medical school personal statement do's and don'ts

Med School Applicants: How to Address Illness

In the application process, don't seek pity and avoid criticizing health care providers when sharing encounters with sickness.

Med School Hopefuls: Addressing Illness

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Med school applicants should demonstrate the ability to go beyond their personal experiences as they reflect on their passion for medicine.

Many aspiring physicians have had an up-close encounter with illness that has influenced their decision to become a medical doctor. Some have battled a disease at a particular point in the past while others have chronic medical conditions that continue to be a part of their lives. There are also those who have not personally suffered from a medical condition but have seen its impact on a loved one.

Medical school applicants often reflect on such experiences in their personal statements, their supplemental applications and their interviews . Some describe the events as an impetus for their decision to go into medicine while others delineate how it has made them better prepared for becoming a physician.

For example, premed students may describe in their applications how an encounter with disease piqued their curiosity about the human body, or how an illness in a loved one inspired them to go into medicine.

If you have had an encounter with illness that you plan to share with med school admissions committees, it is important to be tactful in the way you present the experience. Below are several important points to keep in mind.

Be Honest and Genuine

If you are going to discuss an illness in your medical school essays or interviews, take the time to first reflect on it and consider its true impact on you. Be honest with yourself and share the genuine ways in which it has influenced you. It may be tempting to exaggerate its impact, but medical schools can read through embellishments.

One common mistake that applicants make is to draw on trivial experiences with common medical problems, exaggerating them to make a case for why they are interested in medicine or why they would be suited for the medical profession. For example, if an applicant talks about a sprained ankle as a life-changing event that propelled him or her toward medicine, admissions committees may wonder whether that applicant is being sincere.

By the same token, premed students who argue that trivial events like the ankle sprain have made them more empathetic toward the struggles of those suffering from disease will probably come across as disingenuous. After all, how could someone with a minor problem like this directly understand what those struggling with heart disease or cancer are going through?

Such narratives will not help you stand out and will pale in comparison to those where an applicant has faced serious struggles such as a personal battle with cancer or the death of a loved one due to a devastating medical condition.

Avoid Criticism of the Health Care Team

Sometimes when medical school applicants share an experience with illness, they criticize the health care system or the health care providers to bolster their argument.

For example, one student wrote in his personal statement about the negligence of providers who cared for his grandfather in the intensive care unit. Without presenting any evidence, he stated with conviction that the surgeons caring for his grandfather made mistakes that led to his grandfather’s death. He then went on to argue that he was inspired to become a physician so that he could serve his patients better than the surgeons who had cared for his grandfather.

This kind of narrative makes the applicant sound negative and cynical. It also raises questions about how a premed student with no medical knowledge determined that the specialists made mistakes.

Go Beyond Yourself and Your Loved Ones

Applicants should always go beyond such personal experiences as they reflect on their passion for medicine or the qualities they will bring to the medical profession. It is one thing to be on the receiving end of medical care or to see it as an outsider when someone you love receives care. It is totally different to be part of a professional team that provides medical care where you are observing or assisting physicians and other providers.

Most people will be curious about disease when it affects them personally or affects those they love. But med school applicants must show that this intrigue and curiosity will carry over when they are taking care of people with whom they have no connection.

This is why activities like clinical volunteer work or shadowing are important. It is imperative that you draw on these professional activities in medical school essays – along with any personal exposure to medicine – to show how you have developed a passion for medicine and acquired the skills to be a proficient physician.

Do Not Seek Pity

Sometimes applicants make the mistake of using personal illness to seek pity in their essay. At times they may do this inadvertently, but it is wise to avoid this approach even in the face of truly devastating personal circumstances. Medical schools are not moved by stories that are only rife with tragedy, but rather with those that show resilience in the face of that tragedy.

In talking about such events, discuss them objectively, reflect on how they influenced your thinking and motivation, and conclude on a positive note. It is understandable that dealing with a serious illness can affect a person in profoundly difficult ways, and medical schools are aware of this. They want to see you place focus on your future motivations and highlight the valuable lessons you have learned as opposed to dwelling in the past.

Remember that the first step to incorporating such experiences into your essay is to take time and carefully reflect. Ask yourself how experiences with illness have made you interested in medicine and what qualities you have gained as a result of dealing with disease up close.

Once you have a clear answer to these questions, you can put your thoughts on paper. Build further on these ideas by also talking about professional experiences that further influenced you, and be sure to keep a positive tone.

Medical School Application Mistakes

Tags: medical school , graduate schools , students , education

About Medical School Admissions Doctor

Need a guide through the murky medical school admissions process? Medical School Admissions Doctor offers a roundup of expert and student voices in the field to guide prospective students in their pursuit of a medical education. The blog is currently authored by Dr. Ali Loftizadeh, Dr. Azadeh Salek and Zach Grimmett at Admissions Helpers , a provider of medical school application services; Dr. Renee Marinelli at MedSchoolCoach , a premed and med school admissions consultancy; Dr. Rachel Rizal, co-founder and CEO of the Cracking Med School Admissions consultancy; Dr. Cassie Kosarec at Varsity Tutors , an advertiser with U.S. News & World Report; Dr. Kathleen Franco, a med school emeritus professor and psychiatrist; and Liana Meffert, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Iowa's Carver College of Medicine and a writer for Admissions Helpers. Got a question? Email [email protected] .

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The Only 3 Medical School Personal Statement Examples You Need to Read

Posted in: Applying to Medical School

Table of Contents

The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the med school application process because t his mini-essay is a critical opportunity for you to stand out from other prospective medical students by demonstrating your passion and personality, not just your grades.

Admissions committees receive hundreds or more AMCAS medical school applications , so yours should be unique and captivating. Your medical school personal statement shows admissions officers who you are beyond your high school or pre-med GPA , extracurriculars , and MCAT score . 

The best personal statements are… well, personal . This is your chance to share what life experiences have compelled you toward a career in healthcare or the medical field , and how those experiences shape the picture of your ideal future.

MedSchoolCoach has crucial advice for writing your personal statement . 

Read these examples of personal statements for prospective med students.

Writing a great medical school personal statement is a lot easier with the right support. We’ve helped numerous med school applicants craft top-notch personal statements and can do the same for you.

But first: 7 steps to writing an engaging personal statement.

Before you read these excellent examples, you need to understand the process of writing a personal statement.  

Include these in your medical school personal statement:

• Why you’re passionate about becoming a doctor
• Your qualities that will make you a great physician
• Personal stories that demonstrate those qualities
• Specific examples of the communities you want to serve as a member of the medical field

What are the most important things to remember when writing a medical school personal statement ?

• Begin the writing process early: Give yourself plenty of time for brainstorming and to revisit your first draft, revising it based on input from family members and undergrad professors. Consult the application timeline for your target enrollment season.
• Choose a central theme: An unfocused essay will leave readers confused and uninterested. Give your statement a clear thesis in the first paragraph that guides its formation.
• Start with a hook: Grab the reader’s attention immediately with your statement’s first sentence. Instead of opening with a conventional introduction, be creative! Begin with something unexpected.
• Be the you of today, not the you of the future: Forecasting your future as a physician can come across as empty promises. Don’t get caught up in your ambitions; instead, be honest about your current situation and interest in the field of medicine.
• Demonstrate your passion: It’s not enough to simply state your interest in becoming a doctor; you have to prove it through personal stories. Show how your perspectives have been shaped by formative experiences and how those will make you an effective physician.
• Show, don’t tell : Avoid cliches that admissions committees have heard hundreds of times, like “I want to help people.” Make your writing come alive with dynamic, persuasive storytelling that recounts your personal experiences.
• Tie everything together: Conclude by wrapping up your main points. Reiterate your passion for the medical profession, your defining personal qualities, and why you’ll make a good doctor.

You can read more about our recommended method in our step-by-step guide , but those are the major points.

Example 1 — From the Stretcher to the Spotlight: My Journey to Becoming an Emergency Medicine Physician

Another siren shrieks as the emergency room doors slide open and a team of EMTs pushes a blood-soaked stretcher through the entrance. It’s the fifth ambulance to arrive tonight — and only my first clinical shadowing experience in an emergency medicine department since my premed education began.

But it wasn’t my first time in an emergency room, and I knew I was meant to be here again.

In those crucial moments on the ER floor, many of my peers learned that they stumble in high-pressure environments. A few weeks of gunshot wounds, drug overdoses, broken bones, and deep lacerations in the busiest trauma bay in the region were enough to alter their career path.

They will be better practitioners somewhere predictable, like a pediatrician in a private practice where they choose their schedules, clients, and staff.

Every healthcare provider has their specialties, and mine are on full display in those crucial moments of lifesaving care. Why am I pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine? Because I’ve seen firsthand the miracles that Emergency Medicine physicians perform.

12 years ago, I was in an emergency room… but I was the one on the stretcher.

A forest-green Saturn coupe rolled into my parent’s driveway. The driver, my best friend Kevin, had just passed his driving test and was itching to take a late-night run to the other side of town. I had ridden with Kevin and his father many times before when he held his learner’s permit. But this time, we didn’t have an adult with us, and the joyride ended differently: with a 40-mph passenger-side collision, T-boned by a drunk driver.

I distinctly recall the sensation of being lifted out of the crumpled car by a paramedic and laid onto a stretcher. A quick drive later, I was in the care of Dr. Smith, the ER resident on call that night. Without missing a beat, he assessed my condition and provided the care I needed. When my mom thanked him for saving my life, he simply responded, “It’s what he needed.”

Now I’m watching other doctors and nurses provide this life-saving care as I observe as a premed student. I see the way the staff works together like a well-oiled machine, and it reminds me of my time in high-school theater.

Everyone has a role to play, however big or small, to make the show a success. All contributions are essential to a winning performance — even the technicians working behind the scenes. That’s what true teamwork is, and I see that same dynamic in the emergency department.

Some actors freeze during performances, overcome by stage fright. Other students are too anxious to even set foot in front of an audience; they remain backstage assisting with split-second costume changes.

Not me. I felt energized under the spotlight, deftly improvising to help my co-stars when they would forget their lines. Admittedly, I wasn’t the best actor or singer in the cast, but I provided something essential: assurance under pressure. Everyone knew me as dependable, always in their corner when something went awry. I had a reputation for remaining calm and thinking on my feet.

My ability to stay unruffled under pressure was first discovered on stage, but I can use it on a very different platform providing patient care. Now, when other people freeze under the intensity of serving public health on the front lines, I can step in and provide my calm, collected guidance to see them through.

As an ER doctor, I will have to provide that stability when a nurse gets flustered by a quarrelsome patient or shaken from an irreparably injured infant. When you’re an Emergency Medicine physician, you’re not following a script. It takes an aptitude of thinking on your toes to face the fast pace and unpredictable challenges of an emergency center.

During my time shadowing, I saw experienced physicians put those assured, gentle communication skills to use. A 13-year-old boy was admitted for a knife wound he’d received on the streets. He only spoke Spanish, but it was clear he mistrusted doctors and was alarmed by the situation. In mere minutes, one of the doctors calmed the patient so he could receive care he needed.

Let me be clear: I haven’t simply gravitated toward Emergency Medicine because I liked it most. It’s not the adrenaline or the pride that compel me. I owe Emergency Medicine my life, and I want to use my life to extend the lives of other people. Every person brought into the trauma bay could be another me , no matter what they look like.

People are more than their injury, health record, or circumstances. They are not just a task to complete or a challenge to conquer.

My childhood injury gave me an appreciation for the work of ER doctors and a compassion for patients, to foster well-being when people are most broken and vulnerable. I already have the dedication to the work and the heart for patients; I just need the medical knowledge and procedural skills to perform life-saving interventions. My ability to remain calm, think on my toes, be part of a team, and work decisively without making mistakes or overlooking critical issues will serve me well as an Emergency Medicine physician.

Some ER physicians I spoke with liked to think that they’re “a different breed” than other medical professionals — but I don’t see it that way. We’re just performing a different role than the rest of the cast.

Breaking It Down

Let’s look at what qualities make this a great personal statement for med school.

• Engaging opening: The writer painted a vivid scene that immediately puts the reader in their shoes and leaves them wanting more.
• Personal examples: The writer demonstrated his ability to stay calm, work as a team, and problem-solve through theater experience, which he also uses as a comparison. And, he explained his passion for Emergency Medical care from his childhood accident.
• Organized: The writer transitions fluidly between body paragraphs, connecting stories and ideas by emphasizing parallels and hopping back and forth between time.
• Ample length: Makes full use of the AACOMAS and AMCAS application personal statement’s character limit of 5,300 characters (including spaces), which is about 850-950 words.

Unsure what traits and clinical or research experience your preferred medical school values ? You can research their admissions requirements and mission statement using the MSAR .

Example 2 — Early Clinical Work For Empathetic Patient Care

The applicant who wrote this personal statement was accepted into University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, and Tufts University School of Medicine.

As I walked briskly down the hall to keep up during our daily rounds in the ICU, I heard the steady beeping of Michelle’s cardiac monitor and saw a ruby ornament twinkling on the small Christmas tree beside her. She was always alone, but someone had decorated her room for the holidays.

