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Writer's pictureShivani Akula

Guide to a phenomenal personal statement


Hello everyone! I hope you all are doing well and are ready to wrap up this semester! Today, I would like to give some tips and talk about some key factors to keep in mind when preparing to write your personal statement. The biggest hurdle after the MCAT is writing a personal statement that catches the eye of the medical school admissions committee. Here are some things to consider while thinking about how to craft your fabulous personal statement!

Why do medical schools require personal statements? Isn’t the MCAT or GPA enough?

· The MCAT tests critical thinking and skill sets required for medical students

· Personal statements test whether one is mentally ready for medical school

· Admissions committee is looking for commitment from students through their experiences and passion for medicine

What are some “rules” to be aware of?

· Maximum of 5300 characters (approximately 500 words) to use up!

· Answer the question: Why do you want to go to medical school?

What should I write my statement about?

· Write about yourself, who are you, use anecdotes (admissions committee love to see anecdotes and detailed personal experiences)

· Talk about educational experiences, life challenges, medical interest etc.

· Highlight your qualifications by reflecting on yourself. How did these experiences change you and lead you into the path of medicine?

What should I not do in my personal statement?

· Don’t summarize/ rewrite your resume

· Do not lie/ fabricate because the admissions committee will notice

· Avoid cliches like “I want to be a doctor because I want to help people” because these are superficial, and they don’t demonstrate your passion for medicine

How do I work on revising my personal statement?

· Ask for multiple opinions and feedbacks, criticisms will help :)

- However, be careful and don’t accept all the recommendations that people give you, doing this will make you lose your voice in your personal statement and shy away from your unique self

· Work on personal statement in cycles: brainstorming, writing, reflecting and revising

Final tips and suggestions:

· Writing a personal statement is a marathon not a sprint so it will take a lots of reflection, practice, revision and grit to write the personal statement that best defines you

· Do not be afraid to show yourselves because each and every one of you is unique

I hope that these tips prove to be helpful and that these questions can assist you on your personal statement journey. This will be a long journey, but it will be worth it because you are producing a product that reflects the essence of your personality and interest for medicine.

Stay safe and take care everyone!

Shivani-

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/articles/2017-06-12/2-medical-school-essays-that-admissions-officers-loved

https://www.kaptest.com/study/mcat/medical-school-personal-statement-faqs/

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