examples of residency program personal statements

The Residency Personal Statement (2024/2025): The Insider’s Guide (with Examples)

A physician and  former residency program director  explains how to write your residency personal statement to match in to your top-choice residency program in 2025.

Read example residency personal statements and suggested outlines., introduction.

We have been working with residency applicants who successfully match into the programs and specialities of choice for more than 15 years and a key part of that success, is writing a compelling residency personal statement.

Having worked with so many applicants, we know you will get differing advice depending on who you ask. The key to our applicants’ success is that we understand how to write a residency personal statement that has broad appeal and will impress all types of readers.

The residency personal statement allows residency program directors and associate directors the chance to get a sense of who you are and your commitment to your chosen specialty. 

As a former program director who understands how residency personal statements are reviewed, what “stands out,” and, most importantly, what will earn you interview invitations, the information below will help you write a residency personal statement to match!

It is imperative to make sure you get the most accurate guidance possible with regards to your residency personal statement content and optimal residency personal statement length (up to one page).

Want more personalized suggestions?  Sign up for a FREE residency personal statement consultation .

Table of Contents

Goals for Writing Your 2025 Residency Personal Statement

Above all else, your residency personal statement offers the opportunity to show your interest in your  chosen specialty  when applying to  residency  to illustrate you are a good fit.

The more details you offer about why you are interested in the specialty and how your med school rotations,  accomplishments  and experiences have reinforced this interest, the stronger your personal statement will be, the more it will appeal to selection committees and the better you will do in the match process.

I encourage applicants to offer as much “evidence” as possible to “show” rather than “tell” what  qualities, characteristics and interests  they have. “Telling” a reader, for example, that you are compassionate and hard working means nothing. Instead, you must “show” that you embody these qualities based on your experiences in health care and the patients for whom you have cared.

The residency personal statement also offers the opportunity to write about who you are as a person to convey some details about your background, influences, and interests outside of your given specialty.

The Importance of a Balanced Residency Personal Statement

The key when writing your residency personal statement is to ensure that it is well-balanced so it appeals to a large group of people who might read your ERAS residency application.

However, it is important to understand that every program director and  faculty member  has his or her own idea of what he would like to read in a personal statement. As an applicant, you must go into this process understanding that you cannot please everyone, or a specific program, and your personal statement should therefore have the broadest appeal possible.

For example, some  program directors  would rather hear about your personal interests and curiosities and get to know who you are rather than have you focus on the specialty in which you are interested.

At MedEdits, we suggest taking a “middle of the road” approach; include some details about who you are but also focus on the specialty itself. In this way, you will make more traditional reviewers who want to hear about your interest in the specialty happy while also satisfying those who would rather learn about you as a person.

Above all, be authentic and true to yourself when writing your statement. This always leads to the best results! Read on to learn more about how to write a winning personal statement.

About MedEdits

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Residency Personal Statement Outline & Structure

Residency applicants often do well when given outlines or templates to follow, so, we will offer that, but, it is important to realize that many applicants deviate from these rigid rules. One very typical outline that serves applicants quite well in the  residency admissions process  is:

• Compose a catchy introduction. Your intro can be related to your  interest in the specialty  to which you are applying, about a hobby or personal experience, or about your background. Regardless of the topic you choose, you want to tell a story and start with something that will interest your reader and engage him.
• The next two to four paragraphs comprise the body of your personal statement. We encourage applicants to write about any significant experiences they have had related to their desired specialty and/or future goals. This would include information about rotations, electives, and sub internships related to the specialty, volunteer and research experiences and even significant outside interests.
• Finally, you want to conclude your essay. In your conclusion, write about what you seek in a residency program, what you will bring to a residency program, and, if you have any idea of your future career goals, write about those as well. Your conclusion is also where you can tailor a personal statement to a specific geographic area of interest or type of program (rural, urban, community).

Residency Personal Statement Length & Residency Personal Statement Word Limit

The allowed ERAS residency personal statement length is 28,000 characters which equates to about five pages!

We have been hearing from more and more applicants that the personal statement should not exceed  one page  when typed in to the  ERAS application . Because of this overwhelming trend, we are supporting this guidance unless you have  extenuating circumstances  that require your personal statement be longer.

Our recommendation is that your residency  personal statement be a maximum of 5300 characters with spaces.

ERAS Residency Personal Statement Checklist

• Ensure your personal statement flows well

The best personal statements are easy to read, don’t make the reader think too much, and make your path and interests seem logical. Rarely does a personal statement have a theme. Also try to have each paragraph transition to the next seamlessly.

2. Your personal statement should be about you!

Your personal statement should be about you and no one else. Focus on your interests, your accomplishments and your path. This is your opportunity to be forthcoming about your  achievements  – by writing in detail about what you have done.

3. Be sure your personal statement clearly outlines your interest in the specialty.

Since the reader wants to be convinced of your understanding of, experience in, and curiosity about the specialty to which you are applying, be sure you highlight what you have done to explore your interest as well as your insights and observations about the specialty to show your understanding of it.

4. Make it human.

Again, your personal statement should be about you! The reader wants to know who you are, where you are from, what your interests are and who you are outside of medicine. Therefore, try to include those details about your background that are intriguing or important to you.

5. Express your interest in the specialty.

The reader fundamentally wants to know why you are pursuing the specialty. The more details you offer the more convincing you are about your commitment and your understanding of the specialty. Be sure to include details that might seem obvious. For example, in  emergency medicine  you must like acute care, but try to include more nuanced details about your interest, too. What aspects of the diagnoses and pathologies involved do you enjoy? What do you value about the actual work you will do? How do you feel about the patients for whom you will care?

6. The start and evolution of your interest.

Readers want to know how and when you became interested in your specialty. Was this before medical school? During medical school? What have you done to pursue and nurture your interest in the specialty?

7. What you have done to learn more about the specialty.

You should explain what you have done to pursue your interest. What rotations have you done or have planned? What research, scholarly work or community service activities have you pursued to further your interest?

8. Where you see yourself in the future – if you know!

Without going into too much detail, write about the type of setting in which you see yourself in the future. Do you hope to also participate in research, teaching, public health work or community outreach as a part of your career? What are your future goals? Since many programs typically train a certain type of physician, it is important that your goals are aligned with the programs to which you are applying.

9. What do you bring to the specialty?

You should try to identify what you can bring to the program and the specialty to which you are applying as a whole. For example, are you applying to family medicine and have a distinct interest in public health? Are you applying for  internal medicine  and do you have demonstrated expertise in information technology and hope to improve electronic medical records? Do you have extensive research or teaching experience, and do you hope to continue to pursue these interests in the future? Have you developed a commitment to global health, and do you hope to continue making contributions abroad? Programs have a societal obligation to select residents who will make valuable contributions in the future, so the more ambitions you have the more desirable a candidate you will be.

10. What type of program you hope to join?

Do you hope to be part of a community or university-based program? What are you seeking in a residency program? Programs are looking for residents who will be the right “fit” so offering an idea of what you are seeking in a program will help them determine if your values and goals mesh with those of the program.

11. Who you are outside of the hospital?

Try to bring in some personal elements about who you are. You can do this in a few ways. If you have any outside interests or accomplishments that complement your interest in your specialty, such as extracurricular work, global work, teaching or volunteer efforts, write about them in detail, and, in doing so, show the reader a different dimension of your personality. Or, consider opening your statement by writing about an experience related to your hobbies or outside interests. Write about this in the form of an introductory vignette. I suggest taking this nontraditional approach only if you are a talented writer and can somehow relate your outside interest to the specialty you are pursuing, however. An interest in the arts can lend itself to dermatology, plastic surgery or ophthalmology, for example. Or, an interest in technology could relate to  radiology .

12. Any personal challenges?

Also explain any obstacles you have overcome: Were you the first in your family to graduate from college? Were you an immigrant? Did you have limited financial resources and work through college? Many applicants tend to shy away from the very things that make them impressive because they are afraid of appearing to be looking for sympathy. As long as you explain how you have overcome adversity in a positive or creative way, your experience will be viewed as the tremendous accomplishment that it is. The personal statement should explain any unusual or distinctive aspects of your background.

Common ERAS Residency Personal Statement Mistakes

Do not tell your entire life story or write a statement focused on your childhood or undergraduate career. 

Do not write about why you wanted to be a doctor. This is old news. From the reviewers perspective, you already are a doctor!

Do not write a personal statement focused on one hobby or begin with your birth. Some background information might be useful if it offers context to your choices and path, but your residency personal statement should be focused on the present and what you have done to pursue your interest in the specialty to which you are applying.

Do not preach. The reader understands what it means to practice his specialty and does not need you to tell him. Don’t write, for example: Internal medicine requires that a physician be knowledgeable, kind and compassionate. The reader wants to know about you!

Do not put down other specialties. You don’t need to convince anyone of your interest by writing something negative about other specialties. Doing so just makes you look bad. If you switched residencies or interests, you can explain what else you were seeking and what you found in the specialty of your choice that interests you.

Do not embellish. Program directors are pretty good at sniffing out inconsistencies and dishonesty. Always tell the truth and be honest and authentic. 

Do not plagiarize. While this seems obvious to most people, every year people copy personal statements they find online or hire companies that use stock phrases and statement to compose statements for applicants. Don’t do it!

Do not write about sensitive topics. Even if you were in a relationship that ended and resulted in a  poor USMLE score , this is not a topic for a personal statement. In general, it is best to avoid discussing relationships, politics, ethical issues and religion.

Do not boast. Any hint of arrogance or self-righteousness may result in getting rejected. There is a fine line between confidence and self promotion. Some people make the mistake of over-selling themselves or writing about all of their fantastic qualities and characteristics. Rarely do readers view such personal statements favorably.

Do not write an overly creative piece. A residency personal statement should be professional. This work is equivalent to a job application. Don’t get too creative; stay focused.

Writing ERAS Residency Personal Statements For Multiple Specialties

An increasing number of applicants are applying to more than one specialty in medicine especially if the first choice specialty is very competitive. If you are applying to more than one specialty, even if there is disciplinary overlap between the two (for example family medicine and pediatrics), we advise you write a distinct specialty for each. Remember that a physician who practices the specialty you hope to join will most likely be reviewing your statement. He or she will definitely be able to determine if the personal statement illustrates a true understanding of the specialty. If you try to recycle an entire personal statement or parts of a personal statement for two specialties, there is a high likelihood the personal statement will communicate that you aren’t sincerely interested in that specialty or that you don’t really understand what the specialty is about.

Writing About Red Flags in your ERAS Personal Statement

The personal statement is also the place to explain any red flags in your application, such as gaps in time or a leave of absence. When addressing any red flags, explain what happened succinctly. Be honest, don’t make excuses, and don’t dwell on the topic. Whenever possible, write about how you have matured or grown from the adversity or what you may have learned and how this benefits you.

If you have left a program or had a break in your medical education, you will also have the chance to explain this in your  ERAS application . You should also write about this topic in your personal statement only if you have more to explain, however. 

If you have failed a Step exam or one course in medical school, this likely isn’t something to address in the personal statement. However, you should be prepared to discuss any failure during an interview. By the same token, it is best not to address one low grade or poor attending evaluation in your statement. 

Have you taken a circuitous path to medicine? If so you might address why you made these choices and what you found so interesting about medicine that was lacking in your former career.

Residency Personal Statement Example

Below are two great examples of residency personal statements that earned the applicants who wrote them numerous interviews and first choice matches. As you will see, these two applicants took very different approaches when writing the personal statement yet wrote equally persuasive and “successful” personal statements.

Residency Personal Statement Example, Analysis, and Outline: The Traditional Approach

Suggested outline:.

• Introduction: Catchy Story
• Paragraph 2: Background Information and how Interest Started
• Paragraph 3: Write about what you did to explore your interest
• Paragraph 4: Second paragraph about your experiences related to your specialty
• Conclusion: Wrap it up. Write something about your future goals.

Below is an example of the traditional approach:

Why It’s Great

This is a great personal statement because it clearly conveys the applicant’s interest in, and understanding of, obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and what the applicant has done to pursue that interest. Not only does this applicant have a long-standing interest in OB/GYN, but, she conveys that she has experienced the specialty in different settings and understands the diverse nature of the specialty. She also includes information about her hobbies and interests and writes about her exploration of OB/GYN outside of the clinical arena. An added bonus is that the applicant writes well and uses descriptive language making her statement interesting and fun to read.

Residency Personal Statement Example, Analysis, and Outline: The Outside Interests Approach

Many mentors advise applicants to tell the reader something about them that is unrelated to medicine or the specialty they are pursuing. This is a fine idea, but be sure your personal statement also includes some details about your interest in your specialty if you decide to move in this direction.

Suggested Outline:

• Introduction: Write a Catchy Introduction. Be creative! Think outside the box.
• Paragraph 2:Elaborate on your introduction offering more details
• Paragraph 3: Write about your specialty choice and what appeals to you.
• Paragraph 4: Write more about your explorations in medical school.
• Concluding paragraph(s): Write about your future goals, the type of program you hope to join and consider looping back to your introduction.

The landscape before me was lush and magical. We had been hiking for hours and had found a great spot to set up camp. As I was unloading my backpack and helping to pitch the tent, I saw a scene I knew I had to capture. I quickly grabbed my carefully packed Leica before the magnificent sunset disappeared. Trying to get the perfect exposure, I somehow managed to capture this image so accurately that it reflected the beauty of what was before us high in the mountains of Utah, so far away from the hustle and bustle of New York City where we attended medical school.

This is a really intriguing personal statement because the author writes about his outside interests in a compelling way that makes him instinctively likable. He then goes on to explain what he enjoys about surgery and what he has done to pursue that interest. As you can see, this applicant writes less about his specialty (surgery) than the applicant in statement #1 did, but, he still convinces the reader of his understanding of, and commitment to, surgery. In this statement, the reader gains a much broader understanding of who the applicant is as a person and what he likes to do in his free time.

Final Thoughts

Writing your residency personal statement should be about telling your story in your own voice and style. You want to highlight your interest in the specialty for which you are applying while also conveying some ideas about who you are as a person to keep your reader engaged in learning about you as a person.

Residency Personal Statement Consulting Services

MedEdits Medical Admissions offers comprehensive guidance and document review services for residency applicants to every specialty in medicine. With more than twenty years of experience in residency admissions and founded by a former residency admissions officer and physician, MedEdits understands what program directors want to read and can help you decide what aspects of your background to focus on in your residency personal statement to earn the most interviews possible.

Residency Related Articles and Guidance

• Residency Match Statistics
• Residency Personal Statement
• Residency Match: How It Works & How To Get Matched
• How to write a residency interview thank you letter.
• What Outfit To Wear To Your Residency Interview
• Medical Residency Timeline & Length
• Medical Residency Salary By Specialty
• How To Master MyERAS, The Medical Residency Interview, and Common Residency Interview Questions
• Master the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) & ERAS Timeline
• Residency Letters Of Recommendation (with ERAS Samples)
• Residency Letter of Intent
• How to Write a Residency Letter of Intent
• Residency Love Letters
• Residency Match Success: Lessons Learned

Residency Specialty Articles

• Family Medicine Residency Match: Beat more than 4400 Applications
• Pediatrics Residency Match: Beat more than 3000 Applicaitons
• Internal Medicine Residency Match: Beat more than 10,000 Applications
• General Surgery Residency Match: BEAT more than 1900 Applications
• Emergency Medicine Residency Match: BEAT more than 2600 Applications
• Anesthesiology Residency Match: BEAT more than 2,000 Applicants

JESSICA FREEDMAN, M.D. , a former medical school and residency admissions officer at the  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , is the founder and chair of MedEdits Medical Admissions and author of three top-selling books about the medical admissions process that you can find on  Amazon .

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Crafting Your Personal Statement for Residency: Examples and Critique

• August 22, 2024
• balance|ERAS|Residency
• Reviewed by: Amy Rontal, MD

If you’re starting on your ERAS personal statement, chances are you’re struggling with your “hook” (or introductory paragraph). We get it—”blank page syndrome” is real!

Rather than turning to ChatGPT to write your essay for you, we’re here to help you get over writer’s block with a full personal statement example, plus some tips to help you critique your own!

Take this intro for example:*

“Imagine this scenario: I am standing in the ER at 2 a.m., surrounded by chaos, with a critically ill patient in front of me . In this moment, everything I have learned about medicine seems to converge. I am brought back to a fateful summer evening when I was five years old, sitting beside my younger sister as she struggled to breathe, her severe asthma casting a shadow of fear over our family.

The helplessness I felt then mirrors the urgency I now face in the ER, but back then, the calm expertise of the pediatrician who brought relief to my sister left a profound impact on me. Those early experiences planted the seed of a calling that has grown through every life-altering moment since, shaping me into a physician who thrives in the very situations others shy away from. My journey into medicine wasn’t just a decision—it was a path forged by an early experience that led to a strong desire to help children and parents through challenging moments of their lives. Here’s why I am uniquely prepared to take on the challenges of residency.”

Why do I characterize this as a good introductory paragraph for a residency personal statement? Ask yourself: 

• Does it grab your attention?
• Does it hint what specialty the applicant is applying for?
• Does it make you want to continue reading?

This introduction does a good job at all three, which is essential for your residency personal statement. 

We’ll dive into the rest of the essay shortly and give it a full review, but first, let’s first take a quick look at why your personal statement is such an important part of your application, plus some general “do’s” and “don’ts” when it comes to writing your own. 

* The personal statement included in this post is a sample created for illustrative purposes only. The content and details provided are fictional and do not reflect any real individuals or their personal statements. However, the advice and guidelines demonstrated in this sample are based on real and applicable best practices for an effective personal statement.

Personal Statement for Residency: Examples of What Makes a Strong Essay

Crafting a standout personal statement for your ERAS application is crucial. This is your opportunity to present yourself as more than just grades and scores—your personal statement allows you to convey your unique background and journey into medicine, your drive and passion for the field, along with your suitability for the specialty you’re applying to. 

Let’s begin with the “do’s” when it comes to writing a personal statement. 

1. Weave a story with a compelling narrative.

As we saw with our sample introductory paragraph, it’s good to share a personal story or experience that inspired your interest in the specialty. This could be a patient interaction, a research experience, or a personal health journey. Make sure to tie it to whichever medical speciality you apply to. 

2. Reflect and answer the question: why this specialty?

Delve into the reasons you’re drawn to the specialty you’re pursuing. Think about and share the moments in your medical training that resonated with you and reinforced your desire to pursue this particular field. Was it the complexity of cases in internal medicine, the immediacy of care and decision making in emergency medicine, or the holistic approach in family medicine that attracted you?

Share a specific experience, clinical rotation, or patient interaction that solidified your interest. Show, don’t just tell, by which I mean instead of stating you’re compassionate or dedicated, illustrate these traits through specific examples. Describe how a particular event (or events) shaped your perspective on medicine.

3. Explain any red flags and showcase personal growth and development.

Mention any significant challenges or setbacks and how you overcame them, demonstrating resilience and adaptability, which are key traits for any resident. Discuss how adversity added layers to your character, and while addressing weaknesses in your application , do so honestly and reflect on what you learned from those experiences.

4. Highlight specific skills and qualities. 

Consider the skills and qualities that are particularly important in your chosen specialty. Are you a strong communicator, adept at working in teams, or particularly skilled in procedures? Provide examples of how you’ve demonstrated these skills in your clinical experiences.

