A medical school personal statement is an important part of the application process, containing information about the candidate that demonstrates why he or she would be a good fit for a particular program. The goal of the statement should be to make the candidate stand out among a sea of other applicants and pique the admissions committee’s interest enough to prompt an interview request. Personal statement strategies for medical school should focus on keeping the statement clear, concise, engaging, and interesting.
Academic history, test scores, research participation, and other matters relevant to the admissions committee are included in other sections of a medical school application. The medical school personal statement allows the applicant to add personal information to the application, humanizing it and giving it a face to go along with the numbers and grades. It’s a good place to bring up interesting aspects of the applicant’s personal history, as well as the reasons for the applicant’s desire to attend medical school.
Starting a medical school personal statement by jotting down some ideas can be beneficial. Applicants should consider why they are applying to medical schools and what they hope to accomplish with their degrees, as this may provide material for the personal statement. Someone who wishes to work in a developing country, for example, should make this clear on their application. If the applicant’s desire to pursue medicine was sparked by a significant personal experience, this would be valuable information to include.
When writing a personal statement for medical school, applicants should consider what sets them apart from others. They may have unique life experiences, such as growing up on a commune or attending school in a foreign country, that would appeal to an admissions committee and add to the diversity of the entering class. Students should also consider the programs for which they are applying, as well as whether they have personal experiences that align with the mission of the school. An applicant who has participated in medical technology research, for example, will be of interest to a school interested in technological innovation in medicine.
Slangy language and an overly informal tone should be avoided in a medical school personal statement, but some regional expressions and personality should be allowed to shine through. To make their applications stand out, candidates should avoid phrases like “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor because…” and “I knew I wanted to be a doctor when…” Unless the application specifically states that people should write their personal statements entirely on their own, it is also a good idea to have a friend review it for obvious spelling and grammar errors, as well as readability.