It warmed my heart that I wasn’t the only one who saw her as more than a patient in a coma. I continually felt guilty that I couldn’t spend more time with her; her usual companions were ventilators, IV bags, and catheters, not to mention the golf ball-sized tumors along her spine. Every day, I thought about running to Michelle’s bedside to do anything I could for her.

Thus, I was taken aback when my advisor, who was visiting me that day, asked me if I was okay. It never crossed my mind that at age 17, my peers might not be able to handle the tragedies that healthcare workers consistently face. These situations were difficult, but they invoked humanity and compassion from me. I knew I wanted to pursue medicine. And I knew I could do it.

From my senior year of high school to my senior year of college, I continued to explore my passion for patient interaction.

At the Stepp Lab, I was charged with contacting potential study participants for a study focusing on speech symptoms in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. The study would help future patients, but I couldn’t help but think: “What are we doing for these patients in return?” I worried that the heart and soul behind the research would get lost in the mix of acoustic data and participant ID numbers.

But my fears were put to rest by Richard, the self-proclaimed “Parkinson’s Song & Dance Man,” who recorded himself singing show tunes as part of his therapy. Knowing that he was legally blind and unable to read caller ID, I was always thrilled when he recognized my voice. The spirit in his voice indicated that my interest in him and his journey with Parkinson’s was meaningful. Talking with him inspired me to dive deeper, which led to an appreciative understanding of his time as a sergeant in the U.S. military.

It was an important reminder: my interest and care are just as important as an effective prescribed treatment plan.

Following graduation, I began my work as a medical assistant for a dermatologist. My experience with a patient, Joann, validated my ability to provide excellent hands-on patient care. Other physicians prescribed her painkillers to relieve the excruciating pain from the shingles rash, which presented as a fiery trail of blisters wrapped around her torso. But these painkillers offered no relief and made her so drowsy that she fell one night on the way to the bathroom.

Joann was tired, suffering, and beaten down. The lidocaine patches we initially prescribed would be a much safer option, but I refused for her to pay $250, as she was on the brink of losing her job. When she returned to the office a week later, she held my hand and cried tears of joy because I found her affordable patches, which helped her pain without the systemic effects.

The joy that pierced through the weariness in her eyes immediately confirmed that direct patient care like this was what I was meant to do. As I passed her a tissue, I felt ecstatic that I could make such a difference, and I sought to do more.

Since graduation, I have been volunteering at Open Door, a small pantry that serves a primarily Hispanic community of lower socioeconomic families. It is gut-wrenching to explain that we cannot give them certain items when our stock is low. After all, the fresh fruits and vegetables I serve are fundamental to their culturally-inspired meals.

For the first time, I found myself serving anguish rather than a helping hand. Usually, uplifting moments strengthen one’s desire to become a physician, but in this case, it was my ability to handle the low points that reignited my passion for aiding others.

After running out of produce one day, I was confused as to why a woman thanked me. Through translation by a fellow volunteer, I learned it was because of my positivity. She taught me that the way I approach unfavorable situations affects another’s perception and that my spirited attitude breaks through language barriers.

This volunteer work served as a wake-up call to the unacceptable fact that U.S. citizens’ health suffers due to lack of access to healthy foods. If someone cannot afford healthy foods, they may not have access to healthcare. In the future, I want to partner with other food banks to offer free services like blood pressure readings. I have always wanted to help people, but I now have a particular interest in bringing help to people who cannot afford it.

While the foundation of medicine is scientific knowledge, the foundation of healthcare is the word “care” itself. I never found out what happened to Michelle and her Christmas tree, but I still wonder about her to this day, and she has strengthened my passion to serve others. A sense of excitement and comfort stems from knowing that I will be there for people on their worst days, since I have already seen the impact my support has had.

In my mind, becoming a physician is not a choice but a natural next step to continue bringing humanity and compassion to those around me.

How did this personal statement grab and sustain attention so well?

• Personalization: Everything about this statement helps you to understand the writer, from their personal experiences to their hope for how their future career will look.
• Showing, not telling: From the first sentence, the reader is hooked. This prospective medical student has plenty of great “on paper” experience (early shadowing, clinical experience, etc.), but they showed this with storytelling, not by repeating their CV.
• Empathy: An admissions committee reading this personal statement would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this student cares deeply about their patients. They remember first names, individual details, and the emotions that each patient made them feel.
• A clear path forward: The writer doesn’t just want to work in the medical field — they have a passion for exactly how they want to impact the communities they serve. Outside of strictly medical work, they care about the way finances can limit access to healthcare and the struggle to find healthy food in food deserts around the US .

Read Next: How Hard Is It to Get Into Medical School?

Example 3 — Beyond the Diagnosis: The Importance of Individualized Care in Medicine

The applicant who wrote this personal statement was accepted into Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and Nova Southeastern University College Of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. Haywood sighs and shakes her head upon opening the chart. “I was worried about her A1C. It’s up again. Hypertension, too. Alright, let’s go.”

As we enter the patient’s room, I’m expecting the news about her blood sugar and pressure to fill the room. Instead, Dr. Haywood says, “Roseline! How are you doing? How’s your girl, doing well?”

Dr. Haywood continues to ask questions, genuinely interested in Roseline’s experience as a new mother. If not for the parchment-lined examination chair and anatomy posters plastered to the wall, this exchange could be happening in a grocery store. What about her A1C? Her blood pressure? Potential Type II diabetes?

As I continue to listen, Dr. Haywood discovers that Roseline’s mother moved in with her, cooking Haitian meals I recognize as high on the glycemic index. Dr. Haywood effortlessly evolves their conversation to focus on these. Being Haitian herself, she knows some traditional dishes are healthier than others and advises Roseline to avoid those that might exacerbate her high blood sugar and blood pressure. Dr. Haywood also suggests Roseline incorporate exercise by bringing her baby on a walk through her neighborhood.

During my shadowing experience, I observed one of the core components of being a physician through several encounters like this one. By establishing a relationship with her patient where Roseline was comfortable sharing the details of new motherhood, Dr. Haywood was able to individualize her approach to lowering the patient’s A1C and hypertension. Inspired by her ability to treat the whole person , I began to adopt a similar practice as a tutor for elementary kids in underserved areas of D.C.

Shaniyah did not like Zoom, or math for that matter. When I first met her as a prospective tutee online, she preferred to keep her microphone muted and would claim she was finished with her math homework after barely attempting the first problem. Realizing that basing our sessions solely on math would be fruitless, I adapted my tutoring style to incorporate some of the things for which she had a natural affinity.

The first step was acknowledging the difficulties a virtual environment posed to effective communication, particularly the ease at which distractions might take over. After sharing this with Shaniyah, she immediately disclosed her struggles to share her work with me. With this information, I found an online platform that allowed us to visualize each other’s work.

This obstacle in communication overcome, Shaniyah felt more comfortable sharing details about herself that I utilized as her tutor. Her love of soccer gave me the idea to use the concept of goal scoring to help with addition, and soon Shaniyah’s math skills and enthusiasm began to improve. As our relationship grew, so did her successes, and I suspect the feelings I experienced as her tutor are the same as a physician’s when their patient responds well to prescribed treatment.

I believe this skill, caring for someone as a whole person , that I have learned and practiced through shadowing and tutoring is the central tenet of medicine that allows a doctor to successfully treat their patients.

Inspired by talking with patients who had received life-altering organ transplants during my shadowing experience, I created a club called D.C. Donors for Georgetown University students to encourage their peers to register as organ donors or donate blood. This experience taught me that to truly serve a person, you must involve your whole person, too.

In starting this club to help those in need of transplants, I had to dedicate my time and effort beyond just my physical interactions with these patients. For instance, this involved reaching out to D.C.’s organ procurement organization to inquire about a potential partnership with my club, to which they agreed. In addition, I organized tabling events on campus, which required significant planning and communication with both club members and my university.

Though exciting, starting a club was also a difficult process, especially given the limitations the pandemic imposed on in-person meetings and events. To adapt, I had to plan more engaging meetings, designing virtual activities to make members more comfortable contributing their ideas. In addition, planning a blood drive required extensive communication with my university to ensure the safety of the staff and participants during the pandemic.

Ultimately, I believe these behind-the-scenes actions were instrumental in addressing the need for organ and blood donors in the D.C. area.

From these experiences, I have grown to believe that good medicine not only necessitates the physician cares for her patient as a whole, but also that she fully commits her whole person to the care of the patient. Tutoring and starting D.C. Donors not only allowed me to develop these skills but also to experience such fulfilling emotions: the pride I had in Shaniyah when her math improved, the gratefulness I felt when she confided in me, the steadfast commitment I expressed to transplant patients, and the joy I had in collaborating with other passionate club members.

I envision a career as a physician to demand these skills of me and more, and I have confirmed my desire to become one after feeling so enriched by practicing them.

Here’s what makes this personal statement such a good example of what works:

• Desirable qualities: The student clearly demonstrates qualities any school would want in an applicant: teachability, adaptability, leadership, organization, and empathy, to name a few. This again uses the “show, don’t tell” method, allowing the readers to understand the student without hand-holding.
• Personalized storytelling: Many in the healthcare profession will connect with experiences like the ones expressed here, such as addressing patient concerns relationally or the lack of blood donors during the recent pandemic. The writer automatically makes a personal link between themselves and the admissions committees reading this statement.
• Extensive (but not too long): Without feeling too wordy, this personal statement uses nearly all of the 5,300 characters allowed on the AMCAS application. There’s no fluff left in the final draft, only what matters.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

You can learn a lot from those personal statements. They avoid the most common mistakes that med school applicants make when writing the medical school personal statement.

Here are some things you should avoid in your personal statement if you want to be a doctor:

• Name-dropping: Admissions counselors won’t be impressed when you brag about your highly regarded family members, associates, or mentors. You need to stand on your own feet — not someone else’s.
• Dishonesty: Lies and exaggerations can torpedo your application. And they’re bad habits for anyone entering the medical field. Don’t do it.
• Unedited AI content: Artificial intelligence can help you edit and improve your writing, but don’t let it do the work for you. Your statement needs to be authentic, which means in your voice! A chatbot can’t feel or adequately convey your own empathy, compassion, trauma, drive, or personality.
• Grammatical errors and typos: Have someone reliable proofread your essay and scour it for typos, misspellings, and punctuation errors. Even free grammar-checking apps can catch mistakes!
• Telling without showing: I’ll reiterate how important it is to prove your self-descriptive statements with real-life examples. Telling without showing won’t persuade readers.
• Too many examples: Have 3-4 solid personal stories at most; only include a few that are crucial for providing your points. The more experiences you share, the less impact they’ll make.
• Fluff and filler: Cut all fluff, filler words, and irrelevant points. There are many other places you can include information in your application, such as secondary essays on your clinical experience, volunteer work, and research projects . 

You can find more valuable do’s and don’ts in our in-depth guide to writing your best personal statement .

Need extra help? We’ve got you covered.

Schedule a meeting with medschoolcoach for expert support on writing and editing your personal statement. we’re here to help you impress medical school admissions committees .

Renee Marinelli, MD

Dr. Marinelli has practiced family medicine, served on the University of California Admissions Committee, and has helped hundreds of students get into medical school. She spearheads a team of physician advisors who guide MedSchoolCoach students.

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Don't underestimate the power of the medical school personal statement to make a strong, positive impression on an admissions committee. Combined with your interview performance, your personal statement can account for 60% (or more) of your total admissions score!

Medical schools want to enroll bright, empathetic, communicative people. Here's how to write a compelling med school personal statement that shows schools who you are and what you're capable of.

Personal Statement Topics

Your medical school personal statement is a component of your primary application submitted via, TMDSAS (for Texas applications), or AACOMAS (NB: If you are applying to medical school in Canada, confirm the application process with your school, as not all application components may be submitted through AMCAS).

These applications offer broad topics to consider, and many essay approaches are acceptable. For example, you could write about:

• an experience that challenged or changed your perspective about medicine
• a relationship with a mentor or another inspiring individual
• a challenging personal experience
• unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits
• your motivation to seek a career in medicine

You'll write an additional essay (or two) when you submit secondary applications to individual schools. These essays require you to respond to a specific question. Admissions committees will review your entire application, so choose subject matter that complements your original essay .

Read More: Strategies for Secondary Applications

How to Write a Personal Statement for Medical School

Follow these personal statement tips to help the admissions committee better understand you as a candidate.

1. Write, re-write, let it sit, and write again!

Allow yourself 6 months of writing and revision to get your essay in submission-ready shape. This gives you the time to take your first pass, set your draft aside (for a minimum of 24 hours), review what you’ve written, and re-work your draft.

2. Stay focused.

Your personal statement should highlight interesting aspects of your journey—not tell your entire life story. Choose a theme, stick to it, and support it with specific examples.

3. Back off the cliches.

Loving science and wanting to help people might be your sincere passions, but they are also what everyone else is writing about. Instead, be personal and specific.

4. Find your unique angle.

What can you say about yourself that no one else can? Remember, everyone has trials, successes and failures. What's important and unique is how you reacted to those incidents. Bring your own voice and perspective to your personal statement to give it a truly memorable flavor. 