5. Discuss your personal interests. 

Don’t shy away from discussing your interests outside of medicine if they contribute to your unique perspective or approach to healthcare. Whether it’s a passion for global health, a background in engineering, or a dedication to community service, these aspects can differentiate you from other candidates.

Alternatively, you can articulate your career goals and how the residency program will help you achieve them. Whether you aim to work in academic medicine, contribute to public health, or specialize further, make sure your goals are specific and aligned with the training the program offers.

6. Have a strong concluding paragraph. 

End your personal statement with a strong closing that ties back to your introduction. Reinforce your passion for the specialty and express enthusiasm about the possibility of contributing to and growing within the residency program.

7. Ensure your statement is free of grammatical errors, typos, and is clearly written. 

Have multiple sets of eyes review it for clarity and impact. 

Personal Statement for Residency: Examples of Pitfalls to Avoid

And now, let’s review the “don’ts” when it comes to writing your residency personal statement. 

Be sure to avoid the following: 

1. Don’t rehash your CV.

There’s no need for your personal statement to be a reiteration of your medical CV . Instead, focus on experiences that have profoundly shaped your career choices or that demonstrate your values and personality. Provide insight into your motivations and reflections that cannot be gleaned from your CV alone.

2. Avoid clichés or generic statements. 

Phrases like “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor” or “I’m a hard worker” are overused and don’t differentiate you from other applicants. Such statements don’t provide any new or unique information about you.

Instead, try to be specific and personal. Use anecdotes that illustrate your qualities and experiences, and explain how these moments have contributed to your decision to pursue a particular specialty and what you can contribute to the program. 

3. Don’t be overly humble or self-deprecating. 

While it’s important to avoid arrogance, being excessively humble or self-critical can undermine your accomplishments and suggest a lack of confidence. Residency programs are looking for candidates who can recognize their strengths.

Strike a balance by confidently discussing your achievements, while acknowledging areas where you continue to grow. Show that you’re self-aware and willing to learn, but also that you’re proud of your accomplishments.

4. Don’t ignore the specialty you’re applying for.

Failing to tailor your personal statement to the specific residency program or specialty can make you appear indifferent or undecided. Generic statements about the field of medicine suggest a lack of genuine interest or understanding of the specialty.

Instead, research the specialty and the specific program you’re applying to, and clearly articulate why you’re drawn to it. Mention aspects of the program that align with your career goals and explain why you’re a good fit.

5. Don’t write about irrelevant or inappropriate topics.

Including topics that are not relevant to your medical career, such as personal relationships, or overly dramatic life events that don’t tie into your professional journey, can distract from the purpose of the personal statement.

Rather, write about experiences and reflections that directly relate to your path in medicine and the specialty you’re pursuing. Keep the narrative professional, and ensure that every story or point you include serves to reinforce your suitability for the program.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can craft a personal statement that is compelling, professional, and reflective of your unique journey in medicine.

ERAS Personal Statement Example 

Now that you have a bit more background on what (and what not) to do when it comes to a residency personal statement, let’s get back to our sample personal statement and review it. While fictional, the advice and guidelines demonstrated in this sample are based on real and applicable best practices for an effective personal statement. 

Here’s the full essay (again, fictional and for illustrative purposes only!):

T he helplessness I felt then mirrors the urgency I now face in the ER, but back then, the calm expertise of the pediatrician who brought relief to my sister left a profound impact on me. Those early experiences planted the seed of a calling that has grown through every life-altering moment since, shaping me into a physician who thrives in the very situations others shy away from. My journey into medicine wasn’t just a decision—it was a path forged by an early experience that led to a strong desire to help children and parents through challenging moments of their lives. Here’s why I am uniquely prepared to take on the challenges of residency.”

As I progressed through medical school, my experiences led me towards pediatrics. During my rotations, I found myself energized by the unique challenges of caring for children and deeply moved by the resilience they often showed in the face of illness. I recall one particular case I was a part of, a four-year-old boy with a complex congenital heart defect. His journey was one of numerous surgeries and hospitalizations, but through it all, his spirit remained unbroken. The bond I developed with him and his family over months of care was unlike anything I had experienced in other rotations. I realized that in pediatrics, we are not just treating the patient, but the entire family. This holistic approach to care, where empathy, patience, and communication are as crucial as clinical acumen, resonated with me deeply.

Throughout my medical training, I sought out experiences that would prepare me for a career in pediatrics. I volunteered at community health fairs, providing care and education to underserved populations, and I spent a summer working in a rural pediatric clinic, where I saw firsthand the disparities in healthcare access. These experiences reinforced my commitment to advocating for children’s health, particularly in vulnerable populations. I also pursued research in pediatric infectious diseases, contributing to a study on vaccine efficacy in immunocompromised children. This work deepened my understanding of the delicate balance between innovation in treatment and the importance of prevention in pediatrics.

What excites me most about a career in pediatrics is the opportunity to be a constant in a child’s life, helping them grow and thrive from infancy through adolescence. I am drawn to the diversity of the field, from preventive care in well-child visits to managing complex chronic conditions. I am also eager to work in a setting that values collaboration, where I can learn from a multidisciplinary team and contribute to the well-being of children in a meaningful way. I am particularly interested in pursuing a residency at a program that emphasizes community involvement and provides opportunities for advocacy and research, as I believe these are integral components of pediatric care.

I recognize that pediatrics requires not only a deep well of medical knowledge but also a capacity for empathy and patience. My experiences have equipped me with the resilience needed to face the emotional and physical demands of this field. I am committed to continuous learning and growth, and I am excited about the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to become a compassionate and effective pediatrician.

As I look ahead to the challenges and opportunities of residency, I am filled with a sense of purpose and eager to dedicate my career to the care of children and their families, to be the reassuring presence they need during difficult times, and to contribute to their health and well-being. Pediatrics is not just a specialty for me—it is the fulfillment of a lifelong passion, rooted in my earliest experiences and nurtured through years of education and training. I am ready to embark on this journey and to give my best to the children who will one day be under my care.”

Personal Statement Critique

Let’s review the essay above, so you can see what it got right and wrong. We’ll analyze it from the standpoint of the “do’s” when it comes to residency personal statements, and mention any shortcomings in connection to them.

1. Do: Start with a compelling narrative.

Success: The personal statement opens with a vivid memory from childhood, capturing the reader’s attention immediately. The story of the applicant’s sister’s asthma attack is a powerful way to illustrate early exposure to pediatrics, making it memorable and emotionally engaging. 

Critique: While the narrative is strong, it’s important to avoid over-reliance on early childhood experiences as the primary motivator for a career choice. This personal statement strikes a good balance between the applicant’s medical school experiences and early childhood memories. 

 2. Do: Reflect on your journey.

Success: The statement effectively reflects on the applicant’s journey through medical school, particularly by highlighting their connection with a pediatric patient who had a congenital heart defect. This section does a good job of showing how the applicant’s interest in pediatrics deepened through hands-on experience. 

 3. Do: Align with specialty specific values.

Success: The applicant mentions a desire to work in a residency that emphasizes community involvement, advocacy, and research, which aligns with many pediatric programs’ missions.

 4. Do: Showcase your unique qualities.

Success: The applicant highlights a range of experiences, including volunteering, rural clinic work, and research, which add depth to their profile. These experiences demonstrate a commitment to pediatrics and to serving underserved populations. 

5. Do: Finish strong. 

Success: The applicant concludes with a clear vision for their future in pediatrics, expressing a desire to contribute to the health and well-being of children through a holistic approach. 

Critique: While the vision is clear, the conclusion could be stronger by reiterating the connection between the applicant’s past experiences and future aspirations. A tie in to the intro paragraph would dovetail nicely. 

Overall, this personal statement is nice to read, with a compelling narrative and clear reflection on the applicant’s journey into pediatrics. It effectively conveys passion and a commitment to pediatric care, particularly in underserved communities.

However, it could be improved by making more connections between early experiences and current goals. There was no mention of any red flags or delays in education, which leads me to believe the applicant didn’t have any. However, if they did, then it should’ve been addressed in the personal statement. 

Final Thoughts

When writing a personal statement for residency, examples can really help illustrate what distinguishes a good essay from a bad one. Hopefully, these examples and tips give you a good sense of what should be included in your residency personal statement.

Good luck with your applications, and be sure to reach out to Blueprint’s residency counselors if you have any questions!

About the Author

Mike is a driven tutor and supportive advisor. He received his MD from Baylor College of Medicine and then stayed for residency. He has recently taken a faculty position at Baylor because of his love for teaching. Mike’s philosophy is to elevate his students to their full potential with excellent exam scores, and successful interviews at top-tier programs. He holds the belief that you learn best from those close to you in training. Dr. Ren is passionate about his role as a mentor and has taught for much of his life – as an SAT tutor in high school, then as an MCAT instructor for the Princeton Review. At Baylor, he has held review courses for the FM shelf and board exams as Chief Resident.   For years, Dr. Ren has worked closely with the office of student affairs and has experience as an admissions advisor. He has mentored numerous students entering medical and residency and keeps in touch with many of them today as they embark on their road to aspiring physicians. His supportiveness and approachability put his students at ease and provide a safe learning environment where questions and conversation flow. For exam prep, Mike will help you develop critical reasoning skills and as an advisor he will hone your interview skills with insider knowledge to commonly asked admissions questions.

PersonalStatementMan

Join my mailing list, how to write a residency personal statement (april 2024).

Updated: Apr 19

Follow my proven formula for writing your medical residency personal statement because it’s easy and it works. How do I know it's effective? Because I’ve personally played a role in hundreds of successful matches .

Table of Contents:

The One Rule for Writing Your Medical Residency Personal Statement

My residency personal statement writing suggestions, the cheeseburger method: the best residency personal statement outline, the introduction, or your residency personal statement’s top bun, the middle, or the meat of your personal statement, the conclusion, or your residency personal statement’s bottom bun, the final sentence (or two) of your medical residency personal statement.

Toppings, or the Added Tasty Stuff Like Cheese, Bacon, Ketchup, Etc.

3 Takeaways

Faq: red flags, transitions, revision process, how to ask for help, etc..

This guide is meant to be a one-stop shop for personal statement writing. However, I cover additional tips and tidbits if you're interested in digging deeper. For those, check out:

4 Critical Medical Residency Personal Statement Writing Tips

5 Easy Guidelines for Residency Personal Statement Writing

No matter what anyone says, there are no hard and fast rules you MUST adhere to in writing your medical residency personal statement.

Sure, there are suggestions .

There are good decisions and bad decisions.

For instance, some people would advise you never to use informal writing in your residency personal statement. Readers will see “isn’t” or “I’m” and immediately toss it in the trash!

Nope. Not true. A few readers may grimace. Still, some readers might actually prefer conversational writing. Perhaps your casual tone will be the crucial little thing that nudges the scales in your direction and ultimately opens the door of that coveted dream residency spot.

So, what’s the ONE RULE for writing your ERAS personal statement? It’s that there are no true, set-in-stone, ironclad, must-follow-or-else rules.

Okay, so no rules, but here are the tried-and-true parameters I follow:

1) Your ERAS personal statement length should be between 600 and 800 words.

2) Don’t capitalize specialties. It’s incorrect.

3) Don’t name the the doctors/mentors you’ve worked with. This personal statement is about you, not them.

4) Include a patient story from rotations that relates to your chosen specialty and shows you in action doing things residency programs like.

Really, that’s it. Now let’s learn about my magic CHEESEBURGER method for writing a great medical residency personal statement. Yum!

A strong first sentence or two are important, but it’s a mistake to try too hard to grab attention.

Many people will tell you that immediately captivating your reader is critical. It’s not. In fact, so many students attempt to blow minds with their opening sentences that you’ll probably stand out by NOT doing so.

Instead of going for INCREDIBLE, try just being INTERESTING. Here are some examples:

Just go for a strong first sentence. After that, focus on answering the following two questions:

Why are you becoming a doctor?

Why do you love your chosen specialty?

Remember that this personal statement is not for your medical school application. You’re applying for RESIDENCY here. Thus, touch lightly on the first question and devote more energy to the second. What is it about psychiatry that you enjoy so much? Why are you so fascinated by surgery? Is there an interesting story that pushed you toward family medicine?

Your patient story is the juicy good stuff in the middle of your ERAS personal statement. This is where you win your readers over by showing yourself in action in the clinical setting.

Unfortunately, for many applicants, this is the most difficult part. You might be wondering to yourself: Do I REALLY need one?

Including a patient story is one of my core guidelines. There are some rare exceptions. However, when a client tells me they’d rather not share one, I do everything I can to convince them otherwise. Why?

First of all, your audience expects a patient story.

More importantly, it’s a great vehicle for selling yourself as a phenomenal prospective resident. Your readers know you’re just a “lowly student,” but they want to see initiative. They want to picture you in action in circumstances similar to those you’ll encounter in residency.

Here’s how to generate an effective patient story:

1) Remember: just as with your opening sentence, you do NOT need to blow your reader away. Don't try to portray yourself as a physician superhero.

2) Consider your intended specialty. If you’re applying to family medicine, brainstorm a story that shows you building a longer-term relationship. Focus on education and prevention, and/or other similar family medicine “buzz words.” Internal medicine? Teamwork, detail analysis, etc. Surgery? Calmness under pressure, dexterity, leadership, teamwork. You get the idea.

3) Include pertinent details. Details help paint a vivid picture, but too many weigh down the narrative. In choosing your details, think about what each one conveys to the reader about you. For instance, recalling an exact lab value or catching a subtle symptom or bit of prior history says you’re observant. Bringing a patient an extra blanket relates that you’re compassionate and thoughtful. Some attributes are higher on the list for certain specialties but perhaps lower for others, so prioritize details carefully.

4) Keep yourself at center stage. Sure, your attending did some amazing things that inspired you, but this personal statement needs to show how capable YOU are. Many students say they were “in awe” of what another doctor did and use that as the point their story revolves around. This is a huge mistake.

Still can’t think of a good patient story? Rack your memory or look back through your patient logs. Ask your family and friends to remind you of the interesting stories you’ve told them from rotations.

When did you go above and beyond?

What are your most memorable patients?

It’s totally fine if nothing stands out. I said it earlier, but the patient story is where applicants typically struggle the most. That just means it's time to get creative!

But PersonalStatementMan, is it okay to embellish a so-so encounter? What about completely making a story up out of thin air? Do people do that? Do they actually lie?!

YES, they absolutely do. Don’t be afraid to color outside the lines if necessary.

To be very blunt, whether it’s ethical or not, your competition will do anything they can to get ahead of you. This isn’t the time to over-worry about morals.

In your conclusion, I recommend briefly answering, in 2-3 sentences at maximum, two questions:

1) What are your aspirations for your medical career after residency?

Readers typically want to see that you’re open-minded. Think about where you were when you began medical school and know that a lot can change in the coming years. Thus, there’s no need to get too specific.

Also, many programs give extra points to applicants they think might stick around after residency. So if you’re absolutely certain about your exact path, and it doesn't involve working for your program, consider sharing that information AFTER you match.

2) What are you looking for in a residency program?

Be brief and general here. You want to come across as humble, that you’re not expecting too much above the basics like a positive workplace, an environment that promotes growth and learning, and good attendings.

I suggest NOT mentioning you want things like research opportunities unless EVERY program you’re applying to offers them.

Additionally, I encourage you NOT to state that you’re looking for a program that promotes resident wellness. Wellness SHOULD of course be a given. I know that’s not always the reality, but like it or not, some readers will view you adding that expectation into your personal statement as a sign you might not be a dream employee/teammate.

Then finally, you will use your conclusion to sum up and reinforce the rest of your medical residency personal statement. How to do this most effectively? Touch back on your introduction. This wraps everything together and creates a satisfying, full-circle reading experience.

You can also sprinkle in a little from your patient story if it fits.

The dreaded ending. Don't be intimidated, it's really not that difficult. Just as with everything else, your goal should not be to knock off any socks or blow any minds.

My winning formula for residency personal statement final sentences boils down to a mix of at least two of the following elements:

1) Enthusiasm to start residency

2) A reinforcement of your dedication

3) A reminder about what you offer to your team and patients

This is a lot to include in a single sentence, right? It is, but after writing and revising hundreds upon hundreds of medical residency personal statements, I’ve found this formula to tie the tightest bow.

Be declarative and confident. This is the career you’ve worked so hard for, and you DESERVE this residency position.

Finally, and this is VERY important: The surest way to accomplish a confident ending without sounding arrogant is to mention your team.

Here are some examples:

If you still don’t like how your ending sounds after trying your very hardest, I have a trick for you. It works every time:

Begin a new paragraph and conclude with something like:

“Thank you for your time and consideration.”

Looks pretty good, right?

Ending this way forces a finality to your medical residency personal statement. It also implies that you’re respectfully aware of your reader and appreciative of the time they spent going over your application.

Personal Statement Toppings, or the Added Tasty Stuff Like Cheese, Bacon, Ketchup, Etc.

Make your residency personal statement cheeseburger more unique by adding your favorite toppings!

Is there something interesting and different about your path to residency? Did you put yourself through college by working at Old Navy? Were you raised or did you study in a foreign country? Are you particularly proud of your research or volunteer work?

Do you fly airplanes in your free time? Run your own business?

Maybe you play an instrument at a high level, were a collegiate athlete, or have a black belt in karate.

Sharing one or two morsels like these can help you stand out among your competition. However, avoid too much emphasis and always keep in mind that the purpose of your medical residency personal statement is to show what you will bring to your program as a resident.

A common trap some students fall into is reciting their CV experience items to try to prove that they’re qualified.

Firstly, your reader holds that exact information in their hands already. Secondly, listing items from your past makes for very boring writing. You’re telling a story here! Let your other application materials speak for themselves while you make your ERAS personal statement as engaging and readable as possible.

In that spirit, do not include your toppings if they don’t fit naturally. Getting the narrative to flow together takes a lot of work and finesse, but when you get it right, it will place your personal statement among the top 1%. What does that mean? Well, it means your readers will LOVE you and your dream residency will BEG to interview you!*

*Okay you got me. This might be a slight exaggeration.

1) Your residency personal statement's length should be between 600 and 800 words.

2) Don't waste time trying to blow your readers' minds with "incredible" opening or closing sentences. Go for "interesting" instead.

3) A simple, cheeseburger-like outline has been proven over and over to achieve spectacular results: Top bun (introduction), meat (patient story), bottom bun (conclusion). And don't forget to include a few delicious toppings.

I go into more detail about many of these topics in the linked posts, but here are quick answers to some common questions. If you require further clarification and want to set up a meeting to discuss in person, please never hesitate to reach out to me .

Personal Statement FAQ

Do I need different versions of my personal statement for different specialties?

YES. You do not want residency programs thinking their specialty may not be your first choice.

For an obvious example, a surgeon has a different set of skills than an internist. They excel in different environments, cultivate different knowledge bases, and encounter different types of patients.

Less obvious is that even if you're applying to both family medicine and internal medicine, both primary care specialties, you must write two separate personal statements.

Though similar on the surface, the two fields have subtle (but critical) differences. For example, family medicine is more outpatient focused while internal medicine revolves more around inpatient medicine. FM prioritizes relationships, continuity, and prevention. Yes, these are also important in IM, but IM is more centered in analysis, diagnosis, and teamwork.

