When applying for medical school, one of the most challenging aspects can be composing a med school personal statement. Schools and institutions receive hundreds of med school personal statements every year, so it’s important to find a way to set yours apart from the rest. Below, we will provide some tips for crafting a med school personal statement and some things that you should avoid.
Med School Personal Statement Do’s
When creating your med school personal statement, it’s important to detail your reason for wanting to get in the medical field in the first place. Obviously becoming a health care professional is the goal, so admissions officers would like to know your motivation.
It’s also important to explain in med school personal statements why you should be chosen instead of other applicants. Avoid the mundane and tell your new potential home what makes you special and unique. You potentially are up against hundreds of other applicants, and this is your chance to show why you are the best person for the school.
Admissions officers also want to know what just what makes you you, so creativity is highly encouraged in med school personal statements. Including how life experiences have shaped the person you’ve become and put you on the path you’re currently on are great additions to any statement.
Med School Personal Statement Don’ts
There are some crucial things to avoid including in med school personal statements. Admissions officers do not like reading broad statements such as “I want to help people.” Medical schools are looking to admit the best-of-the-best, so sharing personal experiences of learning and growth will be met with a much greater response than generic blanket statements.
It’s very important to be honest in your med school personal statement. If you’ve had bumps along the way in your road to medical school, explain them openly and honestly in your statement. Admissions officers will not only respect your candor, but they will appreciate that you have acknowledged your mistakes and you are not hiding from them.