veterinary residency personal statement

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July 11, 2024

Vet School Personal Statement Examples to Guide You

You’ve done the work you needed to to prepare yourself for vet school. The academic work. The volunteer work. The clinical work. And now you must answer the VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application Service) essay prompt “Why do you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine?” You have just 3,000 characters with which to do so.

Many vet school candidates find writing scientific lab reports or manuscripts easier than writing a narrative vet school personal statement. And there are so many suggestions of what you should and should not do when writing a personal statement that it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

To help you better understand what a strong vet school personal statement looks like, in this post, we present the following example, which was written by an Accepted client who ultimately received several offers of acceptance.

Titans. In Greek mythology, the Titans were the pre-Olympians, the elder gods. They ruled the Earth and had enormous amounts of strength. In my childhood, I had a titan too, a canine. At the age of nine my family adopted a healthy Leonberger puppy that we named Titan. Little did we know at the time that his name would not only represent his size but also his unwavering strength. At the age of one, he was diagnosed with a multitude of chronic health issues and was not expected to make it to two years of age. However, as a true titan, he proved everyone wrong. I watched his bravery and will to live as the veterinarians went above and beyond to help Titan with numerous treatment plans all while showing great kindness and empathy. This helped me realize I wanted to be a veterinarian to help other animals and foster strong relations between clients and veterinarians; Titan was my defining moment.

Growing up, I lacked self-confidence and avoided talking to people I did not know. With Titan as my constant companion, I had a plethora of strangers ask me questions about him, thus fostering my interpersonal communication skills. Being able to confidently answer questions about Titan, his breed, and his health helped to prepare me for similar conversations I currently have in my position as a veterinary assistant. I am able to handle both easy and difficult conversations with pet owners by being an engaged listener, an empathetic pet owner, and having confidence in my knowledge of animals and in myself. I also recognize that not all owners have the courage or understanding to ask the questions needed to best support their animals. With this in mind, one goal I have as a future veterinarian is to help bridge the gap of knowledge that exists between animal owners and those in the veterinary industry by providing more education for owners about their animals.

Another aspect that I will bring to the veterinary profession is inclusivity. My older brother has special needs and I have seen the progress he has made through interactions with our dogs and cats. He has gained confidence, become more social, and is able to more freely express himself. My long-term goal to contribute to the field of veterinary medicine is to create a veterinary practice that employs people with disabilities. My future practice would offer a valuable and engaging place of employment by helping decrease the stigma surrounding the capabilities of those with special needs, and foster meaningful relationships between people and animals.

The connection and experiences I had with Titan started me on my path to becoming a veterinarian. I have persevered through every opposition I have faced, learning from my mistakes and successes while remaining dedicated to my goal of becoming a veterinarian. By being a strong communicator and working well with others I have shown my ability to lead by example. All of these attributes and more are why I will be a successful veterinarian.

This vet school personal statement has three key strengths:

#1: The initial narrative about the applicant’s childhood pet, Titan, coupled with the writer’s ability to be vulnerable (e.g., stating that they lacked self-confidence), allows an adcom reader to form an image of the candidate and want to learn more. Furthermore, the connection between the candidate and their dog clearly lays the foundation for their interest in the field of veterinary medicine.

#2: This applicant not only refers to their position as a veterinary assistant but also notes very specific skills they’ve cultivated in that role, such as being an engaged listener and their ability to have difficult conversations. This demonstrates that the applicant is actively invested in the process of learning as much as possible while working.

#3: The applicant does a great job of highlighting their vision of their future as a practitioner, both holistically (i.e., wanting to be a good educator) and specifically (i.e., wanting to employ staff with special needs). This lets the adcom know that the applicant is thinking not just about the point of matriculation but also about being a provider who will contribute to the growth and development of the field.

As the former assistant dean of student affairs and career development at the William Beaumont School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Wherley worked directly with the dean of the School of Medicine, the associate dean of student affairs, the associate dean of clinical curriculum, and the assistant dean of admissions, as well as with Year 4 students on both residency application reviews/critiques and mock interview preparation. Work with Valerie! Schedule a free consultation today!

Related Resources:

Highlighting Your Leadership Experience in Your Application
Four Tips for Displaying Teamwork in Your Application Essays
How Personal Is Too Personal In Your Application Essays?

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Veterinary Residency Personal Statement

Veterinary programs require a lot of strengths as well as anesthesiology residency programs . First things first, it is necessary that you know what would you expect after finishing veterinary residency, or best to say once you are a professional veterinarian.

It is not all about loving animals, but the responsibility is a lot more to that. If you think that you fit with the job just because you love cuddling cats and dogs, you better think again. Once you become a professional veterinarian, your responsibility is a lot more than feeding and loving your pets.

Duties of Veterinarians

As Vets , you are to:

Perform examinations to animals to identify their health conditions and problems
Treat their wounds
Perform surgeries to any types of animals
Vaccinate them to any kinds of possible diseases that may occur
Know how to operate different medical equipment, x-ray machine to cite an example
Advice and educate pet owners about their pet’s medical condition, treatments, and general care
Euthanize animals (if necessary)
Prescribe proper medications

what you learn during veterinary residency programs

Becoming a Veterinarian

There are some best medical residencies that you can choose from, as you pursue veterinary internship and residency, and to give you a list, below are the topmost options for your veterinary residency match program:

Veterinary emergency and critical care residency

When an animal got injured or all of a sudden develop an acute disease or anything else life-threatening, the animal would surely be in need of prompt emergency care. The program is not just limited providing first aid but as well as close monitoring and providing life support measures to pet’s total recovery.

Veterinary pharmacy residency

The program is designed to expose pharmacists to a wide variety of specialties in the veterinary field, including both outpatient and inpatient operations. As residents of this program, he or she will be given the opportunity to work on different areas or field in a veterinary hospital, including ophthalmology, neurology, dermatology, oncology, internal medicine, general practice, critical care, exotics and anything else of the like.

Lab animal medicine residency program

Residents or takers are given the opportunity to get trained to enhance both the humane care and as well as responsible use of different laboratory animals, including:

Management of various models and species in agricultural and biometrical settings, treatment and clinical diagnosis.
Research, consultation, support and services including anesthesia and surgical training and support, implementation of replacement, reduction and refinement strategies when working on research, and development of animal models.
Knowledge of occupational health and other safety concerns, standards and regulations to lab animal care and knowledge of animal husbandry programs.

Small animal internal medicine

The overall goals of this program are to:

Become knowledgeable about internal medical diseases that are affecting cats and dogs, and to provide correct or proper treatment plans in accordance with clinical data.
To get a strong understanding of the pathophysiological basis of disease.
To appreciate both the emotional and economic factors that are involved in the health of smaller animals.
To provide residents the opportunity to improve their skills for teaching, as they actively participate in the educational training of the veterinary students.

Food animal medicine and surgery

This program includes:

Advanced training and specializations in the medical, diagnosis and surgical treatment diseases and as well as disorders of the fiber and food animal species.
To help or assist in getting PhD or MS degrees in veterinary clinical sciences or any related courses.
To enhance one’s capabilities in terms of proficiency in surgery of food animals and medicine.
To help get all the requirements needed to qualify for the Board Certification by ACVIM or American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine or by ACVS or American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Anesthesiology residency program

This program aims to provide education to residents in giving anesthesia or effective pain management before animal’s operation. This can give them ass.

Veterinary pathology residency program

This will expose the resident to research expertise in the field that they see interesting. They will be provided with information that will make them familiar with conducting and designing pathology research.

What Is Veterinary Internship and Veterinary Residency Matching Program?

This is an institution sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians, this was once before the Match Directory. The veterinary match internship and residency program was created and built to purposes, such as centralizing the available training positions and to give a centralized matching that is suitable for institutions or private practices and applicants. Participation in this program has always been done voluntarily.

Moving on, just like in any application, particularly for veterinary residency, it is necessary that you create and submit an effective veterinary residency personal statement. Creating a good vet personal statement can somehow help you succeed in applying for different institutions offering the program you wish to pursue.

You would not want to settle with just below the ordinary education especially if you are passionate about what you do. Letting your goals, aspirations, and purpose should match with what the veterinary school or institution can provide.

Effective Ways to Create a Residency Personal Statement for Veterinary Residency Programs

To help you get started, below are helpful tips you can use to help you kick off with your dreams to become a veterinary professional and become the best in writing a personal statement for residency :

The selectors would surely want to know your life after starting medical schools, so it is necessary that you start from your experiences. Also, it is now becoming a trend that personal statement becomes shorter and shorter, the essay should be established in just one paragraph, with no more than 700 words.

You need to define clearly the reason why you opt to choose this program, out of the many available programs for veterinary residency. Actually, this question should start within yourself, you need to know exactly the reason why you are choosing the specific program. You need to do your homework, like talking to people who are specializing the specialty of your choice, knowing more about the specifics of the program and the like, if you see yourself highly interested to that particular program, then write the reasons on your essay.

This is necessary, out of the many applicants pursuing the same program as yours, what made you above them? It is recommended that you start everything by letting them know your aspirations, goals and skill set. Help them understand that you are the perfect person to pursue the program by giving them specific reasons of choosing you. You definitely do not know your competitors or other applicants, thus it is necessary that you focus on your capabilities. It would be a plus if you make use of your general talents that will connect to your chosen specialty.

What are your expectations or goals pursuing the residency? It is necessary that you let the assessors know that you did your homework. You need to make your statement specific as to what are you looking for exactly after finishing the program. You may currently have the basic experience but after residency, you are expecting to be an expert in that given field. You may also include terms like continuous learning, passion, and teamwork.

This is where you will let them know in writing your end goals, what are you expecting or looking for after finishing the program. How do you see your career progressing after the program? This is all about your goals and making it happen. You may also want to include on your essay your plans on how to achieve your goals. Remember, passing to their school is not your only ticket to succeed, you need to let them know how would you work up the ladder to achieve your goals.

Here is another fact you need to consider, different veterinary schools have their own standards, thus it is necessary that you tailor to fit your essay to what the specific veterinary school is looking for. Make sure that you give yourself time knowing about the specific school you are applying to before you start working on your essay. If there is a chance, speak to their professors and ask for tips. Never make your statement generic from one veterinary school to another as for sure, that won’t work. Assessors will look into details and assess whether you are fit to the same goals and aspirations as theirs.

order veterinary residency personal statement

Why Choose Professionals to Help You with Your Personal Statement?

Give you a guarantee of almost a sure spot on the institution or vet school of your choice
To help you create a personal statement that can help you get to the school of your choice
To give you advice you need on important things that matter in pursuing a veterinary school

professional vet personal statement writing

If things are not working your way, or you are having a hard time working on your veterinary personal statement, then get in touch with us to create the best suitable PS for you.

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Transitional Year Personal Statement: All You Need to Know to Get Admitted

How Important Is Your Personal Statement for Transitional Residency Programs? Many residencies will require you to take a transitional year program before you begin your specialized training. While in some instances this is part of the program you are applying for, in others, you will require a separate application. The need to complete a transitional […]

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Idiopathic issues, virmp® personal statement: dos and don'ts.

If you’re planning to pursue an internship or residency after vet school, you have probably already started working on your VIRMP ® Application Packet. This packet, which is sent to each program to which you apply, contains your application form, transcripts, CV, letters of reference, and your personal statement. (1)

The personal statement acts as a cover letter for your application packet. Its goal is to provide a better picture of you as an applicant.

Your personal statement should answer three major questions:

What do you expect from an internship/residency program?
What are your long-term career goals?
What can you contribute to the institution?

Personal Statement Dos and Don’ts

Do discuss what you will bring to the program. This is your opportunity to show what makes you unique! Without restating what’s covered in your CV, talk about significant professional or life experiences that have prepared you for this position.
Don’t get too creative or casual. Although your personal statement should reveal something about you as a person, this is not the time for a haiku. Your personal statement should be written in a formal style, like a business letter. Although contractions, ellipses, and casual phrasing may be appropriate for a blog post, they should be avoided in your personal statement.
Do keep it concise. Although your personal statement can be up to two pages in length, try to be concise and limit it to one page. Stick to three paragraphs: one to describe your goals, one to describe your skills/experience, and one to describe how you can help the practice or institution. (2)
Don’t describe yourself in vague platitudes. Be specific and give examples. Don’t tell the committee that you are hard-working; show them that characteristic by discussing a particular achievement, discussing your previous experience in a grueling program, or relaying an anecdote of a time that you overcame an obstacle.
Do proofread your personal statement carefully. After you have corrected all the errors that you can find, email it to several friends or family members for editing. Others are more likely to catch your mistakes.
Don’t procrastinate. I’ve spent the last four years as a freelance writer, so I understand what it’s like to have writer’s block! For me, the best way to start an intimidating project is to sit down at my laptop and start typing something (anything!) related to the topic. Whether it’s a rough outline or a few poorly-constructed opening sentences, getting something on the page always helps. You can always go back and change what you’ve written, but the hardest part is getting started!
Application Packets. Veterinary Internship and Matching Residency Program.
Suggestions for Application to Internships and Residencies. Kansas State University.

Topics: VIRMP

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VIRMP ™ Info

Application packets.

Your application packet contains the materials that programs use to review your qualifications. Some programs may require materials that are not included in the application packet. These materials must be sent directly to the program. Please consult their program description for additional instructions.

All items in your application packet, including your personal statement, will be provided to all programs to which you apply. If you apply to both internships and residencies, you must submit a personal statement and references for each match. Your internship personal statement and letters of reference will be provided to internship programs and your residency personal statement and letters of reference will be provided to residency programs. You must submit a list of references for each match even if the lists contain the same people.

VIRMP Application

The VIRMP application is completed online and contains the following questions:

Your Contact Information
School Granting your Veterinary Degree
Special Disciplinary Interest
Your Current Position
Publications, research or other pertinent experience
Post-DVM Training Programs Completed
Are you a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and/or Canada?
Are you currently an alien authorized to work in the United States and/or Canada?

Transcripts

You will enter information into your application packet for each veterinary school you attended. If you attended a separate school for your clinical year, you should make an entry for your clinical year school. You will provide the following information:

GPA (If your school does not provide GPA, enter NA)
Class Rank (If your school does not provide class rank, enter NA)
Academic Honors
PDF Upload of your official transcript

The VIRMP does not accept paper transcripts. All transcripts must be submitted by the applicant via the website. You must upload a scanned copy of your OFFICIAL transcript or an official electronic transcript in PDF format. DO NOT upload your institution’s web-based academic record or a document stating it is not an official transcript. Make sure that all critical and identifying marks have been scanned and are legible. These include the institution's name, your name, the names of your courses, and the grades you have received. It is important that you scan both the front and back of your transcript . All transcripts not in English must be translated into English by a Certified Translation Service. The VIRMP will not review the material you upload. You are responsible for ensuring your transcripts meet the requirements.