5. Be interesting.

Start with a “catch” that will create intrigue before launching into the story of who you are. Make the admissions committee want to read on!

6. Show don't tell.

Instead of telling the admissions committee about your unique qualities (like compassion, empathy, and organization), show them through the stories you tell about yourself. Don’t just say it—actually prove it.

7. Embrace the 5-point essay format.

Here's a trusty format that you can make your own:

• 1st paragraph: These four or five sentences should "catch" the reader's attention.
• 3-4 body paragraphs: Use these paragraphs to reveal who you are. Ideally, one of these paragraphs will reflect clinical understanding and one will reflect service.
• Concluding paragraph: The strongest conclusion reflects the beginning of your essay, gives a brief summary of you are, and ends with a challenge for the future.

8. Good writing is simple writing.

Good medical students—and good doctors—use clear, direct language. Your essays should not be a struggle to comprehend.

9. Be thoughtful about transitions.

Be sure to vary your sentence structure. You don’t want your essay to be boring! Pay attention to how your paragraphs connect to each other.

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10. Stick to the rules.

Watch your word count. That’s 5,300 characters (including spaces) for AMCAS applications, 5,000 characters for TMDSAS, and 4,500 characters for AACOMAS.

11. Stay on topic.

Rambling not only uses up your precious character limit, but it also causes confusion! Think about the three to five “sound bytes” you want admissions committee to know and remember you by.

12. Don't overdo it.

Beware of being too self-congratulatory or too self-deprecating.

13. Seek multiple opinions.

Before you hit “submit,” ask several people you trust for feedback on your personal statement. The more time you have spent writing your statement, the less likely you are to spot any errors. A professor or friend whose judgment and writing skills you trust is invaluable.

Read More: 12 Smart Tips for Your AMCAS Application

14. Double-check the details.

Always check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. This goes for the rest of your application (like your activities list), too. A common oversight is referencing the wrong school in your statement! Give yourself (and your proofreaders) the time this task truly requires.

15. Consult the experts about your personal statement strategy.

Our med school admissions counselors can diagnose the “health” of your overall application, including your personal statement. Get expert help and guidance to write an effective personal statement that showcases not only your accomplishments, but your passion and your journey.

Want to get an edge over the crowd?

Our admissions experts know what it takes it get into med school. Get the customized strategy and guidance you need to help achieve your goals.

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Great Medical School Personal Statement Examples (2024-2025) Insider’s Guide

A physician and former medical school admissions officer teaches you how to write your medical school personal statement, step by step. Read several full-length medical school personal statement examples for inspiration.

In this article, a former medical school admissions officer explains exactly how to write a stand-out medical school personal statement!

Our goal is to empower you to write a medical school personal statement that reflects your individuality, truest aspirations and genuine motivations.

This guide also includes:

• Real life medical school personal statement examples
• Medical school personal statement inventory template and outline exercise
• AMCAS, TMDSAS, and AACOMAS personal statement prompts
• Advanced strategies to ensure you address everything admissions committees want to know
• The secret to writing a great medical school personal statement

So, if you want your medical school personal statement to earn more more medical school interviews, you will love this informative guide.

Let’s dive right in.

Table of Contents

Medical School Personal Statement Fundamentals

If you are getting ready to write your medical school personal statement for the 2024-2025 application year, you may already know that almost 60% of medical school applicants are not accepted every year . You have most likely also completed all of your medical school requirements and have scoured the internet for worthy medical school personal statement examples and guidance.

You know the medical school personal statement offers a crucial opportunity to show medical schools who you are beyond your GPA and MCAT score .

It provides an opportunity to express who you are as an individual, the major influences and background that have shaped your interests and values, what inspired you to pursue medicine, and what kind of a physician you envision yourself becoming.

However, with so much information online, you are not sure who to trust. We are happy you have found us!

Because the vast majority of people offering guidance are not former admissions officers or doctors , you must be careful when searching online.

We are real medical school admissions insiders and know what goes on behind closed doors and how to ensure your medical school personal statement has broad appeal while highlighting your most crucial accomplishments, perspectives, and insights.

With tight limits on space, it can be tough trying to decide what to include in your medical school personal statement to make sure you stand out. You must think strategically about how you want to present your personal “big picture” while showing you possess the preprofessional competencies med schools are seeking.

When a medical school admissions reviewer finishes reading your medical school personal statement, ask yourself:

• What are the most important things you want that person to remember about you?
• Does your medical school personal statement sum up your personality, interests, and talents?
• Does your medical school personal statement sound as if it’s written from the heart?

It’s pretty obvious to most admissions reviewers when applicants are trying too hard to impress them. Being authentic and upfront about who you are is the best way to be a memorable applicant.

The Biggest Medical School Personal Statement Mistakes

The most common medical school personal statement mistake we see students make is that they write about:

• What they have accomplished
• How they have accomplished it

By including details on what you have accomplished and how, you will make yourself sound like every other medical school applicant. 

Most medical school applicants are involved in similar activities: research, clinical work, service, and social justice work. 

To stand out, you must write from the heart making it clear you haven’t marched through your premedical years and checking boxes.

We also strongly discourage applicants from using ChatGPT or any AI bot to write their medical school personal statement. Writing in your own voice is essential and using anything automated will undermine success.

The Medical School Personal Statement Secret

MedEdits students stand out in the medical school personal statement because in their personal statements they address:

WHY they have accomplished what they have.

In other words, they write in more detail about their passions, interests, and what is genuinely important to them. 

It sounds simple, we know, but by writing in a natural way, really zeroing in on WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO, you will appeal to a wide variety of people in a humanistic way. 

MedEdits students have done extremely well in the most recent medical school admissions cycle. Many of these applicants have below average “stats” for the medical schools from which they are receiving interviews and acceptances.

Why? How is that possible? They all have a few things in common:

• They write a narrative that is authentic and distinctive to them.
• They write a medical school personal statement with broad appeal (many different types of people will be evaluating your application; most are not physicians).
• They don’t try too hard to impress; instead they write about the most impactful experiences they have had on their path to medical school.
• They demonstrate they are humble, intellectual, compassionate, and committed to a career in medicine all at the same time.

Keep reading for a step by step approach to write your medical school personal statement.

“After sitting on a medical school admissions committee for many years, I can tell you, think strategically about how you want to present your personal “big picture.” We want to know who you are as a human being.”

As physicians, former medical school faculty, and medical school admissions committee members, this article will offer a step by step guide to simplify the medical school personal statement brainstorming and writing process.

By following the proven strategies outlined in this article, you will be and to write a personal statement that will earn you more medical school interviews . This proven approach has helped hundreds of medical school applicants get in to medical school the first time they apply!

Learn the 2024-2025 Medical School Personal Statement Prompts ( AMCAS , TMDSAS , AACOMAS )

The personal statement is the major essay portion of your primary application process. In it, you should describe yourself and your background, as well as any important early exposures to medicine, how and why medicine first piqued your interest, what you have done as a pre med, your personal experiences, and how you became increasingly fascinated with it. It’s also key to explain why medicine is the right career for you, in terms of both personal and intellectual fulfillment, and to show your commitment has continued to deepen as you learned more about the field.

The personal statement also offers you the opportunity to express who you are outside of medicine. What are your other interests? Where did you grow up? What did you enjoy about college? Figuring out what aspects of your background to highlight is important since this is one of your only chances to express to the med school admissions committee before your interview what is important to you and why.

However, it is important to consider the actual personal statement prompt for each system through which you will apply, AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS, since each is slightly different.

Getting into a medical school has never been more competitive. Let the experts at MedEdits help you with your medical school application materials. We’ve worked with more than 5,000 students and 94% have been admitted to medical school.

Need help with your Personal Statement?

Schedule a free 15 Minute Consultation with a MedEdits expert.

2024 AMCAS Personal Statement Prompt

The AMCAS personal statement instructions are as follows:

Use the Personal Comments Essay as an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Consider and write your Personal Comments Essay carefully; many admissions committees place significant weight on the essay. Here are some questions that you may want to consider while writing the essay:

• Why have you selected the field of medicine?
• What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
• What do you want medical schools to know about you that hasn’t been disclosed in other sections of the application?

In addition, you may wish to include information such as:

• Unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits
• Comments on significant fluctuations in your academic record that are not explained elsewhere in your application

As you can see, these prompts are not vague; there are fundamental questions that admissions committees want you to answer when writing your personal statement. While the content of your statement should be focused on medicine, answering the open ended third question is a bit trickier.

The AMCAS personal statement length is 5,300 characters with spaces maximum.

2024 TMDSAS Personal Statement Prompt

The TMDSAS personal statement is one of the most important pieces of your medical school application.

The TMDSAS personal statement prompt is as follows:

Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. Be sure to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

This TMDSAS prompt is very similar to the AMCAS personal statement prompt. The TMDSAS personal statement length is 5,000 characters with spaces whereas the AMCAS personal statement length is 5,300 characters with spaces. Most students use the same essay (with very minor modifications, if necessary) for both application systems.

You’ve been working hard on your med school application, reading medical school personal statement examples, editing, revising, editing and revising.  Make sure you know where you’re sending your personal statement and application.  Watch this important medical school admissions statistics video.

2024 AACOMAS Personal Statement Prompt

The AACOMAS personal statement is for osteopathic medical schools specifically. As with the AMCAS statement, you need to lay out your journey to medicine as chronologically as possible in 5,300 characters with spaces or less. So you essentially have the same story map as for an AMCAS statement. Most important, you must show you are interested in osteopathy specifically. Therefore, when trying to decide what to include or leave out, prioritize any osteopathy experiences you have had, or those that are in line with the osteopathic philosophy of the mind-body connection, the body as self-healing, and other tenets.

Medical School Application Timeline and When to Write your Personal Statement

If you’re applying to both allopathic and osteopathic schools, you can most likely use the same medical school personal statement for both AMCAS and AACOMAS. In fact, this is why AACOMAS changed the personal statement length to match the AMCAS length several years ago.

Most medical school personal statements can be used for AMCAS and AACOMAS.

Know the Required Medical School Personal Statement Length

Below are the medical schools personal statement length limits for each application system. As you can see, they are all very similar. When you start brainstorming and writing your personal statement, keep these limits in mind.

AMCAS Personal Statement Length : 5,300 characters with spaces.

As per the AAMC website :   “The available space for this essay is 5,300 characters (spaces are counted as characters), or approximately one page. You will receive an error message if you exceed the available space.”

AACOMAS Personal Statement Length : 5,300 characters with spaces

TMDSAS Personal Statement Length : 5,000 characters with spaces

As per the TMDSAS Website (Page 36): “The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. You are asked to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician. The essay is limited to 5000 characters, including spaces.”

Demonstrate Required Preprofessional Competencies

Next, your want to be aware of the nine preprofessional core competencies as outlined by the Association of American Medical Colleges . Medical school admissions committees want to see, as evidenced by your medical school personal statement and application, that you possess these qualities and characteristics. Now, don’t worry, medical school admissions committees don’t expect you to demonstrate all of them, but, you should demonstrate some.

• Service Orientation
• Social Skills
• Cultural Competence
• Oral Communication
• Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others
• Reliability and Dependability
• Resilience and Adaptability
• Capacity for Improvement

In your personal statement, you might be able to also demonstrate the four thinking and reasoning competencies:

• Critical Thinking
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Written Communication
• Scientific Inquiry

So, let’s think about how to address the personal statement prompts in a slightly different way while ensuring you demonstrate the preprofessional competencies. When writing your personal statement, be sure it answers the four questions that follow and you will “hit” most of the core competencies listed above.

1. What have you done that supports your interest in becoming a doctor?

I always advise applicants to practice “evidence based admissions.” The reader of your essay wants to see the “evidence” that you have done what is necessary to understand the practice of medicine. This includes clinical exposure, research, and community service, among other activities.

2. Why do you want to be a doctor?

This may seem pretty basic – and it is – but admissions officers need to know WHY you want to practice medicine. Many applicants make the mistake of simply listing what they have done without offering insights about those experiences that answer the question, “Why medicine?” Your reasons for wanting to be a doctor may overlap with those of other applicants. This is okay because the experiences in which you participated, the stories you can tell about those experiences, and the wisdom you gained are completely distinct—because they are only yours. 

“In admissions committee meetings we were always interested in WHY you wanted to earn a medical degree and how you would contribute to the medical school community.”

Medical school admissions committees want to know that you have explored your interest deeply and that you can reflect on the significance of these clinical experiences and volunteer work. But writing only that you “want to help people” does not support a sincere desire to become a physician; you must indicate why the medical profession in particular—rather than social work, teaching, or another “helping” profession—is your goal. 

3. How have your experiences influenced you?

It is important to show how your experiences are linked and how they have influenced you. How did your experiences motivate you? How did they affect what else you did in your life? How did your experiences shape your future goals? Medical school admissions committees like to see a sensible progression of involvements. While not every activity needs to be logically “connected” with another, the evolution of your interests and how your experiences have nurtured your future goals and ambitions show that you are motivated and committed.

