Revised: 2013
Avoid Negatives. A positive, attractive personality is hard to exhibit while dwelling on negatives. Focus on positives. Talk about
what you learned, not why your grades were low. Keep the reader’s attention on what is attractive about you and avoid reminding
him or her that you are not the perfect candidate.
Avoid clichés. “I want to help people.” “The human body fascinates me.” “This career would be rewarding and challenging.”
Ultimately, an essay or personal statement for an application should be a clear, succinct statement showing that you have a definite
sense of what you want to do and enthusiasm for the field of study you have chosen. Your essay should reflect the clarity, focus, and
depth of your thinking.
Five Standard Topics for Personal Statements:
Motivation for your career
Influence of extracurricular activities
Influence of family and friends
Long term goals
Personal philosophy
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BFORE STARTING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT:
Exploration of Characteristics of a Medical Professional
What are the qualities necessary to be successful as a medical student and a medical professional?
What work, volunteer, and life experiences have you had that show you possess those qualities?
Exploration of Personal Characteristics
What are two things about you that make you different from anyone else you know?
What are some things you like to do? Why do you like to do them?
What do you feel is unique, distinctive, or impressive about your life story?
Exploration of Career Decision
Why did you choose medicine as a career? Why do you want to be a doctor as opposed to a teacher, counselor, or
researcher?
What are your future goals? Why?
What is your first recollection about doctors and the medical field?
Who do you consider as your role model? What do you like, respect, and admire about that person?
Exploration of Influential Experiences
What event most influenced your life? How?
What were some of the biggest challenges in your life? How did you handle them?
What did you learn from your work, volunteer, or life experiences?
Have you matured as a result of these experiences?
How have you matured as a result of these experiences?
If you had a leadership role, how did you contribute to getting the job done?
What is the most memorable experience you’ve had in a volunteer capacity?
How have each of these influences and experiences prepared you to be a successful medical student and medical
professional?
HOW TO WRITE
You’ve done this before. Writing for graduate/professional school is no different than writing anything else, except that it may count
more. Writing a clear and persuasive essay takes time. You’ll need to organize and write several drafts, polish the grammar and
rhetoric, and have the essay read a critiqued by others. The chief reason application essays are unpersuasive is that insufficient time
is taken with them. When beginning, write down all the information as fully as possible, even if there’s repetition. You may outline
the points you want to cover and then expand on them, or you can simply put your ideas down on paper as they come to you.
Making an outline will likely lead to an organized essay, whereas writing spontaneously may yield a more inspired piece. Don’t
worry if the initial drafts are too long, the information should be pared down and refined. Now you are ready to organize the essay.
CATCH THE ATTENTION OF A BORED AND EXHAUSTED ADMISSIONS OFFICIAL BY WRITING A FORCEFUL FIRST SENTENCE. Then, use 1
of 2 approaches for organizing an essay. Begin with specific details and progress to a general conclusion, or state some general