Personal Statement

You will upload a personal statement in PDF format. Your personal statement should be one to two pages in length and discuss your expectations of an internship/residency program and your future professional goals. In addition, we encourage you to describe your anticipated contributions to your matched institution. These may include life experiences, background, past activities or unique personal characteristics that would contribute to the program in meaningful ways.

Curriculum Vitae

You will upload your curriculum vitae in PDF format. Uploads cannot exceed 1MB in size.

Letters of Reference

Reference writers must complete the Standardized Letter of Reference (SLOR) through the VIRMP website. You will submit the contact information for each person providing a reference. The reference writer will receive a unique email allowing them to complete the letter online. If you apply to both internships and residencies and you use the same people as references, your reference writer must complete a letter for each match. The VIRMP does not accept narrative letters of reference. All reference letters are confidential and will not be provided to the applicant. You can view a copy of the questions on the SLOR at https://www.virmp.org/slor . The questions are subject to change.

The VIRMP application deadlines are strongly enforced. You must complete your application packet and apply to programs by January 6, 2025 at 9:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. The VIRMP will not accept transcripts after the deadline because they are submitted directly by the applicant. The VIRMP will process letters of reference after January 6, 2025 but you must enter reference information into your application packet prior to the deadline.

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Residency personal statement: the ultimate guide.

Reviewed by:

Jonathan Preminger

Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine

Reviewed: 4/25/24

Are you planning on writing your personal statement for residency? We’ll cover everything you need to know about the process.

all about your residency personal statement graphic

The residency application personal statement is an essential part of applying to programs, but it can be intimidating. We get it. It can be challenging to write about yourself and your life experiences within 3,500 characters. We’ll cover everything you need to know about writing a powerful statement!

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

Importance of Your Personal Statement in a Residency Application

The importance of your personal statement in your application cannot be overstated. Yes, you have secured solid letters of recommendation from physicians and crushed your USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) .

However, your personal statement is the one component of your application where you can make a case for yourself and leave a lasting impression on program directors.

Think about it this way: program directors receive thousands of applications From aspiring medical residents and review thousands of standardized, quantitative factors like grades and test scores across the board. They also read thousands of essays and want to see something that will pique their interest.

Your personal statement is an opportunity to show program directors specific qualities that make you stand out and shine . Program directors want to know the person behind the stellar numerical achievements.

They want to know that you will thrive, reach your greatest potential in their program, and continue to have an exceptional career as a leader in healthcare.

importance of residency personal statement

Because of how competitive programs can be, your writing may very well be the tiebreaker that leads to your acceptance into a top program over another applicant.

While a strong personal statement might not compensate for low exam scores, a weak one will definitely hurt an otherwise strong application.

Residency Personal Statement Outline

Knowing what you should include in your personal statement will help you get started. Your statement should include and reflect on a combination of the following:

What draws you to medicine/your specialty?
The desirable qualities, attributes, and skill sets make you well-suited to a program and will help you succeed.
Your long-term plans as a practicing physician after you complete your program. This can include what you hope to accomplish in your residency and your preferred setting.
What attracts you to a particular program, and how would it make you a good fit?

Ultimately, program directors are looking for residents who are the best candidates and colleagues to work with and train. Combining the above suggestions will give program directors a good sense of what having you on their team would be like.

What to include in your residency personal statement

3 Tips to Help You Start Writing

Here are three tips to help you get started!

1. Consider Why You’re Pursuing a Particular Residency

Before you start your application personal statement, you should be clear on why the specialty you’ve chosen is the right one for you . Program directors want to know that you have a realistic idea of what the specialty entails.

If your writing fails to convey solid, meaningful reasons for pursuing the chosen specialty, you will likely not be invited for an interview. Don’t hurt your chances by sounding disinterested in the field or focusing on superficial aspects of the specialty, like high salaries and benefits.

UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine urges you to “remember that this is your chance to focus on your medical career objectives, i.e., what specialty you'd like to go into and what your ultimate goals might be.”

2. Brainstorm

To begin drafting your personal statement, brainstorm. Brainstorming allows you the freedom to be creative and informal. When brainstorming, you do not have to worry about grammar, spelling, or editing. You want to write down your ideas and get your creative juices flowing.

After you have a body of ideas, you can work on weaving one or several elements into a strong, concise narrative.

3. Ask Yourself Questions

The following questions will help you get started brainstorming ideas for your personal statement:

What first drew you to the specialty?
What are your greatest qualities, and how have you demonstrated these qualities? Focus on a few desirable qualities for a medical professional during specialization.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
Name an experience, clinical or otherwise, that significantly impacted you. Why was the experience meaningful, and how did it change you?
What obstacle, challenge, or failure did you overcome, and what did it teach you about adversity?
When did you know you wanted to pursue your chosen specialty?
What is your most meaningful extracurricular activity?
Who are your role models? What qualities do they possess that inspire you to be like them? How does this translate in your chosen field?
What medical cause do you care about the most, and what led you to care about it?

Remember, brainstorming aims to put down everything you can remember with as much detail as possible without worrying about grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or revisions.

The more details you explore while brainstorming, the easier it will be to extract and expand upon the stories you want to tell.

How to Write An Amazing Residency Application Personal Statement

Now that you have completed your preliminary brainstorming, let’s review how to write a personal statement. Later in this guide, we will review samples of other applicants’ personal statements and analyze what makes them successful.

How to write a med school personal statement

Start With A Catchy Introduction

A captivating introduction pulls the reader in and makes them want to read to the end. Your introduction should lead with detail. Don’t rely on platitudes, clichés, and vague language .

One way to accomplish this is to have an anecdote or two in mind that will be the central focus of your narrative. Then, introduce that anecdote while being aware of both brevity and detail.

Focus on Things That Aren’t on Your CV

The personal statement should never regurgitate what’s already on your CV . Instead, focus on important aspects about you, your experiences, and your qualities that do not appear on your CV.

For example, if you have a hobby that demonstrates personal growth over time, tell a story about it and tie it together with your goals.

The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine suggests that if you want to repeat accomplishments, ensure they’re “relevant to your personal/professional growth. You want the emphasis to encourage the reader to bring this up in the interview.”

Talk About You and Your Desirable Qualities

Program directors want to get to know you as an individual and what you would bring to their program. While this might seem like a no-brainer, it is important that your personal statement remains about you.

Program directors often read narratives that include information about the program they already know and not enough information about the candidate. Shift your tone to reflect on what makes you desirable to the residency.

When talking about your attributes, remember that quality is more important than quantity . Narrow your focus to one or two qualities, and work on incorporating them as part of your storytelling.

Make Use of Storytelling

Avoid generic and superficial declarative statements when you write about yourself and your desirable qualities. For example, don’t simply say, “I am empathetic and compassionate.” This is forgettable, and you will not stand out from all the other applicants.

Instead, it is better and more memorable to show how you exhibited empathy and compassion by telling a story about a real event. Show, don’t tell. People will remember your name if you tell a great story.

Include What You Expect From a Residency Program

Program directors want to know why you are pursuing their program and what you want to gain from the experience. Tie this in with nuanced details about what you have done to pursue your particular interests and how your interests will align with what the program offers.

How will your interests and goals support their mission? What specific strengths will you add or hope to cultivate? Again, the focus should be on you and your expectations, not on over-explaining a program to its directors.

Cite Strong Reasons to Choose a Particular Specialty

Clearly outline your interest in a particular specialty. Program directors want to know your understanding of and interest in a specialty. Highlight what you have done in your career to explore a specialty and detail some of your insights and observations.

Perhaps you’ve researched the length of the residency and were swayed by it. Or you were intrigued by the nature of another one. The more details you can provide, the more persuasive you will be.

For example, you might like acute care in emergency medicine but try to be more specific than that. What do you enjoy about the diagnoses and pathologies involved in emergency medicine? What do you enjoy about the patients in your care? What do you enjoy about the setting in which you will practice?

Include Your Personal and Professional Achievements

Your achievements should demonstrate personal and professional growth over time. Your unique personal or professional achievement may not be listed on your CV. The personal statement is where you can delve into those exceptional and distinctive details about yourself that will set you apart from the crowd.

Always uphold your credibility by being honest and authentic. People will pick up on subtle cues of inauthenticity. Remember, you don’t have to use your personal statement to convince someone of how perfect you are because perfection doesn’t exist.

For example, if you achieve something with a group of colleagues, give credit where it’s due and don’t take the credit all for yourself. Remain true to who you are and the experiences you’ve had thus far. You don’t need to embellish or dramatize them to impress program directors.

They’re looking for someone reliable, credible, and genuine.

Address Areas of Improvement on Your Application

If anomalies are anywhere in your application, such as gap years or leaves of absence, address them with a brief explanation. You don’t need to dwell on areas that need improvement, and you shouldn’t provide long explanations or be defensive.

It’s more important for your readers to see that you faced hardship but took steps to overcome it.

Deliver a Strong Closure

Lastly, end your statement with a punch. Don’t lose steam. Succinctly and naturally wrap up your story. You don’t want to end with a weak declarative statement like, “And that’s why I would be a great resident.”

Instead, try to deliver a callback to your introduction and include the imagery and insights that bring everything together.

5 Things to Avoid in Your Personal Statement

There are certain things that you should avoid in your personal statement. As a rule of thumb, avoid topics and language that risk alienating your readers. Be aware of the following:

1. Acronyms and Jargon

Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, and jargon. Don’t assume that your reader knows everything. Be courteous and spell everything out. According to The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), “If there’s a shorter, simpler, less pretentious way of putting it, use it.”

2. Poor Writing Mechanics

Avoid informal, casual writing and poor sentence structure. Be professional and ensure your writing is free of grammatical and spelling errors. You don’t want programs to be distracted by errors while they read your story!

3. Controversial Topics

Avoid controversial topics like ethical issues, religion, and politics. You don’t want to make polarizing or offensive statements, so don’t cross the line. Even if the statements you make aren’t offensive, there’s no guarantee the person reviewing your application will agree with you.

4. Rehashing Why You Want to Be a Doctor

Avoid going into the origin story of why you wanted to become a doctor. You are not applying to medical school, so your personal statement should reflect deeper insights that support your professional and personal experiences. UCSF’s Office of Career & Professional Development offers this advice :

“Presumably, new things have happened in the past four years that inform your decision to choose your specialty or career path, or that illustrate your dedication, leadership, and teaching skills, ability for empathy, etc.” Use these new experiences in your statement!

5. Using Vague/Generic Language

Avoid vague and generic language. The most seasoned writers draw readers in with rich detail and nuance. Using descriptive language makes your statement easier to read and is much more likely to keep the reader’s attention.

With these tips, you should be able to write your personal statement with ease.

Mistakes to avoid in a residency personal statement graphic

Get Professional Help Writing Your Residency Personal Statement

Contrary to popular belief, writers don’t need to hole up in a dark room, slouch over a messy desk, hit a wall with writer’s block, and suffer in solitude. Ask for help! Even the world’s bestselling authors need editors.

Your storytelling ability and writing skills will only improve when you receive editorial feedback from trusted professionals. Getting professional help on writing your narrative will get you closer to being accepted at your first-choice program.

Inspira Advantage is here for you. We are an admissions consulting firm with extensive experience helping candidates get accepted to their dream programs. An expert residency application consultant can ensure you get the support you need at every step while you write and edit your personal statement.

Residency Personal Statement Examples

Reading examples of residency personal essays that program directors consider effective is advantageous. Not only will you gain insight into how to structure your writing, but you will also learn why program directors and career advisors find certain personal statements more successful than others.

We’ll review two good personal statement examples below. Please note that both have been anonymized to protect the authors’ privacy.

Residency Personal Statement Example 1

Here is an ERAS sample personal statement:

One of my most formative memories of medical school was a patient high-fiving me. A seemingly minute detail, that moment came as a culmination of spending hours with a neurologically devastated patient. At the young age of 40, he was unable to speak or even interact with any of the dozens of healthcare workers at his bedside every day. I felt helpless, yet compelled to spend my time talking and reading to him, and urging him to do simple things like turning his head. He suddenly dramatically improved, and it peaked when he gave me a high-five during rounds, after I had playfully asked for one every day for three weeks. In that moment, I felt elation that he was able to lift his arms and regain some ability and autonomy. Pride, in the healthcare system that I had chosen to be a part of. And surprise, that he had been hearing and processing my words all this time when he had given no indication of doing so. On that last day before transfer to a rehabilitation facility, he hung onto my arm and sobbed “thank you” while refusing to let go. I was so impacted by this patient because for such a long time, he was unable to communicate his wants and needs to the outside world.

I believe medicine is the most fundamental form of equity and equality – ensuring someone’s health is the most elemental way to ensure justice for their being. As physicians, we are inherent agents of change, on both an individual and community level. I want to bring this to people all around the world – those desperately fighting just to survive and whose voices are not being heard. Global health is my calling – a consummation between my interest in humanity and my desire to heal historical traumas. This came as a lifelong dream after growing up on both the East Coast and Midwest, having been surrounded by large immigrant and refugee populations. My vested interest in global health has been reaffirmed through my experiences rotating at a children’s hospital in [city], Ghana, and taking trainings and courses aimed at decolonizing global health. Both in and out of my passion for global health came a natural attraction to med-peds. Both medicine and pediatrics have always drawn me in as they both afford me the opportunity to provide holistic care – fitting the puzzle pieces between physical, mental, and social health. Med-peds will also help me become the best trained and most adaptable physician for anyone, womb-to-tomb, in local and global medicine due to the vast fund of knowledge I will develop.

One reason I best fit with med-peds is my adaptability and persistence. I have faced setbacks in my academic career, the biggest of which was after I failed a course during my second year and had to retake the semester. During a hiatus, I pursued independent sociology courses to expand my knowledge base. In the new semester, I developed new study techniques to truly learn medicine instead of just memorizing it. This experience helped me form a cycle of analyzing, changing, and re-examining the way I learn in different scenarios; I built on that methodology repeatedly as modes of learning changed, as evidenced by my step exam scores. I learned the value of reaching out, and I strived to become that person to lean on for my peers going through similar hardships. I am also proud that despite flaws in my test-taking acumen that I have worked on during my later years of medical school, I have always been able to readily apply my medical knowledge in the wards and clinics in a way that is reflected by my patient care.