The takeaway? You must have separate personal statements for each specialty.

Should I tailor different versions of my personal statement to each program I’m applying to?

Short answer: No, but there are exceptions.

Personalizing versions of your personal statement for each residency program can be cumbersome, confusing, and risky.

I've worked with more than one student who made the fatal mistake of accidentally uploaded the wrong version to the wrong program. Oops! Needless to say, their top choices did not extend interview invitations.

Additionally, I doubt tailoring different versions is very effective. Most students try to lift key phrases from the program's website and saying things like:

"I know I am a great fit for < insert program name > because, like you, my core values are teamwork, results, and patient satisfaction."

Or they google the geographical area and say something like this:

"When I am not working hard my team and patients, I look forward to hiking the area's plentiful nature trails and exploring < insert nearby city >'s vibrant culinary scene."

Does that seem compelling to you?

Now, there are exceptions to this advice, and the biggest one is if you rotated at the program. Adding in a personal sentence or two will remind your readers they know you, just in case they forgot your name.

That said, if you choose to tailor your personal statement to different programs, learn from my previous clients' tragedies. Make sure you triple- or quadruple-check that you've attached the correct one in ERAS.

Who actually reads my residency personal statement?

Program directors and attendings are NOT the only people who you will have the chance to impress with your ERAS personal statement.

It depends on the program, but any number of staff members and current residents might also be given access to your application. Choosing new residents is often a group effort!

It's important to keep this in mind when writing your personal statement. For instance, going way out of your way to appeal to a PD might turn off prospective co-residents. Consequently, you want to remain as authentic and honest as possible, knowing you're communicating with a fairly wide audience.

When and how do I ask for help?

Having another set or two of eyes during the writing process can be very helpful.

However, be wary of having too many cooks in the kitchen. Everyone you ask -- your friends, parents, attendings, teachers, janitors -- will have a different opinion they're sure is correct. Too much input quickly devolves into a counterproductive and confusing ball of stress, anguish, and sleepless nights.

Here's what I recommend:

Complete your first draft before asking for help. Then limit your proof readers/feedback givers to just TWO people. ONE reader is even better. Of course, make sure you choose very carefully.

Then, after another draft or two, hire a professional writing service ( like mine! ) to tighten things up.

It's extremely important you keep in mind that the only opinion that truly counts is yours. If you believe strongly in a certain passage or story that one of your readers criticizes, defend it. I encounter a lot of students who look to others for the correct answers about their personal statements.

Unfortunately "correct answers" don't exist for things that are subjective.

Remember: Just like our ONE RULE that there are no rules, there is no such thing as a "correct" way to present yourself in your personal statement. No matter what you do, some readers will respond well and others not so well.

Should I hire someone to help?

Given my job, you should know my answer to this question: Yes!!

Here's my in-depth discussion about why and how to hire the BEST ERAS personal statement writing service you can find.

How do I address red flags?

Follow the link for my discussion about the two best methods for addressing red flags .

Can I use ChatGPT or another AI?

You can use it to help you write, but DO NOT use it to write your ERAS personal statement for you. More discussion here !

How do I write great transitions? (coming soon)

What is a good revision process (coming soon), how do i know when i’m done is my personal statement good enough (coming soon), i’m still struggling what do i do (coming soon), residency application faq table of contents:, what if my attending asks me to write my own letter of recommendation (coming soon), what are the eras experiences and how do i write them (coming soon).

Photo credits:

Students Who Matched: https://depositphotos.com/portfolio-12531762.html

Signs that say "NO" - https://depositphotos.com/portfolio-1655708.html

Cheeseburger & Accoutrements: Abby Curtin

Residency personal statement examples: https://www.personalstatementman.com

Red Flag: https://depositphotos.com/portfolio-1020422.html

Hand raised: https://depositphotos.com/portfolio-4218696.html

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• ERAS Residency Application

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4 Critical Medical Residency Personal Statement Writing Tips (April 2024)

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Residency Personal Statement – Guide for 2024

April 1, 2024

Crafting your residency personal statement requires careful planning and strategic thinking. Your personal statement is more than just a document; it’s your opportunity to convey your passion, experiences, and aspirations to residency program selection committees. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of writing a compelling personal statement that effectively highlights your unique qualities and suitability for your chosen specialty. We’ll also provide you with invaluable insights and practical tips to navigate the writing process with confidence and clarity.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or approaching this task for the first time, this guide will equip you with the tools and strategies needed to create a standout personal statement. You’ll be one step closer to becoming the doctor or surgeon you’ve always dreamed about.

How Long is a Residency Personal Statement?

Generally, the residency personal statement should be between 500 to 800 words in length, roughly equating to one page. This statement is a critical part of your residency application, allowing you to communicate your personal and professional background, career goals, and reasons for pursuing a particular specialty, such as plastic surgery . In addition, it’s your chance to showcase your unique experiences, skills, and motivations that make you a strong candidate for your chosen specialty and residency program.

While it’s important to be concise, make sure your statement effectively conveys a compelling narrative that highlights your strengths and aligns with the values and objectives of the program you’re applying to. Crafting a concise yet impactful personal statement is crucial for making a memorable impression on selection committees. However, unlike the medical school personal statement , which tends to be longer, your residency personal statement is on the shorter side. In essence, it should focus specifically on your experiences and aspirations within your chosen specialty.

What Should You Write About in a Residency Personal Statement?

When writing your residency personal statement, consider incorporating the following topics to effectively convey your qualifications and motivations:

1) Passion for the Specialty

Discuss what initially drew you to the specialty and why you’re passionate about pursuing it as a career. Share personal anecdotes or experiences that highlight your interest and commitment.

2)  Clinical Experiences

Reflect on significant clinical experiences that have shaped your understanding of the specialty and reinforced your decision to pursue it. Also, describe memorable patient interactions, challenging cases, or research projects that have influenced your career path.

3) Skills and Attributes

Highlight specific skills, attributes, and qualities that make you well-suited for the specialty. This could include problem-solving abilities, communication skills, empathy , resilience , or teamwork . Furthermore, provide examples that demonstrate how you’ve demonstrated these qualities in clinical or academic settings.

4)   Career Goals

Clearly articulate your short-term and long-term career goals within the specialty. Explain what you hope to achieve professionally and how you envision making a meaningful impact in the field. Additionally, discuss any specific areas of interest or subspecialties you’re passionate about exploring.

5)  Fit with the Program

Explain why you’re interested in the residency program you’re applying to and how it aligns with your career goals and interests. Specifically, highlight specific aspects of the program, such as its curriculum, clinical opportunities, research resources, or faculty expertise, that appeal to you.

6) Unique Experiences and Contributions

Showcase any unique experiences, perspectives, or strengths that set you apart from other applicants. This could include cultural or linguistic diversity, research achievements, leadership roles, community involvement, or overcoming significant challenges. Also, discuss how these experiences have shaped you as a candidate and how they will contribute to the residency program’s diversity and excellence.

What Should You Avoid When Writing a Residency Personal Statement?

  As you compose your residency personal statement, it’s common to encounter pitfalls along the way. If you haven’t previously tackled a similar writing task, such as a medical school personal statement , you may inadvertently stumble into errors without recognizing them. Hence, it’s essential to acquaint yourself with potential missteps before diving into the writing process. By recognizing these common mistakes, you can ensure that your residency personal statement effectively communicates your qualifications and aspirations.

Content to Avoid in Your Residency Personal Statement

1)  Generic Statements

Instead of resorting to generic phrases, focus on highlighting unique experiences, skills, and aspirations that specifically align with the residency program and specialty you’re applying to. For example, rather than stating a broad interest in helping people, discuss a particular patient encounter or clinical experience that ignited your passion for the specialty.

2)  Irrelevant Details

When discussing your experiences and qualifications, ensure they directly relate to your interest in the specialty and your suitability for the residency program. Avoid including extraneous information or unrelated anecdotes that may distract from your main narrative. Instead, each detail should serve to strengthen your candidacy and provide insight into your motivations and capabilities as a future resident.

3)  Negative Experiences without Reflection

While it’s important to acknowledge and discuss challenges or setbacks you’ve faced, it’s equally important to reflect on how these experiences have shaped you as a candidate. Merely listing difficulties without demonstrating resilience or growth may leave a negative impression on the selection committee. Therefore, use these experiences as opportunities to showcase your ability to overcome obstacles and adapt in the face of adversity.

4)  Overly Technical Language

While demonstrating medical knowledge is essential, avoid using overly technical language that may be inaccessible or alienating to readers outside your specialty. Remember that selection committee members may come from diverse backgrounds, so aim for clarity and simplicity in your writing. Use layman’s terms when possible and explain complex concepts in a way that is understandable to a general audience.

5)  Plagiarism

Integrity is paramount in the residency application process, so never plagiarize content from online sources or sample personal statements. Your personal statement should be an authentic reflection of your own experiences, insights, and aspirations. Plagiarism not only undermines your credibility as a candidate but also violates ethical standards expected of medical professionals.

Styles and Tones to Avoid in Your Residency Personal Statement

1)  Arrogance

  Although it’s important to present yourself confidently, avoid crossing the line into arrogance. Instead of making sweeping declarations about your abilities or achievements, focus on providing concrete examples and letting your accomplishments speak for themselves. Humility and self-awareness are valued traits in prospective residents.

2)  Overly Formal Tone

While professionalism is essential, aim for a tone that is approachable and engaging. Avoid overly formal language that may come across as stiff or impersonal. Your personal statement should feel like a genuine expression of your personality and motivations, so don’t be afraid to inject some warmth and authenticity into your writing.

3) Inappropriate Humor

Humor can be a valuable tool for connecting with readers, but it’s important to use it judiciously and appropriately. Avoid jokes or anecdotes that could be construed as offensive or insensitive. Instead, opt for light-hearted anecdotes or observations that showcase your personality without detracting from the seriousness of your application.

4) Excessive Self-Promotion

It’s natural to want to highlight your strengths and accomplishments, but avoid coming across as overly self-promotional or boastful. Instead of simply listing achievements, provide context and insight into how these experiences have shaped your aspirations and prepared you for residency. Focus on demonstrating your potential as a future resident rather than simply listing accolades.

5) Lack of Proofreading

  Careless errors or typos can detract from the professionalism and impact of your personal statement. Before submitting your application, thoroughly proofread your statement for grammatical mistakes, typos, and inconsistencies. Consider asking trusted mentors, colleagues, or peers to review your statement for feedback and suggestions for improvement.

When Should You Start Writing Your Residency Personal Statement?

Writing your residency personal statement is a significant task that requires careful consideration and ample time. Ideally, you should start the writing process several months before the application deadline to allow sufficient time for brainstorming, drafting, revising, and polishing your statement. Starting early enables you to craft a compelling narrative that effectively communicates your qualifications, experiences, and motivations to the selection committee.

The timeline for starting your residency personal statement may vary depending on individual preferences and circumstances. However, a good rule of thumb is to begin the process at least three to six months before you plan to submit your residency applications. This timeframe allows you to gather your thoughts, reflect on your experiences, and develop a cohesive narrative that showcases your strengths and fit for your chosen specialty.

Starting early also provides you with the opportunity to seek feedback from mentors, advisors, or peers throughout the writing process. Sharing your draft with trusted individuals allows you to receive valuable insights and suggestions for improvement, helping you refine your statement and ensure that it effectively highlights your qualifications and aspirations.

Moreover, beginning the writing process early gives you the flexibility to iterate and revise your statement multiple times. By allowing for ample time between drafts, you can step away from your writing and return with a fresh perspective, making it easier to identify areas for improvement and fine-tune your message.

Personal Statement Residency – What’s Next?

  After completing your residency personal statement, the next steps involve refining and finalizing your application materials before submission. Take the time to review your personal statement carefully, ensuring that it effectively communicates your qualifications, experiences, and motivations. Consider seeking feedback from mentors, advisors, or peers to gain valuable insights and suggestions for improvement. Additionally, make sure to thoroughly review all other components of your residency application, such as your CV, letters of recommendation, and transcripts, to ensure they are accurate and compelling.

As you prepare to submit your application, take confidence in the knowledge that you have put forth your best effort in crafting a personal statement that reflects your dedication and passion for your chosen specialty. Trust in your abilities and the experiences you have shared, knowing that you are well-prepared to embark on the next phase of your medical career .

• Medical School Admissions

Emily Schmidt

Emily is currently a professional writer in the healthcare industry. As a former journalist, her work focused on climate change, health disparities, and education. She holds two bachelor's degrees in English and Spanish from Stanford University, and a master's in journalism from Arizona State University. Her first published novel debuted in 2020, and she hopes to finish her second novel by the end of this year.

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Writing a Personal Statement for Residency Application

Personal statements are an essential, required part of applying to residency. Residency programs screen thousands of applications every cycle and read many hundreds of these statements in the process. You should aim to write an interesting statement that showcases your personality as well as your achievements. Perhaps most importantly, you will need to skillfully articulate the reasons for your interest in family medicine and the particular program you're applying to.

How to Write a Great Personal Statement

A great personal statement sets itself apart from a good personal statement in several ways.

• First, it includes a level of specificity that shows your motivations and interests are authentic. For example, when conveying why you want to match into family medicine, show awareness of the exciting developments in the specialty, or describe your experience with or knowledge of topics like population health management, care coordination, and the social determinants of health.
• Feel free to highlight items in your CV if they help remind your reader of the experiences you’ve had that prepared you for the position. This is your opportunity to expand upon activities that are just listed in the CV but deserve to be described so your reader can appreciate the breadth and depth of your involvement in them. It should not be another comprehensive list of your activities, but rather should refer to activities that are listed in detail on the CV.
• The personal statement is also an appropriate place to address anything that may be ambiguous on your CV. In particular, you should address any nontraditional path you’ve taken through medical school, such as time off or an altered curricular journey. It is better to address these than to leave a program wondering. If you write about academic or personal challenges that you faced during medical school, make a positive impression by focusing on what you've learned from those experiences and how they brought you to where you are now. 

You may choose to relate significant personal experiences, but do so only if they are relevant to your candidacy for the position.

Sharpen Your Writing Skills 

The importance of good writing in a personal statement cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately, not only are good writing skills allowed to deteriorate during medical school, but in some sense, they also are deliberately undermined in the interest of learning to write concise histories and physicals. For the moment, forget everything you know about writing histories and physicals. While preparing your personal statement:

• Avoid abbreviations.
• Avoid repetitive sentence structure.
• Avoid using jargon. If there is a shorter, simpler, less pretentious way of putting it, use it.
• Don't assume your reader knows the acronyms you use. As a courtesy, spell everything out.
• Use a dictionary and spell check. 
• Use a thesaurus. Variety in the written language can add interest, but don't get carried away.
• Write in complete sentences.

If you need a crash course in good writing, read  The Elements of Style ,  Fourth Edition  by Strunk and White. If you have friends or relatives with writing or editing skills, enlist their help. Student organizations at your school may host personal statement clinics, or your school may offer review services. Many student, medical, and specialty societies, local and national, may offer personal statement reviews or workshops.

Even if you're a great writer and feel confident about your application, you should ask trusted advisors, mentors, and friends to critique your personal statement (and your CV! ). They can help you make your statement as flawless as possible by giving you feedback about areas that might have been unclear or things that should be added.

Don't cross the line

Your personal statement should remain an original composition, even as you seek input and advice. Retain your voice as you refine your writing and don't ever plagiarize. Be aware of other ethical lines you shouldn't cross as well, for example, don't use vague references that would allow for the reader to misinterpret the nature of your experience, and don't take full credit for a project if others worked on it with you.

Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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• 7 Essential Residency Personal Statement Components for a Winning Application

Crafting a residency personal statement is a crucial step in the application process, offering candidates a platform to showcase their journey, achievements, and aspirations in medicine. A well-written personal statement can distinguish you from other applicants by highlighting your unique experiences and qualities. 

This comprehensive guide outlines the essential residency personal statement components to include in your personal statement to make it cohesive, engaging, and reflective of your professional and personal growth.

7 Key Residency Personal Statement Components

1. introduction: set the stage.

Your introduction sets the tone for your personal statement and should immediately capture the reader’s interest. Begin with an engaging anecdote or a significant personal experience that led you to pursue a career in medicine. This could be a moment from your childhood, a pivotal experience during your medical training, or an inspiring patient encounter. Your aim is to draw the reader in and provide a snapshot of what drives your passion for medicine.

“As a child, I spent countless hours in my father’s clinic, captivated by the delicate balance of science and empathy in his work. One memorable day, a young boy with a severe asthma attack came in, struggling for breath. My father’s calm and swift response not only saved the boy’s life but also ignited my determination to pursue a career in medicine.”

2. Your Journey to Medicine

After setting the stage, delve into your journey toward choosing medicine as a career. Discuss any significant experiences that influenced your decision. Highlight your pre-medical education, volunteer work, internships, and key moments during medical school that shaped your path. This section should provide a clear narrative of your motivations and the trajectory leading to your chosen specialty.

“During my undergraduate studies in biology, I volunteered at a local free clinic where I witnessed the profound impact of healthcare disparities. This experience solidified my resolve to pursue a medical degree. My time at [Your Medical School] has been filled with rigorous coursework and diverse clinical rotations, each reinforcing my commitment to medicine.”

3. Why This Specialty?

Articulate why you have chosen a particular specialty . This section should be personal and specific, reflecting your experiences during clinical rotations that drew you to this field. Mention influential mentors or role models and explain what aspects of the specialty resonate with your skills and career goals.

“My passion for internal medicine emerged during my third-year rotations. The complexity and variety of cases challenged me intellectually and allowed me to develop strong diagnostic skills. Dr. Smith, my mentor, demonstrated how compassionate care could significantly impact patient outcomes, inspiring me to pursue a career in internal medicine.”

4. Professional Development and Challenges

Highlight the formative and clinical experiences that have shaped your approach to medicine and prepared you for residency. Reflect on the challenges you have faced, how you managed them, and the lessons learned. This section should showcase your resilience, adaptability, and growth.

“Throughout medical school, I faced numerous challenges, from managing demanding coursework to navigating complex patient cases. During my internal medicine rotation, I encountered a patient with multiple comorbidities that required a nuanced treatment plan. Collaborating with my team, I learned the importance of interdisciplinary communication and patient-centered care.”

5. Key Strengths and Personal Qualities

Identify the key strengths and personal qualities that make you an ideal candidate for the residency program. Highlight instances where you demonstrated empathy, leadership, and dedication. If applicable, describe situations where interpersonal skills were crucial in diverse environments and discuss any ethical dilemmas you navigated.

“Empathy and dedication have always been integral to my approach to patient care. During a particularly challenging rotation in the oncology unit, I formed a strong bond with a patient undergoing chemotherapy. By providing emotional support and listening to her concerns, I was able to help her navigate her treatment with a more positive outlook.”

6. Future Goals and Residency Program Fit

Outline your long-term career goals within your chosen specialty and how the residency program you are applying to aligns with these aspirations. Be specific about what you hope to gain from the program and how you plan to contribute. If you are an International Medical Graduate (IMG), explain why you are choosing the US for your residency training.

