Who Am I? Your Personal Statement (And the Joy of Writing!)

When I am meeting with students, the following question is often posed to me: what is expected or optimal to include in a personal statement?

The answer? It is in the name itself: a PERSONAL statement. Hence, a personal statement should ultimately provide a snapshot or understanding of who you are and, additionally, how you would be a good fit for a medical school, residency, or fellowship. There are many great resources online about how to construct a personal statement (so I won't reiterate them here). Once you review these, my advice is to cross one of the biggest hurdles of all, which is to get started. Start writing. What do you enjoy about what you are applying for (medical school, specialty, subspecialty)? What are your accomplishments? What is unique about you (*everyone is unique in some way - we can find something that you can highlight:))?

The hardest part? Introspection. Considering what makes you, you. How to best highlight your personality, qualities, and achievements into the nice package that is your PS.

The risk? When your personal statement is reviewed (having reviewed them myself as a member of a Medical School Admissions Committee and for students applying to residency), there are 3 categories that a PS can be placed into (thank you to the Program Director with whom I discussed this a few days ago).

1. Excellent - An excellent PS may lead to an interview if an applicant is on the cusp between a yes/no for an interview.

2. Fine - An acceptable PS may be neither here nor there. However, it may help you and the interviewer by serving as a launching pad for discussion during the interview process.

3. Red flag - A red flag found in a PS may lead your application no longer being considered, despite your other strengths as an applicant.

Hence, it is critical that your PS falls at least within category one or two. The third category must be avoided and can be prevented through a careful review of your PS (ideally by more than one individual) to ensure that the writing quality and content of your PS are irreproachable.

The benefits? Clarity regarding your career goals. A sense of accomplishment. Joy (yes, joy!). While constructing your PS, you have the opportunity to truly introspect and consider your personal dreams and aspirations. Often, I recommend to students that they write specialty personal statements as a way to determine whether they truly have a passion for a specific specialty. As you write, you can identify what brings you joy in that for which you are applying. You have the opportunity to reflect upon all that you have accomplished. Often, students, in the competitive process of applying for undergraduate or graduate medical education positions, don't realize how much they have accomplished. I recommend taking the time of writing your PS as an opportunity to practice gratitude and self-compassion. Remember that no one is perfect and what you have accomplished should be celebrated. If you can approach the process of writing your PS in a positive mindset, you will have greater success, and perhaps more importantly, enjoy this part of your journey into medicine.

If you would like to meet to explore your unique gifts and be supported through your personal statement journey, please reach out to me at rupalvoramd@gmail.com. I wish you success with the process!

Sincerely,

Dr. Vora