Personal Statements in IM Interviews

[Firion451]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I had long since been under the impression from senior med students, faculty, residents and even from First Aid for the Match that the personal statement had no more than a marginal role in obtaining an interview and at most may be used to spark some conversation during the interview.

However, in virtually all of the interviews I have had to date, the PS has been a big deal. It has formed the cornerstone of almost all my interviews, and every interviewer had already read it and had questions ready based on it. One program director even declared that he had read every single PS and it influenced the decision on who to give interviews to.

I am already convinced that the "Board scores really don't matter" myth is a fallacy, but I am also quickly becoming convinced that the commonly held belief that the personal statement doesn't matter is also a fallacy. Has anyone else had the same experience? Agree or disagree? Thanks.

 

[dochuffman]

I think that every part of your application is looked at. So one should spend time on their personal statement . If it is good it can only help; if it is bad it can only hurt. However, I doubt it will get you a spot just because your personal statement is excellent. Nor will you loose a spot, with an otherwise strong application, if it is just mediocre. Just my opinion.

 

[carol ann]

I have also received a comment on my personal statement in every interview -- I tried to keep it somewhat "un-boring." I think it's a good way to let a program see a little bit of your personality. And if they don't like it, screw'm, it's not the right place for you.

 

[Pili]

I think that every part of your application is looked at. So one should spend time on their personal statement . If it is good it can only help; if it is bad it can only hurt. However, I doubt it will get you a spot just because your personal statement is excellent. Nor will you loose a spot, with an otherwise strong application, if it is just mediocre. Just my opinion.

My PS is crappy. I essentially say, this is what I stated my career goals were for Med School, they are essentially the same for Res. Nothing more. Two paragraphs. I would not recommend this approach, though. I happened to be in a funk when I was applying, and was sick of the whole statement sell yourself game, so I said let me present the barest facts about myself, both in the PS and in the rest of my appl. f I had to re-do it, I'd be more careful. I went as far as to not mention a submitted paper in nanotechnology, of which I was first author! The paper got accepted a few weeks ago and none of the admon com. know about it.
Perhaps a visit to the shrink is in order to see WHY I want to boycott myself?

 

[atc]

I went as far as to not mention a submitted paper in nanotechnology, of which I was first author! The paper got accepted a few weeks ago and none of the admon com. know about it.
Perhaps a visit to the shrink is in order to see WHY I want to boycott myself?

Pili, you may be okay yet. I've heard that you're allowed to add stuff to your application like getting a paper accepted for publication.