Personal Statement

[oregonbigc]

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Good luck 4th years. Here are some tips for writing your PS.

Residency essays must answer three questions:

1. Why are you interested in the field of your choice?
2. What are you looking for in a residency program?
3. How the field aligns with your professional goals?

Most of the content of your statement should address your clinical development during clerkships. This essay is intended to convey concrete, useful information
in a concise and memorable manner. The creativity so valued in the MSPS is secondary to providing substantive answers to the above questions.

It is always better to show rather than to tell. A specific relevant incident is far more effective than a catalog of assertions.

An essay must begin with a strong and memorable statement or incident. If it does not, the reader may quickly lose interest.

A residency essay should not be a prose version of your resume. The person reading the essay will have your academic record and other materials available, so it is important not to repeat information that exists elsewhere, unless you are using it to make a very specific point not evident from the record itself.

Moreover, the essay should not include information that you could not talk about at length in an interview nor should it include anything that is exaggerated or that may be contradicted by other materials in your application, including letters of reference.

Other tips:
Use active writing tense rather than past.
Use Buzzwords that catch readers eye, but don't overuse.
A paragraph should never begin with “I.”

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Good luck 4th years. Here are some tips for writing your PS.

Residency essays must answer three questions:

1. Why are you interested in the field of your choice?
2. What are you looking for in a residency program?
3. How the field aligns with your professional goals?

Most of the content of your statement should address your clinical development during clerkships. This essay is intended to convey concrete, useful information
in a concise and memorable manner. The creativity so valued in the MSPS is secondary to providing substantive answers to the above questions.

If you're applying to INternal medicine, Peds, FM, etc, I disagree with this statement. Trust me, your answers to these questions will be the same as everyone else's.

Use the PS to tell me something about yourself that's not in your application. Don't repeat your CV, don't tell me why you want to do IM, don't tell me about your illness / sibling's illness / friend's illness that made you want to be a doctor -- those get used all the time. Tell me about yourself -- what do you like to do? Tell me something interesting that happened to you. Be yourself.

If you're applying to a very competitive field, like NS or plastics or perhaps GS (where people tend to be a bit more conservative) then consider a "standard" personal statement.

A residency essay should not be a prose version of your resume. The person reading the essay will have your academic record and other materials available, so it is important not to repeat information that exists elsewhere, unless you are using it to make a very specific point not evident from the record itself.

Moreover, the essay should not include information that you could not talk about at length in an interview nor should it include anything that is exaggerated or that may be contradicted by other materials in your application, including letters of reference.

Amen to that.

A paragraph should never begin with “I.”

I don't see why not.

 

[rox]

I'm not quite familiar with the matching system, but I understand that one would need to submit a personal statement. So, one important issue is to address why you are interested in that certain speciality. But what about people applying for two specialities, eg IM and Peds? PGY-1 categorical IM and PGY-2 Rads?

 

[Winged Scapula]

I'm not quite familiar with the matching system, but I understand that one would need to submit a personal statement. So, one important issue is to address why you are interested in that certain speciality. But what about people applying for two specialities, eg IM and Peds? PGY-1 categorical IM and PGY-2 Rads?

It would be unusual for someone to apply for a PGY1 CATEGORICAL IM position. Usually the first year is a PGY1 PRELIMINARY IM spot in which they know you are going into another field and your PS only need a cursory statement that a good clinical base year in medicine will prepare you well for Rads.

If you are indeed applying for Categorical IM (perhaps as a back up to Rads), then you write TWO separate personal statements and indicate when applying, which statement goes to which program.

 

[rox]

If you are indeed applying for Categorical IM (perhaps as a back up to Rads)

Yes, this is exactly the scenario I'm asking about.

then you write TWO separate personal statements and indicate when applying, which statement goes to which program.

Oh that's great. I thought one gets to write only one PS and all PD's regardless of speciality receive it. So this way IM PD's don't get to see that you're actually applying also for Rads.