Furthermore, I see multiple sentiments of the med-peds community reflected in myself. Med-peds folk are mobilizers of change, always creating life-changing and systemic reforms – ideals to which I fiercely relate. I have done my best to embody the amplification of voices that I have seen so vigorously amongst my med-peds mentors both on an individual and community level. To that end, I have always prided myself on being a strong advocate for patients and acting as a loudspeaker for their voices. On a broad level, I started an organization early in my medical training called [organization name] which aims to alleviate food insecurity in [city], which has a complex racial history causing countless food deserts. I have been excited and proud to help [organization] partner up with local organizations and the student-run free clinic to expand access to nutritious foods. I learned to engage with religious and community leaders in [city] to build strong community relationships to sustain change. To address upstream causes, I am starting a voter registration drive for patients in my institution’s safety net med-peds clinic. These experiences taught me the strategy and logistics of organizing systemic changes and enlightened me to people’s powerful stories.

I picture myself practicing a mix of both hospitalist medicine and primary care to adapt to any low-resource community. I want to establish continuity of care amongst those who need it most while also managing higher acuity situations. After rotating in Ghana, I hope to pursue a fellowship in global health after completing my residency. My first-hand experience exposed me to the unique conditions of disenfranchised nations that are not readily discussed in the US. I hope to utilize fellowship training to gain the critical knowledge and translational skills required to establish the greatest benefit. All in all, I am excited to use my experiences and skills to provide care to every type of patient, especially in low-resource settings. I am committed to amplifying the voices of the disenfranchised and helping navigate the difficult road towards better, more equitable healthcare. If, in the process, those voices come in the form of more high-fives, I would not complain.

Residency Personal Statement Example 2

Here is another example:

It was not even the end of the first week of medical school, and I was fighting for my life — and the life of others. On September 19th 2017, Hurricane Maria hit and battered the Island of Dominica. I woke up the next day from a concussion after being thrown 20 feet in the air during the storm. This once lush island was reduced to brown sticks, live wires, and broken glass. I survived the storm, but the destructive aftermath was our new reality.

During the evacuations and rescue missions, I solidified my purpose to become an Emergency Medicine physician. I joined the [EMS name], which was the only organized medical personnel available. One of my most inspiring experiences was the emergency medical evacuation of a six-month-old girl. This patient was an infant with untreated pneumonia. She came in with respiratory distress to our pop-up clinic at 1am. The child was assessed by the only physician on the island and her prognosis was poor, she was unlikely to survive the night. As a student, I realized that in these critical moments I want to be the first responder to aid and to make the best decisions for the patient. She needed to be on a ventilator, and we did not have the facilities or equipment to help the child, only the capacity to provide supplemental oxygen. With limited resources, we had to secure the airway if needed, and I was given the role to disinfect plastic tubing left on the ground. As we provided supportive care, we also organized the logistics of the medical evacuation – from security to cleaning a landing zone for the helicopter. As the helicopter finally arrived at 3am, the sign of relief was clouded by the debris inadvertently thrown towards us during the landing. Despite the difficulties, all team members were safe, and we were finally able to get the patient to a definitive center of care.

To work in medicine, one must be able to function in a team. This event gave me first-hand experience of coordination of care. I was a part of this team for the little girl and learned the importance of delegating tasks, cooperation among members, and having defined goals. Moreover, I was tested to perform under pressure and think clearly. I have been able to translate these skills as I have moved forward with my education, always considering my responsibilities within a team in order to provide the best care. We found out that the little girl survived, and I could not help but feel relieved that our efforts were successful. At times, there is not always the end result that is hoped for however, it is important to persevere and act for the benefit of the patient. These challenges faced during the hurricane also reaffirmed my desire to address the needs of the population during emergency situations. I was exposed to making quick, yet thoughtful decisions in order to produce the best plan of action. These attributes are integral for patient care in the emergency room and I hope to continue to develop these skills as an emergency medicine physician.

As my medical school journey continued, I experienced another challenge – completing my studies on a boat. We had no internet and there was limited space. I learned to cohabitate with four students in a 20 square foot living arrangement. We were docked at [country] during the night, but the school was at sea for four months during the days and we as a school were then displaced to various locations to complete our preclinical studies including [multiple cities]. The difficulties unfortunately continued, with the pandemic occurring at the start of my clinical rotations. The adversities of my limited learning environment did affect my academic performance and impeded me from participating in research opportunities. I struggled with trying to reset my foundational knowledge and had to repeat my third semester. Unfortunately, I shared similar setbacks in my USMLE step 1. I knew that my results did not reflect my abilities to become a clinician. I adapted and made appropriate changes in order to better my scores. I worked on expanding my medical knowledge by attending workshops, study groups, and taking extra time after class to talk to my professors in order to better understand the more complicated concepts. As a result, my clinical acumen improved. I strengthened my time management skills allowing me to study more efficiently, which proved successful as I bettered my Step 2 scores. I have learned how to study well despite distractions and this will be of benefit to me as a future physician.

I did not have the conventional education as others, however the experiences that I encountered molded me into the individual I am today. My desire to help others brought me to the Ukrainian refugee camps as they faced a desperate humanitarian crisis during the war. I was drawn to volunteer this summer in [city] and joined the [organization name] to provide medical services to displaced civilians I wanted to improve people’s well-being through community healthcare services, medical care, and mental support. Having had my own experiences with disaster and crisis, I provided much needed empathy for those people who sensed that they have lost control of their livelihood. Being able to provide support and healthcare to this disenfranchised group of people was extremely gratifying. I continue to expand on my medical knowledge through my involvement in relief efforts and through my clinical education. I have learned to manage the external stressors of my environment, along with my academic deficiencies, by refocusing my efforts into robust translational skills. It is an important facet in my practice to take care of the welfare of the individual. Emergency Medicine would enable me to do so, providing a solid foundation to continue involvement in public health affairs and ability to impactfully respond to relief efforts.

Medicine is a universal language that transcends borders, cultures, and languages. To know that someone is there to help you in your time of need, you do not have to understand the language they are speaking to feel that impact. Emergency medicine truly has no borders. The “ER” is a centralized area of care. However, as an emergency medicine physician, I will be able to apply my knowledge outside the walls of the hospital to the rest of the world. I want to be that healing hand, to help as many lives as I can – whether it be in global health or in my surrounding community. With Emergency Medicine, I can achieve that and protect those who need help the most. I hope to continue to pursue opportunities for community aid and patient advocacy as an effective first line of care. I want to not only be able to identify life-threatening conditions, but have the capacity to treat patients and provide access to the appropriate avenues for their continued care. I will always strive to be someone who runs towards people in need, never away.

More Sample Residency Statements

Looking for more personal statement samples that worked? These medical schools also have examples:

University of California – San Francisco
University of Alabama School of Medicine
University of Nevada School of Medicine

You can view these statements to better understand the tone and format programs look for.

If you still have questions about writing your personal statement, check out these frequently asked questions.

1. Is It Better to Cover All My Relevant Experiences, or Should I Discuss a Few in Particular?

When in doubt, quality over quantity. You should always aim to focus on one or two themes and include a few experiences in particular. Never sacrifice depth and detail just to accommodate quantity. If you write about all your relevant experiences, their significance will get lost in trying to compete for attention in a limited space.

It looks better to hone in on key experiences and provide depth, self-reflection, and nuance. Your CV should list all your relevant experiences, not your essay.

2. Do I Have to Write a Personal Statement for Every Residency Program I Apply to?

No, you should not write a different personal statement for every program you apply to, but you should write one for every specialty. For example, prepare one for family medicine and one for emergency medicine.

You do not have to completely rewrite personal statements for each specialty—you can use elements that will work across the board, like introductory or concluding sentences. Use your best judgment of what will work as a template, then tailor your personal statement for every specialty.

3. I’m Applying to Multiple Specialties. Is There a Limit on the Number of Personal Statements I Can Upload?

No, there is no limit to the number of personal statements you can upload. Your writing should be tailored for the specific specialty.

4. How Long Should a Residency Personal Statement Be?

The length of your personal statement can vary depending on the specific requirements of the program or institution to which you are applying. However, as a general guideline, most programs recommend that essays be approximately one page long.

Typically, a one-page personal statement consists of around 750 to 850 words. Your writing should be concise, focused, and well-structured to effectively communicate your experiences, motivations, and qualifications.

Final Thoughts

Writing a residency application personal statement is stressful, but our step-by-step guide will make the process much easier as you navigate your application timeline . Now go forth and match into the residency program of your dreams. We believe in you.

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How To Write a Vet School Personal Statement

Personal statements are one of the first big steps towards becoming a vet, but how do you write one? Find out in our detailed guide.

How to write a vet school personal statement

Getting into a great veterinary school can be tough. Vet course admissions are very competitive, so you need to do everything you can to prove that you are an exceptional candidate. This includes writing a great veterinary personal statement. We look at how to write a personal statement for vet school, key items to include, and why nailing your personal statement is important.

Why we have to write personal statements

Your personal statement is an important part of your application process, as veterinary school is highly competitive. This is the chance to add a personal touch to your application and make you stand out from the crowd. While your resume will list all of your accomplishments, educational background, and experience, your personal statement allows you to tie all of this together and let your passion, personality, and enthusiasm for veterinary medicine shine through. Your personal statement is also where you can mention anything that doesn’t fit into the other sections of your application, and it’s an ideal place to reinforce how you meet the admission requirements .

Here, you’ll introduce yourself and explain why you’ll be a great fit for the program, touch on what has inspired you to further your studies, and why you think you are good candidate to become a veterinarian. You might also want to include what you like about this particular program and how you think it will enrich your knowledge and understanding of veterinary medicine.

This means that when you get an interview for admission, the admissions officer should already know a bit about you and allows you to jump straight into answering their questions.

Demonstrate your passion for animals

Since you only have limited space on your personal statement, it’s important to use this space to convince the admissions team that your passion for animals would make you an excellent veterinarian.

In order to uniquely demonstrate your passion for animals, try to think outside of the box. Don’t just talk about family pets. Mention times you’ve been proactive, hands-on, and gained experience with animals. This might include helping with the birthing season on a local farm, volunteering in kennels, or helping strays find foster homes in animal shelters.

It’s also important to specify what type of animals you have interacted with. Did you grow up riding horses and love tending to large mammals? Or did your family raise small animals? Whatever your particular interest in the veterinary world, be sure to add it. Schools like to see students who have a plan of where to specialize and continue their education.

Of course, don’t forget that most vets have to work with people too, so it’s a good idea to include something that shows you can work as part of a team or with clients.

Highlight all relevant experience

Whatever you’ve done for animals outside your normal household, include it, especially if it’s something related to wellbeing and health. Even better, if you can remember a particular interaction that made you want to be a veterinarian, be sure to include it.

Your resume will list your experience and qualifications, but your vet school application personal statement is where you can say why your experience is relevant to the program. When you’re planning your statement, you can make notes of what experience you have, and what transferable skills you have gained. Then you can find ways to tie this into veterinary medicine. For example, if you’re an empathetic person who has worked in customer service, you can relate this to dealing with clients at a standard vet practice. If you have experience running a social group, this ties into leadership skills and motivation to go above and beyond for something you’re interested in.

Remember, you’ll have gained invaluable experience from almost everything you do, whether that’s education, work, voluntary roles, or hobbies. You just need to think about how it is relevant to what you want to do next.

Set yourself apart from the crowd

First, you should try to think about what makes you unique. Try to think about the things you’ve done that other people haven’t, or experiences you’ve had. Remember that you’ll be competing for a seat against people all over the country and potentially all over the world, so even the most basic things might be unusual compared to other applicants.

Just like in the previous section, think about how your background gives you a different perspective or relevant skills. Try to tie it into the topics you’ll be learning in vet school, and the challenges you would face in your daily life as a veterinarian.

While you might want a large portion of your statement to be positive, you can also bring up any difficulties you’ve had and how you’ve used problem-solving skills and resourcefulness to overcome them. It shows that you’re willing to do a lot to reach your dream, which suggests you’ll be a focused and dedicated student.

You should also be sure to be personable in your personal statement. Vet school committees will expect you to remain professional and precise in what you say with word limitations in mind. However, you should aim for a conversational, friendly tone. Your personal statement is about you, so it should give the admissions committee an insight into your personality. Try to find a happy medium where you don’t sound too stiff and formal, but also don’t use slang too much.

Preparation is key

There are a lot of different things you will want to cover in your personal statement for vet school, and it’s more than simply a ‘why I want to be a veterinarian’ essay. That’s why it’s vital to prepare and plan your statement before you write it.

Just like any other assignment, you should break the statement down into sections. Make sure you highlight the goal of each section – one section might be talking about your background, and one might be about your experience. Then plan out each section with some key points to include, such as the skills your experience has provided. Then you can write the actual contents without wavering too much – and you definitely don’t want to waste words.

Afterward, be sure to proofread it thoroughly. If you can, you should ask someone else to read it too. Ask them if it makes sense, as well as get them to note any errors they find.

If you’re ready to take the next step and start studying at a leading vet school, contact us to speak to one of our expert advisors. St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine provides graduates with new knowledge, skills, and methods necessary to become caring, competent veterinarians.

Check out webinar events at St. Matthew’s School of Veterinary Medicine for more information about the application process, including your personal statement.

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Residency Application

Residency Personal Statement Examples from Matched Residents

Use these residency personal statement examples as a reference as you are working on preparing you residency applications . The following are printed with permission from our own past successful students who worked with us as part of our application review programs. If you are having trouble getting started, you are not alone. Many students find that the personal statement can be one of the most challenging components of the ERAS or CaRMS residency applications. However, your personal statement can make or break your application. Get started on the right track by following the guidelines outlined for you below reviewing the emergency medicine residency personal statement example , pediatrics personal statement example , cardiology personal statement example, and more..

This blog will outline what types of things to include in your residency personal statement. It will also give you 10 examples of personal statements from 10 different specialties written by actual students who matched into those fields. Reviewing personal statement examples is also good essay writing practice if you decide to write a residency letter of intent . Many of the same principles you apply to the personal statement can be applied to other application materials as well, so consider this review comprehensive. Believe it or not, personal statements also entail a great deal of self-reflection, which means they also function as a great review for residency interview questions , like the “tell me about yourself” residency interview question .

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Article Contents 39 min read

Residency personal statement example #1: family medicine.

