Using the word "I" in my personal statement

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
bigdogrob4284

bigdogrob4284

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2012
Messages
380
Reaction score
4
I have been working on my personal statement for the last few weeks. I recently had my pre-med adviser proofread my rough draft, and he told me that I needed to eliminate the word "I" whenever possible. But going through it, it has been difficult to cut "I" out when the statement is essentially about me.

What do you guys think? Is "I" ok? Or is my adviser correct?
Members don't see this ad.
 
That's a tough one. __ would like to know too. :)
Edit: Maybe you could talk about yourself in the third person?
 
As long as it's not used excessively (to the point of being annoying, such as starting every third sentence with "I," for instance), using the first person seems fine in a personal statement. I know I did it. It's not a scientific paper.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
bigdogrob4284 said:
I have been working on my personal statement for the last few weeks. I recently had my pre-med adviser proofread my rough draft, and he told me that I needed to eliminate the word "I" whenever possible. But going through it, it has been difficult to cut "I" out when the statement is essentially about me.

What do you guys think? Is "I" ok? Or is my adviser correct?
Click to expand...

Your advisor is daft.

That said, you need not be the subject of every sentence. You can write:

"The doctor who took me under his wing let me..."

Rather than "I was honored to be allowed to shadow a doctor ...."

"The patient had many questions that were readily answered...." Rather than "I answered the patient's questions ..."

"Our lab has established an synthetic RNA synthesis paradgm and my role has been to ..." rather than

"I worked in the lab on a synthetic RNA synthesis paradigm" (that last bit is just nonsense words).
 
It's hard to say without reading your personal statement. It's acceptable to have a few "I" statements in a first-person essay, but it is easy to go overboard. Try rearranging your sentences so that you have more variety.

How is the writing center at your university? That can be a good place to go if you just want grammatical advice, just remember that they're students too.

Take all advice with a grain of salt. Your personal statement is YOURS and you want it to reflect YOU, but hopefully the best you that exists.
 
I'm not really sure how you could effectively write a personal statement without using the first person.

I used words like "I" and "my" upwards of 30 times throughout mine.
 
Not trying to take over the thread but when did you all start working on your PS? I am currently in my sophmore.
 
Of course you can use "I" and other personal pronouns. Just make sure your style remains intact and you don't start every sentence the same way. The essay is meant to convey why you want to be a doctor, you are the one talking. The PS doesn't even have to be a formal essay. I've read successful PS's that were in letter form.

Miss McTatty said:
Not trying to take over the thread but when did you all start working on your PS? I am currently in my sophmore.
Click to expand...

A week before it was due to my pre-health committee for my committee letter (May of my junior year) :smuggrin:
 
LizzyM said:
Your advisor is daft.

That said, you need not be the subject of every sentence. You can write:

"The doctor who took me under his wing let me..."

Rather than "I was honored to be allowed to shadow a doctor ...."

"The patient had many questions that were readily answered...." Rather than "I answered the patient's questions ..."

"Our lab has established an synthetic RNA synthesis paradgm and my role has been to ..." rather than

"I worked in the lab on a synthetic RNA synthesis paradigm" (that last bit is just nonsense words).
Click to expand...

+1

This is what I tried to do. My PS readers noticed that I use "I" too much in my regular writing...and so I made every effort to diversify my sentence structure and subjects.
 
bigdogrob4284 said:
I have been working on my personal statement for the last few weeks. I recently had my pre-med adviser proofread my rough draft, and he told me that I needed to eliminate the word "I" whenever possible. But going through it, it has been difficult to cut "I" out when the statement is essentially about me.

What do you guys think? Is "I" ok? Or is my adviser correct?
Click to expand...


Well, I won't say whether or not using "I" is okay, because I don't actually know; however, "I" used that word over 25 times in my PS along with "me" about 5 times and "we" about 5 times, and never used "you," "he" or "she." There were about 40 sentences in my PS, so "I" was the subject in about 2/3 of the sentences, while the plural first person was the subject about 1/8 of the time.

Seeing as I got in to a number of places and received interviews all over the country, I would guess using "I" probably isn't the end of the world....

(Actually, writing a PS without using "I" would probably be more surprising to your reader, since you are talking about yourself!)
 
This is a personal statement to explain why you have decided to pursue a career in medicine. It's not a formal essay on 18th century English literature. Your advisor's an idiot. While you should use a variety of sentence structures, using "I" in your personal statement is perfectly acceptable.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Do admissions really care about this? I just don't see it as relevant. "Hmmm... this applicant has a 4.0/43 graduated at 15 from Harvard and got a Ph.D from Oxford, but there's something about so many I's. I think it stands to reason to reject him." "Agreed."
 
LizzyM said:
Your advisor is daft.

That said, you need not be the subject of every sentence. You can write:

"The doctor who took me under his wing let me..."

Rather than "I was honored to be allowed to shadow a doctor ...."

"The patient had many questions that were readily answered...." Rather than "I answered the patient's questions ..."

"Our lab has established an synthetic RNA synthesis paradgm and my role has been to ..." rather than

"I worked in the lab on a synthetic RNA synthesis paradigm" (that last bit is just nonsense words).
Click to expand...

I agree. That's ridiculous that your adviser told you not to use "I", when it's a piece about you.

I'm guessing what he/she meant was to mi it up so it wasn't like: I did this. I did that. Then I did this.
 
I love medicine! :laugh:
 
Be original: third person
Click to expand...

:laugh:

Perhaps this will be a way for you to demonstrate your ability to write a scientific paper on your PS without actually saying it.

:rolleyes:
 
Dear Adcom,

I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that.

U accept me nao, y/y?

Luff,
Beandip
 
beandip4all said:
dear adcom,

i did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that. I did this. I did that.

U accept me nao, y/y?

Luff,
beandip
Click to expand...

tl;dr
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I used "I" in my statement, I doubt that it matters at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

S
Judging a physician in my personal statement?
Replies
16
Views
1K
syndromeofad
S
I
Personal Statement
Replies
2
Views
271
Rachapkis
Rachapkis
L
Where can I find med students to review my personal statement outline?
Replies
6
Views
580
JAK2-STAT3
J
E
Personal statement question
Replies
4
Views
52
EmilyX
E
ClashRoyaleKing
Would someone ready my personal statement?
Replies
3
Views
623
JAK2-STAT3
J
Top