So, can one also do the same thing with LOR's? ie, send LOR's from radiologist to Rad positions and LOR's from internists to IM positions.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Yes, this is exactly the scenario I'm asking about.

then you write TWO separate personal statements and indicate when applying, which statement goes to which program.

Oh that's great. I thought one gets to write only one PS and all PD's regardless of speciality receive it. So this way IM PD's don't get to see that you're actually applying also for Rads.

Yep...I did the same thing when applying for Integrated Plastics and General Surgery as a back-up.

So, can one also do the same thing with LOR's? ie, send LOR's from Rad people to Rad positions and LOR's from IM folks to IM positions.

Yes. You can submit all your letters and then designate which ones go to which programs.

 

[rox]

Great news, didn't know that before. Thanks WS.

Ok, this might sound a little picky, but I think one also uploads his/her research experience, publications, presentations..etc. Can one also have similar control over these issues?

 

[Samoa]

Great news, didn't know that before. Thanks WS.

Ok, this might sound a little picky, but I think one also uploads his/her research experience, publications, presentations..etc. Can one also have similar control over these issues?

You can't target those to individual programs. A CV is not a resume; it's supposed to list everything.

As far as jobs and research are concerned, you can pretty legitimately pick and choose what to include from college. But from that time onward, you need to account for your time with either work, school, research or some sort of activity.

 

[Winged Scapula]

As Samoa notes, the data you upload in regards to education, publications, etc. will go into ONE ERAS document which is sent to all programs. You cannot manipulate who sees what with that type of data.

 

[rox]

I see. Thanks.

 

[rox]

What would I need to send an application to a program? Step 1, PS and CV?

So I'm supposed to send applications in September, do interviews in October-January and upload the LOR by February? Is that how it goes? Thanks.

 

[sestamibi]

What would I need to send an application to a program? Step 1, PS and CV?

So I'm supposed to send applications in September, do interviews in October-January and upload the LOR by February? Is that how it goes? Thanks.

Apps start 9/1/08.

Interviews typically occur from November to January.

Letters are due sometime in October. I would not suggest uploading them in Feb.

 

[rox]

Thanks sestamibi....what would I need in order to send an application to a program? Step 1, PS and CV?

On a seperate note, how much is the fee per application?

 

[Samoa]

This information is all available on the ERAS website. You should probably look there first.

 

[sestamibi]

Thanks sestamibi....what would I need in order to send an application to a program? Step 1, PS and CV?

On a seperate note, how much is the fee per application?

I'd second the suggestion to check out ERAS.

The fees are based on how many you're applying to.

I believe $60 covers your first 10 applications in one field. And then it starts adding up after that.

 

[rox]

Thx. I found it there.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Btw Rox, is your name a clever allusion to Petra?

 

[rox]

Btw Rox, is your name a clever allusion to Petra?

😕

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Well, you're from Jordan (where Petra is located), and your screen name is Rox ("rocks"), and you say "ossified" for your status (turned to stone). Petra means "rock" in Latin.

Guess not. 🙂

 

[rox]

To be honest, I've never thought how those words would add up. I'm amazed by the high level of complex thinking you used 😉

"Rox" is just a nickname that I've been using for a couple of years. It has no speshul story, just a nickname.

"Ossified": comes from the first speciality I liked, Orthopedics.

The whole thing is just a pure coincidence 🙂

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

If you're applying to INternal medicine, Peds, FM, etc, I disagree with this statement. Trust me, your answers to these questions will be the same as everyone else's.

Use the PS to tell me something about yourself that's not in your application. Don't repeat your CV, don't tell me why you want to do IM, don't tell me about your illness / sibling's illness / friend's illness that made you want to be a doctor -- those get used all the time. Tell me about yourself -- what do you like to do? Tell me something interesting that happened to you. Be yourself.

I wholeheartedly agree with doc here. My personal statement said very little about why ophtho is a great field. The PD already knows that and I'm sure I can't discover a reason that hasn't already been stated by other med nerds.

