Personal Statement

[fun8stuff]

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When is the best time to start on my personal statement?

I go to a small state school and some times I feel like I do not get the best pre-med advising... but, I guess that is what SDN is for. I have heard that some schools require you to submit your PS in like March and they evaluate it and your application. Is this common?

 

[XCanadianRagwee]

Never...this whole medical school process is a joke. Medical schools don't really exsist...it's a figment of your imagination...

🙄

 

[fun8stuff]

Originally posted by XCanadianRagwee
Never...this whole medical school process is a joke. Medical schools don't really exsist...it's a figment of your imagination...

🙄

Well that's a big relief! ....but really when did everyone start there PSs? 😕

 

[xanthines]

Start them ASAP. The hardest part is getting started.

-X

 

[Sonya]

the day I finished the mcat. April.

 

[Amy B]

I started working on mine after I started my freshman year. I would suggest you start on it now.

 

[XCanadianRagwee]

Originally posted by Amy B
I started working on mine after I started my freshman year. I would suggest you start on it now.

O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap
O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap
O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap
O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap

 

[Amy B]

Originally posted by XCanadianRagwee
O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap
O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap
O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap
O-VER-ACHIEV-ER
clap-clap clap clap clap

😛 😛 😛 😛 😛

 

[Radiohead67]

I started working on mine after the April MCAT as Sonya did. I found it more important to concentrate on the MCATs and not worry about the personal statement until afterwards.

 

[Rendar5]

no, it's not common to submit them in march. Do them in April or May or June.

 

[XCanadianRagwee]

Originally posted by Amy B
😛 😛 😛 😛 😛

Got nothing but 😍 for you Amy B

 

[LP1CW]

I started after April MCAT. It was easy enough to knock out the first draft. The editing was the most work. I had so much to say, but I knew that I needed to keep it tight. Edit, edit, edit.

I also used EssayEdge. They were great, kept my voice. My editor's name was Mr. Peacock. Ask for him, he's creative and able to read between the lines. I'd use him again. He had insight into the whole process.

If you don't want to use EssayEdge, find someone that you can trust and that is a good writer. I'm not a great writer so I needed some help clarifying my ideas.

 

[Sonya]

please look at the ENTIRE amcas application before you start your PS. Do NOT try to cover in your PS what you can otherwise put in the 15 extra activity description section.

I spent a whole day free writing and came up with 4 single spaced pages of text. And, somehow that got muddled and chopped and molded into a PS.

Sonya

 

[Pinkertinkle]

A PS explains why you want to be a doctor right?

 

[Spitting Camel]

Originally posted by Pinkertinkle
A PS explains why you want to be a doctor right?

Tons of people try to be crazy and creative in their personal statements and it can often be interpreted as a lack of seriousness. Be cautious when/if doing so!

I wrote about what medicine means to me and the path I took to find it. I wanted it to be clear that I loved biology and knew that my career had to incorporate it. I tried basic science and clinical research, taught students, and volunteered in a hospital and of these experiences, I enjoyed the hospital the most.

Tell them why medicine and not something else, but not so boldly. Don't put other fields down, but tell them why they are not for you and why medicine is.

This is just my opinion and how I felt I wanted to portray myself. It's all up to the individual and how he/she wants to be viewed.

If you want to see my PS, I can email it to you. Good Luck 🙂

 

[sgilani]

how did you guys get started? i feel like i have a ton of ideas or things to say but i don't know what to do with them. i didn't realize this was such a tough thing to write.

 

[fun8stuff]

Originally posted by Sonya
please look at the ENTIRE amcas application before you start your PS. Do NOT try to cover in your PS what you can otherwise put in the 15 extra activity description section.

Good Idea!

 

[jlee9531]

since i took a year off between graduating and applying i wrote my ps during christmas break before the june i sent in the amcas.

its good to have a lot of ideas but just make sure you focus your energy on the main point of the essay. your motivation to do medicine.

make an outline of your thoughts and try to find some main themes to focus on.

 

[Paws]

I used EssayEdge too, but only after I was pretty much done. They were really excellent and charged about $50. per version, which wasn't bad. Mostly I wanted to get some straight feedback on the final version. Money well spent and it made me feel more confident to hear her support.

I recommend using other SDN people too. Their input is incredibly valuable. Actually writing mine took a bzillion drafts and I started in September with the bulk of it and whittled it down. I felt there was definitely a strong element of 'soul searching' and maybe even some therapy-type work going on because people kept saying: talk about your feelings, talk about this sensitive experience, talk about your painful (whatever). It was really very hard and I definitely felt like I had spent some time at the shrink after I was done. But, people who read my PS said it was very moving and well written, so in the end it was definitely worth it.

Think of it as a process of self revelation and expression. It's your moment to really shine.

 

[Lux Aeterna]

Yeah, around AMCAS time there is usually a list of SDNers who want to help edit/comment on personal statements, so definitely make use of the board. In addition to my premed committee/advisor, I had 3 SDNers proofread mine--they provided a really nice perspective since they had just been through the process.