Re-write my personal statement?

[Amxcvbcv]

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Should I re-write my personal statement?

I made it to interviews last year before my lack of clinical/volunteer experience became my downfall, so I seriously doubt that my personal statement directly affected my rejection.

I have gone back to look at it several times, and it still reflects perfectly my feelings on why I want to be a doctor, so I am very reluctant to rewrite it.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Edit: Wonderful... my first post back in months and I put it in the wrong forum.

 

[ambrosia]

if you still think its accurate and you like it, then keep it 🙂

 

[sstache1]

I'm in the same boat. I'm pretty comfortable with my statement from last year, but I know there are some things that I could probably change. It's a tough call, if you feel comfortable with it then just re-submit. I will probably rewrite some of mine, but I am going to try to keep as much as possible. At any rate, good luck this cycle.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Have you experienced nothing in the last year that can add to your statement and strengthen your argument that you should be allowed to pursue an MD? No meaningful experience as a volunteer? No lessons in humility as a reapplicant? I doubt that your statement is as strong as it could be.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Have you experienced nothing in the last year that can add to your statement and strengthen your argument that you should be allowed to pursue an MD? No meaningful experience as a volunteer? No lessons in humility as a reapplicant? I doubt that your statement is as strong as it could be.

I see your points. My concern, though, is that if I rehash what I've improved upon - clinical volunteering, mission work, etc - I would be reiterating things already covered elsewhere in my application, particularly in the post-secondary experiences section.

Thanks for your input, though, that's why I posted this.

I also apologize to everyone for not putting this in the proper forum. I have never needed the re-applicants forum, so I didn't think to post this there. 🙄

 

[duck2005]

what constitutes not enough clinical experience?

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I see your points. My concern, though, is that if I rehash what I've improved upon - clinical volunteering, mission work, etc - I would be reiterating things already covered elsewhere in my application, particularly in the post-secondary experiences section.

In your application, all you get to do is list your activities, not explain their significance, right? (I actually dont know, I havnt applied yet). I think an explanation of how your clinical experience has motivated you to continue your pursuit of medicine may be beneficial.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

what constitutes not enough clinical experience?

If you didnt volunteer at a hospital throughout your entire undergrad, you really havnt gained enough clinical experience.


J/K. I think not enough experience would be little to no exposure to the clinical setting. 6+ months at a hospital (once again, personal opinion) should do the trick.

 

[Radio Edit]

i dont know!

Should I re-write my personal statement?

I made it to interviews last year before my lack of clinical/volunteer experience became my downfall, so I seriously doubt that my personal statement directly affected my rejection.

I have gone back to look at it several times, and it still reflects perfectly my feelings on why I want to be a doctor, so I am very reluctant to rewrite it.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Edit: Wonderful... my first post back in months and I put it in the wrong forum.

 

[sstache1]

There is more to medicine that just hospitals. I don't agree with the assertion that you HAVE TO have volunteering experience at a hospital. Shadowing a physician in his/her office, hospice work, working in research, and many other things aslo constitute medical experience. Don't get me wrong, voulnteering at a hospital is a very positive and beneficial experience, but just because an applicant doesn't have any volunteering experience at a hospital doesn't mean he/she doesn't have enough experience or credentials to be a strong applicant.

 

[jennymd_]

When I was reapplying this year, I did not start from scratch when writing my ps. I felt like my essay from last year was strong, but I did edit it to include updated material.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Just for the record, I attended a re-applicant's workshop at the school that rejected me post-interview, and their specific criticisms were not enough clinical/volunteer experience and not enough experience in the specialty in which I expressed interest in entering.


I'm killing two birds with one stone, though, since I have recently gotten a volunteer position in a radiology department. 😀


Anyway.... thanks for the responses thus far. I'm going to ponder this for a few days and then resubmit my AMCAS.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I view the situation this way - you are reapplying, so clearly, not everything was stellar with last years application. Improve as many aspects of the entire application as you can. PS is one where most people can always improve 👍

As for the hospital volunteer comment - you're right, hospital volunteering is not the only way to get clinical experience, and is not required. But... IMO, it is better than most other clinical experiences.

 

[PositivePostBac]

I view the situation this way - you are reapplying, so clearly, not everything was stellar with last years application. Improve as many aspects of the entire application as you can. PS is one where most people can always improve 👍

As for the hospital volunteer comment - you're right, hospital volunteering is not the only way to get clinical experience, and is not required. But... IMO, it is better than most other clinical experiences.

At first I completely agreed with this, but then I remembered that every secondary I have sent out had an optional/required section for re-applicants to explain what they have done since they last applied... so, maybe schools expect that your p/s may not change... that if your p/s is supposed to be the sum total of your experiences and reasons to be a doctor that one year waiting to re-apply will not alter that... I don't honestly know... maybe you should speak to your school's med admissions department (if you trust them) or one or two schools you are thinking of applying to and gauge their feelings on the matter.... either way good luck

 

[WalterSobchakk]

Put in the extra effort and at least update it. You don't want schools to think that you were just too lazy to do it.

 

[NGemie]

Before I was accepted off a waitlist this year....I asked the Deans of two medical schools that I applied to, interviewed, was rejected from, and was interested in re-application, if I needed to re-write my PS...they said "Definitely!" I told them that the essay was why I wanted to become a doctor though and that I couldn't really change that....but they said that admissions committees will look at your PS from before and after and realize that it was the same and that you didn't put the effort into re-vamping your PS. Add losts of updates, talk about a diff. experience....just don't keep it the same.