“My long-term goal is to become a leader in cardiology, focusing on advancing treatments for heart disease in underserved communities. I am particularly drawn to [Residency Program’s Name] because of its strong emphasis on research and community outreach. I look forward to collaborating with experts who share my commitment to improving patient outcomes.”

7. Conclusion: Bring It All Together

In your conclusion, tie together the key points of your personal statement. Reinforce your passion for the specialty, your readiness for residency, and your excitement about joining the program. Leave the reader with a strong, positive impression of you as a candidate.

“In summary, my journey to medicine has been fueled by a deep-seated passion for patient care and a commitment to addressing healthcare disparities. I am excited about the opportunity to join [Residency Program’s Name], where I can further develop my skills and contribute to the field of internal medicine. Thank you for considering my application.”

Final Tips for a Strong Personal Statement

• Be Authentic : Ensure your personal statement reflects your true self. Authenticity resonates more than exaggerated accomplishments.
• Be Clear and Concise: Focus on your key points and avoid unnecessary details.
• Proofread: Make sure your statement is free of grammatical errors and typos. Consider asking mentors or peers to review it.

Creating a residency personal statement that captures your journey and unique voice can be challenging. To ensure your statement is polished and effectively communicates your unique qualities, consider using professional services like ResidencyStatement.com . Our team of experts can help you craft a personalized statement, reflecting your journey and medical aspirations. For a more affordable and innovative approach, check out Match A Resident ‘s new personal statement builder and assessor, which leverages AI to offer several benefits:

• Affordability: The Application Builder offers a cost-effective solution for residency applicants, making high-quality application drafting accessible to all.
• Quality and Speed: This tool allows applicants to craft compelling personal statement drafts within hours or a few days without needing external help. The results are instant and of high quality, ensuring applicants can move forward confidently.
• Personalization: By requiring users to answer specific questions and by meeting the minimum character count, the tool ensures that each draft is unique and reflective of the applicant’s voice and ideas. This personalized approach is crucial for creating impactful application components.

By using the available resources and incorporating these key residency personal statement components, you can craft an application that stands out. Our guide ensures that you highlight your strengths, experiences, and passion for your chosen specialty, setting you apart as a strong candidate for residency programs.

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• Crafting a Cohesive Application: Aligning Your Personal Statement with LORs

Welcome to the 2016-17 Medical Residency Application Season

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Residency Sample Personal Statements

These are real personal statements from successful residency applicants (some are from students who have used our services or from  our advisors ). These sample personal statements are for reference purposes only and should absolutely not be used to copy or plagiarize in any capacity. Plagiarism detection software is used when evaluating personal statements. Plagiarism is grounds for disqualification of an applicant.

Disclaimer: While these essays ultimately proved effective and led to successful residency matches, there are multiple components that comprise an effective residency applicant. These essays are not perfect, and the strengths and weaknesses have been listed where relevant.

Sample Personal Statements

Encouraged by the idea of becoming well rounded, I collected many hobbies and passions as I grew up from snowboarding and cooking to playing board games and practicing meditation. Despite the increasing demands on my time, however, I never learned how to get more than 24 hours out of a day. Since I entered medical school, I have been searching for ways to continue pursuing my one my most influential hobbies, playing the violin. While my violin may be gathering more dust than I would like to admit, I discovered that the same motivations that gave me an affinity for my favorite pastime are still fulfilled in the practice of anesthesia.

Learning to play the violin was challenging; for the first few years, everything that came out of my violin sounded as if it had been scratched out on a chalkboard. Through daily practice and enormous amount of patience from my parents whose ears were being tortured, playing violin slowly came to be effortless. My violin teacher went beyond teaching me how to play but also challenged me to envision my future and write down my aspirations. While achieving my milestones gave me a jolt of confidence, I learned that setting goals are part of a broader journey of constant improvement. Developed from years of practicing violin, my discipline to work tirelessly towards my goals provides the framework that will help me to master anesthesiology.

I found violin to be most rewarding when I had the opportunity to share my music with others. Through the simple act of pulling my bow across a string, I was able to convey my emotions to my audience. The desire to directly and physically affect change is a large part of my motivation to pursue anesthesiology where problems are identified and immediately met with a potential solution. Drawn to science because of my desire to understand the world around me, I enjoy creating a hypothesis and executing a plan in order to test it. While I was at [UNIVERSITY], I identified areas in which the school could improve the student experience and then implement projects that could address these areas. As the Academics and Research Committee chair, I planned as a summer math course for incoming freshmen to prepare them proof writing, which was a topic that many were to which they were not previously exposed. I derive satisfaction from the ability to take an idea and carrying it through to completion. As a life long learner, I take pleasure in finding ways to grow and expand my mind. My love of learning started from a young age where my favorite use of my computer was to browse my CD-ROM “the way things worked.” My golf team nicknamed me ‘Encyclopedia’ because of my tendency to share interesting facts with them as we drove to tournaments around [STATE]. To this day, it is difficult for me to have dinner with my friends without bringing up an interesting fact I learned from a podcast.

When playing violin became second nature, practicing became a sort of therapy where the world around me disappeared and my mind became quiet and focused. Throughout my life, I have been drawn to tasks that require intense concentration to transform thoughts into physical action from rehearsing a swing to hit a perfect drive to carefully executing a protocol for an experiment. The direct and focused care that takes place in the OR actually turned out to be tranquil and relaxing for me. Monitoring the patient, forming differentials, testing my hypothesis, and planning ahead, I found my mind completely immersed while I was assisting in cases. Able to use my own hands to care for a patient, I left the OR feel satisfied that my efforts were wholeheartedly directed towards providing the best possible care for my patient.

I first discovered chamber music at violin camp and immediately fell in love with beautiful harmonies and intricate counter melodies. One of the most shocking things about chamber music was how foreign the music sounded when I practiced at home because the individual parts frequently do not capture the beauty of piece. It isn’t until rehearsal as a group that the true form of the song emerges. Chamber music, similar to the operating room, involves a small group of people working together toward a single goal. Everyone from the surgeon to the nurses has his or her own role, which is needs to be executed appropriately in order to provide the best care for the patient. The teamwork required in the OR reminds me of seemingly impossible feats humans are able to accomplish through coordinated efforts. This collaboration is an essential characteristic of the type of environment in which I would like to work. In addition, I hope that the anesthesia residency I attend values the spirit of self-reflection and constant improvement. I am excited to pursue a career in anesthesiology where I will continue to build on my interests and strengths that were honed through years of practicing the violin.

The author did a masterful job of integrating one of his/her main outside passions (violin) into an interesting and engaging narrative as to why the applicant was fit for anesthesia.

Compared to the common “writing your CV” mistake that many applicants make, this personal statement is a breath of fresh air. The theme of violin is not irrelevant, as the author relates seemingly unrelated aspects of its practice or performance to key elements of anesthesia, medicine, or being part of a team in the operating room. 

The author allows his/her personality and voice to come through. Reading this, it is easy to imagine a quirky and intellectual applicant who is genuinely curious and excited to pursue the career of anesthesia, along with some interesting hobbies. It is no surprise, then, that this applicant interviewed at top programs across the nation and multiple residency admissions committee members cited the applicant’s personal statement during the interview.

As I stand on stage in front of 500 audience members, they are all eagerly awaiting my next line. In order to start the scene, I need a suggestion from the audience. “What am I holding?” I raise my empty hand in the air. One brave soul replies “Bacon!” My fellow improvisers and I proceed to perform a scene set around a bacon dinner party. We deliver our lines punctuated by laughter until the scene comes to a close. I recall this scene during my first night in the emergency department (ED). I am struck by how much improvisation has taught me. Emergency Medicine (EM) and improv have very similar motifs. Every scene in improvisation is different, as is every ED patient. Scenes are fast paced and force you to draw from life experiences while working in a team setting, similar to the controlled chaos often encountered during an ED shift. Ultimately, ingenuity, communication and resourcefulness are the main draws I have to EM which are traits that have been instilled into my character by my experience with improvisation.

During my third year of medical school, an elderly woman presented to the ED with acute vision loss. Reassessing the patient was difficult because I had no way of documenting the improvement of her vision. Improvisation had prepared me to use creativity and whatever tools available to find a solution for any given situation. I created a system where she could mark an ‘X’ wherever she could see on a grid drawn on paper. Each hour she would add more X’s to the grid as she received corticosteroid treatment. Helping patients with improvised solutions gives me the feeling of being an artist which can complement the logic and criteria needed in EM.

New and imaginative ideas in improvisation are born from constant communication between improvisers. Emergency physicians are constantly communicated information which changes their management of a patient. A growing discipline in EM is the idea of shared decision-making (SDM). My research aims to improve the communication between the emergency doctor and the patient using SDM which is when the patient relies on their life experiences, values, and preferences while the EM physician contributes his/her medical knowledge to improve decision-making. I have been involved in several projects to help identify barriers to SDM in the emergency department, and I am currently leading a research project on the implementation of SDM in oral anticoagulation therapy for patients with new onset atrial fibrillation. Through this novel concept, I learned how to effectively communicate with patients about their illnesses and the benefit of giving them an active role in choosing their care plan.

Entering medical school, I developed an original research project incorporating my life experiences. Five years ago, my grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. In medical school, I learned of the benefits of various alternative treatments of neurodegenerative diseases. Combining my experience with Alzheimer’s and improvisation, I developed a study where elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment were enrolled in an eight-week improvisation class. My efforts to improve the participants’ verbal fluency, level of depression and cognition using a treatment that had not yet been explored gave me the ability to administer care with the tools given to me by past experiences. Approaching the undifferentiated ED patient similarly requires resourcefulness and problem-solving which can stem from past life experiences. I believe I will be able to pull from these experiences salient information applicable to the situation because improvisation has helped me nurture this characteristic.

In my future career, I see myself working with underserved populations and performing research. There I can lift those who are in need as well as continue to research improvements in patient engagement through SDM. I know if I am given the chance to practice medicine in an environment that fosters ingenuity, communication and resourcefulness I can continue to be strong advocate for my patients and become a great EM physician.

Building from a unique background, the author of this residency personal statement brings a unique element to the table – improvisation. Similar to the personal statement above, the author uses their passion and interests outside of medicine to illustrate how the skills they have developed in that area will translate to their being an effective physician. 

Notably, the author also describes his novel research project incorporating improvisation into research and the backstory of how this idea was derived from Alzheimer’s dementia effecting his own family members. This simple anecdote reinforces the applicant’s passion for improvisation, their interest in furthering the scientific literature through research, and the personal connection to a condition. 

The applicant comes across as interesting. However, to further improve the impact of the essay, the author may consider tightening up the conclusion with a reference back to improvisation or other parting words that are more unique.

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Great Personal Statement Examples For Residency

How should you approach the personal statement for residency.

Sometimes, it can be tough to know where to begin with your personal statement for residency applications. Many students get writers block, trying to think of the perfect and attention-grabbing opening, or closing flourish that will make them memorable. Instead, you should focus on making your essay personal, including details about what you have done and what has motivated you, and answering two fundamental questions that are required of every personal statement for residency. Namely, these questions are: what has motivated you to go into your chosen field? Secondly, what makes you a great candidate for that field based on your qualities and experiences thus far? Below, we have included a list of personal statements sorted by specialty from successful past applicants that will assist you in gathering ideas for a starting point, what kind of experiences past applicants have included, and thoughts for structuring your essay. Note that all of these essays have been submitted to schools from past applicants, and are only meant as a guide and certainly not meant to be copied (doing so would of course be plagiarism, and would likely hurt your application to many programs). However, having succeeded in residency applications for each applicant below, they can serve as a useful jumping-off point for how you will personalize your essay, discuss your interest in your chosen field, and display the qualifications and characteristics that are unique to you as an applicant.

How important is the personal statement for residency applications?

It turns out, very important. When considering the NRMP program director survey, it is the second most important factor when considering the personal characteristics of applicants (second only to letters of recommendation). You can view the table below, as well as the following link to go directly to the data for your specialty of choice.

1. Internal Medicine Personal Statement

My family’s ancestral home lies in the bustling haven of culture and energy that is New Delhi. My dida (my grandmother) was the embodiment of the city’s spirit. I remember her as she usually was found in the afternoons–sitting on the stoop of our stairs with waves of her grey hair ensconcing her face like a halo with a twinkle in her eyes and a wry smile as she cracked a witty joke.

During her final years, dida was diagnosed with a parkinsonism, and it slowly ate away at her body and spirit. There were many days where her smile had faded and her eyes had lost their luster. This was unfortunately an all too common occurrence after some of her doctor’s visits where she felt pushed around, rushed, and unheard. Towards the end of her course, however, dida started to speak more cheerfully after her doctor’s visits. It wasn’t because of any new medication slowing the progression of her disease; it was because she’d started to see a physician who took the time to empathetically communicate with her and guide her through her illness. Witnessing this positive impact of empathetic communication and patient-centered care sparked my interest in medicine.

While my dida’s experience first inspired my interest in medicine to provide empathetic care, my desire to pursue a career as a physician was solidified after my work in social justice endeavors. I founded my non-profit organization, Living Hope, to advocate for women’s rights in India and specifically combat the practice of female infanticide. Our efforts involved working with various international partners and raising funds to support education, housing, and health programs for girls and women in India. Through these endeavors, I saw how connecting girls to health resources helped them to secure agency and continue to pursue their educational and economic goals; this gave me insight into how medicine can be used to empower individuals and communities and achieve equity at large. My experience with Living Hope inspired me to pursue medicine with the goal of utilizing it as a tool towards sustainable, systemic change and reducing inequity within communities.

During medical school, I engaged in various efforts to develop myself in line with these goals. As a member of the Texas ACP Policy Committee and Texas Medical Association, I researched and developed policy proposals and interfaced with local, state, and national representatives to advocate for policy changes, such as Medicaid expansion, enforcement of improved standards of obstetric care for incarcerated patients, and strengthening public health safety networks. Furthermore, through my work at CommUnityCare, a local FQHC network, as well as with Fast-Track Cities, I engaged in advocacy efforts towards improving access to curative HCV therapy as well as worked to strengthen the local health system by designing novel programs to improve engagement and retention within the HIV and HCV care continuums. As the founding director of White Coats for Black Lives at my medical school, I engaged in community programming and fundraising efforts to mitigate racial disparities that were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in multi-pronged advocacy efforts focused on diminishing practices that furthered inequity within academic institutions and our healthcare system. Pursuing these endeavors further strengthened my desire to use my medical career as a platform for advocacy.

When deciding upon my specialty, I searched for a field that would allow me to pursue my goals of providing high-quality, patient-centered care while engaging in community programming and advocacy efforts designed to dismantle inequity. As the crux and origin of the medical field, internal medicine is my ideal field of choice to achieve these goals. In this field, I have had the privilege of witnessing physician leaders provide excellent evidence-based and empathetic care while advocating for their

patients’ needs on an individual and systemic level. Every day working on the internal medicine wards, I am inspired to broaden my knowledge, educate and support my team members, and continuously strive to provide my patients with the highest quality care possible. I seek to continue to do this as part of my residency training all the while working towards the overarching goal of developing sustainable health systems and dismantling disparities to achieve and promote equity across communities of all scales.

2. Internal Medicine Personal Statement

I’m a good listener. As a shy child, I felt more comfortable letting others do the talking. My role as a wild Irishman in a school play helped me break out of my shell. But the habit remained. I know my patients appreciate it. Rotating through the trauma service, I held the hand of a young man who cut open his leg jumping over a fence. He would be completely fine, but he was panicking as a resident closed his wound with sutures. I did what I do best; I listened. He revealed to me that during the ambulance ride, his adrenaline still flowing from what he suspected was a fatal wound (it was not), he proposed to his girlfriend and she accepted. The next day, he thanked me for being there for him. Even though he was afraid of needles, he didn’t hesitate to allow me to draw his labs after I told him I was a novice at phlebotomy. I still feel honored to have earned his trust, and all I had to do was stay silent and let him express himself.

I also love to ask questions. I’ve been doing it since I learned to talk; my parents couldn’t take me for a drive without facing fifty questions about how cars were made. In my former business career in strategy consulting, a partner at the firm called it my “superpower.” This skill has served useful to me in clinical medicine. I enjoy playing detective and trying to figure out what is ailing my patients. On my internal medicine rotation, a resident asked me to conduct a depression screen for an elderly woman who seemed “off.” Sensing there was more to the story, I deviated from the script and asked her if she felt safe at home. She confided in me that she did not, that her husband had angrily slammed a door into her, and that he had beaten her in the past. Sometimes it only takes one question to make a big difference in someone’s life, to provide them an outlet for their suffering, and to make available to them the resources that they need.

I dream about global health. It has been a major passion of mine since I started a nonprofit, Glasses for Guatemala, in 2012. Recycled eyeglasses are readily available in the U.S. and are very impactful to a person who has never had the opportunity to see with clear vision. When I visit Guatemala and engage my ability to speak Spanish to distribute eyeglasses to those in need, I feel an inner fulfillment that I have not experienced in any other facet of my life. I believe that in general, we undervalue the lives of other people in our world by remaining focused on what is right in front of our eyes: our routine, family, or job. I am determined to inspire others to think about the rest of the world. Living a life of service to others broadens the scope of my purpose in life and allows me to expand to become a welcome part of many other lives.

One last thing you should know about me is that I was raised to believe that those with the capacity to make a difference in the lives of others have a responsibility to do so. I changed careers because my personal experiences with ulcerative colitis helped me realize that good health is invaluable. During medical school, I learned that there is too much suffering in our world. I also learned that I could do something about it. I look forward to joining the field of internal medicine, where I can protect my patients from hopelessness and misery, and provide them with care and love. I aim to pair my clinical skills and my business background to become a health care innovator and a global health warrior. Listening to my patients will always come first.

3. Internal Medicine Personal Statement

It feels surreal that I am finally about become a doctor. My journey was filled with people who guided me through the unknown. Growing up, my 4 siblings and I were raised by my single mother in a low-income neighborhood in Houston. In high school, I didn’t know about higher education because I had no role models in my family. It was my Biology teacher, Ms. Brown, who sparked an interest in Biology that ultimately motivated me to go to college and become the first person in my family to graduate from college. After graduating, I wanted to help students achieve their academic dreams just like Ms. Brown did for me. Thus, I applied for the Teach for America program in order to serve students in low-income schools. I was fortunate to be placed at my old high school as a Biology teacher for students with Limited English Proficiency. I felt uneasy being on the other side of the classroom, but it was an opportunity to create hope in my hometown. I wanted to be the mirror that showed students that they could be successful.

It did not take long for me to get back in front of the classroom in medical school. I worked with other medical students to establish the Health Career Collaborative for the community during our first year. This program allowed us to mentor local high school students in a low-income area over health topics and was awarded the 2018 Excellence in Public Health award. We followed students from their 10 th  grade to their 12 th  grade and talked to them about their aspirations in working in health care. We were able to have in-depth conversations about health since we were at in their “territory” at the high school. In our third year, we had students identify health topics that they felt were not addressed by their school’s curriculum and then create a health fair that addressed those topics. Students learned about health topics such as mental illness, diet and exercise, and sexual health. They also learned professional skills such as how to reach out to organizations via email or over the phone. Giving students these skills could possibly set them up to be future community leaders, which will allow them to give back to their own communities by going into health careers.   