During the pre-clerkship years of study in medical school, I enjoyed learning about the many specialties within medicine and actively considered pursuing several of them. I was drawn to the complex pharmacology of the drugs used by anesthesiologists, the acuity of care faced by emergency medicine physicians and the complicated medical issues of patients cared for by internal medicine specialists. I also found myself interested in psychiatrists’ thorough history-taking and the technical skills in performing procedures exhibited by surgeons. It started becoming clear to me that I was interested in many different areas of medicine. I began realizing that I wanted a career that combined the many things I enjoyed in different specialties. A family physician has the flexibility to practice all of these facets of medicine. As clerkship drew nearer, I knew I wanted to gain more clinical experience in family medicine to see if it would be a good fit for me.

My clinical experiences in family medicine were fantastic. I worked with family physicians and family medicine residents not only during my core family medicine rotation and family medicine electives, but also during my psychiatry, surgery, anesthesiology, and pediatrics rotations. These clinical experiences confirmed my belief that family medicine is a diverse and exciting specialty; family physicians, while maintaining a broad base of medical knowledge, can tailor their practices to the needs of their communities and to their own interests and areas of expertise. During my family medicine rotation and electives, I also found myself greatly enjoying my encounters with patients. I enjoy hearing patients’ stories and sorting through their many medical and psychosocial issues. I am also naturally a fastidious person. Being a thorough history-taker and a meticulous recorder of details helps me in formulating a complete story about a patient. My joy in interacting with patients and my attention to detail allow me to appreciate patients as people, not just as disorders or diseases. I am both interested in learning about and have a certain affinity for, family medicine clinical experiences; pursuing a career in this specialty is an obvious choice for me.

The versatility and diversity of family practice initially drew my interest but the wonderful encounters I had with family physicians solidified my desire to pursue a career in this specialty. These family physicians have not only been skilled and knowledgeable clinicians but also, variously, dedicated teachers, researchers, and administrators. They were committed to improving their clinical skills by attending continuing education lectures and courses. They practiced patient-centered care and were knowledgeable about community resources that may help their patients. They worked cooperatively with other health-care professionals to improve patient care. Importantly, these physicians have also been friendly and approachable towards both learners and patients. The family physicians I have worked with also strive toward a healthy work-life balance; all of them seemed to have many interests and hobbies outside of their professions. These clinicians demonstrated to me what being a family physician involves: practicing both the science and art of medicine, advocating for patients, guiding patients through the health-care system, being committed to improving clinical knowledge and, importantly, maintaining one’s own health and happiness.

Being sure of the specialty I want to pursue is the first step in my career. There are many learning opportunities ahead. [Name of the program]’s family medicine residency program is attractive in so many ways: the protected academic days, the opportunity to participate in research and, most importantly, the clinical curriculum, all appeal to me. I believe the solid foundation of family medicine experience, as well as the exposure to other specialties, alongside the opportunities to build the skills necessary for life-long learning through the academic experiences and research, make this an ideal program for me. On a personal note, I grew up in [hometown] and did my undergraduate studies at [name of university]; I would be thrilled to return to my hometown and a university already familiar to me. My career goals after finishing my residency include having a community-based, urban family practice and being actively involved in teaching residents and medical students. I am also open to being involved in research and administration. Career goals, however, may change as I progress through my training. I am excited to begin the next stage of medical training and begin my residency in family medicine!

1. Emphasis on why the applicant wants to enter that specific specialty

This family medicine personal statement example does a great job of explaining why the applicant wants to enter that specific specialty. Their interest is clearly stated and the decision to enter the field is well explained. The author does an excellent job of talking up the specialty and stating what they like about the field based on their clinical experience. For your residency personal statement, you want to highlight any influential moment you had during these experiences. If you had a certain “aha” moment, you might mention this. If demonstrating this commitment is difficult for you, you can always find a reputable ERAS application review service .

2. Intentions are clear

Clearly stating your intentions and using the program's name makes your statement personal and stand out. It shows that you pay attention to details and that your goals and passion align with what the program offers. Use strong, precise language when you are writing. You only have about 800 words, so state your intentions and keep your story clear.

3. Personal connection is established

This particular applicant has a personal connection to the city in which the residency would take place. This won’t be true for every applicant, but if it is, be sure to make room to mention it as long as it fits with your personal narrative. In this example, the applicant also ties this in with one of their goals: having a community-based, urban family practice. In your personal statement, you should merge these elements together for a more cohesive essay.

What to Include in Your Personal Statement

Most residency programs, whether through ERAS (US-based) or CaRMS (Canada-based) require applicants to submit a personal statement or letter. Some programs will include specific instructions for what they wish you to talk about, while others will not give you a topic. When you’re doing your research for residency programs you want to apply for, you should also take a look at the selection criteria. Each school will have its own rubric that they use to evaluate candidates, so it’s a good idea to review these before you start working on your personal statement. Here is an example of some information stated by McMaster University regarding their residency selection criteria:

“Programs may consider a range of criteria in making their selection decisions for interviews including but not limited to: Medical School Performance Report (MSPR), scores on standardized tests, interest in and aptitude for the discipline, reference letter, experience in research or other scholarly activities, extracurricular activities, and personal qualities.”

ERAS, as well as most CaRMS programs, ask that your statement be within a one-page limit, about 750-850 words. Please check the specific program requirements through the ERAS or CaRMS websites.

The experiences in your residency CV can be used to help you indicate why you are applying to a particular program and how you came to that decision.

1. Introduction

Typically, your residency personal statement will have three to five paragraphs, which you will use to divide the introduction, body, and conclusion. The personal statement is a formal essay, so you must adhere to the proper structure. The introduction is for you to capture the attention of the reader; for this, you will need a strong hook or opening statement. Feel free to get creative with this. The remainder of your introduction should focus on what drew you to the specialty and how your background experiences informed your decision to apply to the school and program. Your introduction should also contain a thesis statement that allows you to connect your personal background with your suitability for the program, school, and a career in medicine (in this exact specialty).

2. Body (or middle)

The body of the essay is for you to expand on a few critical experiences that made you the excellent, qualified candidate you are today. A good strategy for the body paragraph(s) is to talk about relevant clinical rotation experiences; so for example, if you’re applying to a psychiatry residency, you can talk about a specific patient experience that solidified your decision to pursue this specialty, or an experience that sticks out in your memory. This will be similar to your answer to the interesting case residency interview question . Your goal should be to use these experiences to address your specific interests, goals, and what makes you a good fit for the program. Do some research into the program format, the patient population you will be working with, and the clinical environment. This will help you connect your experiences with what the school/program offers.

3. Conclusion

You might be thinking that once you’ve written a strong introduction and body, the conclusion will be simple. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. You need to use the space in your conclusion to tie everything together and show enthusiasm for the program and for your future career. You can revisit a few key points here to highlight them once again and to relate them to what you’re hoping to gain from the forthcoming training experience. Show passion, determination, and consistency throughout your letter and tie up any loose ends in the conclusion. Some applicants will use this part of the letter to mention a specific goal they want to achieve in residency, such as working with specific faculty members or research plans. You may also mention aspirations to complete a fellowship or what you want your future practice to look like.

Here's why "show, don't tell" is the most important tip for any personal statement:

Questions to Ask Yourself to Help You Brainstorm Ideas

What makes you right for this specialty?
What experiences drew you to this specialty?
What appeals to you about this specific program?
Do you have any experiences working in the city of the program you’re applying to?
How will your residency training help you achieve your goals?
What are some of your personal strengths that will allow you to contribute to the program?
What evidence do you have that you possess those strengths?
Do you have any research/publications that align with the research the school is doing?
Do you have any gaps in your medical education or evaluations that you would like to address?
What’s something you think the program director should know that isn’t obvious from your application materials?

Growing up the first-born daughter of a hard-working Saskatchewan cattle farmer and hairdresser, medicine was never a consideration. In a small town, I could easily see how too much free time got many of my peers in trouble. From grade 8-12 I devoted myself to sports, playing high school, club and provincial beach volleyball, weeknights and weekends year round. Despite my small stature and lack of innate abilities, with determination and persistence, I overcame these obstacles. At the end of my grade 11 year, I received an athletic scholarship and chose to pursue business administration and athletics.

After the first six months, it became apparent that I was not going to attain my full potential in education at [university name}. Despite my parent’s reservations, I left and enrolled at a [university name] for the next semester. This university was much more challenging as I was now balancing my educational and financial responsibilities by working evenings and weekends managing a number of part-time jobs. With little direction as to what degree I wanted to pursue, I happened to enroll in anatomy and physiology. This was the first time I became really excited about my future prospects and began actively considering a career in medicine.

The first time I applied to medicine, I was rejected. Despite my initial devastation, in hindsight, it was a great opportunity for myself to reflect on my own motivations for medicine and work as a laboratory technician at a potash mine in my hometown. I gained additional life experience, spent time with my family and was able to help financially support my husband’s pursuit of education after he had so selflessly supported me for many years.

My first exposure to anesthesia was in my first year of medical school with [Dr. name here] as my mentor in clinical reasoning. I was again, intrigued by the anatomy and physiology with the interlacing of pharmacology. I remained open to all specialties, however, after summer early exposures, research, and clerkship it became clear to me that anesthesia is where I felt the most fulfilled and motivated.

In a way, anesthesia was reminiscent of the competitive volleyball I had played years prior. I was again a part of a team in the operating room with a common goal. Similarly, our countless years of education and practice had brought us together to achieve it. In volleyball, my role was the setter, which to many is considered a lackluster position as we rarely attack the ball and score points with power. However, as a setter, my role is to set the pace, strategize and dictate the game from my team’s perspective. There is a long sequence of crucial events before a “kill” in volleyball and I strategized my teammate's individual strengths in both offense and defense to win. Anesthesia gives me the same opportunities to strategize anesthetics, balance individual patient’s comorbidities and anatomy all while maintaining a calm demeanor and level head through unexpected circumstances. In volleyball, I never shied away from tense games or difficult situations, instead I trusted in my own abilities and training despite uncharted territory. Lastly, I didn't need to actually score the point in order to understand my role and contributions to my team.

As an athlete, I understand the importance of practice and repetition which allow us to fail, but most importantly, to learn. I believe that the curriculum at this program will provide me with a well-respected education, which strongly reflects my learning style. I also admire the mandatory communication block in the curriculum because I believe an emphasis on clear and concise communication, is essential as an anesthetist.

Throughout the course of the next 5-10 years, I anticipate that both my husband and I will complete the next chapter in our educational pursuits. We both agree that [program name here] has the potential to nurture the next chapter in both our private and professional lives if given the opportunity.

What Makes This Sample Effective?

1. the theme is personal and consistent.

In this anesthesiology residency personal statement example , the author of this passage carries the theme of athletics throughout the statement. Having a theme can unify your personal statement and give it direction. This is a good example of a way to use a theme to tie together different ideas. Having a good theme is also something you should keep in mind when you’re answering anesthesiology residency interview questions , as program directors want to see that this particular specialty choice wasn’t simply drawn out of a hat; rather, your emphasis on a theme can demonstrate that your choice was intentional and the right fit.

2. The tone is positive throughout

Also, take note of how the author explained the transition to different schools without speaking negatively of the institutions. In your own personal statement, feel free to use the names of the universities you attended. They have been redacted here for anonymity. This statement has parts where you could customize it. Use the name of the program when possible or the name of the town. Taking time to add this into your statement shows the program that you pay attention to detail while personalizing it to each program.

3. Lessons learned apply to medicine

The writer of this personal statement relies on analogy to connect their experience to their interest in anesthesiology: “I understand the importance of practice and repetition which allow us to fail, but most importantly, to learn.” This analogy works so well because it shows why the applicant is suited to the program and specialty, it reveals an important aspect of their personality with evidence, and it sets expectations for how they want to contribute to the field. In your essay, you can use a similar strategy by tying together a major life theme or event with what you learned and how that applies to your medical training.

I was six years old when my father read to me the first chapter of “How Things Work.” The first chapter covered doors and specifically, the mechanics in a doorknob. What lay hidden and confined in the door panel was this complex system that produced a simple action. I credit this experience as the onset of my scientific curiosity and eventually my passion for complex systems found in medicine. Intensivists vigilantly maintain homeostasis within the human body, a complex system in and of itself, a concept I recognize as personally fascinating and enticing. I find myself especially drawn to the field of critical care and intensive care medicine. My dreams to become an intensivist would be highly complimented by a residency in surgery.

In critical care, each patient in the ICU is usually in a general state of shock. From the initial state of shock, the patient can be further complicated with comorbidities and chronic diseases that may require further intensive medical intervention so that they may recover from a recent surgery or traumatic event. This dynamic nature of the ICU is not available in every unit of the hospital and the high level of acuity does not suit everyone. I, however, enjoy the high energy of the enthralling, engaging and exciting environment offered by the ICU. I am personally energized and awakened by managing patients with surgically-altered physiology coupled with comorbidities. There is an overwhelming satisfaction when a patient following a bilateral lung transplant gets up from his bed and walks through the unit after days of being bedridden, or the moment we can discontinue the lines we had the patient on and finally talk to them after two weeks of intubation and sedation. Being in the ICU also encompasses the emotional seesaw of going from a successful patient case to a room in which a family has just decided that comfort care is the best way to proceed, which gives me chills just to type and verbalize.

The work of an intensivist is not only limited to the patient, but also the emotional well-being of the patient’s family as well. My involvement in the ICU has taught me that sometimes it is necessary to talk to a patient’s family, to explain to them simply that the postoperative expectations that they had had, may not be met. Communication is key in this field, both with the patients and the physicians of the OR. Communication prevents perioperative complications, establishes a willingness to follow directions and relays professionalism. It is important for an intensivist to have an excellent understanding of surgical procedures, so that they may explain to the patient what to expect as well as ease the nerves of the patient preoperatively. A surgical residency would facilitate this understanding and undoubtedly prove to be useful in my future training.

Studying medicine in Europe has taught me volumes about myself, how driven, motivated and open-minded I can be. To move so far away from home and yet be so familiar with the language, I feel blessed to be able to say that I’ve had a high level of exposure to diversity in my life. The mentality in [insert country name here] is if you don’t see the doctor, you are not sick. This common thought has to lead to an outstanding environment to study medicine and to see end-stage, textbook presentations of various pathologies and their management. Studying medicine in two languages has in itself taught me that medicine is a language and that the way a patient presents, conveys themselves, and the findings of the physical examination, all represent the syntax of the diagnosis. This awareness has reminded me that patient care, relief of patient suffering and illness, transcends the grammatical rules of the patient’s native tongue. My clinical experience in [insert country here] will aid me in providing thoughtful care to my future patients.

