Question about Personal Statements.

[mac_kin]

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Since I've never done this before and I don't really know how people complete these PS things maybe some of you can answer my question.

I've looked at sample essays in books and online and noticed that a lot of applicants make their PS almost like a story about themselves, their interests, etc. Its almost like reading a novel. I haven't seen a lot of "I'm Joe and I volunteer here and there...and this is why I want to be a doctor".

But, I've also read somewhere that Med Schools want you to get to the point and that going at length about "how jogging through the streets of the Dominican and seeing all the impoverished children has changed your life" should be left out. So they would rather hear "I volunteered in the Dominican and my experiences with sick kids helped me realize that I want to be a doc".



So is it better to write it like a novel or just get to the point and describe your experiences and why you want to be a doctor??

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[AZT]

I guess a little bit of both would be needed. You need to make your statement interesting to read -- which a story like format can achieve. But it should be pertinent and answer the questions that med schools would be looking for.

 

[Dmizrahi]

Since I've never done this before and I don't really know how people complete these PS things maybe some of you can answer my question.

I've looked at sample essays in books and online and noticed that a lot of applicants make their PS almost like a story about themselves, their interests, etc. Its almost like reading a novel. I haven't seen a lot of "I'm Joe and I volunteer here and there...and this is why I want to be a doctor".

But, I've also read somewhere that Med Schools want you to get to the point and that going at length about "how jogging through the streets of the Dominican and seeing all the impoverished children has changed your life" should be left out. So they would rather hear "I volunteered in the Dominican and my experiences with sick kids helped me realize that I want to be a doc".



So is it better to write it like a novel or just get to the point and describe your experiences and why you want to be a doctor??

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

I think one thing you want to shoot for is to stay on topic...but you also want to find a way to distinguish yourself from other candidates. I also think that if you can be to the point about wanting to be a doctor for 5300 characters and be interesting about it, that would be ideal.

 

[CSLITO]

OP, the format of the personal statement should ultimately be up to you. I first wrote mine in the way that felt the best to me and then had several people look it over. I incorporated the suggestions/changes that I thought felt right to me and ignored the rest. Try not to stress too much about the details and try to make it a little fun. If you have genuine reasons for wanting to become a doctor then writing the ps should not be too painful.

 

[QuikClot]

There is no formula -- a PS should be well-written, distinctive, and give the flavor of your personality. If it is just reiterating the stuff on your application, that's not good. Phony-seeming epiphanies -- and real epiphanies can seem phony if they are poorly presented -- should be avoided.

Basically, a PS should be fun to read like a story, give good information on the canadidate, and tell the truth while hitting some of the right buttons without being obvious about it. In other words; do it all, and do it in a slick way. Not for nothing are professional writers few and far between. Good writing is hard.

 

[TwinkleToes]

Remember: at some point, you have to tell them why you want to go to med school. In all my Master's courses, they kept telling me to BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front. In a shorter essay, it's even more important. I'd suggest, therefore:

1) Bottom line
2) Anecdote that illustrates how you came to feel that way / how you would like to practice medicine / etc.
3) Why that makes you different from the other six thousand applicants they've looked over so far. (This one is by far the hardest, but doesn't have to be stellar: so few people actually take the time to spell it out that just by doing it you'll set yourself head and shoulders above the crowd.)