personal statement themes

[jackets5]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Im just starting to work on my personal statement, what are u guys writing about. I was thinking of writing a some about athletics (minor league baseball and division 1a football) how it build character, determination and dealing with stressfull situation etc. May make a anaology of football to diagnosing a patient. Then i thought i would get into my motives for getting into medicince and why i will be a good doctor. Am i on the right track here or not?

 

[BaylorGuy]

Sounds really interesting, it definitely has potential as a good statement. It can be worked up and made really well.

I've got my first paragraph or so down. I'm trying to write it as a film noir piece taken to the angle of a really excellent clinical experience i had. I'm also planning on saying what is my motives and also talk about my computer geekness.

Speaking about themes in general...I think these 3 themes should definitely be hit: 1) Why medicine? (as opposed to something else science based) 2) What are your motivates regarding medicine, and 3) anything that you want the med school to know that isn't in your app

1) strong clinical experience written as film noir 2) I'm still working on this...not sure how to make the human connection part not cheesy 3) computer geek and religion

 

[jackets5]

yeah it just seems odd how to work it in. Consdering baseball and football have been such a major part of my life it needs mentioning. Also, im told it will help me out a bit with my lower GPA 3.3 ish.

i remeber when i started looking into med school i felt like i needed to go to harvard or hopkins etc. Now i dont give a ****, be it my state school (new york), drexel etc. In the end if you get good grades and high USMLE scores you will be competitive for any residency. Any school i get into i will be thrilled, except for SUNY buffalo and syracuse, to cold to much snow but will tough it out if need be.

 

[LizzyM]

Maybe you should work in how playing division 1a football hurt your academic performance. That gpa needs some explaining that should go in your PS.

 

[DoctorFunk]

Maybe you should work in how playing division 1a football hurt your academic performance. That gpa needs some explaining that should go in your PS.

I disagree. The personal statement should not be the place to mention anything negative about your application. If you felt that a GPA like 3.3 needed explanation (which I'm not sure it does anyway), the secondaries or even interviews would be better places to explain it. But if you have a strong positive trend in your GPA I wouldn't worry all that much about it.

From what I've heard adcoms love Division 1 athletes. I would certainly make that work to your advantage. 👍

 

[LizzyM]

Well, the AMCAS PS is the place to mention academic problems. The trick is to spin it so that it doesn't seem like a negative. This might be done by saying that you might have had a gpa that was 0.3 points higher is you hadn't played ball but the lessons you learned on the field added a dimension to your education and your character development that you could not have gotten in any classroom. Then you go from there on a riff about sports.

 

[jackets5]

im definatley going to mention, at least in passing how football hurt my GPA but the life experiences, traveling etc more than outweigh the negatives. Also, not sure if its worth mentioning that the attitude of schools/coaches at this level is not academic excellence but mearly achevieng academic eligability. My coach gave us a speech before spring practice, telling use that academics come first, while holding up 2 fingers and that football is second holding up 1 finger. That pretty much sums up the attitude. thanks guys any more help id appreciate it

QUOTE=LizzyM]Well, the AMCAS PS is the place to mention academic problems. The trick is to spin it so that it doesn't seem like a negative. This might be done by saying that you might have had a gpa that was 0.3 points higher is you hadn't played ball but the lessons you learned on the field added a dimension to your education and your character development that you could not have gotten in any classroom. Then you go from there on a riff about sports.[/QUOTE]

 

[musiclink213]

I think your PS would be great, really interesting. I want to work mine around my study abroad trip to France, and mention that the only reason I went was because of a patient at the hospital where I volunteered, and kinda bring in why I want to be a doctor weaved in there. Kinda hard to explain since I don't really have it written down yet, but we'll see what happens.

 

[jackets5]

thats the same problem im having. I know what i want to write sort of but having problems putting it on paper and making it flow together nicley.

I think your PS would be great, really interesting. I want to work mine around my study abroad trip to France, and mention that the only reason I went was because of a patient at the hospital where I volunteered, and kinda bring in why I want to be a doctor weaved in there. Kinda hard to explain since I don't really have it written down yet, but we'll see what happens.

 

[crys20]

The personal statement should not be the place to mention anything negative about your application. If you felt that a GPA like 3.3 needed explanation (which I'm not sure it does anyway),

I think it for sure is the place to spin your below avg GPA in a good way.

I read that book a few months ago with all those personal statements in it, essays to get you into medical school, or whatever. They all sound so much the same and boring, you know? So I wrote mine, and it's just REAL. It's just ME, and I like it. I include some experience I've had and how that's reaffirmed for me why I want to do med and why I think I can do it well...And I also touched on my poor performance initially in college and how I learned, grew, etc.