All things considered, I am ready to leave my home of the last four years and come back to the United States, to enter the next stage of my life and career. I am ready to work harder than ever, to prove myself to my future residency program and most importantly, learn so that I may be a suitable candidate for a future fellowship program in critical care. My experiences abroad have constantly pushed me to new horizons and encouraged responsibilities that I don’t believe I would otherwise have. I’ve developed a new level of human connection through my work in the ICU, the OR and my travels throughout Europe. These experiences will aid me in working with a diverse patient population and a diverse team of physicians. I hope [the program name here] can give me the variety and the background in surgery that I will need to succeed.

1. Atypical experiences are justified

This surgery personal statement example has to do double duty for the admissions committee. It has to explain why surgery, what this student can offer, and why this student is passionate about the field while simultaneously explaining why the applicant chose medical school abroad. If you are applying to a country where you did not attend medical school there, you have to explain why you studied abroad. This often poses a challenge for students. Be honest and positive about your experience. This student did an excellent job of explaining why it was such a good fit for their personality while highlighting the advantages of this experience.

Focus on the characteristics you gained from your experience abroad. Explain how your experience will translate into success in your residency. There are many things to be gained from having spent time outside of your home country. Talk about the skills you developed from living abroad. Unique details like those will set you apart when you are writing your statement.

2. Makes unique experiences an advantage

This applicant studied abroad in Europe. The way they talk about it is key: they explain how the experience was a challenge that they learned from. Most programs and schools are looking for medical school graduates who can contribute to their vision of diversity. If you have experience travelling abroad, this is a good chance for you to explain how this enriched your perspective and professional capabilities. Some of the skills that this applicant discusses are assets for a career in medicine: speaking two languages, exposure to diverse people and methods, and the ability to work with a large patient and physician population from different backgrounds. If you endeavor to explain some of your diverse experiences, be sure to make it clear what you gained and how you can apply it to your residency training.

3. The writer’s voice and style are unique

To get matched to the program and school of your choice, you will need to stand out from the crowd. To do this effectively in your personal statement, give your writing a unique style and allow your personality to shine through. In this example, the writer achieves this in the first paragraph in the “hook” in which they describe when their father used to read “How Things Work”; this life event left a lasting impression, and the writer links this to why a residency in surgery would benefit their goal of becoming an intensivist. With a first draft, it’s okay to experiment with word choice and content. Make sure you include all the necessary elements and formatting requirements, but try your best to put the “personal” in personal statement. Note that this is a general surgery example; if you were applying for plastic surgery or neurosurgery, you should read plastic surgery residency personal statement examples or neurosurgery personal statement examples for a slightly varied essay strategy.

Writing a residency personal statement? Here are the top books for residency applicants:

Residency Personal Statement Examples #4: Emergency Medicine

One of the most surprising things that I learned through my emergency medicine (EM) electives is that working in an emergency department is like leading a horse. I grew up on a farm in the [name of city], and working with animals was very much a part of my childhood. When walking a horse, one must be prepared for anything should the animal become spooked. It can startle at any moment and one must react quickly and calmly to redirect the thousand-pound creature. Similarly, in EM, one never knows when the department is going to become “spooked” by what comes through the door. EM is exciting, with a variety of patient presentations and medical procedures done on a daily basis. I enjoy dealing with the unexpected challenges that arise in caring for patients with backgrounds vastly different from my own. It would be a privilege to gain the skills as an emergency physician to provide acute life-saving care, to connect patients with resources and other healthcare professionals, and to provide comfort to patients and families in the settings of acute loss or difficult diagnoses. I feel that the [name of program] is the ideal path to reach that goal.

First, the [name of program] offers additional support and training to continue to perform research and other scholarly activities. Through my experience in quality improvement, I have learned of the value of research and how it can be applied to practical problems. For instance, while volunteering in a pool rehabilitation program for individuals with neurological disabilities, a patient who I had worked with for a year tragically suffered a fall and broke his hip leaving him significantly disabled. This led me to research inpatient falls during medical school and I initiated a quality improvement project and presented at several conferences, quality improvement rounds, and meetings with hospital stakeholders. After several years of work, I am very proud that this led to the implementation of a province-wide quality improvement initiative funded by [name of organization]. This initiative is physician-led and is aimed at reducing inpatient falls across [name of city]. This project demonstrated how rewarding research is when it can be translated into tangible initiatives and is why I am particularly interested in quality improvement research. I look forward to more dedicated time in the [name of program] to develop my research skills and to apply quality improvement to EM.

In addition to increased training in research, the [name of program] offers the opportunity to subspecialize within EM. While in medical school, I helped my single mother raise my much younger siblings and this has inspired my interest in pediatric EM. I maximized my studying through the effective use of weekly group study sessions and podcasts to allow for free weekends to return home to spend with my brother and sister. Through my experiences teaching and playing with my siblings, I have learned to deal with children in a calm and friendly manner. I used these skills to maintain positive therapeutic relationships with children during my pediatric EM rotation at [name of hospital]. For instance, I was able to cast the forearm of a frightened child by first demonstrating the procedure on her toy rabbit, and then calmly fitting a cast on her arm. I enjoy the emphasis on patient and family education as well as the focus on making the patient feel safe and cared for. I would love to explore this field further as my niche within the [name of program] in emergency medicine.

Alongside research and pediatric EM, I am also interested in teaching. Some of my fondest memories involve the evening teaching sessions during primary and secondary school spent with my grandpa, a retired teacher. My grandpa modeled effective teaching techniques, first assessing my knowledge and then expanding on it by asking questions and providing guidance when needed. Similarly, some of my best memories in medical school include the five-minute bedside teaching sessions after interesting cases that were taught in that way. Inspired by many residents and staff I have worked with, I look forward to expanding my teaching role in residency. Like my grandpa and my clinical mentors, I hope to help future students maximize their learning potential through the delivery of lectures and bedside teaching. Training within the [name of program] would allow additional time to develop the skills necessary for this, through increased exposure to mentorship, teaching role models, and opportunities to be involved in curricular development.

I would feel privileged to join the resident team in the [name of program]. I was fortunate that most of my core clerkship training including EM, as well as my fourth year EM elective, was at the [name of hospital]. What stands out the most to me most about working in the [name of hospital] is the tight-knit community feel in the setting of a high volume, high acuity ED. I value that the small program leads to a cohesive resident group and staff who are invested in their learners. Furthermore, from my rotations there, I know the ample procedural and hands-on exposure residents get from the beginning of their training. With my interest in pediatric EM, I value the longitudinal exposure to pediatrics at [name of program], with opportunities to do dedicated pediatric rotations both at [name of hospital], as well as [name of hospital]l. Finally, the [name of city] is my home; my family and friends are here, and I love the hiking, fishing, kayaking, and snowboarding that are all less than an hour away. I would be incredibly honored to have the privilege of pursuing EM in the [name of program], and look forward to serving my community.

Read some more Emergency Medicine Personal Statement Examples !

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The thought of caring for severely ill children seemed disheartening and overwhelming when I first began shadowing [name of doctor] at [name of hospital] five years ago. I was very nervous. While some of the cases were indeed difficult, my experience was starkly different. In one of our first cases, I quickly jumped in to comfort a scared child suffering from kidney disease. The mother of our patient confided in me about her son's struggles with bullying due to the disfiguring edema. I felt how much she appreciated being able to share her son’s challenges with me. Throughout my clinical experiences, I saw that caring for a pediatric patient often involves delicately navigating complex social situations and family dynamics. From that point on, I knew I had both the passion and compassion to succeed as a future pediatrician.

I am particularly keen to complete my residency at the [name of school], because I had such an immersive learning experience completing 5 years of research with [name of doctor] at [name of hospital] and at [name of hospital], not to mention [name of school]'s stellar international reputation. The incredibly high standard of excellence at [name of school], as well as [name of city] being my hometown, make the [name of school] my top choice to complete my residency. To further demonstrate the excellent education, I remember a time while shadowing at [name of hospital] in the genetics clinics where we discussed the pathophysiology of Bartter’s syndrome. The residents were having a hard time understanding this disease, but [name of doctor] explained the exact pathophysiology and downstream effects of it. The incredible intellect, mentorship and leadership [name of doctor] demonstrated has inspired me to pursue a nephrology fellowship upon completion of my residency.

During my elective rotations in [name of cities], I saw indigenous pediatric patients with a variety of ailments from hypoglycemia to cystic fibrosis. I spoke with them about the struggles of travelling long distances to obtain care. As an Inuit member of the [name of group], I have spent time reflecting on the medical needs of this much-overlooked population and hope to explore ways of reaching out to underserved populations in my future career.

I am prepared to be a leader and engaged learner in my residency program because of my participation in impactful leadership roles. I am currently the president of the [name of society], where one of my main duties is coordinating the [name of initiative], an initiative that teaches children about hospitals and healthy living. I was able to spend one-on-one time with disabled children teaching them about the heart through dance and instruments and activities to decrease fears associated with hospitals. This demonstrated the importance of promoting health care initiatives for kids and educate families and their children on how to be advocates of their own health.

As a competitive Irish dancer for sixteen years, I developed perseverance, determination, and time management that have been critical throughout my medical school training. Competing in front of judges and thousands of spectators all over the world, performing to my best ability under intense pressure was a necessity. I persevered with the challenge of competing at an international level and still maintained a very high level of academic performance while achieving my career high of second at the World Championships.

As an IMG applicant born and raised in [name of city] and educated in [name of country], I believe that my international education provides many advantages. I was exposed to diverse cultures and innovative ways of thinking from teachers from all over the globe at the [name of college] that I hope to bring back to Canada with me. Through the last 6 years, I have also had many research experiences and clinical electives in Canada that have given me insights into the intricacies of the Canadian Health Care system.

I am confident that pediatrics is the field I wish to pursue and I cannot wait to begin my residency so that I can start becoming an excellent clinician who advocates for children, as well as a scholar involved in research projects that will help advance the field. After successfully completing my pediatric residency program, I plan to pursue a pediatric fellowship. I am excited at the prospect of working and learning at the [name of school] while being an active and professional member of your residency program. I am also looking forward to developing my teaching skills and contributing to the community while also enjoying bike rides down the paths in the [name of path] and to be reunited with my [name of city] based family.

Want to see more Pediatrics Personal Statement Examples ?

“Code blue, electrophysiology laboratory” a voice announces overhead during my cardiology rotation. As the code team, we rush to the patient, an elderly man in shock. Seamlessly, we each assume our preassigned roles. I quickly review his chart and note to the team-leader that this patient had a previous EF of 10 percent and just got cardioverted. Vasopressors administered, intubation, central line secured, and the patient is stabilized and sent to our floor. During my rotations in internal medicine, I was constantly elated by my team’s ability to come together at such key moments. This gave me a sense of joy I did not find in other rotations. Moreover, I had inspiring attending physicians and residents who served as my mentors. They taught me that an internist is a medical expert committed to evidence-based medicine and perpetual learning, a compassionate physician, and an engaged community member. These lessons and the satisfaction of managing highly complex cases with a dedicated team consolidated my interest in internal medicine.

Compassion and a holistic approach to medicine remain quintessential for patient care. During my rotations, I took advantage of opportunities to learn from my patients both at the bedside and through independent reading. As a senior student, I prepared learning capsules that I presented to my team. This taught me to synthesize and communicate information efficiently. Beyond that, I took courses outside of the formal curriculum such as a point-of-care ultrasound course to improve my ultrasound procedural skills. When we no longer had any curative interventions to offer patients, I learned that acknowledging the patients’ suffering and being present for them in their most vulnerable time can ease their pain. As a resident at [name of school], I will continue my dedication to academic excellence and compassionate, patient-centered care in my efforts to care for my patients.

I have built strong ties to my community serving as president of the [name of school] Biology Student Union. Together, we enacted a complex study space and locker initiative through my role as a mentor at [name of organization]. These experiences instilled in me the values of proactivity and advocacy which I aim to bring with me to [name of school]. There, I hope to continue my community engagement as a mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of [name of city]. Moreover, as I learn more about [name of town]'s healthcare system, I hope to combine that knowledge with my medical education to add my perspective to health policy decision-making in the province.

In addition to its excellent academic reputation, [name of school]’s commitment to academic excellence and continuing education, as exemplified by the abundant academic teaching, drew me to the program. Moreover, given my belief that we develop to be an amalgam of characteristics and values our mentors espouse, I was delighted to learn about the mentorship opportunities available. This was a unique characteristic that motivated me to apply to [name of school]. Finally, having lived in [name of city] for the last ten years, I am looking forward to spending the next chapter of my life in a smaller, more tightly knit community of [name of city].

As I learned and modeled the different roles of an internist, I also learned a lot about myself. I learned of my thirst for knowledge, of my desire to treat as well as to heal the patient, and of my urge to be a leader in my community. These characteristics will play a defining role in my residency. I also learned of my passion for acute medicine. After my residency, I hope to further subspecialize in cardiology. As a future cardiologist, I aim to provide patient-centered care, conduct research, continue my community engagement, and act as a role model to future generation.

Get inspired with these Cardiology Personal Statement Examples !

Watch this to learn what red flags to avoid in your residency personal statement!

Residency Personal Statement Examples #7: Psychiatry

I grew up in a tight knit military family in a community struck with the stigma of mental illness. Throughout my childhood we lost friends to the complications of untreated mental illness including overdose and suicide. I knew at that point that I wanted to pursue mental illness and completed a psychology degree and then a nursing degree. In University, I volunteered in a distress service for 6 years, providing individual sessions to students on issues including suicidality, interpersonal violence and addiction. As a registered nurse, I honed my skills in mental status examinations and cared for their comorbid psychiatric illness with medical disease utilizing communication and building rapport. I saw the impact of life altering conditions and procedures on their mental health. As a medical student, I continued to explore psychiatry through City X summer studentship and appreciated the breadth of psychiatric practice. As a clerk, I completed a range of psychiatric electives, caring for patients in multiple care settings and across various socioeconomic and age ranges. I enrolled in the integrated community clerkship, in X town, a community 900 km North of X city. The socioeconomic disparities and lack of access to mental health services had a negative impact on community, with suicidality and addictions. I followed my patients across practice domains assessing their functioning, medication regimen and continued to build a collaborative relationship. This proved crucial to uncover their health status across domains and helped me identify areas to support their challenges.

I value the ability to understand my patients from a biopsychosocial framework and addressing negative thought processes in support of their wellness. I view our duty in psychiatry is to support their strengths on a trajectory to wellness and provide guidance and resources utilizing pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. Psychiatry is a newer field of medicine, allowing for ongoing innovations in treatment and practice. This is exciting to explore novel approaches to treatments as we continue to uncover the physiological, neurological and pharmacological dimensions of mental health. It is also important to recognize the challenges of psychiatry. The history of mental illness creates access to care barriers from both a structural viewpoint with longer wait times and on a personal level due to their concern about the social and occupational implications of stigma. As our population ages, this threatens to overwhelm the current psychiatric infrastructure and will require more complex approaches due to medical comorbidities and medication contraindications. We will require ongoing research focused on medical comorbidities of neuropsychiatric illness and treatment modalities to improve quality of care.