During my Internal Medicine acting internship, I had the pleasure of working with a team that valued patient care, education and fun. Our attending would remind us to not forget the human side of medicine. I focused on treating my patient, not abnormal lab values, and justified every test I ordered so that it impacted my management. My senior resident allowed me to struggle in creating assessments and plans but would assist me when I needed it. The interns I’ve worked with made me feel like an intern and that motivated me to come to work every day. There also was a second-year medical student on our team who was beginning her clinical years. She reminded me of my experience jumping into a new system without much guidance since I was part of the inaugural class. I took her under my wing and guided her through the EHR, how to interact with patients, how to present to the attending, and how to study for the board exam. I loved being able to help her avoid the pitfalls I had so that she could help the team at her full capacity. 

It’s important for me to choose a residency that will allow me to be part of a growing team. Texas is home for me. I want to be able to give back to my community, especially as an underrepresented Hispanic in medicine, because I would not have made it this far without the support of others.

4. Family Medicine Personal Statement

“You will complete this activity silently and independently.” Zeke talks; I’m ready for it. “Zeke, the directions were to be silent. This is your first warning.” Pencil-tapping, fake coughing and humming ensue, and I realize I’m not trained to give out warnings for actions I didn’t initially prohibit. This past year I taught high school chemistry in Fort Worth, Texas, through Teach for America. At first, I tried to do everything by the book, knowing there were tried and true methods to teach effectively. Trying to follow a formula to achieve success, I learned the vital lesson that building trusting relationships is necessary for communication.  My knowledge of the content wasn’t an issue, but at the beginning of the school year, I was ineffective at reaching many of my students because of my textbook-teacher approach. Only after I had gotten to know my students more personally and developed their trust, was I able to effectively empower and give them tools to take ownership over their learning and therefore their future.

I see the same possibility in medicine. In the moments I interact with my patients and develop their trust, I will be able to empower them to gain an understanding of their disease and its treatment and guide them through the process of healing. Towards the end of my first year in the classroom, I was told that “there are few jobs in which you are handed a manual on the first day that explains how to do your job, because all of those jobs are now automated.”  I believe that in order to be an effective teacher and physician, one must be able to build relationships and not solely rely on learned skills. Rita Pierson, a veteran teacher, said on a TED talk “kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” I feel the same way about medicine; patients aren’t going to heal from a physician they don’t trust.

The desire to be a role model for my students was my primary motive to teach in a low income community. Having worked in this community for a year, I have witnessed lost opportunity and young people falling short of their goals, stemming in part from the lack of positive role models in their lives. Without leaders in place to procure a healthy community, attaining educational equity is improbable and the chances that my students succeed dwindle. Currently, there are many aspects of my students’ lives that I cannot affect. As a physician I look forward to having a more direct impact on their immediate health and well-being, giving them the chance to achieve their goals.

My second motive to become a teacher was due to the inherent role of education in medicine. I wanted to acquire the skills that accompany teaching so that I may use them as a physician. My kids entered the classroom unaccustomed to fully mastering difficult science concepts and therefore scared to attempt to learn them. By developing their trust, I played a role identical to the one doctors I will have with my patients, in which I will teach them about their diseases, taking the fear of disease out of the picture, just as I took the fear of chemistry out of the picture for my students. I will explain complex diseases in understandable terms and build trust with my patients so that they may take ownership over their own health.

In 1989, my family immigrated to Milwaukee from the Soviet Union and I was born three years later as the first natural American citizen in my family. Because my family grew up Jewish in the Soviet Union, their chances to study medicine were slim. As a result, there are few doctors in my family. The impact of this became evident when my mom’s first cousin, Lena, was diagnosed with lymphoma during my sophomore year of college. When she was diagnosed, she turned to my uncle, the only person in my family with experience in medicine. She wanted his input because she didn’t trust her doctors, so he met with her oncologists to see what he could do. Despite his efforts and years of training in infectious diseases, he said it was as if the oncologists were speaking another language and he could not convince Lena to listen to her doctors or start her treatment. Because of my experience in teaching and oncology research, I was able to convince her to pursue traditional treatment with chemotherapy rather than the non-evidence based alternatives.

I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to become a doctor and bridge my understanding of science with my ability to build relationships. I have come to realize that I have the responsibility to gain the knowledge necessary to care for, comfort and advise my loved ones when they encounter illness and to serve my students and their families as a practicing physician and role model. Reflecting on this past year, I learned that I am able to simplify difficult concepts, communicate them in a meaningful way and build relationships with people in the community I wish to serve; I wish to build these relationships in the clinic rather than the classroom.

5. Pediatric Residency Personal Statement

In the summer after my first year of medical school, I worked with two other medical students for 9 weeks in the southwest region of Uganda. Although I had expected the experience to be educational and positive, I had not anticipated that it would alter the trajectory of my life in the way that it ultimately did. Our biggest project was an effort to expand the district hospital nutrition program to more of the rural villages. This involved screening days in each village where we weighed and measured all of the children to evaluate them for possible malnutrition. On one of these screening days, we encountered a family that came to shape my view of myself as a person and a healthcare provider, as well as my role as a member of the global community. There was one boy, Izabayo (name changed), who we found to be severely malnourished by all measurements, but there were no parents around. The other villagers told us that he was 9 years old, and that his 11 year-old sister was his primary caretaker. This was disturbing information for several reasons. First, he was the size of a small 3 year-old. Second, an 11 year-old girl taking care of Izabayo and 3 other siblings was worrisome for the future health and wellbeing of all of them. We learned that their parents had divorced, and their mother left the village while the children stayed with their father. They told us that the father was sick and incapable of caring for the children. Seeing these 5 kids sitting there dirty, hungry, and afraid, the oldest girl doing her best to look and act like an adult, was one of the most heartbreaking experiences I have ever had.

We determined that Izabayo needed to be brought to the hospital for treatment of his malnutrition and further evaluation – he was clearly not of normal size or developmental stage for a 9 year-old. As we traveled back to the hospital, Izabayo sat with me in the car. I have held many children, but never before or since have I experienced anything like this. He latched on with an iron grip, and if my arms around him were even slightly slacker than his own arms around me, he would whimper and squeeze that much tighter. I was overwhelmed with feelings and questions. What is going on in his life that he responds this way? How long has it been since he has felt a caring touch? The dominant feeling that surfaced through all the others, however, was a fierce determination to do whatever may be necessary for this child. I had never had anyone need me the way he expressed he needed me, and I refused to betray that kind of trust.

This experience raised many questions for me about where and how I want to practice medicine. The story of this boy brought to bear most of what draws me to pediatrics. Firstly, the importance of families. I have always felt strongly about patients as part of wider networks and contexts, and I love that there is an emphasis on this built in to the field of pediatrics. I saw the impact of family situations in the case of this young boy. Further, this case involved the captivating science of human development. This is one of the things that most appeals to me about pediatric medicine. I want to learn as much as I can about how children come to have the adult bodies they will have, as well as become the people that they will be. What was happening that caused Izabayo not to grow? Was there a way we could now, or could have earlier, intervened to help him achieve his full potential? Which leads to another of the pulls I feel toward pediatrics – maximizing impact. In several ways, improving a child’s health is an investment that will grow over many years. In cases where a child has experienced some horrible misfortune, restoring that child’s health to baseline provides him/her with years of happy and healthy life that might have been lost. For children with chronic conditions, optimizing them at a young age can provide a life that is free of complications. And even in cases of perfectly healthy children with neither acute issues nor need to learn to manage chronic illness, a pediatrician can have an important influence. If we work to resolve, manage, and prevent disease, we can ensure that greater damage never has to happen.  

I have always felt that the choice of a career should be based on what a person can do to improve the world. I think that it is also important that the career a person chooses be something he/she loves, because without passion the job will not be done properly. For me, these come together in the field of pediatrics. I am enchanted by the science of development and pediatric medicine, as well as the beauty of children themselves and the honor of being deeply involved in a family’s life. I also truly believe that I can have my greatest impact in improving the world by helping children to live the happiest and healthiest lives possible. I know that I want to invest my time, energy, and passion in children so that all of that work can develop and grow in and with them over whole lifetimes.

6. Emergency Medicine Personal Statement

For most people, coming to the ED means they are having the worst day of their life. They are scared, anxious, and uncertain about what is happening, how it will affect their future and that of those they love. All of this is compounded by the unfamiliar environment of the hospital.

One evening, a young woman came into the ED complaining of right lower quadrant abdominal pain.

The ED was busy, so she was relegated to a hallway bed near the work area where I was seated. As I approached her bed, I noticed she was anxious and clutching her boyfriend’s hand, her eyes widely observing the chaos around her. Following my history and physical I discussed with her what tests we were planning to run, and what conditions we were trying to rule-out. As we talked, I could see her becoming increasingly nervous. I did my best to put her at ease, explaining that being frightened is a valid response to her situation and that we would do everything we could to make sure that she was safe and taken care of.

She was understanding, and I left to check-up on my other patients. A couple of hours later, her labs and imaging came back normal. After speaking with my attending, we determined she was safe to be discharged with outpatient follow-up. I went back to her hallway bed and explained to her that while we did not have a definitive explanation for her pain, we were confident she was not having an emergency and could go home. Immediately, her expression changed; it was as if a visible weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She breathed a sigh of relief and thanked me for having taken care of her. Once she left, I took a moment and thought about what she had just experienced. Sitting in the hallway of a busy ED, watching personnel dash around to help suffering patients, her mind must have gone to the

worst-case scenarios, yet still hoping for good news. I’m humbled to think that I was able to make her feel better during such a stressful period.

I’ve heard ED physicians described as resuscitation and dispositions experts. In my opinion, some of our greatest interventions as healthcare providers include counsel and education. For that reason, I pursued a Masters in Educational Psychology during my third year of medical school. During this period, I spent time observing various teaching environments, constructing and executing lessons, reading literature on a range of education practices, and assisting in curriculum modifications at my medical school. One of the most important lessons I learned through this degree, that I will work to impart upon medical students and residents, is that there is a measurable difference in outcomes when acknowledging a person’s lived experience and emotions. Going into residency, I will use this degree to improve my teaching practices towards medical student, fellow residents and most significantly, my patients.

I wake up every day feeling privileged to be pursuing a specialty where I can gain someone’s trust and intervene, even if it isn’t through a code or an emergency cricothyroidotomy. Sometimes the needed intervention is making someone feel better during the worst day of their life. Whether a person is actually having an emergency or not, they are experiencing one when they come the ED. That’s why I love emergency medicine: I can make an impact on someone’s life when they are at their lowest. When I do this, I know I am making a difference and remember why I wanted to be a doctor in the first place.

7. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Personal Statement

After serving seven years in the military and three years as a civil engineer, I entered medical school looking for a sense of purpose directly interacting with others.  I missed working toward a higher cause most in my professional life.  In this final year of medical school, I know I have chosen a path to find both human connection and a sense of purpose.

Throughout this process, I have developed a new perspective on the struggles that our fellow citizens encounter with their health and the barriers to getting and staying healthy.  I have developed a deep empathy for those in our community with unmet needs. 

For my third-year research, I focused on people with amputations secondary to trauma.  I was interested in this subset of limb loss because of the similar demographics to military amputees.  Traumatic amputations typically occur in otherwise young, healthy, working and family-age adults with many productive years ahead.  Throughout my research, I was fascinated with the portion of care that helped them regain their highest level of functionality. As I further explored the rehabilitation piece of the puzzle, I became increasingly interested in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 

Throughout my PM&R independent elective in medical school, I discovered the broadness of the specialty.  It is not restricted to one body part, but to a common goal at the nexus of many disciplines.  Understanding the mechanics of body function was particularly appealing with my background in engineering. I am also drawn to the emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, with strong relationships between physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and the entire care team. I was impressed with my program and PM&R’s supportive and welcoming culture at all levels of leadership.

I bring a wealth of experience, maturity, and diversity of skills to your residency program.  As an Army helicopter pilot, I led troops on multiple yearlong deployments to combat zones.  I have worked under challenging circumstances with people from all backgrounds and abilities.  After leaving the military I worked as a civil engineer, focusing on project management and water treatment.  As a project manager, I refined my ability to schedule, meet deadlines and communicate across audiences, all within the context of providing services to the public. 

While studying at my medical school, I started the Military and Sports Medicine Interest Group.  Integral to this group was a mentorship program with middle and high schoolers at Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.  This past year was also my tenth year as a board member for the Windy25 Memorial Fund, a national non-profit I helped create to support the families of America’s fallen service members.  When not working, I enjoy spending time with my husband and sons, Owen (age 9) and Jack (age 6).  We love exploring the country, swimming in the summer and spending time with our extended family. 

8. OBGYN Personal Statement Example

26 asanas – 2 sets. 2 pranayama breathing exercises. 90 minutes. I stand in front of an endless mirror as the instructor says, “Focus on you and begin.” My home yoga studio sits in a recently gentrified neighborhood in East Austin. Most days, I am the only black yogi there. I cannot focus on that. I must focus on one point on my black body, while determined to fade the surrounding white bodies into the background. I realized early in my Bikram Yoga practice that the sequence and environment uncomfortably paralleled my experience as the only black woman at my medical school. Like the first time entering the 108-degree, 40% humidity yoga studio, I entered this journey of growth knowing that it would be difficult with nearly no knowledge of what “difficult” would entail.

I begin with standing deep-breathing pose – moving and claiming space in the nearly unbearable heat. My mind fails to meditate as I consider the instances that I was presumed to be lazy or disorganized as a student for no other reason that I could ascertain besides the color of my skin. Inhale, exhale. I tear my mind back to the present by the end of the second set. The instructor says, “Raise your arms directly in front of you. Stand on the balls of your feet. Focus.” I balance calmly while looking around to see if I’m holding the pose as beautifully as my white counterparts. Why does my mind often seem to wander here? I return to my breath – my muscles, tight and disciplined. “Hold your stomach in. Don’t move your eyes. You can’t even blink. You might fall out of the pose.” A wave of joy comes over me as I feel gratitude for what my body can do when it becomes inextricably linked to my mind – an invaluable skill to harness in training to become a practicing surgeon within the field of OB/GYN.

My Bikram yoga practice has taught me several lessons – most importantly, leaning into the feeling of discomfort. I moved away from my hometown in upstate New York to embark on a journey that I knew would catalyze significant growth. I am overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to develop into the physician and person I hoped to be from a young age. Since leaving New York to attend Davidson College, I have sprung into new and uncomfortable situations with vigor and eagerness, from virtually developing my own non-profit fellowship experience with a focus on marginalized populations in women’s health to creating a health equity student initiative from the ground up within my first year of medical school. Such experiences have allowed me to push myself and colleagues through challenging situations that call for resilience to failure and an unrelenting desire for improvement. Furthermore, they will serve as powerful narratives that I can share with the women I will take care of in my training and career, as well as with my co-residents. Irrespective of race or background, all women are vulnerable to social injustice – a reality that I will be particularly attuned to. My goal as an equity champion and women’s health physician will be to level the playing field through my patient interactions and mentorship of medical students from marginalized backgrounds.

Lastly, yoga has taught me an unwavering discipline that will prove formative to honing my skills as a surgeon and leader in health equity promotion. Bikram yoga beautifully parallels surgery and social transformation in that growth and improvement come from repeating the same sequence several times. Patience and gradual improvement are values I am familiar with, from blazing forward as a member of an inaugural medical school class to thinking critically about how my institution can grapple with and impact the seemingly impossible issue of structural inequities. I will not have to develop such attributes in residency training – I have them today. While I continue to ground myself in the reality that ameliorating health disparities will be a lifetime endeavor, I hold the patience and discipline to see the journey through to the end. I can only hope the feeling will mirror the Bikram’s final pose. I’ve come to do what I need to do and focused on what I can control in the process. Inhale, Exhale. Savasana.

9. Dermatology Personal Statement Example

As the oldest of four children, I gladly took on a caregiver role at an early age. I remember teaching my brother to read with the BOB Book series, helping my siblings with their homework and class projects, and driving them to school and swim practice as soon as I earned my driver’s license. My grandparents, a physician and a nurse, helped me to see medicine as a wonderful way to help others as a profession.

Realizing how many different disciplines of medicine interested me during clinical rotations was both exciting and overwhelming. My internal medicine clerkship resulted in a fascination with infectious disease, immunology, and oncology. I felt a deep satisfaction during both my general surgery and plastic surgery rotations when I could help fix a problem by working precisely with my hands. My visually oriented brain was captivated by the different ways that systemic diseases can manifest on the skin. I also learned that I loved meeting new people of all ages in primarily a clinic setting. Dermatology encompasses all of these interests, offering everything I desire in a challenging and rewarding career.

During several shadowing experiences prior to medical school, I noticed that many patients spoke only Spanish. I also saw the positive impact it made on their care when their physician spoke to them in their native language. I graduated college with a degree in Spanish so that I would be able to efficiently communicate with patients and their families in the language with which they are most comfortable. This also cultivated my interest in global health, which has led me to Guatemala, Madrid, and Peru to immerse myself in new cultures and to be of service to populations in need.

I am fortunate to be a director at C.D. Doyle Clinic, my medical school’s student-run, free clinic for the homeless and underinsured. Connecting with Austin’s most vulnerable population and being a resource and trusted provider for them has been extremely rewarding. My leadership at C.D. Doyle has allowed me to mentor undergraduate and medical students as well as develop educational components of clinic. I also implemented a collaboration between the Division of Dermatology at my medical school and C.D. Doyle to provide free skin cancer screenings and dermatologic care to those who would otherwise have no access to Dermatology services. This fulfilment from the past three years at C.D. Doyle has further affirmed my desire that education, mentorship, and community service be aspects of my career in Dermatology.

The curriculum at my medical school afforded me the chance to spend a year studying human-centered design from experts at the school’s Design Institute for Health. Travis County Emergency Medical Services wanted to find a clear identity for the non-acute, community health services they were already delivering. My team helped to define a cohesive mission for this community health model and developed a pilot program for a new reimbursement model. This experience taught me valuable lessons on the importance of understanding people before designing for them, as well as how to create, customize, and pilot solutions. My time at the Design Institute also taught me how to navigate complex organizational human relationships to create change within large organizations, especially in the face of resistance. I aim to leverage this unique skill set and perspective to help solve challenges that the field of Dermatology is facing.  

I hope to train at a well-rounded residency program that serves a diverse patient population and values high-quality patient care, service, and leadership. I have also realized the importance of a strong support system, and I know that couples matching with my fiancé and having his support outside of residency will be important for me to stay engaged and working hard during our challenging years of training ahead. I am excited for the opportunity to devote the time and effort required to be an exceptional dermatologist.

10. Ophthalmology Personal Statement Example

The golf bag was half my weight, my feet were blistered, and my face was sunburnt. It was the summer of my 6th grade. I was beginning my first job as a new caddy at the local golf club. The club gave us strict rules: where to stand, when to talk, how to estimate and give yardage. As I started down the 18th fairway, I longed for an ice-cold drink and the air-conditioned caddy shack. I was exhausted finishing the round which started at 6:00 AM. Yet I was simultaneously energized with the empowering feeling of achievement. My excitement changed quickly when I heard the caddy master shout, “We’re short of caddies! I need a volunteer for another round.” That summer taught me commitment, discipline, and perseverance. At the time I took the job, all I could think about was the money I would earn. By the end of the summer and in the years to follow, I realized just how much that caddy experience influenced how I pursue some of life’s ambitions.

