Personal Statement

[wsingh]

It's getting to be that time when I ought to start thinking about the personal statement. I was thinking about applying to combined EM/IM programs but also realize that these programs are competitive (as if EM alone is not competitive alone). So, I guess I am wondering if in my personal statement I indicate an interest in both, is that going to count against me for the EM only programs? Also, writing this statement is a pain in the ass.

Do you guys recommend any good books for the EM rotation? (other than Tintinalli's, it's too big to carry in my coat pocket )

WS

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[aliraja]

Write two different statements (or just add a paragraph at the end of your EM one about how you want to do EM/IM) and send them to the appropriate programs. You can save multiple personal statements in ERAS.

EMRA has a great little guide, "Top 30 problems in EM" that covers most of what you'll see during your rotation.

 

[joaquin13]

i am starting to write my personal statement for EM. Any advice from anyone? Do they actually read these personal statements??!
I have no idea where to start!

 

[frog4brooke]

Yes, they are read-so try not to be too boring! I had several comments on mine. This is a good time to start writing your PS, because you can write it and then leave it for a few weeks and look at it again.

I used a couple of the EM career building books and looked at what made a good EM person and mentioned the qualities that I had in my PS. Many of these are written by PD's and it says a lot about what they think are good traits for an EP (i.e. are looking for in a resident). Again-the challenge is to not be too boring!

As for the combined program, look at some of these books for that, too. Many have sections about the differences in training and future work environments. You should sound well informed and know why you want a combined rather then straight EM or IM. Do 2 separate PS, you may only need to differ them by a few sentences or paragraph.

Here are a few links:

http://www.emra.org/students.cfm

http://www.emstudent.org/

http://www.saem.org/inform/02med.htm

Good Luck Guys!

F4B

 

[DrQuinn]

i am starting to write my personal statement for EM. Any advice from anyone? Do they actually read these personal statements??!
I have no idea where to start!

Keep it simple and short, IMHO. I know i had to read about 80-100 last interview season, and honestly it didn't pay that much weight. If you have any experience, PUT IT IN the statement.

I had one attending who said that he had only seen "one or two" statements that stood out. (out of about 600). He's a pretty "artsy" attending, though, and expected like, damn poetry. Granted, he wasn't PD or asst. PD or anything, just an attending.

One attending also said that he just wished students would cut to the chase:
"I hate rounding, I hate IM or surgery, I like my time off. 'nuff said." He siad if someone wrote that in their statemnet, they woudl automatically get an interview.

Q, DO

 

[joaquin13]

Frog4brooke:

What EM career building books do you suggest? I havent really heard of any.

Would anyone be willing to share their personal statements?

 

[frog4brooke]

Check out the links I posted, many of the books are online at each site.

There were 2 that I looked at: Rules of the Road for MS and the MS Survival Guide. (I think that was what they were called).

Hope it helps,
F4B

 

[Hercules]

One attending also said that he just wished students would cut to the chase:
"I hate rounding, I hate IM or surgery, I like my time off. 'nuff said." He siad if someone wrote that in their statemnet, they woudl automatically get an interview.

I would love to put that. Unfortunately I think there would be a larger number of docs who would trash my application for putting that.

 

[joaquin13]

seriously...I wish I could put something as simple as that.
I heard about personal statements that they don't really help you but can really really hurt you, especially if you have typos or grammatical errors.
Anyone have any tips about format?
Iversons Getting into Residency has a few formats, including one that is almost resume style. Any suggestions? I guess that this is so different than anything else we have done, so I have no idea how to start!

 

[Febrifuge]

Speaking of Quinn's attending who wanted "poetry," I want to see a personal statement that rhymes. At least one attending at (place-I-work) might want to interview someone who's crazy enough to do a "Green Eggs and EM" sort of a thing.