I am drawn to the University of X psychiatry program due to its resident focused approach. I appreciate the ongoing mentorship and supervision and the preparatory endeavors including the mock examinations. From a clinical perspective, the program has a strong psychotherapy curriculum and offers unique elective opportunities including electroconvulsive therapy. The ability to continue serving rural communities solidifies my interests in this well-known program.

Check out these Psychiatry Personal Statement Examples !

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Residency Personal Statement Examples #8: Internal Medicine

“People are drawn to medicine in one of two ways: the humanity or the science.” My mentor, [name of doctor], staff medical oncologist at the [name of hospital], once told me this. As a volunteer during my premedical studies, I assisted him with his impromptu lunchtime clinics while others were on break and was able to catch a glimpse of his patients’ unshakable trust in him. Those moments sparked my interest in Internal Medicine. Internists are entrusted with the most complex patients in any hospital. Therefore, Internists take on the responsibility of a patient’s trust in their lowest, most disoriented moments. Accordingly, when I finally started clinical rotations, I saw it as my responsibility to fully understand each patient’s motivations and fears to advocate for their goals. One patient I had gotten to know still stands out in my mind. She was 95, witty, and self-assured but was found to have bone metastasis causing excruciating pain during her hospital stay. She knew she did not want aggressive life-prolonging treatment and declined further workup, but how could we help her? I suggested palliative radiotherapy to my team because I remember her telling me “I had a good life. I am not scared of death, but if I have to be around for a while, can’t I be more comfortable?” Therefore, my team entrusted me to talk to her and her family about a referral to Radiation Oncology. She responded to me with “I don’t think there’s anyone who knows what I’d want better than you. You’ve listened to me so much. I trust you.” I spent the next half hour explaining the rationale behind the referral to both her and her family. She received urgent Radiotherapy two weeks later. Her narcotic requirement decreased by more than half. After that moment, I envisioned that one day, I could also look into the eyes of someone at their most vulnerable moment and give them confidence to trust me and my team with their care.

Although my interest in Internal Medicine is rooted in the human connection, my attention to detail, work ethic, and natural curiosity, also makes me especially well-suited for the challenges of Internal Medicine. Indeed, beyond the human connection, Internal Medicine’s challenges of complex problem solving, and large ever-growing breadth of knowledge is also what makes each day so satisfying. When I was on the Nephrology Consult service, I was following a patient with a kidney transplant who was admitted for Line Sepsis. I noticed a mild Non-Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis and a persistent mild Hyperkalemia. I presented my findings to my staff as a possible Type 4 RTA. He complimented me on my attention to detail and warned that a Type 4 RTA in a kidney transplant patient could be a sign of rejection. We restarted his anti-rejection medication that had been held due to his infection, his electrolyte abnormalities corrected in less than two days. My attention to detail is a particular asset for Internal Medicine because more than any other specialty, the tiniest details like a mildly abnormal lab work, when pieced together in the correct way, could solve the most difficult clinical problem. That is also what makes problem-solving in Internal Medicine so satisfying. My mentors have always complimented me on my work ethic. However, I enjoy staying late for admissions and additional learning or reading hours around my patients at home because learning Internal Medicine is so interesting.

On the other hand, Internists are also tasked with the very large, working with multiple professionals and navigate system issues to keep patients healthy and out of hospital such as when [name of doctor] entrusted me with planning the discharge of a homeless patient during my Medicine CTU elective at [name of hospital]. The patient had Schizophrenia and Grave’s Disease and had been admitted to hospital multiple times that year with thyrotoxicosis due to medication non-adherence. During his admission, I had elicited the help of two homeless outreach coordinators to ensure proper follow-up. Therefore, by the time of discharge, he had a new family doctor, timely appointments with the family doctor and endocrinologist, maps with directions to each appointment, his prescription medications ready to go, as well as a new apartment application.

Ultimately, I am fortunate to be drawn to Internal Medicine for both its humanity and science. I believe that I have the qualities that will help me excel in its smallest details and its largest responsibilities. In residency, I aim to explore and learn as much Internal Medicine as possible before becoming an expert in one area so I can make an informed choice and be a well-rounded physician. Therefore, the fact that [name of city] has so many leading experts especially suits my learning goals. Indeed, during my electives in [name of city], I’ve already learned knowledge that I’ve not encountered elsewhere like the Bernese method of Buprenorphine induction. The availability of resources such as the DKA management simulation and the use of presentations of cutting-edge knowledge as part of evaluation also suits my self-directed learning style. Furthermore, my research has focused on the PMCC Gastro-Esophageal Cancer Database where we were able to discover various new details in the clinical behavior of Gastro-Esophageal cancer due to the large volume of patients are PMCC and its world-class expertise. This line of research would not work as well anywhere else in [name of country]. Indeed, our database is currently the second-largest in the world. Therefore, the second reason [name of city] is my ideal place for training is for its unique research opportunities, so I can continue to contribute to further medical knowledge. Lastly, [name of city] is the most diverse city in [name of country]. Growing up as an immigrant, I had experienced how cultural backgrounds can become a barrier to receiving good medical care. Therefore, the diverse patient population and strong allied health support in [name of city] could also allow me to hone the skills required to assist me in providing good quality care to all patients, regardless of background.

Here are more Internal Medicine Personal Statement Examples !

My first exposure to Family Medicine occurred during my time as a Medical Officer working in a small clinic in Nigeria in fulfilment of the [name of service]. There, I recognized that a career in this specialty would offer me the opportunity to not only experience the aspects I cherished most about other specialties, but fulfill my personal interests in advancing community health.

My many encounters with patients during my days in the clinic reaffirmed my view of Primary care physicians as being on the frontline of diagnosis and preventive medicine. There was the middle-aged diabetic patient who had first presented to the emergency with diabetic ketoacidosis, the hypertensive man whose initial complaint of a persistent headache prompted the discovery of his soaring blood pressure, and the adolescent with a family history of allergies who was diagnosed with asthma. These encounters highlighted that as the first point of contact, the general practitioner is not only responsible for diagnosis, but often in ensuring patients are set on the path of healthy habits to prevent disease complications. This unique opportunity to significantly advance the well-being of a patient, and by extension, the community renewed my interest in the field.

An especially appealing feature of Family Medicine is that it provides an opportunity for patient care without limitations of age, sex, disease or organ system. From treating colds and routine checkups to referral for a suspected malignancy, I enjoyed that every day in the clinic was a learning experience and no day was routine. In addition, having a diverse population of patients and cases requires an abundance of clinical knowledge and I cherish the chance to learn and expand my skills every day.

I also value that an essential part of Primary care is in the enduring relationships the practitioners develop with patients. I recall several moments during my clinical experiences when I recognized that some of the bonds formed during ongoing patient interactions had evolved into lasting friendships. Being a practice of continual care, I appreciate that this specialty provides many opportunities to follow patients through different stages of their lives ensuring a deepening of relationship and compliance with care. I was inspired during my clinical rotation here in the United States when I saw how my preceptorís long-term relationships with patients enabled their compliance and often extended to different generations within one family.

Ultimately, I am confident that my experiences have prepared me for a career in this specialty. An agreeable, attentive and compassionate nature has aided me in gaining trust as well as building meaningful interpersonal relationships which are crucial components of this field. Furthermore, my interaction with an extensive array of patients during my clinical and volunteer experiences has equipped me with the ability to communicate and relate to patients across different age groups and backgrounds. In addition, I enjoy working to coordinate patient care with colleagues and other specialties and value that the wellness of the patient is a result of hard work, dedication, and teamwork.

Thus, I hope to find a residency program dedicated to providing in-depth clinical training with a diverse patient population and an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention through patient education and community service. Moreover, I look forward to being part of a program that will encourage my pursuit of intellectual development and advancement to enable my transition into a well-rounded, competent and skilled physician committed to serving people with needs in all areas of medicine. With a career in this specialty, I know that every day will bring a new opportunity to influence health behaviors, and while there will be challenges, fulfilling them will always be satisfying.

Here I am, yet again. Last year, I also applied for a position as a dermatology resident. Though I was not selected, I return with the same diligence and perseverance, as well as additional skills and knowledge. My continued dedication to pursue a career in dermatology reminds me that no good thing comes easily and pushes me to stay motivated and work hard toward my goals.

I am drawn to dermatology for a host of reasons, one of which is the opportunity to work with my hands. In my current residency program, I have had the opportunity to assist in various surgical procedures. I recall the subdued exhilaration I felt when removing my first lipoma and the satisfaction of observing the surgeon completed the procedure with precision and care. My excitement for surgery continued to be reinforced in the many subsequent procedures I assisted with and I look forward to honing my surgical skills further as I complete my training in dermatology.

However, to me, “hands-on” is defined as more than just its literal meaning. The opportunity to build relationships with patients steers me more towards a career in outpatient medicine. During my dermatology outpatient rotation, I was involved in the care of a patient who presented initially complaining of a heliotrope rash and gottron’s papules. When she expressed a deep sense of shame about this rash, I became acutely aware of how patient’s external disease can influence their internal emotions. I thus responded empathetically, simultaneously validating her concerns and providing her with much-needed assurance. When she was later diagnosed with dermatomyositis secondary to underlying breast cancer, this patient requested to speak to me specifically, recalling the positive interaction we had shared before. Again, I was able to explain the diagnosis and treatment plan with patience and regard for her every concern. Developing a trusted physician-patient relationship is crucial in the field of dermatology because most patients exhibit strong internal emotions from their visually external disease. Also important is the ability to deliver difficult news and be considerate of patients’ feelings in these delicate moments. I plan to continue to use these skills during my career as a dermatologist.

To me, dermatology is also a field that is thought-provoking and stimulating due to its constant evolution and advancements. Thus, during my internship, I committed to educating myself in the field of dermatology through multiple research projects. My research thus far has been focused on whether UV light lamps used in gel manicures increases the risk of skin cancers as well as the outcomes of using intralesional 5-fluorouracil for squamous cell carcinoma and keratoacanthomas. While my research was focused in the field of dermatology, I did not hesitate to take on additional projects, pursuing assignments in both breast cancer and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. I strongly believe the best doctors have a thorough understanding of the practice of medicine in totality as our ability to incorporate this knowledge in our diagnosis and treatment of our patients directly impacts their wellbeing. For these reasons, I strive to continually educate myself in not only dermatology, but other fields that might have implications on my practice.

My ideal dermatology program would allow me to manage a variety of complex medical dermatological conditions and engage in research, both of which will continue to challenge me intellectually and push me to exercise creativity to develop innovative solutions to dermatological treatments. As someone who enjoys working with my hands and the instant gratification of the surgical approach as a treatment option, I would also value the opportunity to perform surgeries and improve my surgical skills. Furthermore, I have found that beyond medicine, the people in each program make or break an experience. Positive attitudes, expressed dedication, and mentorship are vital characteristics in any program of my interest.

I am confident my aspirations will be fulfilled in the field of dermatology, but more importantly, I know I will be a good contribution to this field and your program – my work ethic, motivation, and commitment unwavering. I am determined, impassioned, and excited to embark on this next phase of my journey.

Check out even more Dermatology Personal Statement Examples !

10 more residency personal statement examples, residency personal statement example #11, residency personal statement example #12, residency personal statement example #13, residency personal statement example #14, residency personal statement example #15, residency personal statement example #16, residency personal statement example #17, residency personal statement example #18, residency personal statement example #19, residency personal statement example #20.

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How To Address Areas of Concern

There are some things that are out of our control. Sometimes we have to take time off to deal with personal issues, or sometimes we have to retake tests. If you have something you feel like you need to explain in your application, the personal statement is the area to address it. If you had a leave of absence or failed an exam, you should offer a clear, unemotional explanation of the situation. Use positive language. Whatever the area of concern, try and phrase it in the most favorable light. Take accountable for what has happened, but do not place blame or make an excuse. Here are some phrases you can try and use in your personal statement.

Sometimes we have to interact with people who we don't see eye to eye with. When I worked with (you can choose to say the person's name or just use their title) I learned how to (insert a lesson here). Even though it was a challenge, I have gained skills that will better my future practice. ","label":"Unfavorable Evaluation by an Attending","title":"Unfavorable Evaluation by an Attending"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Keep in mind that these are suggestions. If you are concerned about an area of your application that might be a red flag, it may be in your best interest to address it head-on. The choice to write about them is your own individual opinion. Your personal statement should highlight the best side of you. If you think that an area of weakness might hurt your chances, it may be beneficial to take ownership of the problem and write it in a way that will show what you learned and how it made you better.

For the most part, your residency personal statement should be within a one-page limit or approximately 750-850 words. Be sure to check your specific program requirements to verify before you begin writing.

It's entirely up to you if you want to address unfavorable grades or gaps in your studies. However, if you feel something in your application will be seen as a red flag, it's best to address issues head-on instead of having admissions committees dwell on possible areas of concern.

If you're going to address a gap, just ensure that you have a clear narrative for why you took these breaks, what you did on break and what this break means for your ability to function at a very high academic level for many years to come.

If you're addressing a poor evaluation, ensure that you take responsibility for your grade, discuss what you learned and how your performance will be improved in the future - then move on. It's important that you don't play the victim and you must always reflect on what lessons you've learned moving forward.

Absolutely. While it's not necessary to discuss your personal connection to a program location, showing program directors that you have ties to their program's location can give you a competitive edge over other applicants. The reason being is that it's a way to show program directors that you are invested in practicing medicine locally.

That's not to say that you have to apply to programs that are within your home state or province, but if one of the reasons you love a particular program is because of its location in your hometown, don't be afraid to mention this. Whether you enjoy the outdoor activities in the program's location, have family and friends in the area, or even grew up in the area at some point, these can all be great aspects to mention.

Firstly, it's important to check the program's specific requirements for your statement because some programs have a specific prompt or multiple prompts that you'll need to address. If you are not given a prompt, in general, your statement needs to answer “why this specialty?” and “why this program?”. Your responses must be supported with your personal experiences and your statement should incorporate your future career goals.

No, instead you'll be preparing one personal statement for each specialty. For example, if you're applying to emergency medicine and family medicine, you'll need to prepare one statement for emergency medicine and one statement for family medicine.