4. Who are you as a person? What are your values and ideals?

Medical school admissions committees want to know about you as an individual beyond your interests in medicine, too. This is where answering that third open ended question in the prompt becomes so important. What was interesting about your background, youth, and home life? What did you enjoy most about college? Do you have any distinctive passions or interests? They want to be convinced that you are a good person beyond your experiences. Write about those topics that are unlikely to appear elsewhere in your statement that will offer depth and interest to your work and illustrate the qualities and characteristics you possess.

Related Articles:

• How to Get into Stanford Medical School
• How to Get into NYU Medical School
• How To Get Into Columbia Medical School
• How To Get Into UT Southwestern Medical School
• How To Get Into Harvard Medical School

Complete Your Personal Inventory and Outline (Example Below)

The bulk of your essay should be about your most valuable experiences, personal, academic, scholarly, clinical, academic and extracurricular activities that have impacted your path to medical school and through which you have learned about the practice of medicine. The best personal statements cover several topics and are not narrow in scope. Why is this important? Many different people with a variety of backgrounds, interests, and ideas of what makes a great medical student will be reading your essay. You want to make sure you essay has broad appeal.

The following exercise will help you to determine what experiences you should highlight in your personal statement. 

When composing your personal statement, keep in mind that you are writing, in effect, a “story” of how you arrived at this point in your life. But, unlike a “story” in the creative sense, yours must also offer convincing evidence for your decision to apply to medical school. Before starting your personal statement, create an experience- based personal inventory:

• Write down a list of the most important experiences in your life and your development. The list should be all inclusive and comprise those experiences that had the most impact on you. Put the list, which should consist of personal, extracurricular, and academic events, in chronological order.
• From this list, determine which experiences you consider the most important in helping you decide to pursue a career in medicine. This “experience oriented” approach will allow you to determine which experiences best illustrate the personal competencies admissions committees look for in your written documents. Remember that you must provide evidence for your interest in medicine and for most of the personal qualities and characteristics that medical school admissions committees want to see.
• After making your list, think about why each “most important” experience was influential and write that down. What did you observe? What did you learn? What insights did you gain? How  did the experience influence your path and choices?
• Then think of a story or illustration for why each experience was important.
• After doing this exercise, evaluate each experience for its significance and influence and for its “story” value. Choose to write about those experiences that not only were influential but that also will provide interesting reading, keeping in mind that  your goal is to weave the pertinent experiences together into a compelling story. In making your choices, think about how you will link each experience and transition from one topic to the next.
• Decide which of your listed experiences you will use for your introduction first (see below for more about your introduction). Then decide which experiences you will include in the body of your personal statement, create a general outline, and get writing!

Remember, you will also have your work and activities entries and your secondary applications to write in more detail about your experiences. Therefore, don’t feel you must pack everything in to your statement!

Craft a Compelling Personal Statement Introduction and Body

You hear conflicting advice about application essays. Some tell you not to open with a story. Others tell you to always begin with a story. Regardless of the advice you receive, be sure to do three things:

• Be true to yourself. Everyone will have an opinion regarding what you should and should not write. Follow your own instincts. Your personal statement should be a reflection of you, and only you.
• Start your personal statement with something catchy.  Think about the list of potential topics above.
• Don’t rush your work. Composing thoughtful documents takes time and you don’t want your writing and ideas to be sloppy and underdeveloped.

Most important is to begin with something that engages your reader. A narrative, a “story,” an anecdote written in the first or third person, is ideal. Whatever your approach, your first paragraph must grab your reader’s attention and motivate him to want to continue reading. I encourage applicants to start their personal statement by describing an experience that was especially influential in setting them on their path to medical school. This can be a personal or scholarly experience or an extracurricular one. Remember to avoid clichés and quotes and to be honest and authentic in your writing. Don’t try to be someone who you are not by trying to imitate personal statement examples you have read online or “tell them what you think they want to hear”; consistency is key and your interviewer is going to make sure that you are who you say you are!

When deciding what experiences to include in the body of your personal statement, go back to your personal inventory and identify those experiences that have been the most influential in your personal path and your path to medical school. Keep in mind that the reader wants to have an idea of who you are as a human being so don’t write your personal statement as a glorified resume. Include some information about your background and personal experiences that can give a picture of who you are as a person outside of the classroom or laboratory.

Ideally, you should choose two or three experiences to highlight in the body of your personal statement. You don’t want to write about all of your accomplishments; that is what your application entries are for!

Write Your Personal Statement Conclusion

In your conclusion, it is customary to “go full circle” by coming back to the topic—or anecdote—you introduced in the introduction, but this is not a must. Summarize why you want to be a doctor and address what you hope to achieve and your goals for medical school. Write a conclusion that is compelling and will leave the reader wanting to meet you.

Complete Personal Statement Checklist

When reading your medical school personal statement be sure it:

Shows insight and introspection

The best medical school personal statements tell a great deal about what you have learned through your experiences and the insights you have gained.

You want to tell your story by highlighting those experiences that have been the most influential on your path to medical school and to give a clear sense of chronology. You want your statement always to be logical and never to confuse your reader.

Is interesting and engaging

The best personal statements engage the reader. This doesn’t mean you must use big words or be a literary prize winner. Write in your own language and voice, but really think about your journey to medical school and the most intriguing experiences you have had.

Gives the reader a mental image of who you are

You want the reader to be able to envision you as a caregiver and a medical professional. You want to convey that you would be a compassionate provider at the bedside – someone who could cope well with crisis and adversity.

Illustrates your passion for, and commitment to, medicine

Your reader must be convinced that you are excited about and committed to a career in medicine!

Above all, your personal statement should be about you. Explain to your reader what you have done and why you want to be a doctor with insight, compassion, and understanding.

Medical School Personal Statement Myths

Also keep in mind some common myths about personal statements that I hear quite often:

My personal statement must have a theme.

Not true. The vast majority of personal statements do not have themes. In fact, most are somewhat autobiographical and are just as interesting as those statements that are woven around a “theme.” It is only the very talented writer who can creatively write a personal statement around a theme, and this approach often backfires since the applicant fails to answer the three questions above.

My personal statement must be no longer than one page.

Not true. This advice is antiquated and dates back to the days of the written application when admissions committees flipped through pages. If your personal statement is interesting and compelling, it is fine to use the entire allotted space. The application systems have incorporated limits for exactly this reason! Many students, depending on their unique circumstances, can actually undermine their success by limiting their personal statement to a page. That said, never max out a space just for the sake of doing so. Quality writing and perspectives are preferable to quantity.

My personal statement should not describe patient encounters or my personal medical experiences.

Not true. Again, the actual topics on which you focus in your personal statement are less important than the understanding you gained from those experiences. I have successful clients who have written extremely powerful and compelling personal statements that included information about clinical encounters – both personal and professional. Write about whichever experiences were the most important on your path to medicine. It’s always best, however, to avoid spending too much space on childhood and high school activities. Focus instead on those that are more current.

In my personal statement I need to sell myself.

Not exactly true. You never want to boast in your personal statement. Let your experiences, insights, and observations speak for themselves. You want your reader to draw the conclusion – on his or her own – that you have the qualities and characteristics the medical school seeks. Never tell what qualities and characteristics you possess; let readers draw these conclusions on their own based on what you write.

Medical School Personal Statement Examples and Analysis for Inspiration

Below are examples of actual medical school personal statements. You can also likely find medical school personal statements on Reddit.

AMCAS Medical School Personal Statement Example and Analysis #1 with Personal Inventory  

We will use Amy to illustrate the general process of writing an application to medical school, along with providing the resulting documents. Amy will first list those experiences, personal, extracurricular, and scholarly, that have been most influential in two areas: her life in general and her path to medical school. She will put this personal inventory in chronologic order for use in composing her personal statement.

She will then select those experiences that were the most significant to her and will reflect and think about why they were important. For her application entries, Amy will write about each experience, including those that she considers influential in her life but not in her choice of medicine, in her application entries. Experiences that Amy will not write about in her activity entries or her personal statement are those that she does not consider most influential in either her life or in her choice of medicine.

Amy’s personal inventory (from oldest to most recent)

• Going with my mom to work. She is a surgeon — I was very curious about what she did. I was intrigued by the relationships she had with patients and how much they valued her efforts. I also loved seeing her as “a doctor” since, to me, she was just “mom.”
• I loved biology in high school. I started to think seriously about medicine then. It was during high school that I became fascinated with biology and how the human body worked. I would say that was when I thought, “Hmm, maybe I should be a doctor.”
• Grandmother’s death, senior year of high school. My grandmother’s death was tragic. It was the first time I had ever seen someone close to me suffer. It was one of the most devastating experiences in my life.
• Global Health Trip to Guatemala my freshman year of college. I realized after going to Guatemala that I had always taken my access to health care for granted. Here I saw children who didn’t have basic health care. This made me want to become a physician so I could give more to people like those I met in Guatemala.
• Sorority involvement. Even though sorority life might seem trivial, I loved it. I learned to work with different types of people and gained some really valuable leadership experience.
• Poor grades in college science classes. I still regret that I did badly in my science classes. I think I was immature and was also too involved in other activities and didn’t have the focus I needed to do well. I had a 3.4 undergraduate GPA.
• Teaching and tutoring Jose, a child from Honduras. In a way, meeting Jose in a college tutoring program brought my Guatemala experience to my home. Jose struggled academically, and his parents were immigrants and spoke only Spanish, so they had their own challenges. I tried to help Jose as much as I could. I saw that because he lacked resources, he was at a tremendous disadvantage.
• Volunteering at Excellent Medical Center. Shadowing physicians at the medical center gave me a really broad view of medicine. I learned about different specialties, met many different patients, and saw both great and not-so-great physician role models. Counselor at Ronald McDonald House. Working with sick kids made me appreciate my health. I tried to make them happy and was so impressed with their resilience. It made me realize that good health is everything.
• Oncology research. Understanding what happens behind the scenes in research was fascinating. Not only did I gain some valuable research experience, but I learned how research is done.
• Peer health counselor. Communicating with my peers about really important medical tests gave me an idea of the tremendous responsibility that doctors have. I also learned that it is important to be sensitive, to listen, and to be open-minded when working with others.
• Clinical Summer Program. This gave me an entirely new view of medicine. I worked with the forensics department, and visiting scenes of deaths was entirely new to me. This experience added a completely new dimension to my understanding of medicine and how illness and death affect loved ones.
• Emergency department internship. Here I learned so much about how things worked in the hospital. I realized how important it was that people who worked in the clinical department were involved in creating hospital policies. This made me understand, in practical terms, how an MPH would give me the foundation to make even more change in the future.
• Master’s in public health. I decided to get an MPH for two reasons. First of all, I knew my undergraduate science GPA was an issue so I figured that graduate level courses in which I performed well would boost my record. I don’t think I will write this on my application, but I also thought the degree would give me other skills if I didn’t get into medical school, and I knew it would also give me something on which I could build during medical school and in my career since I was interested in policy work.

As you can see from Amy’s personal inventory list, she has many accomplishments that are important to her and influenced her path. The most influential personal experience that motivated her to practice medicine was her mother’s career as a practicing physician, but Amy was also motivated by watching her mother’s career evolve. Even though the death of her grandmother was devastating for Amy, she did not consider this experience especially influential in her choice to attend medical school so she didn’t write about it in her personal statement.

Amy wrote an experience-based personal statement, rich with anecdotes and detailed descriptions, to illustrate the evolution of her interest in medicine and how this motivated her to also earn a master’s in public health.

Amy’s Medical School Personal Statement Example:

She was sprawled across the floor of her apartment. Scattered trash, decaying food, alcohol bottles, medication vials, and cigarette butts covered the floor. I had just graduated from college, and this was my first day on rotation with the forensic pathology department as a Summer Scholar, one of my most valuable activities on the path to medical school. As the coroner deputy scanned the scene for clues to what caused this woman’s death, I saw her distraught husband. I did not know what to say other than “I am so sorry.” I listened intently as he repeated the same stories about his wife and his dismay that he never got to say goodbye. The next day, alongside the coroner as he performed the autopsy, I could not stop thinking about the grieving man.

Discerning a cause of death was not something I had previously associated with the practice of medicine. As a child, I often spent Saturday mornings with my mother, a surgeon, as she rounded on patients. I witnessed the results of her actions, as she provided her patients a renewed chance at life. I grew to honor and respect my mother’s profession. Witnessing the immense gratitude of her patients and their families, I quickly came to admire the impact she was able to make in the lives of her patients and their loved ones.

I knew I wanted to pursue a career in medicine as my mother had, and throughout high school and college I sought out clinical, research, and volunteer opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of medicine. After volunteering with cancer survivors at Camp Ronald McDonald, I was inspired to further understand this disease. Through my oncology research, I learned about therapeutic processes for treatment development. Further, following my experience administering HIV tests, I completed research on point-of-care HIV testing, to be instituted throughout 26 hospitals and clinics. I realized that research often served as a basis for change in policy and medical practice and sought out opportunities to learn more about both.