Now three years into my medical education, I appreciate even more those early lessons that have provided me the motivation for my career pursuit. My focus shifted from golf to my passion, medicine, and to finding a specialty that challenges and excites me. Initially drawn to ophthalmology for the precise surgeries, I sought opportunities for exposure prior to elective rotations and pursued research. Investigating the effectiveness of teleretinal diabetic retinopathy screening at area clinics created the perfect intersect for my interests in ophthalmology and health disparities. I analyzed statistics, led focus groups, created educational resources, and presented at ARVO and ASRS. Subsequently, our proposal to implement process changes based on the data gained clinic administration approval. This study incited a feeling of achievement, exemplifying the influence research exerts in modifying clinical practice.

My ophthalmology electives affirmed my commitment to this specialty. Assisting on many ophthalmology surgeries throughout my third year, my enthusiasm for the field grew through exposure to intraoperative successes and challenges. I appreciate the precise calculations of intraocular lenses and preoperative blepharoplasty markings combined with the finesse of managing proliferative vitreoretinopathy and DMEK surgeries. These vision saving operations appeal to my hands-on nature, while clinical encounters reaffirm my continued desire for patient interaction. No single moment rooted my interest in ophthalmology. The aggregate of patient encounters, learning ocular pathophysiology, and observing the significance of vision restoration for patients’ independence sustains my passion.

Outside of the clinic, I witnessed the spectrum of patient independence while volunteering each week during medical school at the School for the Blind. As a physical education assistant, the students and I bowled, tandem-biked and exercised in the gym. They never dwelled on their vision impairments. Their positive attitudes despite such challenges inspired me. Recognizing the significance vision holds in life, I grasped the impact of this career and the daily struggles of the visually impaired.

In retrospect, my greatest benefit from caddying was not physical nor monetary. Caddying taught me that discipline and determination can lead to the success of any challenge. My patient encounters cultivated empathy and clinical curiosity, driving my pursuit to maintain and restore patients’ vision. I am excited for the opportunity residency holds. I look forward to advancing my passion of ophthalmology and serving visually impaired patients.

11. Radiology Personal Statement Example

Taking the bus on the first day of my radiology rotation, I checked my email and saw the headline from a news bulletin: “CDC investigating cases of lung illness linked to e-cigarette use.” Since I was going to be rotating specifically with the chest radiology section, the title caught my eye. As the week went on, we saw two cases of vaping-associated lung illness – both of which were diagnosed by corroborating the patient’s clinical history of vaping THC oil with their imaging findings. At the end of the week, two CDC employees even visited the reading room to consult with the attending on other suspected cases that had been referred to them from across the country. The attending taught us about similar cases he had seen in the past and how the number of cases had been growing with the popularity of e-cigarettes. He also outlined how by working with other departments and institutions one might go about keeping a record of these cases to research and demonstrate the harm of e-cigarettes from a public health standpoint.

While I had already made up my mind to pursue radiology, this story captures what attracts me to the field. After initially being pulled in different directions, I decided to pursue radiology because it involves the intersection of multiple aspects of medicine that I find particularly compelling: the opportunity to form diagnoses through a combination of imaging and clinical information, the ability to work in quality improvement by regularly communicating with a variety of teams while building collaborative relationships, and the ability to teach in the classroom and clinical setting.

I was originally drawn to the field of medicine when I was young because of a “gut” feeling. However, as my reasoning evolved, I realized it was the ability to help patients by working as part of a team to solve specific diagnostic problems that motivated me the most. The radiologist is uniquely placed at the intersection of clinical information and imaging. In order to diagnose vaping-associated lung illness, the radiologist relied on details in the social history provided by the internal medicine team. While I observed this during a radiology elective, I also appreciated and demonstrated this attention to detail and ability to communicate during my clinical clerkships. For example, when I was on my internal medicine rotation, the team had a patient who kept presenting with asthma exacerbations despite her taking medications as prescribed. It was only when I re-interviewed her and realized that she had mold growing out of control in the house that we identified the root cause of her exacerbation. We were able to reach out and link her with a program that offers social assistance to Medicare patients to help solve her mold problem and hopefully prevent future admissions.

I am also attracted to the role the radiologist plays in communicating with other specialties and departments. This active communication provides many opportunities to pursue quality improvement within local systems- an interest that I plan to pursue in my career. Specifically, my work pursuing an MPH has demonstrated to me the importance of communication between all stakeholders when working in quality improvement. My capstone project was to implement mental health screenings and institute a referral pipeline for counseling at my medical school. We administered screening tools for depression and anxiety to all medical students and compared the prevalence of each across classes. We noticed an expected spike in both depression and anxiety during the clerkship year and while we will continue to survey each year to see if this trend continues across different classes, we have also held meetings with counselors and students affairs to create a sustainable plan that can ensure students receive easy access to mental health care. Any sustainable solution will require buy-in from counselors, school administration, the clerkship coordinators, and the students themselves. Similarly, if health care is currently faced with the problem of providers and various parties working in different silos, I believe radiologists are well-positioned to use their position at the intersection of imaging and clinical information to build collaborative working relationships and help bridge these gaps.

 Medical education is another field that relies on building collaborative relationships and one that I plan to pursue both as a resident and attending. Teaching has been a common thread in my life since I was young. I grew up playing classical piano and eventually went to a performing arts high school where nearly half of each day was spent working with teachers and classmates – giving and receiving feedback. Prior to medical school, I taught high school chemistry at my former high school. Many of my students were intimidated by the math involved, and it was by focusing on the use of strategies and repetition that allowed them to make progress. However, before I could convince them to follow a method, it was important to build rapport and communicate that I had once been in their shoes. In fact, chemistry was my least favorite subject in high school – something which they found amusing but also encouraging. I find teaching to be incredibly gratifying, and I know that it is something that will continuously motivate me during my career. It was actually one of my first preclinical professors, a radiologist, who originally introduced my class to the field and became my mentor when I chose to pursue it. 

In a diagnostic radiology residency program, I want to learn the skills and practices that will prepare me for a career in radiology, while also allowing me to help improve local systems and remain engaged in medical education. Finally, I hope to be a part of a collegial and supportive community. This sense of community is what I believe makes any individual or organization’s goals sustainable -a lesson cemented by my medical school experience. My graduating class has only 50 students, and we will be our school’s first graduating class. I’ve been fortunate to feel both supported and constructively challenged by my classmates as we’ve grown closer over the years, and it would be a privilege to be a part of a similarly supportive community again during residency.

12. Orthopedics Personal Statement Example

            My earliest memories consist largely of helping my father in our garage while he worked on his cars. From changing the oil to grinding down exhaust pipes so that they would fit into his latest project, we did everything together. He taught me to measure twice and cut once, that you always needed the correct tool for the job, and that knowing why you are doing something is as important as knowing how to do it. And although I grew up in the garage, I also spent a significant time surrounded by medicine. At 13, I witnessed my friend break his arm on the baseball field and during my playing career, I had my own injuries and rehabilitation. In a high school magnet program in medicine, I shadowed various specialties in the hospital setting. My first case while shadowing was a total hip arthroplasty, and I was immediately drawn to orthopaedics. The same principles that my father taught me are prevalent in orthopaedics – surgeons can diagnose a patient’s problem and use their hands to treat it. And even more than treating a problem, regardless of who the patient is, we can help them regain mobility and live life to its fullest.

            In the magnet program at my high school, I was mentored by a medical student – which supplemented the mentorship of my father – this mentorship was vital to my own success. Upon acceptance to medical school, I felt determined to give back to aspiring pre-med students. As co-director of the Health Career Collaborative program at my medical school, we mentored a group of seventeen underrepresented high school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. It was gratifying to watch the students blossom from timid sophomores to confident seniors graduating at the top of their class with plans to pursue higher education and careers in medicine. Reflecting on the impact I was able to make on my mentees, I found mentorship incredibly rewarding and will continue to support aspiring medical professionals for the rest of my career. I am convinced about the power of effective mentorship and plan to take every opportunity to work alongside and mentor learners in a residency program. 

Continuing my role as a mentor and leader, during my third year of medical school I pursued a dual-MD/MBA where I had the opportunity to lead a team and combine my love of medicine with my strategic and growth mindset. During my capstone project, I put into practice the teachings of both degree programs and designed a business proposal to bring a tactical athlete program to the community. Tactical athletes (e.g. military, police officers, and fire fighters) must always be operational under the most challenging of circumstances. As such, they incur a vast number of musculoskeletal injuries, many of which are preventable. Working across a multi-disciplinary team, we designed a program that could save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars and made a successful proposal for plan integration. This experience of combining business and medicine while making an impact in my community is something I hope to continue throughout my residency.

            Every time I scrub into cases, I am reminded of my father’s garage and the lessons he instilled in me:  the importance of technical skills coupled with preparedness and intellectual curiosity. I am eager to utilize my work ethic and team orientation that I learned on the baseball field to diagnose and treat patients as they embark on their journey towards mobility. Through my desire to be a mentor and my MBA mindset and business acumen, I am confident I will be an actively contributing and effective orthopaedic surgery resident. I am constantly reminded to give back what was given to me, and I am excited for the opportunity to practice my passion as an asset in your program. Thank you for taking the time to review this statement and my application.

13. Anesthesia Personal Statement Example

The pitch of the anesthesia machine steadily became lower as the patient’s oxygen saturation started decreasing. A loud beeping alarm became apparent as his blood pressure began to fall. Just a few minutes ago, the patient was sitting up and talking, and the next, the situation changed. Through the intensity and urgency that had developed in the OR, the anesthesiologist at the head of the bed maintained a calm demeanor. He had one hand on the bag and the other on the face mask, applying pressure and oxygen for the patient while running through the “ABC’s” of critical care. As the patient’s pulse began to disappear, compressions were started, and the anesthesiologist began to delegate tasks like a conductor in an orchestra. This experience is one of the many reasons that motivate me to pursue a career in anesthesiology.

Watching as the anesthesiologist was able to manipulate and tweak the ventilation machines to minute detail in order to keep the patient stable during surgery was awe inspiring, especially with having to understand the physiology that is in a way unique to each patient. This is further exacerbated by the plethora of pharmacotherapies that are utilized by the anesthesiologist depending on context and situation. This mastery of physiology and pharmacology is something that I aim to strive for.

Anesthesia piqued my interest when I was first exposed to the specialty during the 2nd year of medical school. In a way, this is due to the similar characteristics and traits shared between my experiences with teaching and anesthesia. For example, the importance of first impressions is invaluable for both professions, the ability to organize and delegate tasks, and adaptability to changing circumstances in real-time.

Before enrolling in medical school, I was a science teacher for an underserved high school in Las Vegas. During clinical rotations, I was determined to utilize the skills that I had learned as a teacher to create a foundation and help make me a better clinician. One of which is the importance of first impressions. The teacher’s role on the first day of class is to develop a trusting and respectful relationship with the students to achieve student success. This is through individualized planning and student-centered goals. Anesthesiology offers me the opportunity to use these same skills to develop a trusting relationship with patients in a short amount of time. Furthermore, as no two students are the same, no two patients are the same. Anesthesia allows me the ability to factor in each patient’s uniqueness such as their anatomy and physiology to provide patient-centered care and comfort. Whether that’s through providing an epidural during delivery or a femoral nerve block for knee surgery.

During college I have been interested research and had the opportunity to pursue an MPH while in medical school. Through this MPH I was able to further improve my knowledge of conducting literature review and asking research questions as well as understanding epidemiology and population health. My project during my MPH focused on conducting a quantitative analysis for the use of Ketamine to treat suicidal ideation.  In this project I was able to conduct interviews with important stakeholders as well as analyze clinical data to answer a research question. This is one of my goals as an anesthesiologist, to utilize the techniques and skills that I have learned during my MPH to further answer research questions.

Before starting clinical rotations, I had heard of the term “patient-centered” care, however did not know exactly quite what that meant. Over the course of the 4 th year I would embrace the term as the foundation to how I would help to provide care now and in the future. This ranged from updating families about the patient’s care to bringing a warm blanket. Furthermore, incorporating multidisciplinary teams involved in the patient’s care such as through interfacing with the patient’s nursing team and the radiology and pathology team. I am interested in continuing to utilize patient-centered care as an anesthesiologist as a holistic and multidisciplinary approach both in the OR and in the consulting room before.

14. Psychiatry Personal Statement Example

I was not looking forward to my rotation in the psychiatric ward and regarded this as only as a necessary obstacle that I had to surmount in order to qualify as a doctor. However I became fascinated with the patients, their conditions and treatments. I soon realized that every patient was person who had goals and hopes a person who had a family and friends who loved them and anxiously awaited them to emerge from the mental ‘maze’ in which they found themselves. My apprehension was replaced with empathy, sympathy and a longing to be of some help.

 Following my internship, I worked in the medicine department of a missionary hospital. There was no psychiatric department and our department was responsible for dealing with psychiatric patients. The cases we handled were not extreme, being mainly fairly mild depressive conditions, but I was involved in counseling some of these patients and found enormous satisfaction in doing so. I also identified psychiatric illness in, apparently routine, ER patients on several occasions by careful observation. When counseling, I learned that understanding and responding to non-verbal signals is a very important skill in dealing with distressed patients and is one that I naturally possess and hope to develop further. I have always sought to care  about  my patients as well as caring  for  them and I believe that this is especially important in psychiatry.

 Ultimately, I hope to be involved in research and teaching. With this in mind, I joined an MD program in Pharmacology and I had started a thesis project in psychiatry when I obtained permission to enter the US. The study related to the efficacy and safety of Tianeptine compared to Sertraline for treatment of major depressive disorder. My work also involved the study of phsycopharmacology and I began to think back to my internship work with psychiatric patients and my interest in psychiatry was re-fired. Once in the US, I considered my choices carefully and decided to pursue psychiatry rather than pharmacology.

 One great difference between psychiatry in India and the US is that it is rare to see dementia patients in India. In my culture, the family generally takes full responsibility for the care of their elderly, dementia sufferers are indulged and cherished in a familiar environment and medical intervention is sought only in extreme cases. In the US the situation is very different and the effects of aging constitute a growing challenge as the elderly grow in numbers and as a proportion of the population. Their problems being compounded by the fact that they often find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings once they lose their ability to care for themselves. Psychiatry has a great and growing responsibility in this area of work and is one that greatly interests me.

 I realize that understanding the cultural background of a psychiatric patient can hardly be overstated. I have worked and studied with people of many cultural and social backgrounds and am eager to extend these experiences and familiarize myself with cultures that are new to me.

 I am aware that there will be many well qualified applicants for residencies in this fascinating specialty. However I believe that I am an exceptional candidate. I am diligent, intelligent with a capacity for hard work; I have substantial experience of providing medical care, including the counseling and identification of psychiatric patients, in a hospital setting; I have carefully prepared myself for the program, having been an ‘observer’ in US hospitals. However my main recommendation is a passion for psychiatry that I look forward to demonstrating in the program.

15. Urology Personal Statement Example

When I first began on my path in medicine, I knew only that I wanted to use my past experiences in nutrition to enrich my practice, in whichever field that that might end up being. Naturally, many friends, coworkers, and whomever else learned I was applying to medical school encouragingly told me how useful my background as a dietitian would be for counseling patients. This buoyed my confidence and left me feeling as though primary care would be the obvious choice. Having had nobody else in my family attend college, let alone medical school, granted me little insight into the scope and intricacies of each specialty.

One encounter at the outset of my journey is more memorable than any other. My first medical school interview was with a physician faculty member, a surgical oncologist. He was also kind and encouraging, but in a move I didn’t quite expect, he tried to recruit me to surgery. He discussed the importance of nutrition in surgical outcomes, of preparing a patient physically for a taxing surgery, and how my background would serve me well as a surgeon. Although I ended up attending a different school from where this interview took place, I have encountered different surgeons who also value the role of nutrition. This has afforded me opportunities to pursue research in this area, such as preoperative strength training and nutritional supplementation for frail individuals to give vulnerable patients the best chance at postoperative success.

This exposure also fed into a strong passion for research, a passion for which I have pursued continuous self-improvement. The unique curriculum at my medical school enabled me to increase my understanding of statistics and research design through completing a Master’s in Public Health during the third year of medical school, which I have enjoyed translating into tangible research projects. Satisfied that I could apply my past skillset to my future in a broader way than I had imagined, I have allowed myself to fully embrace that I could only see myself in a specialty that is, at its core, surgical.

As I have discovered urology, I have enjoyed the ability to use nutrition, but also to intervene surgically to drastically improve quality of life. An emerging area of interest in endourology has led me to learn more about the links between nutrition and stones. I am drawn to helping patients make small changes that can have a major impact. However, if those lifestyle changes aren’t enough, I can also be the one to intervene surgically to help my patients have positive outcomes. It is perhaps the ability to help my patients anywhere along that spectrum of treatment that they may need that I find most exciting. Because as much as I value what I have gained from my past experiences, I love the mastery required and the thrill of the operating room even more.

Whether it be andrology, oncology, endourology, or reconstructive surgery, I have loved every aspect of urology to which I have been exposed. I have been repeatedly impressed with how respectfully and caringly my urology mentors navigated sensitive topics and built rapport with their patients. I have been impressed with their comfort in deciding when to cut and when not to cut, and how to involve the patient in this decision. I have perhaps been the most impressed in working with them during surgery, observing their technical skills over a wide range of surgical approaches and learning from them. Although I know I have barely scratched the surface in the field of urology, what I have seen has laid the foundation for the type of physician and surgeon I hope to become and cemented that a career in urology would give me the greatest fulfillment. The wide breadth of practice, of patient population, and pathology is interesting and alluring, and I look forward to seeing where a career in urology will take me.

16. Radiation Oncology Personal Statement Example

I could tell Mrs. H was upset by observing her body language as she entered my classroom for her son’s parent-teacher conference. After three years of teaching chemistry and physics through Teach for America at a large Title 1 public high school in Dallas, I was no stranger to communicating with upset parents and students. Fortunately, I had good news – her son was doing an excellent job as a sophomore in my chemistry class. As we sat and went over his exam scores and performance, which were spectacular, tears began to flood her eyes. Surprised by her reaction, I asked if there was anything else going on. She had just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and she was only thirty-nine years old. As a single mother, she was overwhelmed by her new diagnosis, by her complex treatment plan, and by the fear that she wouldn’t be around to care for her children. I realized that despite my years of volunteering and research in medicine, I was as bewildered by these next steps as she was.

Later, in medical school, I would be reminded of my conversation with Mrs. H while I pre-rounded on a patient who had recently undergone surgery for her breast cancer. To my surprise, she stated that the most frightening part for her was yet to come. She knew that she would need to have radiation therapy to increase her chances of being cured, and yet she was terrified of what it would entail, whether she would be able to afford it, and what its side effects would be. I still felt unprepared in the face of these questions, and I decided to shadow at a local radiation oncology clinic in Austin to broaden my perspective.

