This can be a difficult task, as it is often challenging to write about yourself. The purpose of the personal statement is to indicate that you have what the hospital needs in terms of abilities, experiences, skills, and maturity. It will also demonstrate that you are the person they seek with similar values and philosophies; that you are a good “match”.

If you are thinking about multiple specialties, a general personal statement can be used or you can tailor your personal statement to individual specialties and assign them individually to programs in ERAS. It is in the personal statement that you should indicate your professional goals.

For assistance, contact your advisor.

Content

• Include all information each application requests.
• Convey both your individuality and the sincerity of your intent:
  • skills you possess which are valued by your specialty, coursework which influenced your specialty choice
  • experiences outside of school that were significant to you personally and professionally
  • interests and experiences outside of medicine which demonstrate your interest and individuality
  • reasons for selecting the specialty
  • characteristics of the residency program you desire
  • personal and professional goals (location, focuses, academics vs. private practice, etc.)

Style

• Write to be understood, not to impress.
• Produce a concise document that clearly states the content message:
  • check spelling
  • use simple, uncomplicated sentences, which are of varied length
  • write short, well-developed paragraphs
  • edit needless words, sentences, and paragraphs
  • avoid overuse of the “I” statement
  • use active vs. passive statements, i.e., “I feel” vs. “It is felt that”

Presentation

The effort put into polishing your statement is well spent:

• Rewrite and revise as often as necessary
• Have someone critique your drafts (preferably a department head)
• After writing your first draft, put it away for two to three days, to regain perspective. Do this as often as necessary — it’s easy to get sucked into a rut if you keep staring at it.

Revisions

Characteristics of early drafts:

• A narrative of how you came to choose your specialty and how much you liked it
• A chronological narration of your interests and experiences in medical school
• So much narrative that your skills and abilities, i.e., what you have to offer, get de-emphasized

Following are some considerations that can assist you in revising your statement:

• Reorganize the essay by developing ideas instead of by first year, second year, etc. For example, write about continuity of care that leads to developing stronger relationships with patients which accounts for your approach or values which is why...
• Write from the point of view of knowing what your specialty is so there is more time to demonstrate that you are "the person they seek."
• In doing the above, you can refer to earlier formative experience, but within the context of saying that you have experiences or skills that they want.
• General statements that you might have written before working in your specialty, e.g., "I learned about the social issues that impact women’s lives today."
• In articulating the specific abilities that make you an attractive candidate, document these with brief episodes or illustrations.
• Be professional, technical, and theoretical in your assessment of what is needed, demonstrating that you have completed your clerkships.
• Articulate your plans: what kind of residency you are looking for and the kind of work you will do afterwards. Doing so will reinforce that you "love" what you are doing.
• Be honest, direct, and use lots of action verbs - show rather than tell whenever you can.
• Address any academic difficulties in the context of demonstrating that you have remediated the deficiencies and are now competent.
• Limit to one page.

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