All of my medically related experiences demonstrated that people who were ‘behind the scenes’ and had limited or no clinical background made many of the decisions in health care. Witnessing the evolution of my mother’s career further underscored the impact of policy change on the practice of medicine. In particular, the limits legislation imposed on the care she could provide influenced my perspective and future goals. Patients whom my mother had successfully treated for more than a decade, and with whom she had long-standing, trusting relationships, were no longer able to see her, because of policy coverage changes. Some patients, frustrated by these limitations, simply stopped seeking the care they needed. As a senior in college, I wanted to understand how policy transformations came about and gain the tools I would need to help effect administrative and policy changes in the future as a physician. It was with this goal in mind that I decided to complete a master’s in public health program before applying to medical school.

As an MPH candidate, I am gaining insight into the theories and practices behind the complex interconnections of the healthcare system; I am learning about economics, operations, management, ethics, policy, finance, and technology and how these entities converge to impact delivery of care. A holistic understanding of this diverse, highly competitive, market-driven system will allow me, as a clinician, to find solutions to policy, public health, and administration issues. I believe that change can be more effective if those who actually practice medicine also decide where improvements need to be made.

For example, as the sole intern for the emergency department at County Medical Center, I worked to increase efficiency in the ED by evaluating and mapping patient flow. I tracked patients from point of entry to point of discharge and found that the discharge process took up nearly 35% of patients’ time. By analyzing the reasons for this situation, in collaboration with nurses and physicians who worked in the ED and had an intimate understanding of what took place in the clinical area, I was able to make practical recommendations to decrease throughput time. The medical center has already implemented these suggestions, resulting in decreased length of stays. This example illustrates the benefit of having clinicians who work ‘behind the scenes’ establish policies and procedures, impacting operational change and improving patient care. I will also apply what I have learned through this project as the business development intern at Another Local Medical Center this summer, where I will assist in strategic planning, financial analysis, and program reviews for various clinical departments.

Through my mother’s career and my own medical experiences, I have become aware of the need for clinician administrators and policymakers. My primary goal as a physician will be to care for patients, but with the knowledge and experience I have gained through my MPH, I also hope to effect positive public policy and administrative changes.

What’s Good About Amy’s Medical School Personal Statement:  

Paragraphs 1 and 2: Amy started her personal statement by illustrating a powerful experience she had when she realized that medical caregivers often feel impotent, and how this contrasted with her understanding of medicine as a little girl going with her mother to work. Recognition of this intense contrast also highlights Amy’s maturity.

Paragraph 3: Amy then “lists” a few experiences that were important to her.

Paragraph 4: Amy describes the commonality in some of her experiences and how her observations were substantiated by watching the evolution of her mother’s practice. She then explains how this motivated her to earn an MPH so she could create change more effectively as a physician than as a layman.

Paragraph 5: Amy then explains how her graduate degree is helping her to better understand the “issues in medicine” that she observed.

Paragraph 6: Amy then describes one exceptional accomplishment she had that highlights what she has learned and how she has applied it.

Paragraph 7: Finally, Amy effectively concludes her personal statement and summarizes the major topics addressed in her essay.

As you can see, Amy’s statement has excellent flow, is captivating and unusual, and illustrates her understanding of, and commitment to, medicine. She also exhibits, throughout her application entries and statement, the personal competencies, characteristics, and qualities that medical school admissions officers are seeking. Her application also has broad appeal; reviewers who are focused on research, cultural awareness, working with the underserved, health administration and policy, teaching, or clinical medicine would all find it of interest.

med school personal statement examples

Osteopathic Medical School Personal Statement Example and Analysis #2

Medical School Personal Statement Example Background: This is a nontraditional applicant who applied to osteopathic medical schools. With a 500 and a 504 on the MCAT , he needed to showcase how his former career and what he learned through his work made him an asset. He also needed to convey why osteopathic medicine was an ideal fit for him. The student does an excellent job illustrating his commitment to medicine and explaining why and how he made the well-informed decision to leave his former career to pursue a career in osteopathic medicine.

What’s Good About It: A nontraditional student with a former career, this applicant does a great job outlining how and why he decided to pursue a career in medicine. Clearly dedicated to service, he also does a great job making it clear he is a good fit for osteopathic medical school and understands this distinctions of osteopathic practice.. 

Working as a police officer, one comes to expect the unexpected, but sometimes, when the unexpected happens, one can’t help but be surprised. In November 20XX, I had been a police officer for two years when my partner and I happened to be nearby when a man had a cardiac emergency in Einstein Bagels. Entering the restaurant, I was caught off guard by the lifeless figure on the floor, surrounded by spilled food. Time paused as my partner and I began performing CPR, and my heart raced as I watched color return to the man’s pale face.

Luckily, paramedics arrived within minutes to transport him to a local hospital. Later, I watched as the family thanked the doctors who gave their loved one a renewed chance at life. That day, in the “unexpected,” I confirmed that I wanted to become a physician, something that had attracted me since childhood.

I have always been enthralled by the science of medicine and eager to help those in need but, due to life events, my path to achieving this dream has been long. My journey began following high school when I joined the U.S. Army. I was immature and needed structure, and I knew the military was an opportunity to pursue my medical ambitions. I trained as a combat medic and requested work in an emergency room of an army hospital. At the hospital, I started IVs, ran EKGs, collected vital signs, and assisted with codes. I loved every minute as I was directly involved in patient care and observed physicians methodically investigating their patients’ signs and symptoms until they reached a diagnosis. Even when dealing with difficult patients, the physicians I worked with maintained composure, showing patience and understanding while educating patients about their diseases. I observed physicians not only as clinicians but also as teachers. As a medic, I learned that I loved working with patients and being part of the healthcare team, and I gained an understanding of acute care and hospital operations.

Following my discharge in 20XX, I transferred to an army reserve hospital and continued as a combat medic until 20XX. Working as a medic at several hospitals and clinics in the area, I was exposed to osteopathic medicine and the whole body approach to patient care. I was influenced by the D.O.s’ hands-on treatment and their use of manipulative medicine as a form of therapy. I learned that the body cannot function properly if there is dysfunction in the musculoskeletal system.

In 20XX, I became a police officer to support myself as I finished my undergraduate degree and premed courses. While working the streets, I continued my patient care experiences by being the first to care for victims of gunshot wounds, stab wounds, car accidents, and other medical emergencies. In addition, I investigated many unknown causes of death with the medical examiner’s office. I often found signs of drug and alcohol abuse and learned the dangers and power of addiction. In 20XX, I finished my undergraduate degree in education and in 20XX, I completed my premed courses.

Wanting to learn more about primary care medicine, in 20XX I volunteered at a community health clinic that treats underserved populations. Shadowing a family physician, I learned about the physical exam as I looked into ears and listened to the hearts and lungs of patients with her guidance. I paid close attention as she expressed the need for more PCPs and the important roles they play in preventing disease and reducing ER visits by treating and educating patients early in the disease process. This was evident as numerous patients were treated for high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and diabetes, all conditions that can be resolved or improved by lifestyle changes. I learned that these changes are not always easy for many in underserved populations as healthier food is often more expensive and sometimes money for prescriptions is not available. This experience opened my eyes to the challenges of being a physician in an underserved area.

The idea of disease prevention stayed with me as I thought about the man who needed CPR. Could early detection and education about heart disease have prevented his “unexpected” cardiac event? My experiences in health care and law enforcement have confirmed my desire to be an osteopathic physician and to treat the patients of the local area. I want to eliminate as many medical surprises as I can.

Texas Medical School Personal Statement Example and Analysis #3

Medical School Personal Statement Example Background: This applicant, who grew up with modest means, should be an inspiration to us all. Rather than allowing limited resources to stand in his way, he took advantage of everything that was available to him. He commuted to college from home and had a part-time job so he was stretched thin, and his initial college performance suffered. However, he worked hard and his grades improved. Most medical school admissions committees seek out applicants like this because, by overcoming adversity and succeeding with limited resources, they demonstrate exceptional perseverance, maturity, and dedication. His accomplishments are, by themselves, impressive and he does an outstanding job of detailing his path, challenges, and commitment to medicine. He received multiple acceptances to top medical schools and was offered scholarships.

What’s Good About It: This student does a great job opening his personal statement with a beautifully written introduction that immediately takes the reader to Central America. He then explains his path, why he did poorly early in college, and goes on to discuss his academic interests and pursuits. He is also clearly invested in research and articulates that he is intellectually curious, motivated, hard working, compassionate and committed to a career in medicine by explaining his experiences using interesting language and details. This is an intriguing statement that makes clear the applicant is worthy of an interview invitation. Finally, the student expresses his interest in attending medical school in Texas.

They were learning the basics of carpentry and agriculture. The air was muggy and hot, but these young boys seemed unaffected, though I and my fellow college students sweated and often complained. As time passed, I started to have a greater appreciation for the challenges these boys faced. These orphans, whom I met and trained in rural Central America as a member of The Project, had little. They dreamed of using these basic skills to earn a living wage. Abandoned by their families, they knew this was their only opportunity to re-enter society as self- sufficient individuals. I stood by them in the fields and tutored them after class. And while I tried my best to instill in them a strong work ethic, it was the boys who instilled in me a desire to help those in need. They gave me a new perspective on my decision to become a doctor.

I don’t know exactly when I decided to become a physician; I have had this goal for a long time. I grew up in the inner city of A City, in Texas and attended magnet schools. My family knew little about higher education, and I learned to seek out my own opportunities and advice. I attended The University with the goal of gaining admission to medical school. When I started college, I lacked the maturity to focus on academics and performed poorly. Then I traveled to Central America. Since I was one of the few students who spoke Spanish, many of the boys felt comfortable talking with me. They saw me as a role model.

The boys worked hard so that they could learn trades that would help them to be productive members of society. It was then I realized that my grandparents, who immigrated to the US so I would have access to greater opportunities, had done the same. I felt like I was wasting what they had sacrificed for me. When I returned to University in the fall, I made academics my priority and committed myself to learn more about medicine .

Through my major in neuroscience, I strengthened my understanding of how we perceive and experience life. In systems neurobiology, I learned the physiology of the nervous system. Teaching everything from basic neural circuits to complex sensory pathways, Professor X provided me with the knowledge necessary to conduct research in Parkinson’s disease. My research focused on the ability of antioxidants to prevent the onset of Parkinson’s, and while my project was only a pilot study at the time, Professor X encouraged me to present it at the National Research Conference. During my senior year, I developed the study into a formal research project, recruiting the help of professors of statistics and biochemistry.

Working at the School of Medicine reinforced my analytical skills. I spent my summer in the department of emergency medicine, working with the department chair, Dr. Excellent. Through Dr. Excellent’s mentorship, I participated in a retrospective study analyzing patient charts to determine the efficacy of D-dimer assays in predicting blood clots. The direct clinical relevance of my research strengthened my commitment and motivated my decision to seek out more clinical research opportunities.

A growing awareness of the role of human compassion in healing has also influenced my choice to pursue a career in medicine. It is something no animal model or cell culture can ever duplicate or rival. Working in clinical research has allowed me to see the selflessness of many physicians and patients and their mutual desire to help others. As a research study assistant in the department of surgery, I educate and enroll patients in clinical trials. One such study examines the role of pre-operative substance administration in tumor progression. Patients enrolled in this study underwent six weeks of therapy before having the affected organ surgically excised. Observing how patients were willing to participate in this research to benefit others helped me understand the resiliency of the human spirit.

Working in clinical trials has enabled me to further explore my passion for science, while helping others. Through my undergraduate coursework and participation in volunteer groups I have had many opportunities to solidify my goal to become a physician. As I am working, I sometimes think about my second summer in Central America. I recall how one day, after I had turned countless rows of soil in scorching heat, one of the boys told me that I was a trabajador verdadero—a true worker. I paused as I realized the significance of this comment. While the boy may not have been able to articulate it, he knew I could identify with him. What the boy didn’t know, however, was that had my grandparents not decided to immigrate to the US, I would not have the great privilege of seizing opportunities in this country and writing this essay today. I look forward to the next step of my education and hope to return home to Texas where I look forward to serving the communities I call home.

Final Thoughts

Above all, and as stated in this article numerous times, your personal statement should be authentic and genuine. Write about your path and and journey to this point in your life using anecdotes and observations to intrigue the reader and illustrate what is and was important to you. Good luck!

Medical School Personal Statement Help & Consulting

If all this information has you staring at your screen like a deer in the headlights, you’re not alone. Writing a superb medical school personal statement can be a daunting task, and many applicants find it difficult to get started writing, or to express everything they want to say succinctly. That’s where MedEdits can help. You don’t have to have the best writing skills to compose a stand-out statement. From personal-statement editing alone to comprehensive packages for all your medical school application needs, we offer extensive support and expertise developed from working with thousands of successful medical school applicants. We can’t promise applying to medical school will be stress-free, but most clients tell us it’s a huge relief not to have to go it alone.

MedEdits offers personal statement consulting and editing. Our goal when working with students is to draw out what makes each student distinctive. How do we do this? We will explore your background and upbringing, interests and ideals as well as your accomplishments and activities. By helping you identify the most distinguishing aspects of who you are, you will then be able to compose an authentic and genuine personal statement in your own voice to capture the admissions committee’s attention so you are invited for a medical school interview. Our unique brainstorming methodology has helped hundreds of aspiring premeds gain acceptance to medical school.