I found it rewarding to work with a unique patient population, and it was fulfilling to help guide patients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. I was fascinated by the variety of radiotherapy options, the treatment planning involved, and the technical skills required to leverage this incredible technology to prolong life and relieve suffering. I was excited to delve deeper into the field and, having witnessed firsthand how patients like Mrs. H were confused by the complexity of radiation therapy, I knew how I could start. Employing a distinct perspective from my years as a teacher, I collaborated with radiation oncology residents and attendings to publish patient-centered education articles discussing the potential early and late toxicities of radiation therapy.

To continue developing my rising interest in radiation oncology, I also thought of ways to utilize my research skillset to further contribute to the field and advance treatment options for patients. I investigated the latest innovations in surgical radiation oncology that have occurred within the past ten years, studied the impact of cancer care on financial distress and quality of life in low-income populations, and dedicated my third year of medical school to full-time basic lab research and the discovery of novel immunotherapy combinations in colorectal cancer. Through this last effort, our team at Livestrong uncovered a unique synergy between immune-stimulating compounds, which we presented at national cancer conferences across the country.

           While growing in my passion for research and patient care, I retained my dedication to teaching and community involvement. I found two classmates willing to spearhead the organization Health Career Academy, which provided mentorship for local Austin public-school students and assisted them in addressing health issues important to their community. Among these was the impact that cancer can have on families, which many students were eager to discuss and present at their public health fair. Continuing my work with patient education and community support initiatives are chief among my future goals as a clinician. Through my training as a radiation oncologist, I hope to grow in my ability to contribute to advancements in the field, cultivate my enthusiasm for teaching, and provide empathetic care focused on improving the lives of my patients.

17. Surgery Personal Statement Example

I come from a long line of military and manual labor. Spending the majority of my formative years in rural Parker County, Texas, I had a seemingly equal chance of becoming a roughneck on an oil rig than I did pursuing the path to medical school. If I had not had an intelligent and influential older brother to serve as a role model for academic success; I might have been pulled even further toward manual labor like my peers at the time. Being a first generation academic in my family, it seems as though I was building the bridge as I was walking across it. However, I have been told by those closest to me that being a blue-collar man on a white-collar pathway has given me a unique perspective. This perspective is likely best described as one of mental toughness and has certainly kept me even keeled through the ups and downs of life and medical training.

As I went through clerkships, I quickly learned that surgery was gritty. The residents were on the grind all day and often into the night. This was the closest I had seen to the roughneck, manual labor mentality that I was familiar with. The surgery residents were putting in the hours for their patients when they could have gone home. They were unafraid to take ownership of the outcome of case, no matter what that outcome might be. The pecking order and overall mentality of surgery was the first time in medical school that I felt like I truly fit in and was disappointed when it ended.

I had at that point confirmed I wanted to be a surgeon, but I needed to figure out what type of surgeon I was going to be. I mulled over a few different ideas, but I was immensely drawn to vascular surgery. I really liked the skillset that was required to successfully perform a vascular procedure. It requires a great deal of finesse and creativity at times. No two patients’ needs are exact, and the multitude of available treatment modalities allows the vascular surgeon to tailor the best option to the patient. This is an extremely attractive aspect of the field for me.

 I also enjoy the patient population. Vascular patients are often particularly vulnerable and sometimes have an added layer of personal or social difficulties. I have received feedback from residents and mentors that I connect very well with these patients. I think this might be due to background and upbringing. My family, for better or worse, is less removed from many of the unfortunate attitudes and circumstances that vascular patients contend with. I think this has allowed me to relate and understand their difficulties on a very basic and human level. The ability to build long-term relationships with these patients is another major draw for vascular surgery in my eyes.

As for long-term goals I want to be an effective, efficient, and masterful vascular surgeon in my future career. Although I definitely have strong research interest and enjoy teaching, my primary goal is to be the best vascular surgeon that I can be. In training I hope to take care of an extraordinarily high volume of patients and achieve proficiency in both open and endovascular techniques. I am looking for a program that will aid me in this goal and provide the best training possible.

18. Neurosurgery Personal Statement Example

I grew up on a farm in a town of less than 2,000 people in central Texas. My father was a pecan farmer, as was his father, and taught me the principles of the ‘family trade’ from a young age. Throughout my childhood, I would make the half-hour drive home from school and labor atop a tractor for hours. In my spare moments, I discovered an old guitar in the attic and began to slowly teach myself basic chords and scales. Over time, I became skilled in jazz, blues, rock, and country styles. With a modest income from working for my father and at local livestock auctions, I upgraded and augmented my musical equipment. For the first time in my life, I developed a unique skill out of an organic passion.

I entered the medical school with an undifferentiated interest in all specialties. Much like my decision to pursue a medical career, I discovered a passion for the neurosciences early. The unique anatomy and conceptualization required to understand the central nervous system drew me to the neuro-specialties. What was most memorable for me was a faculty neurosurgeon’s lecture on the optic pathways and his explanation of the neuroanatomical relevance for surgical intervention. After experiencing other specialties through my core clerkships, I realized the real-time manipulation of neuroanatomy, the interface between the surgeon and innovative technologies, the rapidly expanding sphere of treatable neurological disorders, and broad opportunities to contribute to meaningful research in neurosurgery was unparalleled.

During my second year, I rotated on the neurosurgery service as a clinical elective. It was here that I was first exposed to the wide variety of neurosurgical disorders. One patient was particularly memorable and cemented my decision to pursue neurosurgery; a young man was devastated to learn that although his newly-diagnosed astrocytoma was low grade, it would likely undergo ‘malignant transformation’ to a grade III or IV tumor. During surgery, I witnessed firsthand the expertise necessary to achieve gross total resection for this patient and understood the privilege of providing such a high level of care to such a precarious and fascinating anatomical region. I was inspired with the unique impact the neurosurgeon had in this patient’s life by guiding him through a difficult diagnosis and subsequently performing a challenging surgery. What is more, the discussions with the patient regarding his prognosis prompted me to explore the field of neurosurgical oncology and the methods for predicting tumor progression, to better serve this patient population.

With the support of neurosurgeons at my institution, I connected with a distinguished mentor at an outside institution who graciously allowed me to spend nine-months in his lab to fulfill my research distinction. I entered the year with almost no prior research experience and completed seven projects. During that time, I learned from scratch the skills necessary including advanced survival statistics and computer programming to build predictive machine learning models. This year provided me with dedicated time to develop a scientific mindset and learn research skills, and also inspired me to pursue an academic career. By delving into the growing field of computational ‘omics’ and the applications to neurosurgical oncology, I carved out an organic research interest I intend to develop in residency training. I consider it a high privilege to serve in the ever-evolving sphere of neurosurgical practice and I am thrilled at the prospect of becoming a part of it.

19. Plastic Surgery Personal Statement Example

After releasing the last of four tendons from adhesions, we woke the patient.  The dominant hand that before had limited flexion could now make a complete fist. The patient joyfully exclaimed they had been given hope back. His trade required the use of his hands and without proper movement, he had not been able to perform his job. In one surgery, this patient went from unemployable to optimistic. In one hour, this patient’s quality of life was drastically improved. It was then that I knew I wanted to be a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. As a future surgeon and leader in this field, I aspire to not only excel clinically, but also push the success of the field forward and be a mentor and teacher to others.  

The field of plastic and reconstructive surgery is constantly changing and developing new, innovative techniques. I aspire to advance knowledge forward and develop techniques that change patient care within the field of plastic surgery and beyond through research. While doing research in medical school, I discovered the field of plastic surgery would benefit from more high quality research, as many of the techniques performed in surgery do not necessarily have evidence-based research to back them. As a naturally inquisitive person, I had many theories I would like to test, but did not know the proper way to implement them. During my third year of medical school, I decided to obtain a Master of Public Health degree to learn more about proper data analysis and how a population can be analyzed. I hope to use what I have learned to create high quality projects that improve patient care and ensure these changes can be implemented with the appropriate level of evidence. Having a forward-thinking and organized mindset will enable me to adhere to the long-term goal of these projects to see that they are brought to fruition.

As a first generation college student, I realize the value of education. At a young age, I developed a love for learning and the grit necessary to push myself to excel in school and graduate as valedictorian. I knew that going to college was my chance to open a larger number of doors for myself and that doing well in school would provide me the means to do so. Since an education has been lifechanging for me, I naturally developed a desire to bring this gift to others through teaching. Before medical school, I taught high school chemistry. I set high expectations for my students that I knew they could meet and provided active learning environments for them to practice in. Immediately after learning the material, the concept was applied in a hands-on way and students used spaced repetition to retain what they learned. I emphasized the importance of setting small, attainable measures to serve as stepping stones on the path to their overall goal. Serving as a mentor to these students and helping them achieve their full potential was a role I thoroughly enjoyed and I cannot imagine myself in a practice without the ability to continue educating.

The journey to a career in plastic and reconstructive surgery is extensive, with many uphill battles to come. However, I am confident in my ability to see the greater picture and perform whatever role is necessary to benefit the patient and surgical team. A consistently evolving curriculum and a willingness to implement change are key aspects I seek in a residency program. Avoiding complacency prevents burnout in physicians and is how medicine will continue to advance. I seek a residency program that allows me to work diligently to improve my clinical, research, and teaching skills to be a competent ambassador of the program.  

20. Neurology Personal Statement Example

Growing up, my grandmother and I would spend hours lost in stories. My favorite stories of hers were those of ancient explorers who used the stars to guide them. She was a captivating storyteller and the one person from whom consistently sought advice. She would often tell me – “whenever you are lost, look up!” Having been a fairly practical and scientifically-minded child, I took this advice quite literally and became obsessed with space and astronomy. For most of my childhood, I used a garage sale telescope to meticulously examine the night sky, identifying my favorite stars, planets, and constellations, night after night. Something about the vast mystery of the universe and its unfathomable expanse has had a profound impact on the way that I view our world and my place within it. As I see it, space is the final frontier, with so much left to learn and explore. Oddly enough, I believe it is my fascination with space and astronomy that sparked my love of learning and medicine.

A few years after I began my undergraduate studies, my grandmother suffered a stroke and passed away shortly after. However, the time I spent caring for my grandmother in the aftermath of her stroke greatly impacted my career trajectory. I realized that much like space, the brain is mysterious and immensely complex, which sparked my initial interest in neurology.

Throughout my medical education, I often found that I was the most intrigued by the patients I saw during my neurology clerkship. Not only am I fascinated and captivated by the diagnostic challenge of using clues from the patient history and physical exam to localize a lesion, but I also feel extreme honor and fulfillment in being able to provide care for my patients during what is likely an extremely terrifying moment for them. Whether it is delivering devastating news during a family conference, or quickly assessing a critically ill patient in the emergency room for a potential stroke, the practice of neurology challenges a physician to be both clinically meticulous and emotionally intelligent. I can not think of a more satisfying profession, one which balances clinical curiosity with human connection, than that of a neurologist.

Through her stories, my grandmother not only fostered my interest in space and astronomy, but also made me realize how much I enjoy learning and scientific discovery. In many ways, neurology is also a final frontier. While there have been many great leaps and advancements in recent years, there remains a great deal to discover within this field of medicine. As a future physician and life-long learner, I place great personal importance in research and teaching. Throughout my medical school experience, I have dedicated much of my extracurricular time to research projects. My focus has ranged broadly within the field of neurology, from identifying disparities in local stroke care to the characterization of synaptic gene expression in glioblastomas. As I prepare for residency, I hope to continue my development as a physician at a program with the resources and faculty support to pursue research endeavors.

Ultimately, I believe the field of neurology is really a reflection of who we are as humans. It still amazes me to think that the complex interaction of billions of neurons, when aggregated in mass, produces the phenomena of us. Neurology poses the clinical and scientific challenges that I find most fascinating. Just as the neurologist that diagnosed and treated my grandmother’s stroke, I would be honored to care for and treat patients with neurological diseases. I know that it is my life’s mission to understand, diagnose, and treat illness in what is possibly the most complex object in the universe: the human brain.

Frequently asked questions

Absolutely. You should have multiple people review your essays for grammar and spelling errors, transition quality, and overall message. The most polished essays that are application-ready have usually been through at least 2 or 3 revisions prior to submission.

The most common format for residency interviews is one-on-one or panel interviews (two or more interviewers with one applicant). MMI interviews are being employed more in medical school interviews, though it is still possible to encounter this in a few residency programs.

During interview season, you may have many interviews and it will be difficult to remember everything that occurred during each day and your impressions when comparing programs prior to ranking for the match. For this reason, you should take a few minutes to write down your impressions directly after interview day for each program.

Anywhere between 1.5 to 3 minutes is a safe range for answers, although a few seconds more or less than this is completely reasonable depending on the question. The quality of the answer, given concisely and directly, is far more important than the amount of minutes you are speaking. That being said, avoid rambling for overly long periods of time.

Thank you letters may not make a difference in ranking at a program, however they are a thoughtful and nice touch. The exception to this is if a program specifically states not to send thank you’s – then you should respect their request. For letters of intent, it is appropriate to choose one program if it is your clear number one choice and send an email to the program director letting them know. Do not choose more than one program to send this letter to – it is first and foremost dishonest to do so, and medicine is a small world and it is not advisable to burn bridges.

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How to write a good personal statement for your residency application examples of residency personal statements.

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The personal statement 📝 is the part of the residency MATCH ® application in which I find the most mistakes. Many applicants do not even realize there are problems in their personal statement because the process of self-evaluation requires significant skill and insight. Furthermore, most applicants do not have access to high-quality personal statements to which they can compare their work. Therefore, I am writing this blog to help you navigate the personal statement writing process and provide you with templates of what a good personal statement should look like.

If you need help with your personal statement editing, please reach out to us on this page .

What should you say in your personal statement 📝 ?  

1-why are you interested in the specialty 🩺.

You should try to convince the reader why you are interested in the specialty to which you are applying. Avoid cliché templates that you see online, and make sure that your interest in the specialty is as personal as possible by incorporating your experiences learning about it and what elements of this specialty most appeal to you. Think deeply about the reasons and the stories that pushed you to pursue this specialty before you start writing, and then you can put these experiences into words. 

Bad example : I am interested in internal medicine because of the long-term relationships with patients, diversity of pathologies, and intellectual challenges.

Good example : My interest in internal medicine started during my first month of clinical rotations. Seeing the diversity of patient presentations and the application of evidence-based medical knowledge in solving patients’ problems is what really drew me to the field.

As you can see from the ‘good’ example, rather than listing boilerplate characteristics of internal medicine that anyone can find online, I attempt to link my interest in the field to personal experiences.

2-Why you 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️? 

Why are you a unique applicant and why you should be selected among hundreds of other applicants? 

You must be careful to not seem arrogant, but also do not be shy discussing what makes you stand out. Avoid cliché self-descriptions such as ‘hard worker,’ ‘team player,’ or ‘passionate caregiver.’ Instead, replace these with unique experiences that demonstrate your defining personal qualities in action.

Bad example : I am a hard worker, and I always did my best to succeed and overcome hardships.

Good example : Growing-up in a low-resourced country and having to work two jobs to provide living for my family while in medical school, giving up was never an option. I always thrived in challenging situations, guided by both my diligent work ethic and a spirit of unrelenting optimism in the face of setbacks. My life experiences have imbued me with resilience and perseverance, qualities that will no doubt benefit me in residency.

As you can see here, I did not say that the applicant is a ‘hard worker.’ From the story, you can easily conclude that they have the resilience and perseverance required to overcome the challenges of residency.

3-What are you looking for in a program 🏥?

This part is not a ‘must’ like the previous two. However, including what type of programs you are looking for can help program directors to gauge whether you are a good fit. When discussing this point, you can emphasize factors such as good clinical training, research, camaraderie among the residents and the faculty, or any other important program elements you are seeking.

Since ERAS allows you to submit multiple personal statements for different programs, you can tailor these personal statements based on the programs to which you are applying. For example, if you are applying for programs that focus on research or to those that value clinical excellence, you can write two personal statements that reflect these respective emphases.

Additionally, if you are applying for two specialties, you can write two personal statements (one for each specialty).

Good example : I am looking for a program that offers me the clinical training to become a competent internal medicine physician in addition to providing me with the acumen to conduct pioneering research.

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4-Career goals 🎯

Your long-term career goals are another important piece of information to include in your personal statement. Read about the programs to which you are applying to ensure that your professional goals align with their educational philosophy and outcomes. If you are interested in conducting cutting-edge research during your residency, then it may not be a good idea to apply for a program with no research infrastructure or research output.

Examples of career goals include practicing in an academic setting, being involved in resident and medical student education, conducting research studies, or performing clinical duties in a large academic center or a low resource hospital (or some combination or variation of these). Again, try to understand the programs that you are applying to so they align with your career goals.

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5-hobbies and interests  .

The hobbies and interest section is another optional part to include in your personal statement where you list the activities outside of medicine that interest you. This section illustrates the qualities and passions that make you a unique candidate, whether it be winning a medal🏅in a competitive sport🏃🏀🤺🏇⛷️🏄🏊, training as a ballet dancer, or playing the bagpipes. Try to explain how the skills you gained from this hobby or extracurricular activity will translate into making you a better resident/doctor.

Example : During medical school, I was a member of our local basketball team that won the national championship multiple times. Basketball taught me perseverance and the importance of putting the team’s interest over individual achievement and success. I believe the same principles apply to medicine in that even the most brilliant surgeons or physicians, cannot work on their own; rather, they must work together and combine their individual expertise to achieve optimal outcomes for the patient. I can think of many instances in which I applied this mindset in collaborating with other medical students, nurses, and attending physicians on my clinical rotations in order to provide the best possible care for a patient.

6-Weaknesses and how you address them ❌😳

Sometimes there are obvious red flags on your CV that every program director will notice, such as low STEP scores or multiple attempts on the USMLE exams. It might be a good idea to explain why this happened or how you overcame these hurdles and what you learned in the process. Others disagree with the idea of addressing weaknesses in your personal statement and prefer that you explain them during the interview if you are asked. My personal preference is to explain why the red flag happened if you have a reasonable explanation and story

7-The introduction and the end  

The introduction and the end of your personal statement should be the most engaging parts to read. Experienced writers tend to start with a catchy opening hook to grab the reader’s attention and often end with a paragraph that refers to the beginning of the personal statement, thereby bringing the story full circle.

For example, if you were talking how a family member’s medical problem encouraged you to pursue a particular specialty, you might start with a quick introduction talking about this experience, and then end with a line or two referring back to the introduction and stating how it has informed your future career goals. The introduction and conclusion paragraphs are the hardest to write but can also serve to make your personal statement stand out.

8- Why the US?

If you are an international medical graduate (IMG), you might consider adding a few lines talking about why you chose to train in the US.

Mistakes to avoid when writing a personal statement for residency the application

1-Starting too late

One of the biggest mistakes that applicants make when writing the personal statement is that they start a week or two before the application deadline. I personally started mine two months before the application deadline. This timeline allowed me to write multiple drafts before sending it to my mentors and residents for review and feedback.

2-Submitting the first or second draft

I recommend that you do multiple revisions before you submit your personal statement. Before I submitted my final personal statement, it had gone through over 20 drafts. This number is just to give you an idea of the lengthy transformation process between the initial draft and the final product. Your personal statement should be the best version of your story summarized in 500-700 words. Your goal is to convince programs to invite you for an interview so they can get to know you better!

