Why your personal statement matters

Your personal statement is your story. Who YOU are.

Let’s dive into getting personal. Imagine your personal statement is a script of your life because you are the main character…of course. Now a script always has some pinnacle points to make a movie go along before it reaches a climax and presents either a lovely or tragic ending. In our case, it will be the former. Similarly, think of a time where you were drawn to medicine or if there was a subject in medicine that fascinated you. These anecdotes can serve as the pinnacle points.

The personal statement ideally should include strategic points about yourself that are not covered in your CV. They can include why you were drawn to medicine and the patients you desire to serve. It should not be more than a page! Keep it brief and succinct. Remember the PDs and committee read lots of these and they want to get to the point.

A good way to start writing your personal statement is to brainstorm ideas on a blank sheet of paper. Once you have some good material to work with, create an outline to lay out your experiences or accomplishments.

A personal statement can also cover your long-term plans, what you see yourself doing ten years from now and what specialty you are drawn to the most. Hone in on what qualities do you bring to the table in working in this specialty compared to other many candidates who are applying for the same position. Residents Medical is confident you’ll write your personal statement with pride and honor; one that showcases your talent and the rare you. We use actual former program directors and deans to guide the preparation of our candidates’ personal statements, so don’t hesitate to ask for our help.