Sample Medical School Personal Statement

Example Medical School Personal Statement

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Post: How to Write a Personal Statement for Medical School in 2024

Gain advice for each section of the essay along with the major dos and dont's for a personal statement..

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: introduction paragraph, part 3: body paragraphs, part 4: conclusion paragraph, part 5: dos and dont's, part 6: free workshop.

Undoubtedly, the medical school personal statement, whether for AAMC, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS, is no easy feat. My best advice for students on how to write their personal statement for medical school is to tell me your story. After reading a multitude of personal statements, I have learned that no two stories surrounding the journey to medicine are the same. This is the very idea that makes individuals in medicine distinct through a collection of both diversity of thought and experience. It is a culmination of those stories that allow us to treat patients with the utmost respect and care. Now, how can you tell your story? Let me lead you through that now… 

There are three crucial elements of the introduction and are the glue that holds not only the introduction together but also the med school personal statement itself: the hook , narrative lead, and thesis statement .

It is of the utmost importance, regardless of how strong your motivation to become a doctor is, to grab the reader’s attention immediately with the first sentence. As you can imagine, medical school admissions committees read hundreds of personal statements. Therefore, our goal should be to make yours stand out among the rest. Are you considering a description of a specific experience or instance in your life? If so, try to use vivid language inundated with imagery. Doing so will allow an emotional and perhaps sensory connection to what you are attempting to articulate. For instance:

BEFORE : I sat in the hospital waiting room eager for what was to come. 

AFTER : My hair stood on end as my stomach tied itself in knots. I could feel the cold hospital air dance around me, nearly taunting me due to the fact that I was unsure of what was to come next.

As you can see, the latter example allows for an extensive description of the scene which places the reader in the scene. Not only does this style make for an aesthetic read but draws the reader into the text, forcing them to continue reading for more.

The Narrative Lead

Next, we can develop a narrative lead. A narrative lead is essentially a continuation of your hook. The language that you used in order to create a hook for the personal statement is the same language we will use for the narrative lead. Focus on really developing the scene and story. Consider the following questions after drafting out the scene:

• Why am I telling the medical school admissions committee this story? 
• What does this experience mean for my candidacy for medical school?
• What have I learned as a result of this experience and what does it mean for my future medical education and career in medicine?

These questions will allow you to make the successful transition from a narrative tone to the thesis statement.

The Thesis Statement

Finally, the thesis statement is absolutely CRITICAL. I generally flinch when people use capitals, though I want to really catch your attention here. If you take anything away from this, remember that the thesis will be the cornerstone of your personal statement. Without it, the essay lacks a particular level of organization and structure. To that end, the rest of the personal statement will inadvertently tie into the thesis statement, allowing the writing to truly come full-circle with details that are intricately linked together. The thesis statement will not only discuss your motivation to become a physician or pursue medicine but also encompass the themes you will discuss in your body paragraphs. Oftentimes, you may write the remainder of the personal statement and return the thesis once you have developed those body paragraphs. 

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Briefly think to yourself, “ what are the 3-4 experiences, qualities, or characteristics I want to convey to the admissions committee? ” Alternatively, from your initial narrative lead, what is the next logical progression in your story? Did you describe the moment you decided to pursue medicine and the next chapter of your story was volunteering in the hospital or seeking a medical scribing position? We might include these aspects in order to continue telling the story, though be sure to do this in a way that makes sense to you.  It is essential to have your voice permeate the personal statement. Afterall, it is a personal statement. 

Regardless of the experience or next chapter you lay out, make the connection as to how or why it is relevant and/or significant to your future. How does volunteering at the hospital relate to your future? Was there a specific instance that caught your attention and taught you a lesson of which you hold to a high regard? Include it! For each paragraph, try to make the connection back to the thesis statement in one way or another. A simpler way to do this would be to have the thesis tie into the major themes of the paragraphs. In order to do so, read each paragraph aloud and ask yourself, “ what is the overarching theme I am trying to demonstrate to the reader with this paragraph? ” Then, plug each of those themes into the thesis statement to allow for a cohesive read.

It may feel like at this point the pressure is off, but try not to get too comfortable just yet! The conclusion often presents a unique set of challenges as we must summarize what we talked about without being too repetitive or redundant. A creative way to do so is to refer back to your initial narrative lead. Was there a part of the story you left out that you can incorporate to make the story come full-circle? Is there a specific aspect of the narrative that stood out of which you can make the connection back to? Furthermore, the conclusion will serve as the last words you will leave with the reader. Therefore, we certainly want them to be powerful and allow your voice to diffuse through the personal statement conclusion as well. Consider concluding with closing remarks regarding your motivation to become a physician or pursue medicine, though try to bring a fresh and new perspective.

As you can tell, the medical school personal statement has a lot of moving parts. Regardless, the important thing to remember is that this is your story and only you know it best. Never allow anyone to minimize the impact of your story and inadvertently, your voice. Personally, this is something I am immensely passionate about and I always try to encourage students when I am afforded the opportunity to read their essays. I was always told that writing about a parent or loved one that died is cliche, though it is certainly not cliche for me. It is my story and that is what I stood by and still stand by. Afterall, how could I not use my voice to describe one of the biggest moments of which formed who I am today? I now use my voice to help cultivate encouragement, support, and the creative process in those seeking to tell their own story. 

I leave you with a few final tips in the way of DOs and DON’Ts:

Part 5: Personal Statement Dos and Dont's

• Be confident and tell your story. Along those lines, never allow someone to minimize your story.
• Take your time and critically consider what it is you would like the admissions committee to know about you. 
• Allow yourself to write unrestrained. Ignore the character count initially as sometimes students become hyper-aware of this and limit their creative thought process.
• Once you have your content, structure, and organization settled, THEN work towards meeting the character count.
• Allow 1-2 people to look over your personal statement to provide constructive criticism. Remember, the Motivate MD team is available to guide you through edits and revisions of your personal statement. 
• Take a break from writing if you are feeling overwhelmed. Personally, writing in increments allows me a fresh perspective to pursue a new creative outlook. 
• Emphasize grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A red flag for admissions committees is careless writing in the way of poor grammar or multiple spelling mistakes.
• Demonstrate your passions, though be sure to include an experience or example of which fortifies your claim.
• Be specific. In regard to the last point, if you state you are passionate about helping underserved communities – why is that the case? 
• Focus on organization and structure as well as a clear flow throughout the personal statement.
• Make an outline beforehand. 
• Start early.

Personal Statement Dont's

• Place “blame” or point fingers at other healthcare professionals in your past. Often, mishandled experiences or mistakes in medicine are driving forces to pursuing a career in medicine. Regardless, always show respect.
• Appear arrogant or overconfident. Doing so may be what gets your essay placed in the “no” pile as opposed to the “yes” pile. 
• Use a pseudonym in quotations with the first use to denote to the reader this is, in fact, a fictional name. Then, you may drop the quotations afterwards. 
• Use initials or an entirely fictional name altogether. 
• Plagarize or use content of which was not 100% your own. 
• Be generic or use a famous quotation.
• Include statistics – including GPA or MCAT scores. This is listed in a specific section on the medical school application so we can certainly save the characters for other valuable details about you.
• Reiterate similar aspects of which may be in your activities section.

Remember to take the personal statement in stride – this can certainly be one of the most challenging elements for science-minded pre-medical students. Needless to say, myself and the entire Motivate MD team is in your corner. If you have questions or are stuck, you know where to find us. 

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Medical School Personal Statement Advice: 8 Key Factors

• By Amit Pandey, M.D.
• January 27, 2022
• Medical School Application , Personal Statement

Many students feel the same way when it comes to writing a personal statement. Don’t worry, we’re not going to say excited or motivated . The feeling is dread and apprehension. And these feelings are not unfounded.

It’s difficult and even nerve-wracking to craft an essay that at once provides a cohesive summary of your life experience and demonstrates why these experiences make you fit to become a doctor. It’s not an easy task, which is why it’s important to seek out medical school personal statement advice from those who have years of experience working with students and directly on admissions committees.

With thoughtful preparation and an organized approach, the medical school personal statement can be a manageable (and even enjoyable) experience. There’s joy in producing something you are proud of, which you know will strengthen your application.

After reading the following key strategies, check out our Step-by-Step Guide: How to Write a Medical School Personal Statement .

1 | Read Examples of Real Personal Statements

A good way to start any task is to have a clear idea of what your goal or endpoint might look like. Reading successful personal statements may provide the inspiration or direction you need. Plus, it’s worthwhile to have a roadmap based on strong past personal statements.

Don’t read a statement thinking you’ll be able to copy it; read several personal statements to understand the themes, concepts, and strategies that might be successful. Every statement is different, as each individual is unique. There’s no cookie-cutter approach that will be successful for all.

If you have a relationship with anyone who has matriculated to medical school, consider asking if they’re willing to share their statement with you as an example. Med School Insiders has a database of personal statements that successfully resulted in medical school acceptance.

How to Start the Medical School Personal Statement

2 | Reflect on Past Experiences

Start by thinking about why you want to be a doctor. What moments in your past sparked your inspiration and dedication?

Honestly, most people have the same reasons: an intellectual interest in medicine and a desire to help people. Sound familiar? It’s okay to have the same motivations as the students you’re applying with. What you need to decide is which reasons are the most important to you and how your unique life experiences will help you succeed as a doctor.

What traits do you possess that make you an outstanding candidate? These traits will be unique to each individual but should tie into the values and components of medicine which interest you. Identify 3-4 personal strengths you want to illustrate. This is a personal decision that everyone needs to come to on their own.

Consider choosing experiences that correlate to some of the following categories. This is by no means an exhaustive list—your own personal statement should reflect your personal experiences.

• Compassion/passion for patient interaction
• Intellectual curiosity for medicine (academics, research, etc.)
• Dedication and discipline
• Perseverance over adversity
• Interpersonal/professional skills

How to Approach Your Personal Statement: Dos and Don’ts

3 | Outline Before Writing

Once you have reflected on the experiences and traits that will make up your statement, create an outline to structure your approach. Generally, personal statements will follow a structure similar to the following outline. Again, your statement can certainly deviate from this, but it’s a good place to start.

• Introduction/hook. (Use a strong hook. This is often an anecdote designed to catch the reader’s attention and entice them to keep reading.)
• Experience 1
• Experience 2
• Experience 3
• Conclusion (Generally summarizes and ties back to the introductory hook/theme. It should help the reader look towards the future and leave on a high note.)

With all that said, don’t get too caught up making sure you have the perfect idea and outline before you begin writing. Sometimes the best way to begin is by just writing and seeing where it takes you. The key is starting early to ensure you have enough time for plenty of editing, revisions, and rewriting.

Learn more about the Anatomy of a Stellar Medical School Personal Statement .

4 | Show, Don’t Tell

Simply listing your traits and accomplishments can come across like another version of your CV. This approach is boring and unpersuasive. You don’t want your personal statement to read like a resume, as this will not provide the personal touch necessary for a strong statement.

Instead of telling the reader you are motivated, conscientious, and passionate about medicine, show them through clearly illustrated examples. What experiences in your life show that you are motivated or conscientious? Provide proof through thoughtful memories, anecdotes, or stories that exemplify your strengths and desire to pursue medicine.

5 | Weave a Cohesive Story

It is crucial that your personal statement reads like a cohesive story with a beginning and end. It’s not just a random list of accomplishments. Use your introductory paragraph to introduce the theme or concept central to your desire to become a physician.

Each paragraph afterward should connect to and demonstrate that central theme. End the essay with a strong concluding statement that summarizes your main points and ties back to the introduction.

The whole personal statement should be a cohesive narrative that’s easy for the reader to follow. Stories are compelling, and they entice the reader to continue reading. What story are you trying to tell? What do you want the reader to come away with?

6 | Be Stringent About Spelling and Grammar

Spelling or grammar mistakes are automatic red flags that suggest carelessness and a lack of dedication. Do not take any chances. Use spell check functions in your word processor, Grammarly , and the Hemingway App , but do not depend on those alone.

It is imperative that you have people you trust read your statement carefully. A second, third, and fourth set of human eyes can uncover the errors you or the spelling and grammar apps may have missed.

7 | Get Lots of Feedback

Feedback from multiple sources is crucial. Be sure to have multiple trustworthy people read your statement. Perhaps even more importantly, seek the advice of individuals who have experience with the process. Remember that friends and family can help you review grammar and syntax, but they are inherently biased towards you, which means they won’t provide you with the tough insights you need to succeed.

Professors, research mentors, and recent medical school applicants are all great resources. For extra help, consider enlisting more formal assistance from a personal statement editing service. Med School Insiders has an outstanding medical school personal statement editing system with experienced physicians using a systematic yet personalized approach to ensure your success.

8 | Be Yourself

At the end of the day, honesty is the best policy. Be true to yourself. Don’t exaggerate, embellish, or lie about your experiences. It will become apparent at some point in the application process, and it will not serve you well.

