Personal Statement Workshop May 12th

Drafting Your Personal Statement
Warren Tam Health Medical Programs Manager Kaplan Toronto July 14th, 2011
Agenda
The Personal Statement: General requirements & overview The writing process Examples
How the Personal Statement is used

Program directors will only read it IF your application meets the programs minimum USMLE score requirements. Its seen as your self-portrait: who you are as a person and what makes you unique It can make the difference in whether youre invited to interview.
ERAS requirements
One version per specialty, named and titled so you will know which to direct to programs, if you apply to > 1 specialty The ERAS limit is 32,000 characters (~5 pages) but the best length is a single page You can cut/paste the text from your own word processing software into the My Documents section of the ERAS application workspace, or you can work on it in ERAS. It is locked only when you submit it. After that, it cant be changed.
ERAS requirements (continued)

No boldface, italics, or special characters are allowed. Name each version (e.g. Family Medicine Internal Medicine) to identify for later edits and for knowing which one you want sent to each program. Once this document is submitted, it is locked, so be sure its grammatically and typographically perfect before you submit it! We recommend that you complete your personal statements by early September of the year before Match
The Personal Statement tells

How you are unique. Why you chose the specialty:
Special patient Life experience Special skills
How your strengths and skills fit the specialtys needs and concerns. About course work and life experiences that shaped your decision. About course work and life experiences that helped you acquire necessary skills and abilities. About research that shaped your decision, honed skills. About interests that helped develop your skills/abilities About program characteristics you seek (Optional). About your professional goals:
Where you want to practice What the emphasis of your practice might be
Usually best not to explain any problems like gaps or fails.
The Personal Statement does NOT

Try to be too clever or cute. Tell your life story. Begin Ive always wanted to be a doctor Include poems or quotes. Apologize for past problems. Brag or drop names to impress. Discuss anything in depth (research, course work). Attack other medical specialties. Volunteer private information (sexual orientation, religion).
Analyze your audience

Knowledgeable Jaded by having already read so many personal statements In a hurry Looking for red flags, time gaps Looking for elaboration of CV entries Evaluating your English fluency Looking for hints of your personality and style Looking for evidence of your suitability for the field
The writing process

Know the structure Explore the subject Focus your themes Write and edit
Structure of the Personal Statement
Part 1: Why I chose this specialty Part 2: Why I am well suited to this specialty Part 3: My expectations for training, ultimate summary
Explore your subject

Brainstorm Use questions to frame your thoughts Try a free writing session Talk it out to someone
Decide on a focus
Examine at the results of your subject exploration Look for your strongest ideas. Your goal is to find the most effective way to get your story across, and to convey exactly the messages you want to send
Create an informal outline

Attention grabber Body
Topic sentences for each paragraph Supporting sentences Transitional sentences as needed
Conclusion
Complete your rough draft using your outline, but dont edit yet!
Ignore if your sentences have flaws, Ignore if you cant think of the best words to use Ignore if it seems too long Ignore if your thoughts are not perfectly expressed Ignore if all the information might not ultimately belong In other words, write to discover what you are thinking
Once you have a basic draft:

Try telling your story to someone who will listen and comment. Try telling your story to a tape recorder, listen, edit, then type a draft.
The editing process

Step away from your draft for a few days. Look at it again, then revise. Drafts always move from longer to shorter. KISS principle In the US, a direct approach is appreciated, as it shows that you value the readers time. (In other cultures, being this direct may seem rude or abrupt.)
Structure of the Personal Statement
Part 1: Why I chose this specialty Part 2: Why I am well suited to this specialty Part 3: My expectations for training, ultimate summary
Part 1: Why I chose this specialty

This should not be difficult, unless youve never considered this question. If you get stuck, you might find it helpful to visit this website, which offers information about many specialties: http://www.aamc.org/students/cim/specialties.htm Lets review some examples
Part 1: Why I chose this specialty

As the fourth of eight children and a sickly child, I spent much time in the hospital at the Eastern Nigeria Medical Clinic. I was fascinated by the people in white there who cared for me during my frequent hospitalizations. They quickly became role models, and encouraged my interest in science and, particularly, in medicine. Ill health limited my physical activity, but stimulated my interest in science. Setbacks in my recovery taught me patience as well as instilling a drive to understand the intricate processes and mechanisms which allow the body to recover and thrive. In secondary school and finally healthy, I excelled in science, graduating near the top of my class. Eventually, I learned that I had suffered from nephritic syndrome. My interest in a Pediatric career stems from these early experiences.
Part 2: Why Im well suited to this specialty

Evidence of skills, traits, abilities Previous experiences, whether formal or informal Mentor Health issues of a friend or family member Other activities with skills that overlap Opportunities you sought to learn more Medical school performance in field or related fields Research experience that overlaps
Part 2: Why Im well suited to this specialty

When I first applied for a surgery position as a first year resident, the chairman at the Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia asked me whether I felt I could handle the pressures of becoming a surgeon. I assured him that he could count on me to do so. Later, when I began my training there, he was surprised that I requested an increase my on-call duties in order to get more patient exposure and therefore, be able to learn more. I was a hard working resident and as chief resident, earned the respect of my colleagues. I would often work consecutive holidays, filling in for absent physicians. What satisfied me the most was caring for my patients and never leaving a stone unturned in their management. Even with diseases as routine as appendicitis, every patient is unique in their presentation, anatomy and recovery. The skills I learned at the Armed Forces Hospital procedural, managerial, and interpersonal will allow me to get the job done in your program as well.
Part 3: My expectations for training & ultimate summary

Practice setting (rural, urban) Intent to work with certain types of patients such as the indigent, elderly, immunocompromised, chronic or acute diseases, women, sports injuries, etc. Plans to seek fellowship to sub-specialize Plans for a career in academic medicine
Part 3: My expectations for training + ultimate summary

Getting to where I am today took many long nights of studying and 3,253 gallons of coffee from both Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. I look forward to continuing to expand my experience and education in a residency program which serves a varied population of patients and different age groups. With all that I have learned thus far, I believe I have a great deal to offer to any hospital which employs me, as well as to my patients. I also believe that a patient who experiences a hospital visit calmly, with faith in the doctor caring for him or her, has a much faster recovery rate than the one who's hospital visit is unpleasant. The commitment I have made to the quality care of my patients is my highest priority, and this commitment is exactly what will set me apart from others. This commitment will make me an asset to your hospital, supporting your standards for quality of care. I look forward to being involved in a residency program which will assist me in accomplishing this goal.
Its not too early to begin drafting your own personal statement!

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Drafting Your Personal Statement

How the Personal Statement is used

ERAS requirements (continued)

The Personal Statement tells

Usually best not to explain any problems like gaps or fails.

The Personal Statement does NOT

Analyze your audience

The writing process

Structure of the Personal Statement

Explore your subject

Create an informal outline

Once you have a basic draft:

The editing process

Structure of the Personal Statement

Part 1: Why I chose this specialty

Part 1: Why I chose this specialty

Part 2: Why Im well suited to this specialty

Part 2: Why Im well suited to this specialty

Part 3: My expectations for training & ultimate summary

Part 3: My expectations for training + ultimate summary

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