush them, do a good job and edit thoroughly. you won't get an interview without one.

 

[yellowjellybean]

So if someone submits their primary in June but doesn't get their secondaries in until August, and I am verified in August and submit my secondaries in right away, are we look at the same?

 

[sliceofbread136]

It doesn't matter when or why you want to be a doctor. They really don't care. All that matters is who you are and that your PS conveys that WHO you are is someone who will be successful in medicine

lol wut.

 

[Ironmandoc]

Talk to some adcoms before you hate on my statement

 

[Hour30]

agreed. No one cares when you decided to become a doctor. Just come off as someone who is passionate, and cares about patients.

 

[pietachok]

Talk to some adcoms before you hate on my statement

So your adcom turns a blind eye to students for whom the "WHY" is dominated by:
-Wanting money
-Because "House" (or in past years, "ER") is so cool
-Parental pressure
???

Yeah, students don't usually say those things outright in a PS, but they sure can damn themselves in vivo at the interview when an advisor isn't there to edit them.
(My parents are on different adcoms and have heard & dismissed applicants for all of those, & I've certainly heard the lattermost one come through as a student interviewer)


As others have mentioned, who you are as a person (which I believe is intimately tied into why you want to go into medicine) is important. When you decided to pursue medicine is not...it's not really the kind of thing you can do on impulse.