The best personal statements reflect a genuine and honest answer to the questions: “ Why do you want to become a doctor? ” And, “ why are you a qualified candidate to do so? ” Stay true to yourself, and it will show in both your personal statement and your interviews . Remember that you could be asked about aspects of your personal statement during the interview process, so make sure you are comfortable speaking about the experiences you share in your essay.

Personal statements are key to securing an interview invitation. Take the time to reflect on yourself and your life experiences. You want to have a strong introduction, show your passion for the field, and convincingly convey what makes you ready to start this difficult yet exciting journey.

Do not hesitate to reach out to the Med School Insiders team . We offer Comprehensive Medical School Admissions Packages , including essay editing, one-on-one advising, and application editing services.

For more advice, read our free Guide to Understanding the Medical School Application Process .

Amit Pandey, M.D.

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The Admissions Strategist

How to write a medical school personal statement: write the perfect essay.

Medical school applications contain many components . With applicants so focused on MCAT scores, clinical experiences, and GPAs, one of these components is often overlooked or rushed: the medical school personal statement.

Although it may seem less significant than these other factors, your personal statement is important.

• It can help you get into the medical school of your dreams.

And if it’s done poorly, it can cause admissions counselors to wonder if you’re really the right person for their school.

• The average medical school acceptance rate is 7%. That means you don’t want to neglect any portion of your medical school application.
• And if you’re worried that you’re not the greatest writer, don’t be. Your personal statement is about far more than just writing skills.

In this ultimate guide, we’ll explain why medical school personal statements matter and how they’re evaluated by admissions counselors, plus share helpful tips and our list of top Do’s and Don’ts.

Let’s get started!

About Medical School Personal Statements

Most medical schools use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), which is essentially a common application for medical schools.

• That means you’ll only have to write your personal statement once, then use it to apply to multiple medical schools .

Schools not using the AMCAS include CUNY School of Medicine-The Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program and medical schools in the state of Texas, which use the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS).

The personal statement prompt for the AMCAS is:

“Use the space provided to explain exactly why you want to go to medical school.”

You have 5,300 characters in which to tell your story. In your personal statement, you will convey why you’ve chosen a career in medicine—and why medical schools should choose you.

The AMCAS application alone does not determine whether you get into any given medical school.

• This is only the first of three rounds. If a school likes your initial application, you’ll be invited to complete a second application. If all goes well with your second application, you will also be asked to interview.

Second round applications are different for each school and may involve answering several essay questions.

For many of those questions, you can apply the same principles and tips we’ll share here.

Why a personal statement is important

Just like the essays on an undergraduate college application , the medical school personal statement is your chance to show who you are beyond the numbers.

Your unique personality traits, experiences, and personal qualities can set you apart from similarly qualified applicants.

• With the medical school personal statement, you have the opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to the medical profession .

You can also highlight the character traits and personal qualities that make you an excellent fit for a medical career.

Of course, it’s important to note that medical schools are extremely competitive . Even the best personal statement will not overcome a low GPA and poor test scores.

• Equally important, however, is the fact that a stellar personal statement can make a borderline application more competitive. And it can make a competitive application a true standout.

With such intense competition for medical school seats, you want to maximize every opportunity to shine, and that includes your personal statement.

How medical school admissions counselors evaluate personal statements

Medical schools do a holistic evaluation of your application, meaning they look at the full picture.

This includes MCAT scores, GPA, experiences, awards, honors, extracurricular activities, and so on.

• They’re also looking for qualities like integrity, compassion, communication skills, a commitment to service, initiative, and motivation.

Your personal statement helps form a complete picture for admissions counselors. As they review your application and personal statement, admissions counselors want to know:

• How proficient you are academically
• Whether you’re likely to thrive in the culture of their school
• If your goals, qualities, and experiences align with the school’s goals and mission

When it comes to the personal statement, admissions counselors say it needs to be truthful and authentic.

• Raquel D. Arias, the associate dean of admissions at Keck School of Medicine, explains, “Applicants who speak in their own voice, without ‘spin,’ are especially valued.”
• Irene Tise, an admissions officer at Wake Forest’s School of Medicine, cautions, “And proofread carefully. There are no excuses for punctuation and grammatical errors.”

So, there’s no exact formula that admissions counselors will use to evaluate your personal statement.

It will help form a complete picture of who you are as an individual and who you may become as a physician.

Admissions counselors will look for evidence of positive personal qualities, consider your communication abilities and professionality, and try to gain an understanding of your genuine voice and personality.

Tips on writing a great personal statement

Use these tips to help you write the best essay. Let us know if you have any questions.

TIP #1: Understand the goal(s) of your personal statement

Your personal statement must clearly and convincingly convey:

• Specific qualities that will make you an excellent doctor
• Your passion for the medical field
• Your journey to medicine/why you want to be a doctor

Although a personal statement isn’t the same as a formal essay, it’s important to stay on topic.

Keep these goals in mind to ensure you don’t wander too far from the true purpose of your essay.

TIP #2: Brainstorm

Brainstorming before you start writing can also help you stay on topic and focused on your purpose. We recommend creating two lists:

1) A list of excellent and relevant personal qualities such as:

• Selflessness
• An interest in service
• Curiosity/passion for knowledge
• Persistence and dedication
• Listening and communication skills
• Motivation and work ethic

2) A list of experiences, events, or opportunities that inspired your passion for medicine and your career choice

It’s okay if some of your examples aren’t directly related to research or clinical experience.

In fact, finding other ways to highlight your qualities and interest in medicine can help you stand out.

• And medical school admissions counselors are tired of reading the same stories over and over.

Once you have these lists, choose 2-3 major events or experiences that led to your career choice and demonstrate some of the excellent personal qualities you listed.

TIP #3: Show why you’ll be a great doctor

Instead of simply stating that you’ll make an excellent doctor or that you’re ready to pursue medicine, show why these statements are true through describing major events that inspired you and made you want to become a physician.

After all, most medical school applicants will say that they’ll be great doctors.

• It’s more convincing to show that you’re a good fit for medicine through anecdotes and examples, rather than expecting admissions counselors to take your word for it.

Start your essay with a “hook” that engages the reader’s attention by drawing them into a story.

Begin right in the middle of a narrative about one of the events you’ve decided to write about (that led to your career choice and demonstrates relevant personal qualities).

TIP #4: Use specific details

As you write about these events and experiences, be sure to use specific details.

• Most future physicians have been drawn to the medical field through similar experiences, and many share similar qualities.
• Highly specific details are what make your essay one that no one else could have written.

This brings us back to the golden rule of writing: Show, don’t tell.

You’ve probably heard the writing advice “Show, don’t tell” many times, but you may not understand exactly what it means.

Here’s an example of how to “tell” that you are compassionate alongside an example of how to “show” this quality.

Throughout college, I have mentored young people in the community. Many come from disadvantaged backgrounds and homes where violence, drug abuse, or neglect were the norm. Although I couldn’t fix the problems of my mentees, I learned that offering support, compassion, and a listening ear was not insignificant. The same is true in medicine. While volunteering at the local hospital, I’ve had the opportunity to observe many brilliant doctors. The doctors who take extra time to listen, understand, and be empathetic to their patients are the doctors I most admire and hope to emulate.

Jeremy sobbed quietly, taking deep, shuddering breaths. He wiped his eyes on his favorite Spiderman T-shirt, the one he had been wearing hours earlier when he’d heard the news: His mother had been arrested again, and he may not see her for a very long time. What do you say to a ten-year-old child in that situation? I didn’t know, but I held Jeremy’s hand in mine for as long as he needed. I couldn’t solve Jeremy’s problem, or the problems of any of the children I mentored throughout college, but I learned that my presence, a listening ear, and kind words were not insignificant. (The essay could then use the segue, “The same is true in medicine” as in the above example.)

Both paragraphs are well-written, but the second stands out for its use of specific details, such as the favorite Spiderman T-shirt and the shuddering breaths.

• The second example draws the reader into the writer’s experience, which is much more powerful and memorable.

For medical school admissions counselors, being able to visualize a situation in which you offered compassion, rather than reading the words, “I offered support and compassion,” will make a far more lasting impression.

TIP #5: Reflect

Now, this is not to say that your essay should be all description and no direct explanation.

Although you’re encouraged to be creative, it’s a medical school personal statement, not a short story.

We recommend focusing on storytelling in your introductory paragraph. Then, weave specific details throughout the rest of your essay, but also make direct, reflective statements about:

• Why you chose to pursue certain experiences
• How the experiences made you feel
• What you learned and accomplished from various experiences
• How these experiences influenced your desire to work in medicine

Avoid specifically “telling” your positive qualities until the concluding paragraph.

After showing these qualities throughout the essay, you can directly state them in your conclusion.

Now, because you’ve already shown the reader that you truly possess these qualities, your statement will be convincing.

Your conclusion should highlight the qualities that will make you a great doctor, reiterate your passion for medicine, and briefly recap your “road to medicine.”

DO’s and DON’TS

These are critical do’s and don’ts that are pivotal to writing a strong medical school personal statement.

Follow these rules, and only break them if you are confident in your strategies.

Start early.

Your medical school application and personal statement will have a major impact on your future. Don’t procrastinate and give yourself just a week or so to write the essay.

• Start brainstorming early so you have time to let each part of the writing process percolate.

When you think you’re done, leave your essay for a few days, come back to it, and see if any additional inspiration strikes or if more changes are needed.

The more time you give yourself to work, the better quality you’ll be able to produce.

Write in chronological order if possible.

It provides your essay with some structure, and writing about events in the order that they occurred is generally easier for your reader to follow.

Provide a breath of fresh air.

Remember that the person reading your essay has probably been reading essays all day.

Many of the essays are likely very similar and somewhat dull.

If you can provide a pleasant interruption to a long day of poring over redundant personal statements, you’ll make an excellent impression on the admissions counselor.

Focus on depth over breadth.

Take a deep dive into a few meaningful experiences that have shaped your career path, rather than trying to tell your life story.

If you try to cram too much into your essay, you won’t be able to provide specific details or thoughtful reflection, and your essay will lose its power.

Stick to the rules.

Follow your word count!

Doing otherwise demonstrates that you think you’re above the rules or don’t know how to pay attention to detail—both bad signs for a future physician.

Have someone proofread.

Be sure to proofread your essay multiple times. It’s also best to have at least one person—but preferably multiple people—read over it.

• Someone with excellent writing skills should read your essay, along with someone who has medical knowledge.

Ask your proofreaders what impression they would get from your essay if they didn’t know you, if the essay was engaging for them, and if everything in your essay was clear.

Do they think there’s anything you could do to make it better?

Provide a laundry list of your extracurricular activities and accomplishments.

The admissions counselors are already familiar with your activities and accomplishments from the rest of your application.

• Your personal statement is not a resume and should not rehash information the counselors already know.

Bring something new to the table.

And if you do talk about experiences mentioned elsewhere, provide additional information or a new perspective.

Try too hard to impress.

Admissions counselors want to be able to “hear” your voice when they read your essay.

• If you try to pack your essay with four-syllable vocabulary words you would never use in real life, this won’t be possible.
• Also, the admissions team can tell when you aren’t being yourself.

A few impressive vocabulary words won’t hurt, but don’t come across as stuffy or pompous.

Write about a controversial topic.

You don’t know if the person reading your essay will share your views on hot button issues, so it’s best to avoid them.

Of course, you want to highlight your good qualities and demonstrate confidence in your abilities, but don’t overdo it.

• Sounding too self-congratulatory or engaging in over the top bragging can be a turn-off.

If you make it to the interview round, the interviewers are likely to use your personal statement (and potentially other essays) to inspire their questions.

If you exaggerate or make up information, your interview may reveal some inconsistencies. You may also freeze up or have difficulty answering questions based on untrue experiences.

Be honest and write about meaningful experiences, and answering related interview questions will be a breeze.

Medical school admissions counselors say they read many, many personal statements that begin, “I have wanted to be a doctor since…” “My dream of being a doctor began as a child playing…”, or, “I have always wanted to make a difference.”

• They frequently see stories about a time a doctor treated applicants well as a child, inspiring a career in medicine.

Other common ideas include sports injuries, wanting to make a relative proud, and wanting to serve others/improve lives.

Worry too much about being unique.

At the same time, don’t worry too much about being unique. It’s more about how you present your experiences than about what experiences you choose to share.

Simply use specific details, show instead of telling, and try to avoid overly cliché statements.

Final Thoughts: How to Write a Medical School Personal Statement

If you want to make your medical school application as competitive as possible (and we’re pretty sure you do), be sure to follow these tips when writing your personal statement.

• Clearly highlight your best relevant qualities and the experiences that have inspired you to become a doctor .
• Tell a story and include specific details that make your essay memorable and a pleasure to read.
• Show your personality, genuine voice, and ability to reflect on your experiences.

When you’re done, don’t forget to proofread—and have others proofread too!

You won’t get to interview until the third round. So for now, this is your one chance to make a favorable impression, show who you are, and stand out from the crowd.

An authentic, carefully crafted personal statement can help you do just that.

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A Personal Statement Checklist

Hi everyone,

With fellowship application season approaching, many of you are starting to write personal statements. Even if you plan to apply next year, or the year after that, or even if fellowship’s not for you, you’re still going to write a personal statement someday, so read on.