Instead, my statement was revolved around my (and family) exodus from Afghanistan. And how we had to literally flee Moscow b/c my father (then Ambassador) gave a speech bashing communism INSIDE Moscow. A death wish of sorts. So yeah, the KGB was after us and were ordered to shot to kill.

Clearly, we made it out alive. That was 1983.

Made for great residency interviews!

 

[Doowai]

Dr.Saib>>> awesome story.👍

Last year my personal statement was long - like 2 pages. I was applying fairly non-competitively : university based or university affiliated family medicine programs mostly in non-glamour spots.

I applied to about 50 FM programs, was offered something like 15 interviews, did 10 actual interviews (which was very tiring), and was given 2 prematch offers. Everyone gave me compliments on my PS, and only one person mentioned it as being long.

One unique thing I did that I have never seen anyone else do is an outline at th beginning - with titles above each section like chapters, so if someone was interested in a specific aspect they could jump to it.

If anyone wants to see my personal statement from last year I have a copy of it still.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Like most things in life there are always exceptions.

Both Doowai and DoctorSaib have led very fascinating personal and professional lives and one may forgive them for having longer than average personal statements. If they are well written and really have something interesting to say, then I think most would enjoy reading them.

However, for the VAST majority of residency applicants, one page suffices. Sorry, but your life has not been that interesting or unusual and there really isn't anything to say that can't be said in one page.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

However, for the VAST majority of residency applicants, one page suffices. Sorry, but your life has not been that interesting or unusual and there really isn't anything to say that can't be said in one page.

Even if your life has been interesting, you can still tell me in 1 page.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Even if your life has been interesting, you can still tell me in 1 page.

I might be able to, but have you read some of Doowai's and DoctorSaib's work? They's some long-winded dudes!

Point well taken. Obviously, for everyone like me who *might* read a lengthy and well written PS (because its so rare in my field) there are others who will toss it down in disgust like APD.

 

[Doowai]

I am long winded I have to give ya that.

Part of my PS was addressing what I felt would be viewed as weaknesses. Its kind of a defensive approach - but I addressed for example my age (46). I discussed completing a triathlon in 2007, a first place state win in the 50 meter free style swim, and if I apply this year will mention taking 3rd in a strong man competition in May of 2008 - tied this to my good health and high energy, and tied this to my philosophy that primary care physicians can improve patients overall health and vigor by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices.

I felt I had certain glaring weakness such as age, mediocre board scores, FMG - which I wanted to address.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

I might be able to, but have you read some of Doowai's and DoctorSaib's work? They's some long-winded dudes!

Actually, my PS was a little less than a page long Dr. Cox...😛

My posts are no 1-liners (like Tired's) but they're usually short (except that one post about men's fashion for interviews).

Now that Doowai guy, he's a talker!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Actually, my PS was a little less than a page long Dr. Cox...😛

My posts are no 1-liners (like Tired's) but they're usually short (except that one post about men's fashion for interviews).

Hmmm...thought I remembered some lengthy tomes from you. Perhaps its just the volume of posts that I've added up in my mind! 😛

Now that Doowai guy, he's a talker!

No argument there!

 

[Doowai]

Now that Doowai guy, he's a talker!

You know..... its a funny thing... I have been called a talker since I was a kid,,,,,,, I remember 30....... no it must have been 40 years ago... well lets see, I was at Stan's house, when he lived on Edgemont... so that must have been, what?..... 1966..... or was it '67. Anyway,... his mom said "That Doowai, he is a talker".... and I said.... actually, do you wanna hear a funny story....

 

[superoxide]

You know..... its a funny thing... I have been called a talker since I was a kid,,,,,,, I remember 30....... no it must have been 40 years ago... well lets see, I was at Stan's house, when he lived on Edgemont... so that must have been, what?..... 1966..... or was it '67. Anyway,... his mom said "That Doowai, he is a talker".... and I said.... actually, do you wanna hear a funny story....

😆