3-Not getting feedback

I highly recommend you have your personal statement reviewed by an individual (or individuals) with experience in personal statement editing. This might include residents or mentors who have edited other applicants’ personal statements in the past, residents who went through this process and know how it works from personal experience, or even professional advisers. Try to seek out people who will provide you with structural edits, if needed, and not just superficial grammatical edits. I helped many students with personal statement editing by suggesting a complete overhaul of their original structure so that their story would shine through more effectively. I am happy to help students with significant editing and re-writing. You can check our website to learn more about our personal statement editing.

Keep in mind that the more you show your personal statement to others, the more revisions you will receive. You do not have to accept every individual’s revisions or suggested changes, but take them into consideration and keep those changes that you think are most effective at conveying your desired message.

4-Using online templates

Stay away from using online templates because you want your personal statement to be as personal as possible. It will definitely take you more time to create your own personal statement, but then again that is why it is called a ‘personal’ statement. You must spend significant time and effort so your personal statement does not look like the hundreds of other applications each program receives. The purpose of the templates in this blog is to provide examples rather than for you to copy these in your own personal statement. This would constitute plagiarism and could get you into serious trouble.

5-Talking about why you got into medical school

If you are applying for residency, focus on why you want to enter a certain specialty rather than why you got into medical school. You are past the medical school experience at this point and you should not take a significant portion of your personal statement talking about what influenced you to choose medicine in the first place. You can definitely discuss that in a couple of sentences, but no more than that. Focus primarily on the specialty to which you are applying.

6-Having it too short or too long

Try to keep your personal statement around 500-700 words and discuss the points that have been mentioned above. Do not make it so short that people cannot understand your story or so long that it becomes boring to read.

7-Lacking structure and flow 

Many students think that the main issue with their personal statement are problems with the English language, whether in regard to grammar or word choice. However, this is an easily fixable problem. The major mistake I find in most personal statements is a lack of flow in the content (jumping from one idea to another) which makes it difficult for the reader to follow. That is why a structural edit of a personal statement takes significantly more time. I recommend you stay away from services that only change a few words here and there to make the language correct. Seek structural edits if needed. It’s definitely good to have a personal statement free of grammatical errors. However, what is most important is having nice flow and structure that makes your story enjoyable to read.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about personal statement for residency applicants

Do I have to write a personal statement for the residency application?

Yes, you must write a personal statement for your ERAS residency application.

When should I start working on my personal statement?

Around 1-2 months before the application deadline.

How long is the personal statement for the residency application? How many words should a personal statement be?

500-700 words.

Can I write multiple personal statements for my ERAS application?

Yes, you can assign different personal statements for different programs and different specialties.

How many personal statements should I write for my ERAS application?

You should write at least one personal statement for your ERAS application. However, you can write as many as you like. You can assign different personal statements for different programs and different specialties. You can only submit one personal statement for each program.

Do you recommend editing your personal statement by non-m edical professionals?

I would not recommend having your personal statement edited by a non-medical professional only, as they often will not understand the nuances of the residency Match process. Having good command of the English language is completely different from having a good sense of structure, flow, and content needed to successfully be accepted into a residency program.

How do I write a strong personal statement? 

Check the parts on what to include in a personal statement and the templates on this blog to help you write an effective personal statement.

Do you offer personal statement editing?

If you need help with personal statement editing, check out our re-write and structural edit services on this website.

Is my personal statement an important part of the application?

Yes, definitely. Your personal statement tells your story and achievements, many of which get lost in your CV. Moreover, some of your interviewers might only have access to your personal statement but not your CV.

How do you write a personal statement for residency application?

1-Start early

Starting early gives you the time to write multiple drafts and for other people to thoroughly review and provide feedback on your personal statement.

2-Start with bullet points

Write all the ideas and the topics you want to discuss you in your personal statement without necessarily making them into full sentences. At this stage, you are just trying to identify what you would like to include rather than how you are going to narrativize it. After you create your map of ideas, pick the ones that you think would be the most relevant and transform them into compelling text.

3-Start with the first draft

Expand on the points you chose from the previous step. Do not worry if the language is not perfect, because at this point, you are still far away from your final draft. Try to discuss why you are interested in the specialty, why you are unique, why you should be chosen for this spot, and what kind of programs you are looking for. Do your best to craft a memorable introduction and ending.

4-Go onto the second draft

Give it a few days to a week before transitioning to your second draft. This gap will allow the ideas to settle in your mind and for you to focus on those ideas and language choices that best convey the story you are trying to tell.

5-Send your personal statement to others

At this point, you can start sending your personal statement to friends who are experienced with editing and reviewing personal statements. Do not send it to random people you do not know because your personal statement is a confidential document, and it is unlikely that their advice will be of much value to you. If you do not know any people who are experienced with personal statement editing, seek professional guidance. I cannot tell you how many people have reached out to me to fix personal statements that they already paid for because the cheap service they first consulted was bad. You get what you pay for! If you need help with personal statement editing, check our re-write and structural editing service on this website .

After you receive feedback from others, do not accept every revision or suggestion blindly. Make sure that these suggested changes reflect the points you are most hoping to convey in your personal statement. However, if the person offering the advice is experienced in personal statement editing and/or the residency Match process, it is worth incorporating as many of their suggestions as possible.

At this point your personal statement is almost ready, and you can change a few things here and there until you are ready to submit the final version.

The FREE Personal Statement Template

‘Females can never be surgeons!’ These were the words that resonated in my ears every time I expressed my interest in surgery. My medical school tutors, family, friends, all dissuaded me from pursuing this course. In a patriarchal society like the one I grew up in, women were expected to adhere to restrictive cultural norms. Thankfully, I persevered. Growing up in war-torn Iraq made for a difficult and unusual childhood. War and fighting were the norm, as were constant displacement and unstable living situations. Due to the unrelenting violence that ravaged the country since before I can remember, the emergency room in my medical school hospital, Al Mosul University Hospital, was constantly flooded with trauma patients. The combination of diverse cases and shortage of clinical staff proved the perfect storm for piquing my surgical interests, as I was afforded the opportunity to perform tasks typically reserved for first and second-year residents. Though I quickly rose to the intense demands of working in Al Mosul’s ED, my male colleagues would often remind me that surgery was not an appropriate avenue for women, and that I should instead choose an ‘easier’ specialty that would allow me to focus on raising a family. For me, however, the decision was crystal clear. Surgery was the perfect blend of manual dexterity and methodical decision making. I was not only fascinated by the diversity of surgical cases, but also by the surgeons’ abilities to repair and heal the horrific war injuries. Seeing patients who suffered bomb blasts on the brink of death be stabilized through expert surgical intervention sparked my passion for the incredible restorative power of surgery. The fast pace, required precision, and the exquisite coordination of working as part of a surgical team further cemented my interest. At a local surgical conference, I was fortunate to meet a visiting US surgeon who was in Mosul as part of his mission trip to Iraq. After speaking to him at length about my burgeoning interest in the field, he encouraged me to follow my passion, and even helped me secure several rotations in the US. It was during these rotations that I received my first exposure to the US healthcare system, from its incredible access to technological advancements unheard of in most Iraqi hospitals to its focus on cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce. Following my rotations, I spent two years as a post-doctoral clinical researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), investigating longitudinal outcomes for trauma patients who sustained debilitating war injuries. My research years were transformational, not only providing me a robust foundation in clinical research, but also giving me a deeper appreciation for the positive impact of holistic care on trauma patients’ lives and wellbeing. As a result of my experiences at BWH, I hope to enroll in a program with equal parts emphasis on surgical and research skills development and that embraces diversity as a core value. Following my residency, I aspire to return to Iraq and continue to treat patients suffering from trauma, conduct research on optimizing outcomes for trauma patients, and educating the next generation of surgeons. As a female growing up in Iraq, I faced many challenges during my quest to secure a residency spot in the US. Despite the discouragement of tutors and family members as well as the daunting prospect of starting a long and difficult journey in a new country, I am steadfast in the pursuit of my professional dreams. I have one goal that I will keep fighting for in the years ahead: an unwavering commitment to make a difference in patients’ lives and empower women in Iraq and around the world to help me make that difference. My message to those women who, like me, are told by those around them that they can never be surgeons: do not be discouraged. Let their words fuel your strength and fight to make the world a better place for yourself and your patients!

I wish you the best of luck with your residency application. Here are some more personal statement samples that can help you draft your own personal statement. More Personal Statement Samples

By    Malke Asaad

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IMG Personal Statement Examples

IMG personal statement examples outline a variety of important structural and content requirements for this component of your application. Reading residency personal statement examples can help you construct an essay that resonates with similar quality and assembly. The personal statement is an opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are and what appeals to you about their program. Because international medical graduate (IMG) status can make the match more difficult for some schools and residency programs, having a strong personal statement can significantly increase your chances of getting invited for an interview. In this article, we provide some examples of personal statements for IMGs to inspire your own.

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Since I was young, I’ve had a keen interest in wanting to become a doctor due to my mother’s influence; she’s a cardiologist who works at a hospital in my hometown in Georgia. She always encouraged me to make my own choices irrespective of hers, and she never tried to deliberately push me into medicine’s outstretched arms. Medicine, at least early on in my life, was never on my radar. I was too invested in my creative endeavors, which led to a burgeoning career as a commercial actress starting in elementary school. However, in my senior year of high school, I felt weighed down by the yawning void of my intellectual cravings. I was, as my mother would say, a scientist at heart, which I began to accept when I volunteered at the research institute at a local hospital studying new genomic technology.

I had my doubts about whether I would be able to pursue a career in medicine due to my conflicting creative interests; however, when I took a trip to Delhi, India, in my first year of undergraduate studies, I volunteered at a slum hospital, and it was the inspiration that aroused my already established interest in public health. I mostly observed the health care workers, but I assisted with routine medical tasks and fulfilled a supportive role during routine checkups. On rare occasions, I would provide advice about nutrition or general health to some patients, which invigorated my passion for helping others and illuminating health disparities; I hadn’t realized how pervasive the lack of health awareness was in this community; it both disheartened and mobilized my eagerness to explore medical school abroad.

Check out this video to know about residency application tips that will ensure your success and help you stand out from the crowd:

Growing up, I was not encouraged to get good grades or work hard in school. In fact, it was much the opposite: my father worked on a farm and my mother as a hairdresser. In school, I couldn’t rely on the support of my parents, who were both against academic pursuits. In their words, school was a meaningless, debt-accruing venture that accomplished nothing more than having a fancy piece of paper to hang on the wall. The start of my medical school journey began when I made the brave choice to apply to undergraduate programs instead of working on my father’s farm, which is what he always wanted me to do. We had lots of disagreements and negotiations; I ended up promising to work for him on weekends when I wasn’t studying, and the university was within reasonable commuting distance so I could still commit to the compromise.

However, as I finished my undergraduate studies, I knew I needed a change of scenery. I wanted to live in another part of the world where education and academic excellence were encouraged, not undermined. I decided I was going to complete my MD degree in Mexico, in a city that I knew was scourged by a lack of health care resources. I was intrigued by the prospect of learning a new health care system in a less developed geographical area because I saw the parallels with my own hometown, where people tend to ignore their ailments because they’re suspicious of the health care system – again, a consequence of the lack of educational resources. I was convinced that medical school was the only way to make a real collective difference in this attitude emblemized in some rural areas. And, when I volunteered at a clinic specializing in sexual health, I became aware of how some obstinate traditionalist views impair good-faith attempts to educate and protect reproductive rights for women.

The Philippines is known for its commitment to health care excellence. My family is no different. My parents own a clinic in Manila; my mother is a family doctor, and my father is a nurse. My two older brothers work at the clinic fulfilling administrative roles while they complete their undergraduate degrees. They intend to become doctors to help my parents run their clinic and, eventually, inherit it. As high expectations abound, I always felt that I was set up to become a doctor by proximity to such high-achieving family members dedicated to health care. Of course, I was nudged gently in that direction, but my autonomy was never compromised. My first exposure to working in a clinical environment was as a teen, when I assisted in recreational therapy at my parents’ clinic. As expected, I found the interactions I had, particularly with elderly patients, to be interesting and rewarding. I had a knack for humor, which seemed to be remedial for many of the patients who were palliative or undergoing life-changing surgery that would require extensive physical rehabilitation.

Yes, internal medicine is one of the many IMG friendly residency programs .

According to the results of the program director survey published by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), the second most important listing in the section for personal characteristics and other knowledge of applicants considered in deciding whom to interview was the personal statement.

You need to demonstrate your skillset and inclination toward the specialty you’re interested in using clinical experiences and research. With that said, getting into too much detail about your research can be distracting and redundant, especially if you include this information in other application components.

You should discuss what you hope to gain from a residency program in the US, and why it’s important for you to pursue further education in this country as opposed to the one you completed your medical degree in.

You might decide to complete your fourth year of medical school in the US to gain exposure to US clinics and health care systems. Gaining references can also be a beneficial aspect of completing at least part of your education in the US.

Because you’re an international applicant, programs are more competitive and usually present more challenges for this type of applicant, which can reduce your chances of getting matched.

You should talk about any clinical experiences that contributed to your decision to pursue residency in the US, in addition to any other activities that activated your scientific interests and developed your clinical skills.

IMG residency consultants can help you navigate many of the challenges you will face as an international applicant. They can help you organize and write your materials and develop a strategy for applying to programs that suit your applicant status and background.

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Best Pathology Fellowship Personal Statement

Winning Pathology Fellowship Personal Statement for Your Application

Applying for pathology fellowship or  orthopaedic fellowship  is the next step to take if you are interested in specializing in this field. The program is designed to teach fellows the ins and outs of pathology, its uses, the equipment needed, and techniques that are not taught in a classroom setting.

What’s more, fellows will be given research and clinic duties as part of their training to hone their skills. For those who are interested, you need to submit your current CV, application form, copy of your current medical license, USMLE results from steps 1 to 3, a copy of residency certification, personal statement, and letters of recommendation among others.

Best Pathology Fellowship Programs

Learning pathology with advanced research can be a bit complex for you. However, some popular institutions and their pathology program can make it quite easy for you to learn. Some of the well-reputed institutions are offering excellent courses related to pathology. You should definitely consider these programs for the best educational experience.

• Arizona Health Science Center.  Offering the program based on fourteen position of residency for the students. The major related fields are Molecular Genetic Path, Molecular Pathology, Liver and GI Pathology, Hematopathology and Surgical Pathology.
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  Another name that got immense popularity to keep the students satisfied with their quality of education. To secure the permanent positions, the major training commitment of department is to provide the type of training. You should definitely go for this option with no doubt.
• Albany Medical College: Training Program of Pathology.  The 48 months of combined Clinical and Anatomic Pathology program, the single Clinical Pathology training program and Anatomic Pathology training program are the main offers by this university. The four years division of 15 pathology residents is also included in this program.
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center.  The several surgical pathology subspecialties with the strong curriculum are included with different areas. The Immunology, Microbiology, and Pathology are three popular programs of this institution.
• University of Virginia School of Medicine.  The pathology fellowship program is based on several useful clinical activities and pathology residents. It is also the best choice for such program.

How to Write the Best Personal Statement Pathology Fellowship

• Find fellowship personal statement sample. If you want to get an idea on how personal statements for fellowships look like, discover pathology fellowship personal statement sample. There are plenty online that you can use as your guide.
• Know your theme. You should have a central theme to your personal statement so you can easily form your sentences. Use this as a guide so you won’t jump from one idea to the next.
• Make your paper interesting. Aside from writing personal statement for residency to inform, you should also engage your readers to keep them reading from start to finish. The best way to do this is to make your personal statement an interesting read.
• Don’t try to impress. If you are thinking that using complex sentences will impress your readers, think again. Keep in mind that your readers will have gone through several personal statements already and would prefer to read something substantial and short.
• Review your work. Don’t be too eager to hand in your personal statement for residency after you write it because there is a huge chance that there will be a lot of errors. Review your work and edit accordingly.

Fellowship Personal Statement Examples: Crafting a Strong Application

When applying for a fellowship, your fellowship personal statement plays a crucial role in making a strong impression. Reviewing fellowship personal statement examples can help you understand the structure, tone, and content that resonate with selection committees. A well-written personal statement for fellowship should reflect your passion, qualifications, and long-term goals while clearly showing how the fellowship aligns with your career aspirations. By studying personal statement for fellowship examples, you can gain insights into how to effectively present your unique experiences and motivations, ultimately crafting a compelling application.

Need Help Drafting Your Pathology Outlines Fellowship Personal Statement?

It is quite understandable that you will feel frustrated when writing your statement especially when you feel unsure on how going to pack the information into a single page statement. Fortunately, there are writing companies available that you can turn to when you’re not happy with your statement. If you need someone to go over your existing statement or create one from scratch, don’t hesitate to hire us.

Our business is all about developing customized statements for our clients who are in need of some professional help. By placing your order with us, you can get our guarantee that your statement will reflect your best features as well as convince them why you are an ideal candidate for the program.

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How to Make a Top Personal Statement Hematology Oncology Fellowship

Prepare for Writing Personal Statement Hematology Oncology Carefully The application process for a hematology oncology fellowship is highly competitive, with numerous qualified candidates and limited positions. In such a scenario, a personal statement holds immense significance, allowing applicants to stand out and showcase their unique qualities, experiences, and aspirations. A well-written hematology oncology personal statement […]

PERSONAL STATEMENT FOR MEDICAL RESIDENCY IN UK FOR IMG – WHAT & HOW

Are you an international medical graduate school applicant within Europe, US, Asia, Africa and more seeking admission into medical residency in UK for IMG? Well, take note that between the year 2015 and 2016 over 438,000 international students outside of the UK applied for admission into the UK to study different courses including medicine. For […]

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A Trainee’s Guide: Crafting a Personal Statement for Laboratory Medicine Fellowship Applications

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Ria C Fyffe-Freil, Joesph R Wiencek, A Trainee’s Guide: Crafting a Personal Statement for Laboratory Medicine Fellowship Applications, The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine , Volume 9, Issue 5, September 2024, Pages 1091–1094, https://doi.org/10.1093/jalm/jfae067

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There are many unique paths that can lead an individual to the field of laboratory medicine. For some, the profession may be a natural sequence from their current work or research, and for others, the trail might be much more challenging at first to locate. Common paths to the field usually fall into 2 categories: medical doctors (MD, DO, MBBS) and doctorate-degree holders (PhD, DCLS, etc.). For medical doctors, a pathology residency is completed; then subspecialization can be pursued. Doctoral trainees, on the other hand, may be required to use an online tool such as myIDP to explore scientific career options based on aptitude and values ( 1) or may uncover the field by word-of-mouth. Regardless of route, once a prospective trainee commits to a vocation in lab medicine, there is ultimately no reversing course. Fortunately, to help navigate prospective trainees through the process, there are countless individuals in academic, private, and industry job settings who are ready to inspire the next generation by paying it forward. In this laboratory reflection, the goal is to provide some practical advice for one of the most critical aspects of the process—the laboratory medicine fellowship application stage, specifically the personal statement (or letter of intent). And while this piece focuses on clinical chemistry fellowships (as this is what both authors completed), the personal statement “do’s and do not’s” apply more broadly to any clinical laboratory medicine fellowship. Of note, aside from clinical chemistry, there are clinical fellowship opportunities in microbiology, biochemical genetics, laboratory genetics and genomics, as well as clinical immunology/human leukocyte antigen specialties.

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