The personal statement is occasionally a chance to “make” your application, but it’s always a risk to “break” it. Show
Keep in mind: it’s only 1 page (literally—it should fit on no more than one page when printed from the ERAS application, which is somewhere around 750-800 words on the longer end; 600-650 is a better goal; mine was around 500). On one interview, I was told that the program’s main criteria for evaluating personal statements was not noteworthiness but rather inoffensiveness. Questions to ask yourself in approaching the PS:
You don’t have to answer all of these questions, but answering one or two will help you get the point of view you need to get a draft going. The personal statement is a chance to state why you are choosing a specialty (and a location or a specific program) and to try to convince the reader that you are a good fit. While you are trying to say that you are awesome, you cannot simply say you are awesome. Like fiction, you should show, not tell when possible. This is not a CV in paragraph form. You must be more subtle. Things to do:
Things to avoid:
For most people, your personal statement will not/cannot stand out in a good way (standing out in a bad way, though, is entirely possible). Why you pursued medicine may have been an interesting story (hint: it probably wasn’t), but why you chose your specialty is likely even more banal. If you don’t feel like you have anything special to say, it’s because you don’t. That’s normal. Aim for competence. There are sample essays available for perusal on medfools. I think even the “good” ones are pretty painful in general, but your mileage may vary. Here are some good tips from UNC. The AAMC Advisor also has some quick advice. If your remember your login, Careers in Medicine also has similar stuff. Residency applicants can submit applications via ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) starting September 7th. Don’t wait until the last minute – get cracking on those residency essays now! Why is your residency essay so important?Your personal statement is a vital part of your residency application; it’s where you’ll explain why you’ve chosen your specialty and show the committee why you’re the best candidate for training. And unlike other pieces of your application (such as your letters of recommendation or your medical school transcript), your personal statement is something that you have complete control over. For a knockout personal statement, heed these do’s and don’ts!
You’ve worked so hard to get to this point in your journey. Now that you’re ready for your next achievement, make sure you know how to present yourself to maximum advantage in your residency applications. In a hotly competitive season, you’ll want a member of Team Accepted in your corner, guiding you with expertise tailored specifically for you. Check out our flexible consulting packages today! A former fellowship admissions committee member and administrator at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Cydney Foote has successfully advised healthcare applicants, including those applying to medical school, dental school, nursing and PA programs, veterinary school, public health and hospital administration programs, post-baccalaureate medical programs, residencies and fellowships. Since 2001, she has brought her marketing and writing expertise to help science-focused students communicate their strengths. Want Cyd to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! What is a good length for a personal statement?Dr Adrian Bell, Admissions Tutor, Engineering, UMIST Page 2 2 Your Personal Statement should be between 350 and 500 words in length and contain a number of paragraphs that link together in a logical, well-written style.
How long is too long for residency personal statement?Residency Personal Statement Length: Our recommendation is that your residency personal statement be between 4000 – 5300 characters with spaces or up to 900 words in length.
Can my personal statement be 2 pages on eras?1) Don't make your ERAS personal statement too long:
You do not want it to be more than one page single-spaced (standard font like arial or times new roman, size 12). If your personal statement is too long, it is even more likely for programs to not read it completely.
What is a good length for medical school personal statement?Stick to the rules.
That's 5,300 characters (including spaces) for AMCAS applications, 5,000 characters for TMDSAS, and 4,500 characters for AACOMAS.
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