PS too long >< Help on what to take out.

[rubisco88]

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My PS needs to be 5000 characters or less and right now it's almost 7000. What should I take out? I feel like I'm writing about too many things especially when I have to say the importance of each and how the experience motivated me to want to be a doc.

Here's the jist/outline of my essay:

P1: Intro/hook with experience with loved one with illness (Must keep in PS)
P2: Lessons learned /motivation from above (Must keep in PS)
P3: Research in high school, didn't like it bc etc etc, so thought being a doc would be a good fit
P4: Doubts in college about being a doc due to certain experiences, decided to explore another health field
P5: Explored other health field in clinical setting, realized it wasn't for me, so shadowed
P6: Shadowing experience and what I learned and how it motivated me, confirmed that I want to be a physician
P7: Conclusion

I have learned so much from caring for my loved one with an illness (for a period of 2 yrs). It is the lengthiest portion of my PS. I don't want to take it out because the experience is something that I think makes me unique. It takes up a lot of space though because I've learned so much and was the turning point for me wanting to be a physician.

 

[MedPR]

Experience details. Take those out.

 

[wolfie77]

My PS needs to be 5000 characters or less and right now it's almost 7000. What should I take out? I feel like I'm writing about too many things especially when I have to say the importance of each and how the experience motivated me to want to be a doc.

Here's the jist/outline of my essay:

P1: Intro/hook with experience with loved one with illness (Must keep in PS)
P2: Lessons learned /motivation from above (Must keep in PS)
P3: Research in high school, didn't like it bc etc etc, so thought being a doc would be a good fit
P4: Doubts in college about being a doc due to certain experiences, decided to explore another health field
P5: Explored other health field in clinical setting, realized it wasn't for me, so shadowed
P6: Shadowing experience and what I learned and how it motivated me, confirmed that I want to be a physician
P7: Conclusion

I have learned so much from caring for my loved one with an illness (for a period of 2 yrs). It is the lengthiest portion of my PS. I don't want to take it out because the experience is something that I think makes me unique. It takes up a lot of space though because I've learned so much and was the turning point for me wanting to be a physician.

I obviously know nothing about your PS except for that outline but it seems like u have a lot of doubts in there. Why risk sounding like ur not sure or are indecisive about ur career.....take out as much of that as possible.

It kind of sounds right now like ur going into medicine bc of process of elimination.

 

[Nebby]

I obviously know nothing about your PS except for that outline but it seems like u have a lot of doubts in there. Why risk sounding like ur not sure or are indecisive about ur career.....take out as much of that as possible.

It kind of sounds right now like ur going into medicine bc of process of elimination.

I agree. It's a little complicated just reading the outline alone.

 

[rubisco88]

I guess I was trying to get across that I've challenged and tested my interest in medicine by trying other things and using process of elimination. I think maybe I should focus on the things that made me want to pursue medicine instead of using process of elimination logic.

 

[MedPR]

I guess I was trying to get across that I've challenged and tested my interest in medicine by trying other things and using process of elimination. I think maybe I should focus on the things that made me want to pursue medicine instead of using process of elimination logic.

Yea.. "everything else sucks, so medicine it is!" isn't a good idea.

 

[colberag]

I agree with above posters - your outline makes it sound like you have experienced everything else and medicine is the one thing you don't hate, which sounds like a last resort. I don't think you need to include all the negative stuff, just talk about the positive medical experiences and how that has reinforced the passion you developed from caring for your family member.

 

[RecycleRinsed]

I agree with above posters - your outline makes it sound like you have experienced everything else and medicine is the one thing you don't hate, which sounds like a last resort. I don't think you need to include all the negative stuff, just talk about the positive medical experiences and how that has reinforced the passion you developed from caring for your family member.

P4 can go. Why talk about previous doubts that were later disproven/laid to rest?

 

[rubisco88]

P4 was going to about how I felt discouraged about being a doc bc I didn't think I fit the typical premed mold. Basically I'm a first generation college student and socioeconomically disadvantaged and everyone I knew applying had professional parents. Should I leave this out and talk about it in one of the optional or secondary essays. I'm applying tmdsas which also lets you write a unique circumstance/hardship essay.

 

[rubisco88]

I was also concerned about the expenses applying to med school with my family's financial situation.

 

[rubisco88]

Bump

 

[La Presse]

When writing your PS, try to utilize the proper use of syntax and skim excessive style--even just a bit. It is often unnecessary and can significantly reduce word count.

 

[BABSstudent]

Why are you going to talk about your research in HIGH SCHOOL!!! Sounds like you could take that out.

Don't worry, it took me 4 times to write my PS.

 

[GeorgiadisMD]

Honestly from what I've heard, you need to show that you've made an effort to figure out that being a doctor is what you want to be. I think op has done this but op should say it in a different way.

 

[rubisco88]

Thanks. Yeah I was seriously considering taking the hs research part out even though it doesn't take up much space. Just wanted to include it, so my application doesn't appear as if I've never tried research (did not do it in college). Not really applying to research oriented schools, so hopefully it doesn't matter too much.