As long as it's during the application season, you can edit and review your personal statement. However, keep in mind that if you edit your personal statement, there is no guarantee that programs will review the most up to date version. For this reason, it's best to only assign your personal statement to programs once you've 100% happy with the final version.

No, there is no limit on how many personal statements you can create.

Your personal statement should have three major structural elements: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Your thesis statement will appear in your introduction in the first paragraph. The body is for you to discuss major experiences relevant to your chosen specialty, and the conclusion is generally the place to summarize and highlight some of the item you mentioned in the body or introduction.

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it is comprehensive and precise

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VIRMP personal statement

Thread starter mochi123
Start date Oct 19, 2011
Oct 19, 2011

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Nov 19, 2011

yes I think that. This guide has many useful tips: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/

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Personal statement advice: veterinary medicine

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The University of Liverpool's veterinary science department gets straight to the point when it comes to making an application to its veterinary science department: 'the competition is fierce.'

This is where a good personal statement can be an asset. 'Most applicants will have good predicted grades and references, so your personal statement is your main opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest,’ the Royal Veterinary College adds.

Work experience: do your research

Normally, you will need to have a range of relevant work experience before you apply and to reflect on this in your statement. The quality of your insights into the profession is crucial.

You also need to be clear about what individual veterinary schools expect, because it varies. For instance, Liverpool requires a minimum of ten weeks’ experience, while most others require a minimum of four or six weeks. The range of experience typically needs to include:

at least one veterinary practice
working with large domestic animals on a livestock farm, especially dairy or lambing
other animal experience such as stables, kennels, catteries, zoos, wildlife, or rescue centres, pig or poultry farms, or something more unusual

A day at an abattoir may be especially beneficial, and observing research in a veterinary or biomedical laboratory could be valuable too.

Do note that the University of Cambridge's requirements are slightly different, as they are more concerned about your interest in 'the scientific principles that underlie both the health and disease of animals.' They do require you to demonstrate a commitment to the profession and say that some experience will be useful, but they don't want you to give up on your other extra-curricular interests for the sake of gaining extensive work experience.

It's essential to research this in detail beforehand. Check out department websites and, where possible, attend open days or events.

Getting the balance and flow right

With the required experience under your belt, the next step is to achieve the right balance between brevity and detail in your statement, and to gear it to what your chosen universities are looking for. It will probably be a challenge to condense it all down to 47 lines, but here are some key points you could include:

Motivation: show what has motivated you to follow this career path. Be specific, and make it current or recent. What aspects are of special interest to you? Where do you hope the degree will lead? Reflect on what it is that’s driving you now, not something out-of-date.
Experience: provide some detailed evidence that shows you’re realistic and informed about the challenges you will face. Describe some of your experiences and observations, both of veterinary practice and from your wider animal experience. Get the balance right. They want you to show the breadth of your experience, but they want depth as well. Try to write briefly but reflectively about some of the highlights and what you learned from them. Also, try to include something that demonstrates your understanding of why interpersonal skills are crucial.
Academic interests and wider reading: give them a glimpse of your current academic and scientific interests, whether it’s from your studies, a project or issues you’ve come across in journals, books, blogs, events you’ve attended, and so on. If Cambridge is amongst your choices, it’s especially important to demonstrate your intellectual curiosity and your passion for science.
Extra-curricular activities: demonstrate your resilience, initiative, self-motivation, compassion, or other relevant transferable skills. This could be through the contribution you have made to school, college, or community activities, volunteering, your part-time work, or any wider interests, personal achievements, or responsibilities. Again, be specific!

Then consider the flow of your statement. Tell them enough to engage them and win yourself an interview, but leave enough unsaid that can be discussed in more depth at the interview itself. Remember that everything you write could be used as an interview starting point.

Tales from an Insider: Personal Statement Failures

Last Updated on June 27, 2022 by Laura Turner

Imagine this: It’s fifteen years from now, late at night. You’ve completed a long clinical day, had a quick dinner, and now you are ready to relax… Unfortunately, you can’t: You have twenty personal statements to read by tomorrow. You sit down on the couch, eyeing the documents that will keep you from getting eight hours of sleep, and get to reading. This scenario describes me several years ago when I was a Harvard Medical School faculty member and the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency Program’s Assistant Director. Did I resent the essays? No. Was I desperate to have them grab my attention and keep me from snoring? Absolutely. So, what pitfalls can you avoid so that your statement is more asset than liability, convincing the reader to invite you for an interview? There are several, so let me review them below to help you avert an essay disaster: All stuff, no fluff. I have always wanted to be a doctor because I love people and want to help them. Being an internist has been my life dream because, through the field, I can make the world a better place. My passion for surgery is greater than can be imagined. I want to heal with my hands. One of the biggest turn offs for an admissions reader is flowery, empty language. Even novice readers can easily smell beauty pageant writing. Your essay should be a persuasive document. Your role is to convince medical schools or residencies that you deserve a slot at their institutions. The best way to persuade is with facts, just like a lawyer does when s/he is trying a case in front of a judge. Saying you love people or want to make the world a better place is not convincing, and it doesn’t distinguish you from the scores of other applicants the reader may be assessing. You need to prove your value and your distinctiveness with your academic, clinical, research, community service, leadership, international, and teaching achievements. If there is a sentence in your personal statement that could have been written by someone else (especially Miss America), it is not worth the space on the page. The pneumonia that, thankfully, didn’t kill your grandma might still kill your application. The gentle and prompt treatment Grandma got from the emergency physician made me realize I wanted to be a doctor too. The cardiologist was so skilled, I committed myself to becoming an internist just like her. Some candidates devote a significant portion of their medical school or ERAS® essays to describing a universal experience that initially piqued their interest in medicine or a particular specialty. I mean no disrespect to anyone’s ill family member (sadly, we have all had them), but writing about your personal experience with the medical field is overused, and it may bore your admissions reader. Just because your sentiment is genuine, it is unlikely to be compelling reading or a strategic means to distinguish you from the hundreds of other applicants whose personal statements share the same themes. In other words, the medical staff who impressed you so much when they were caring for your loved one does not reflect anything about your qualifications. There are exceptions to this rule: If you can swiftly move from a brief personal medical story to your research on a related topic you may be able to pull the personal medical anecdote off. For example, if an applicant had a family member with autism and was consequently motivated to do NIH research on the disease, the personal medical story might be a means to introduce her research and associated publications. (This is a rare scenario.) You’re the Inspiration: Why syrupy 80’s song titles make bad essay themes. I learned so much from a frail, 60-year old woman who presented to the clinic with abdominal pain…. After the doctor gave her the diagnosis, she held my hand and we sat together while I comforted her, this former stranger who was now my friend. A slightly different but related tactic is writing about moving patient stories. Most medical school and all residency applicants have patient vignettes to share, which means that a patient story does not distinguish an applicant from the masses of other candidates. The only caveat to this rule is the writer who can pull off a very concise patient story that then segues into her associated accomplishments, supporting a specific strength in her application. Writing about a patient you saw while volunteering at a Mother Teresa Missionary of Charity clinic could be powerful if it highlights your international community service work and transitions into your masters in public health and tropic disease research. (Again, a rare scenario.) Childhood dreams may charm Aunt Mabel, but she’s not on the admissions committee. As a three-year old, I dressed in scrubs for Halloween; I have always wanted to be a doctor. I loved my doctor so much as a child, I knew that some day I, too, wanted to be a pediatrician. Talking about your long-standing, childhood desire to be a transplant surgeon rarely works. First, the tactic is (perhaps surprisingly) overused. I’ve read countless essays about the doctor Halloween costume. Also – and you’ll start to see a theme here – these stories do not engage your reader nor further your candidacy. So, you’ve wanted to study germs since you were a kid? How does that support your being a great contributor to a medical institution or a future leader in your field? It doesn’t, which is why admissions readers have no interest in hearing about it. Brevity is the soul of wit. Go back to that image of you – as a faculty member – facing twenty personal statements before you can get some zzzs. Really, the last thing you need is a verbose essay, droning on and on. Applicants ask me if they should use every character allowable for their medical school and residency personal statements. There’s an easy answer: No. Quantity is rarely quality, and in medical essay writing that is especially true. When approaching your personal statement, use two techniques to keep your writing tight. First, limit your essay to a page, no matter what. You will be surprised how this tactic will keep your essay from meandering and put your reader in a good mood. Second, imagine AMCAS® or ERAS® is charging you $10 for each word you write. How can you save a few bucks? Cut to keep you writing sharp. If you do a good job, you can still produce substantive, nuanced, and persuasive prose. You only have one chance to ruin a first impression. Readers do not like being confused, and you can’t blame them. Some medical school and residency applicants make the mistake of subtly referring to their crowning, distinguishing accomplishment without fleshing it out. Different faculty members will approach the application in different ways, so – to get “full credit” for your accomplishments – you need to assume that your reader is seeing your essay first, independent of your AMCAS® or ERAS® activities. Ensure your personal statement can stand alone and doesn’t rely on your AMCAS® or ERAS® activities’ section for clarification. So now, go back to that image of you as a faculty member in fifteen years. You’ve read the twenty essays assigned to you, you’ve weeded out the empty, trite, verbose ones, and you’ve honed in on the ones chocked full of substance. Keep that image in mind as you write your essay, and think carefully how you can work toward writing that wake-up essay among the crowd of soporifics. Dr. Finkel , formerly an Assistant Residency Director and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, founded Insider Medical Admissions to level the admissions playing field by offering elite advising services for residency, medical school, fellowship, post-baccalaureate, and dental schools applicants. Check out Dr. Finkel’s under-one-minute, stop motion Guru on the Go© videos on her Youtube site and join her on Facebook and Twitter .

Michelle Finkel, MD, formerly an Assistant Residency Director and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, founded Insider Medical Admissions , where she offers advising services for residency, medical school, fellowship, post-baccalaureate, and dental school applicants. Check out Dr. Finkel’s under-one-minute, stop motion Guru on the Go© videos on her YouTube site and join her on Facebook and Twitter.

24 thoughts on “Tales from an Insider: Personal Statement Failures”

How much did Dr. Finkel have to pay for this advertising opportunity? SDN loses credibility when running articles written by someone with something to sell.

Hi Doubtful, While I can understand a healthy skepticism, allow me to set the record straight: I neither paid for nor received payment for this article. While I am proud of the top-notch services I provide for my clients, I also offer a tremendous amount of free advice available to all applicants through online publications, pre-med organizations, the American Medical Student Association, my blog, Twitter, and Facebook. Many clients start out as followers of my free advice, and it is precisely because they find value in it that they hire me. It may surprise you to learn that a recent video I posted was favorably tweeted by the NRMP – an organization that would have as much reason as anyone to share your skepticism. I’ll allow my article to stand on its own; I hope you don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Best wishes, Michelle Finkel

Right. The free advice you give away is your “loss leader,” just like the time you spent writing this article. Writing for SDN and prominently advertising your company is not a charitable act. It’s an advertising act. You are sampling your product. You don’t need to pretend that you’re not doing so. If you didn’t pay for the opportunity, then you are lucky because you got free advertising for your company. The essential question, I guess, is whether “elite” advising services are worth several hundred dollars per hour to a competent applicant. My take, as a successful medical school and residency applicant and someone who has reviewed a few hundred ERAS applications and essays (I know, nothing like the thousands that you have reviewed), is that these services are not worth it for anyone that a medical school or residency would actually want to matriculate. Of course, your market is pretty good because you have a large group of people who are terrified of failing and can readily be convinced that expensive advising services will give them an “Insider” edge in admissions. Of course parents are probably an even easier market because of the tremendous sense of pride that comes from raising someone who is demonstrably successful. These people are in colleges and medical schools that provide advising to students and, in general, the advice is sound. There also is a wealth of crowd-sourced NON-PROPRIETARY information on SDN along with people who will VOLUNTARILY read and critique admission essays. At this point, there are no secrets to getting in to medical school. If a person is not competent to write an admission essay, complete AMCAS or ERAS without spelling errors, or behave appropriately at an interview, she is probably not ready to matriculate and may struggle.

I actually thought this article was quite helpful! Matt’s comment aside, I appreciate the brevity within this page’s content. It makes helping people write their PS all the more easier. So, thank you so much Dr. Finkel!

Becoming a doctor is like joining a private country club these days.

So you’re telling me that I should be writing less of a personal statement, and more of a cover letter? No offense intended, but that’s essentially the opposite of how every major guide I’ve read tells you to write a personal statement.

Dear Confused, I’m not offended at all, but I’m sorry you are perplexed. If you are going to distinguish yourself from the scores of other applicants with whom you are competing, you will need to write a persuasive document that uses strong examples to support the claims you are making about your candidacy. That doesn’t mean, however, that your personal statement should be boring! By using good writing techniques – crafting a catchy intro, using robust language, even choosing a compelling sequence – you can write an outstanding essay while still showcasing your accomplishments. Although I’ve been reading medical admissions essays for over a decade, I still remember a particular personal statement that employed the rules I’ve laid out in my article, while still being colorful. The applicant started the statement by describing his hobby refurbishing high-end stereos and then linked the traits he gained from his hobby to medicine. He then followed his intro with paragraphs of robust examples of his pre-professional accomplishments that supported the traits he was asserting. His essay was entertaining – yet substantive – and after reading it, I was convinced about his candidacy. If you have more questions about writing a personal statement, feel free to read my blog or see my Youtube videos on essay writing. Best of luck, Michelle

I’m glad I read this! The personal statement I prepared for dental school applications is chock full of verbose, flowery writing and personal anecdotes. Glad I read this before June 3rd rolled around!

Dr. Finkel….would you mind sharing what you yourself wrote in your personal statement? I understand that it was a while ago now or can you provide more examples of statements that impressed you? Your article has a lot of “don’t do this” and not enough “do more like this.”

Hi Ken, Thanks for asking. In college, I was very involved in sexual assault prevention work, so in my personal statement, I highlighted that volunteerism, including a campus-wide conference I had organized. I tried to make the case that the work I did demonstrated my leadership skills and my commitment to managing my future patients in a holistic manner. My advice: Showcase something you are passionate about; you will enjoy writing about it, and it will distinguish you. Best, Michelle

As a program director, I disagree with this list. I have never been sold on granting an applicant an interview invitation based on the personal statement. In fact, in my opinion, its merely a way to screen out the odd characters. So being generic is absolutely fine. If your resume meets our standards, I will grant an invite. A qualified applicant trying too hard on the personal statement will set off an alarm for me. Just my 2 cents. I’m sure other PD’s might feel otherwise.

