Should we only mention medical related experiences on our PS?

[Psycho Doctor]

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I'm still having problems writing this thing. Should any mention of any experienes be limited to things tha t made us decide to be a doctor? I am trying not to make my essay seem like a laundry list but don't want the adcoms to think the couple things i mention is all i ever did. How is everyone else handling this?

 

[tinkerbelle]

If the experience demonstrates a really good quality about you, or one of your passions, then by all means include it. And don't worry, AdComs will see that you have done other activites from your AMCAS application. DO NOT make it a laundry list. Just high-light the more important things.

Good luck

 

[45408]

If you only mention medical experience, you'll sound overly focused on only one aspect of life - try to round it out.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

ok, but i'm concerned that mentioning too many things will sound mor elike a laundry list tyep thing.

aren't personal statements supposed to sort of describe why you want to be a doctor? So therefore if you're mentioning only a couple experiences, doesn't it make more sense for those experiences to be medically related?

I'm having a hard time knowing what is enough but not too much...and also tying it all together in a unified cohesive essay and relating it all back to the premise

 

[albinotrout]

It doesn't necessarily need to explain why you want to be a doctor . . . they can ask you all about that in your interview. Just think of the PS as a way to give the adcom an idea of who you are beyond the MCAT, GPA, and brief description of EC's on the AMCAS app. The adcom can learn a lot about why you want to be a doctor/how good a doc you'd be from the type of personal reflection you can offer in the PS. I've been told before, "think of the PS as a way to tell the adcom who you are and how you got there." I don't know . . . just my 2 cents. GOOD LUCK 👍

 

[Psycho Doctor]

hmmm...sounds like a good assessment. previously everyone told me it should explain why you want to be a doctor; and th few i read sort of said that. I was somewhat surprised everyone interpreted it that way since it never spelled that out.

 

[blossompp3]

Just my opinion, but i think it should relate at least a little to the reasons that you want to go to medical school.

An acquantaince of mine had the following experience: he submitted a less than ideal PS and was asked in an interview "why do you want to be a doctor?" and pretty much had every answer shot down, such as " to help people"-->"then why not be a social worker, teacher, etc", or "I want to be in medical field"-->"why not be a nurse, physicians assistant, physical therapist, etc"

the next year he wrote a more comprehensive PS, and this question was never brought up in the interview, presumably b/c he had already answered it in his essay. he was accepted that year into MD/PhD

I do think you should also include other qualities that make you unique, not JUST things that are medically related. good luck

 

[calstudent]

definitely if you have enough (say, for example 1200-1500 characters) that demonstrates your dedication to medicine, then making yourself more well-rounded will make it more interesting.