Hey guys !! Do you guys have any advice on writing a personal statement? I don't have any sad/depressing medical event that made me want to become a doctor. I also don't have any research experience, so I can't write about that. For me, being a doctor is something I have always wanted, there was not really a reason why (or maybe there is but I can't seem to bring it to consciousness). I have a lot of exposure and clinical experience from volunteering that I can write about but I feel that it is boring and will put me at a disadvantage.
Personal Statement
- Thread starter dnnguyen1
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1) Check out the pre-allo forum; this forum is only for discussing school-specific information for this cycle.
2) For the sake of anonymity, do not use a picture of yourself for your account!
3) You don't need to have some sad, tragic event happen to you in order to become a doctor; compassion is not a trait exclusive to those who have suffered (though it certainly helps with empathy!). However, you need to be able to articulate why you want to be a doctor and how you came to decide on medical school. If it helps, you could look up the list of premed competencies that AAMC has published and for each one, think of a situation where you exhibited that particular trait.
There are also tons of threads on pre-allo with tips on personal statement writing. I would do a search for those since this is a very commonly-discussed topic.
2) For the sake of anonymity, do not use a picture of yourself for your account!
3) You don't need to have some sad, tragic event happen to you in order to become a doctor; compassion is not a trait exclusive to those who have suffered (though it certainly helps with empathy!). However, you need to be able to articulate why you want to be a doctor and how you came to decide on medical school. If it helps, you could look up the list of premed competencies that AAMC has published and for each one, think of a situation where you exhibited that particular trait.
There are also tons of threads on pre-allo with tips on personal statement writing. I would do a search for those since this is a very commonly-discussed topic.
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Moving to preallo
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As @mcatjelly said, there are tons of advice out there. Not sure how far you are in the writing process, but it may help to just start writing stuff--all the things you have experienced in life that put the thought of "hey, being a doctor seems cool!" in your head.
It will be terrible and way too long for a personal statement. That's okay. When you read it back, you might notice common themes in what you have been through that may pinpoint qualities that attracted you to medicine. You can then edit from there.
Also, as a couple people have told me, make sure you have at least some kind of draft before you start seeking opinions or sample PS's. I'm sure it varies from person to person, but you want to make sure that your voice is clear first and then refine it as you get feedback. Good luck!
EXTRA: You also don't have to limit your P.S. to clinical activities. Those are definitely important, but hobbies or endeavors (e.g. research, causes) can be helpful in showcasing the type of person you are and want to be as a future doctor!
It will be terrible and way too long for a personal statement. That's okay. When you read it back, you might notice common themes in what you have been through that may pinpoint qualities that attracted you to medicine. You can then edit from there.
Also, as a couple people have told me, make sure you have at least some kind of draft before you start seeking opinions or sample PS's. I'm sure it varies from person to person, but you want to make sure that your voice is clear first and then refine it as you get feedback. Good luck!
EXTRA: You also don't have to limit your P.S. to clinical activities. Those are definitely important, but hobbies or endeavors (e.g. research, causes) can be helpful in showcasing the type of person you are and want to be as a future doctor!
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In all honesty, sob stories are unoriginal themes for personal statements anyways. Just write about what inspires you, and make sure it answers "Why medicine?" specifically. The only piece of advice I give to every writer I help edit is "Show, don't tell."