Hi Current PD, Of course everyone is different, but the NRMP Program Director Survey 2012 supports – with statistics – the fact that the personal statement is critical. Seventy-seven percent of program directors surveyed cited it as a factor in selecting applicants to interview – even more than Step 2 score and grades in required clerkships. Again, though, individuals may have different ideas about its import. Best, Michelle

1) Even based on my own low opinion of the personal statement, I too would answer in a survey that it is a “factor” in selecting applicants. But as I mentioned above, its purpose is to screen out the odd characters. 2) I’d like you to clarify the study that said it was more important than Step 2 scores and grades in required clerkships. Is it more important that a Medicine or Surgery clerkship? I find that dubious. Could it be more important than a Psychiatry or Radiology clerkship grade? Depending on the specialty one was applying to, then certainly. But as a whole, I dispute any data that suggests that a 1-page personal statement written for the purpose of an application trumps weeks and months of patient care evaluations and clerkship exam scores. 3) Lastly, I challenge medical students to ask program directors at their schools/hospitals if they have ever granted an interview invitation based primarily on the quality of the personal statement. I think you’ll find the answer there.

Hi Current PD, The study is the “2012 NRMP (National Residency Matching Program) Program Director Survey,” a survey of the directors of all programs participating in the Main Residency Match. For all specialties combined, the percentage of programs citing personal statement as a factor in selecting applicants to interview was 77%, the third highest of all factors surveyed out of a total of 35 (Figure 1). I don’t know your field, but the NRMP survey does break down the percentage of programs citing factors in selecting applicants to interview into specialties too, which you might find interesting. I certainly respect that one might dispute data, and you could contact the NRMP with questions about methodology. (There is an introduction to the study that might answer some of your questions.) I understand and respect that individuals may have different approaches to the personal statement’s import. Have a good weekend, Michelle

Personal statements are like interviews for me. They serve to identify people who cannot hide their personality disorders even in a brief controlled interaction. After that, I use them as a blank piece of paper on the back to write notes.

I’d like to thank Michelle for her time and input. Especially sticking around to respond to comments, even the combative ones. I personally think that the article had some good basic advice to get started on the personal statement with. Who cares if she is promoting her business by giving out free advice. The article is original content for SDN, and she has an extensive background in the match. Good by me.

Some of the responses here are bush league. These respondents do not use their true identities because they may not be who they represent. I don’t see how an application to medical school can differ from applications to dental or law schools, applications to funding agencies like NSF, NIH, or Rhodes Scholarships. These highly sought fellowships are extremely competitive and the personal statements are factual and serve to introduce the applicant to the evaluation committee. I believe that there are far fewer NSF pre-doctoral fellow awards than there are first year medical school students. I have written support letters for many students seeking research fellowships and applying to professional schools and I refuse to write letters for those students who submit fluff piece personal statements and enhanced CVs or resumes. Every individual I have supported has been accepted into professional schools or were awarded fellowships with factual non-bullcrap fluff. If you are on a committee and you choose to not believe published peer-reviewed data without submitting a paper of your own findings, you shouldn’t be on a committee. Many people have good ideas; however, much fewer folks ever put those ideas to paper and move them completion to be critiqued or reviewed. Some of those respondents here probably never took a risk in their lives.

My Personal Statement covers mostly about my EMT and research experiences and how they had me confirm my desire to work as a medical professional with strong scientific applications. However, my whole story began and ended with my father’s hypertension. Seeing your rule up here about the ‘family illness is boring’ is sort of making me panic here, can you elaborate on that?

Hi OPAnchor, I haven’t read your personal statement, so it’s hard for me to make a specific recommendation. I will say that it takes an exceptionally skilled writer to imbue what many admissions officers consider an overused topic with a fresh perspective. (I mean no disrespect to your father when I say that.) I frequently advise clients to mine a unique insight or personal experience to achieve a memorable introduction. Perhaps thinking through your EMT experiences you might find more distinctive subject material to serve as fodder for your introduction. (This advice comes with the caveat that long descriptions of a patient interaction, however genuine, are not distinctive either.) If the EMT work does not lend itself to an introduction, I suspect there is other interesting subject matter in your candidacy that you can explore instead. I hope this helps. Best, Michelle

Reading this made me feel very comfortable. I’m only a student with one more year until I apply to med schools, but I’ve read hundreds of essays for examples. I found that most of them are just too similar and it really does start to bore me. So I can’t imagine what admissions committee readers have to go through. Fortunately, I fit your “rare scenarios” 🙂 Hopefully, they are rare enough to make me stand out!

Hello, I’m just about to start writing my personal statement. I was thinking of including a couple of short medical stories from my childhood. One was a case in which I was seriously injured and in the ER. I was going to talk a bit about my interactions with the caring staff. The other medical story was how I grew up watching my sister suffer from Trigeminal Neuralgia. I was going to talk about watching her go through that pain while my family felt helpless (it took years to finally diagnose the illness). Are these topics I should avoid or do you think they are unique/important enough to include? I was going to link them to my desire to become a physician. Note: I have no research experience involved in TN.

Hi Sarah, I would offer you the same advice I gave to OPAnchor. I suspect you have other distinctive topics about which you could write that would better help distinguish you. I hope this advice helps you. Best wishes, Michelle

Would using a medically related experience, in which you worked along side health care providers, in order to demonstrate the skills and attributes you have fall into this category of things not to write about as well?

I will disagree slightly. In my experience, there is nothing wrong with briefly talking about an experience that shaped a student’s desire to pursue a career in medicine. However, this story should be followed by concrete evidence that the student has developed the skills necessary to excel as a medical student and physician.

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Would anyone that has gotten into veterinary school feel comfortable sending me their personal statement. I am a second time applicant and my error on my application was my personal statement. I don’t know where to start and I’m lost. Please 🥲

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Hot Spring Residency and Disease Association: a Crossover Gene-Environment Interaction (GxE) Study in Taiwan

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For correspondence: [email protected]
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Background The advent of genetic biobanking has powered gene-environment interaction (GxE) studies in various disease contexts. Therefore, we aimed to discover novel GxE effects that address hot spring residency as a risk to inconspicuous disease association. Methods A complete genetic and demographic registry comprising 129,451 individuals was obtained from Taiwan Biobank (TWB). Geographical disease prevalence was analyzed to identify putative disease association with hot-spring residency, multivariable regression and logistic regression were rechecked to exclude socioeconomic confounders in geographical-disease association. Genome-wide association study (GWAS), gene ontology (GO), and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis identified predisposing genetic factors among hotspring-associated diseases. Lastly, a polygenic risk score (PRS) model was formulated to stratify environmental susceptibility in accord to their genetic predisposition. Results After socioeconomic covariate adjustment, prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) and valvular heart disease (VHD) was significantly associated with hot spring distribution. Through single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) discovery and subsequent PPI pathway aggregation, CDKL2 and BMPR2 kinase pathways were significantly enriched in hot-spring specific DED and VHD functional SNPs. Notably, PRS predicted disease well in hot spring regions (PRSDED: AUC=0.9168; PRSVHD AUC=0.8163). Hot spring and discovered SNPs contributed to crossover GxE effect on both DED (relative risk (RR)G+E-=0.99; RRG+E+=0.35; RRG+E+=2.04) and VHD (RRG+E-=0.99; RRG+E+=0.49; RRG+E+=2.01). Conclusion We identified hot-spring exposure as a modifiable risk in the PRS predicted GxE context of DED and VHD.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

This study was funded by the Taiwan National Science and Technology Council [grant numbers NSTC 112-2321-B-A49-007, NSTC 111-2320-B-A49-028-MY3, NSTC 112-2124-M-038-001, and NSTC 112-2314-B-032-001]; and Taipei Veterans General Hospital [grant number V113C-201, V112C-026 and 112VACS-007].

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

IRB of Taipei Veterans General Hospital gave ethical approval for this work

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Data Availability

All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.

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COMMENTS

Vet School Personal Statement Examples to Guide You
This vet school personal statement has three key strengths: #1: The initial narrative about the applicant's childhood pet, Titan, coupled with the writer's ability to be vulnerable (e.g., stating that they lacked self-confidence), allows an adcom reader to form an image of the candidate and want to learn more.
Veterinary Residency Personal Statement Done Right
Moving on, just like in any application, particularly for veterinary residency, it is necessary that you create and submit an effective veterinary residency personal statement. Creating a good vet personal statement can somehow help you succeed in applying for different institutions offering the program you wish to pursue.
VIRMP® Personal Statement: Dos and Don'ts
Your personal statement should be written in a formal style, like a business letter. Although contractions, ellipses, and casual phrasing may be appropriate for a blog post, they should be avoided in your personal statement. Do keep it concise. Although your personal statement can be up to two pages in length, try to be concise and limit it to ...
PDF Veterinary School Personal Statements
Veterinary school admission committees generally judge a candidate's merit based upon. undergraduate grade-point averages (GPA), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, interviews, veterinary related experiences, letters of recommendation, and the personal. statements (Roush et al., 2014).
10 Tips for Your Vet School Personal Statement
Let the reader decide how rare or exciting something is, even if you grew up among a pride of lions. 9. Conclude With a Vision. Sum up your experience to show what a well-rounded vet school applicant you are. Show how your background, personality, and passion make you an ideal candidate.
How to Write a Vet School Personal Statement
1. Example From the Veterinary School at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "Living with my single mother, a nurse who often works over 60 hours a week to support my family, has taught me the value of hard work. From her, I have learned to be passionate and meticulous in all the work that I do.
VIRMP: Sample Residency Submission Form
Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program ... Personal Statement Prompt: Please provide a personal statement discussing your expectations of an internship program and your future professional goals. In addition, we encourage you to describe your anticipated contributions to your matched institution. These may include life experiences ...
Graduating from Veterinary School: Approaching the VIRMP Application
The starting point is accessing the Veterinary Internship & Residency Match Program (VIRMP) and making an account. The process can seem long and confusing but follow this checklist to keep yourself on track and break the application down into eight manageable steps. ... Craft an excellent personal statement. While many of us dread writing about ...
Vet school personal statement examples
Vet Personal Statement Example #1. "Saddle up," is my favorite phrase of all time and it conveys with it a sense of adventure that few other phrases ever can. I suppose a lot of this comes from my early years where I loved cowboy stories, but it continued on through my life once I started learning about horses.
VIRMP: Programs Getting Started
The Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP™) is sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC). The VIRMP is a listing and matching service and does evaluate or accredit programs. ... Applicants will be provided the following guidance regarding their personal statement: Please provide a personal ...
VIRMP Info
Your personal statement should be one to two pages in length and discuss your expectations of an internship/residency program and your future professional goals. In addition, we encourage you to describe your anticipated contributions to your matched institution. These may include life experiences, background, past activities or unique personal ...
Residency Personal Statement: The Ultimate Guide
The residency application personal statement is an essential part of applying to programs, but it can be intimidating. We get it. It can be challenging to write about yourself and your life experiences within 3,500 characters. We'll cover everything you need to know about writing a powerful statement!
Residency Personal Statement: The Ultimate Guide (Example Included)
Why does the residency personal statement matter? The personal statement is an essay of about a page (one page in ERAS is 3,500 characters including spaces) in which you articulate who you are and why you want to enter a certain specialty. It's your big opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants by highlighting anything that isn't well represented in other parts of your ...
How To Write a Vet School Personal Statement
Vet school committees will expect you to remain professional and precise in what you say with word limitations in mind. However, you should aim for a conversational, friendly tone. Your personal statement is about you, so it should give the admissions committee an insight into your personality. Try to find a happy medium where you don't sound ...
Residency Personal Statement Examples from Matched Residents
Residency Personal Statement Examples #6: Cardiology. "Code blue, electrophysiology laboratory" a voice announces overhead during my cardiology rotation. As the code team, we rush to the patient, an elderly man in shock. Seamlessly, we each assume our preassigned roles.
What To Include in a Residency Personal Statement (Plus Example)
A residency personal statement is a short essay that medical school graduates often write when applying to residency programs. It typically includes personal information, such as achievements, goals and interests. It often highlights personal motivations, experiences, goals and career plans. A residency personal statement is one typed page in ...
Veterinary
Word/character limits for personal statements vary across professions so it is important that you identify your word or character limit before you start writing. The limit for the veterinary school application (VMCAS) is 5000 characters. Generally speaking, this is roughly one page single-spaced. Character limits for common health professions ...
VIRMP personal statement
0. Oct 19, 2011. #1. Most of the examples of other people's applications for an internship (from VBMA, etc.) are usually in the form of a cover letter. Now that VIRMP just takes one pdf and not multiple ones for individual schools, is it advisable to frame the "personal statement" (the words the site uses) as an actual essay rather than a ...
Personal statement advice: veterinary medicine
Describe some of your experiences and observations, both of veterinary practice and from your wider animal experience. Get the balance right. They want you to show the breadth of your experience, but they want depth as well. Try to write briefly but reflectively about some of the highlights and what you learned from them.
Tales from an Insider: Personal Statement Failures
When approaching your personal statement, use two techniques to keep your writing tight. First, limit your essay to a page, no matter what. You will be surprised how this tactic will keep your essay from meandering and put your reader in a good mood. Second, imagine AMCAS® or ERAS® is charging you $10 for each word you write.
Personal statement : r/veterinaryschool
To me, the personal statement is the one part of your application that you get to be completely and genuinely yourself. It's the part of the application that holds the most unique and individualized portions of information about who you are. This is the part where you get to stand out. I know what you're going through and reading other ...
Veterinary Personal Statement Examples
Browse our range of Veterinary personal statement examples. Gain inspiration & make sure you're on the right track when writing your own personal statement. Order Prospectus
Veterinary Residency Personal Statement Done Right
More like this. Tips that you need to consider creating veterinary residency personal statement and other important things that matter when taking veterinary residency program We can provide you with all needed support for veterinary match internship and residency program application process! Contact us right away! .
Can ChatGPT Fool the Match? Artificial Intelligence Personal Statements
Personal statements have traditionally held to be potentially decisive in residency applications, as relying solely on objective data for selection has been shown to be both an inadequate predictor of clinical performance and leave gaps in a candidate's full portrait. 2,3 These letters offer insights into applicants' qualities, experiences, and motivations beyond their academic achievements ...
Hot Spring Residency and Disease Association: a Crossover Gene
Background The advent of genetic biobanking has powered gene-environment interaction (GxE) studies in various disease contexts. Therefore, we aimed to discover novel GxE effects that address hot spring residency as a risk to inconspicuous disease association. Methods A complete genetic and demographic registry comprising 129,451 individuals was obtained from Taiwan Biobank (TWB). Geographical ...