Before you begin, check out my PD Note on Personal statement “Do’s and Don’ts . The talent pool is deep and you want to rise to the top. A powerful essay will boost you.

Each year, I review more than 30 personal statements and without fail, common errors emerge. You don’t want to spend hours drafting an essay just to be told it needs an overhaul, so hopefully this checklist will help:

• Check your spelling: Make it perfect. Run a spell check.
• Check your grammar: Make this perfect too. Nix the bad syntax, misplaced commas, and run-on sentences. Read your essay out loud and hear how it sounds.
• Be compelling: Make it enticing. If you were a fellowship director, would you choose you?
• One page max: You may think your tome is riveting, but think again. Fellowship directors read hundreds of essays and you don’t want to make them yawn. Take pity. Be brief.
• Explain why you chose your field: Cut the hyperbole and be specific. Fellowship directors can see through dubious odes to their specialty, like how you swoon over pee or dream about diarrhea. You can’t out-love the competition’s affection for hormones or sputum. Instead, explain how a field aligns with your interests and skills. And don’t trash other specialties. Cardiology isn’t the only field that deals with life and death, and oncology isn’t the only specialty with novel treatments. Finally, don’t waste space on this topic: you’re obviously interested, because you’re applying. Move on.
• Show how you will contribute: Fellowship directors don’t really care about your happiness and fulfillment, at least when it comes to choosing fellows, but they’re laser focused on your academic potential. Tell them how you will advance the field.
• Show your sophistication: Demonstrate that you know where the field is going. For example, describe the significance of your research or consider how the specialty is likely to change during your career.
• Describe the skills you seek: These can include procedural, research, and teaching skills, like advanced endoscopy, trial design, and medical education training.
• Outline what you’re looking for in a fellowship: Examples could include basic science opportunities, exposure to specific patient populations, or access to graduate degrees. Make sure the fellowship’s mission aligns with your career plans.
• Map your trajectory: Academic fellowship directors aim to train funded investigators, master educators, and cutting-edge clinicians. They love to brag about their alumni. As much as you can, without being overly specific, look into your future. Be true to yourself- don’t pursue a research-intensive fellowship if you plan to become a master clinician. You’re looking for a match.
• Strive for coherence: Your narrative should make sense. It’s easier to convey an interest in investigation when you have extensive research experience, or an interest in teaching when you’re pursuing a Clinician Education Distinction. You’re permitted to change paths- for example, many MD PhDs become clinician educators, but explain the transition.
• Highlight your accomplishments: What makes you proud? Don’t rehash your CV. Provide context and color, and show your growth.
• If necessary, address questions and concerns: If you failed a test, took an extended leave, or got derailed temporarily, seize the narrative and address the issues here. If you get stuck, talk to a trusted advisor.
• Seek input: It’s easy to lose perspective, particularly after hours of writing and editing. When your eyes start glazing over, ask for help.

In the end, your personal statement should highlight your potential. Use the checklist. Make yourself shine.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone, and when your drafts are ready, send them to me for review.

Featured in this article

• Mark David Siegel, MD Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary); Program Director, Internal Medicine Traditional Residency Program

Medical School Personal Statement Hooks (13 Examples)

Medical school personal statement hooks, although they need to be used very carefully, can certainly help bring some personality and originality to an application.

Making up the introductory paragraph of your essay that leads the reader in, they’re also very important.

But it can be hard knowing where to start when it comes to putting them together. Or understanding what works best and why.

To help, I’ve decided to put together 13 hook examples in this article.

Adding my own small critique (on what I think does or doesn’t work), maybe they can offer some guidance when it comes to deciding what to use for your own hooks.

Along with examples, here’s what else we’ll cover to help you with your hooks:

• Hook topic ideas
• What makes a good/bad hook
• Tips on how to write an effective personal statement hook

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

What is a Hook?

A hook is the opening of an essay or a general theme or topic underpinning it.

It’s important because it’s the first thing the reader will see. Therefore it provides the best opportunity for engagement.

Depending on what your prompt is, the hooks you choose can differ across applications. It’ll need to fit a small percentage of the overall word count too (usually around 5,300 characters).

Related : Medical School Diversity Essay Prompts (21 Examples)

A hook can also start from anywhere. It can be a conclusion. Or an insight.

Many applicants choose to present it as a descriptive story rather than a simple “I” statement.

As you’ll see from the following examples!

13 Medical School Personal Statement Hook Examples

To really see and understand these hooks in action, it’s important you click through to those you like and read the examples in their broader context.

The ones picked out here (except those from Reddit) are the hooks included in the general introductions of larger essays.

Examples #1 and #2: General Vs Personal Hooks

“Hope to see you again next week,” I said, while handing the drug addict a packet of syringes. u/throwawatyyyy

Ma’am is this your son?” It was a question I always got as a kid, adopted into a biracial family that was not my own. u/boopboopthesnoot

These examples, taken from Reddit, show some insight into the value of hooks.

The first one received feedback for being a little too generic (overly focused on the “I want to be a doctor because I want to help people” trope) and clunky (using the words “drug addict”).

While the second is more successful; being more personal.

Examples #3 and #4: Engaging Hooks

My story begins at the age of six. I am dressed in a tiny suit with a miniature cello, the perfect size for a doll. It is the debut of The Aloha Trio: I am on cello, and my two older sisters are on violin and flute. My mother describes it as a way of sharing our Hawaiian spirit of “aloha” with a deserving audience. I think of it as torture.

My first patient was a man in his 60’s who fell down a few stairs at the hockey complex. His foot slipped out from under him while climbing the concrete steps, and he smashed his knee and elbow in the process. As a newly certified EMT, it was the first time I was responsible for another’s health. – U.S. News

The two examples here, held up as successful by the respective adcoms reviewing them, are commended for “capturing the reader’s imagination” and showing “clear motivation” as to why they want to become a doctor.

You’ll see the second example is much more measured and matter-of-fact in tone.

Admissions teams aren’t expecting masterful writing verging on “Creative Writing 101”.

Considered and well-thought-out hooks that engage without turning off are far more appropriate!

Examples #5 and #6: Poignant Vs Comedic Hooks

“I love Scriabin!” exclaimed Logan, a 19-year-old patient at the hospital, as we found a common interest in the obscure Russian composer. I knew Logan’s story because it was so similar to my own: a classically-trained pianist, he was ready to head off to college in a month, just as I had the year before. Yet it was Logan who was heading into surgery to remove a recently-discovered brain tumor.

At the beginning of the first Alternative Spring Break (ASB) meeting that I was leading in front of a group of nervous volunteers, I used an icebreaker, Two Truths and a Lie. Being a common face at my campus’s student activities, I have played this game perhaps one too many times. Unlike everyone else who had to take time to think about their interesting truths, I would say the same thing every time. “I want to be a pediatrician, I have alpacas, and I have llamas.” I do not have llamas. – Med School Insiders

Med School Insiders hold up the first example here as better than the second (based on the greater context).

Both hooks are strong. The second one, which uses an anecdote to draw the reader in, makes effective use of humor.

Be careful that your hook helps “show” rather than “tell” your suitability for medicine.

Examples #7 and #8: Narrative Vs Direct Hooks

I made my way to Hillary’s house after hearing about her alcoholic father’s incarceration. Seeing her tearfulness and at a loss for words, I took her hand and held it, hoping to make things more bearable. She squeezed back gently in reply, “thank you.” My silent gesture seemed to confer a soundless message of comfort, encouragement and support.

I was one of those kids who always wanted to be doctor. I didn’t understand the responsibilities and heartbreaks, the difficult decisions, and the years of study and training that go with the title, but I did understand that the person in the white coat stood for knowledge, professionalism, and compassion.  – BeMo

Example #7’s hook here seems to be a lot more impactful than #8’s.

The first is more personal and unique, the second a little too generic and expected.

Example #9: Inquisitive Hooks

Jeremy sobbed quietly, taking deep, shuddering breaths. He wiped his eyes on his favorite Spiderman T-shirt, the one he had been wearing hours earlier when he’d heard the news: His mother had been arrested again, and he may not see her for a very long time. What do you say to a ten-year-old child in that situation? – Transizion

This hook is a great example of capturing the reader and leaving them wanting more.

The use of the question forces the reader to be active in the story.

Your hook should always consider the reader.

Asking questions of them can be a useful way to achieve this.

Example #10: Authentic Hooks

New Orleans was hot and humid during the summer months of 2014–no surprise there. However, for a native Oregonian like me, waking up to 90-degree and 85%-humidity days initially seemed like too much to bear. That was until I reflected on the fact that my temporary discomfort was minute in contrast to the destruction of communities and emotional pounding experienced by the people of New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina nine years earlier. – Shemassian Consulting

This example hook has authenticity at its core, providing a tangible example of how the subject helped better the situation.

The individual doesn’t have to tell the reader they are compassionate, it’s shown by the events included in the hook itself.

As Shemassian suggests; your essay doesn’t need to have any “a-ha moment” or a sudden realization.

A slow unfurling story coupled with a descriptive, relatable hook, is often more realistic and grounded in the eyes of the reader.

Example #11 and #12: Contrarian Vs “Off-Topic” Hooks

Mary was well known at our clinic by all of our doctors, nurses, and medical staff. Based on her sharp intellect and cheerful pattern of making all of our staff feel like we were her best friends, it would be difficult to tell why she frequently visited the hospital. Outside of her use of a walker, her Parkinson’s disease diagnosis had not slowed her down much…I wanted to give her the best care possible, whether through asking our great nurses to check in on her or offering an extra blanket or favorite snack to ensure comfort throughout her stay. However, I was simultaneously frustrated that my ability to help Mary ended there. This lingering lack of fulfillment has served as a great motivator to find more ways to do more for patients like her.

My palms had never been as sweaty as when I walked on stage with my trombone in front of a 500-plus member audience on June 9 th , 2015. Sure, I was pretty good, but I would like to think that being invited to play Curtis Fuller’s  Along Came Betty  at the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame had as much to do with the music skills I had honed over the past decade as it did with training the 8-member band of 10 to 13 year-olds from the inner city to join me on that same stage. I was nervous because this performance was for them; I needed to be at my best. – Prospective Doctor

The first hook here shows good use of contrast.

The subject is at odds with their desire to help the patient but also held back from doing so. Hooks that express contrary viewpoints like this are often very impactful.

Hook #12 is great because it’s so different. We take a break from the common themes of medicine and are transported into another world (but still one with transferrable skills and experiences), which also leads us to want to find out more (did the performance go well?)

Depending on the prompt, your hook can go down unique avenues like this.

It doesn’t always need to start with direct relevance to medicine.

Example #13

The AIDS hospice reeked from disease and neglect. On my first day there, after an hour of “training,” I met Paul, a tall, emaciated, forty-year-old AIDS victim who was recovering from a stroke that had severely affected his speech. I took him to General Hospital for a long-overdue appointment. It had been weeks since he had been outside…While elated that I had literally made Paul’s day, the neglect and emotional isolation from which he suffered disgusted me. This was a harsh side of medicine I had not seen before. Right then and there, I wondered, “Do I really want to go into medicine?” – Accepted.com

Again, this hook is an example of making a contrary point while “showing” the applicant’s relevant extracurricular experience.

In a pile of 20-30 essays, I bet this hook stands out.

Questioning if you even want to go into medicine in the introduction of a med school application is a risk. But it’s also a risk that, if expertly answered, could have a fantastic payoff.

If you’re confident you can back it up with the rest of your essay, risky hooks like this can work well.

Medical School Personal Statement Hook Topics

Coming up with ideas on what to use for your essay hook can be just as difficult as actually writing it.

Here are some popular ideas used by previous applicants that could serve as inspiration:

• Being first in your family to go to college
• Losing a loved one to suicide
• Raising a family
• Graduating early
• Growing up in poverty/experiencing homelessness
• Overcoming physical disability
• Working construction
• Military career
• Teaching career
• Polyglot/speaking multiple languages
• Running political campaigns
• Martial arts instructor
• Raising goats/chickens
• Competitive eSports athlete
• Professional musician
• Powerlifting and sports training

You can turn almost anything personal to you into a hook.

Spend some time thinking about the things you’ve done/achieved/overcome in life and make a list first (before you start writing).

The important thing is that your personal statement answers some form of the question; “ why medicine ?”

Your hook ultimately should lead into that.

Related : “ Why Do You Want To Be A Doctor?” (Reddit’s 19 Best Answers!)

Related Questions

Do personal statements need a hook.

Hooks aren’t always appropriate for personal statements. There’s no cut-and-dry rule that says you have to start with them.

For many applications, however, hooks can be very useful. Especially if you consider the admissions committee member reading through 20-40 similar-sounding essays in a single day.

In those cases, a good hook can help you grab the attention of the reader and stand out. As well as sell other aspects of yourself that aren’t always obvious or evident in your application.

Whether that actually betters your chance of getting into med school, is probably too much of a stretch to say. But it definitely could help differentiate you.

What is a good hook for a personal statement?

The best hooks are ones that are appropriate to an activity you’re introducing. The more unique they are, and the more effective at fuelling curiosity and encouraging someone to keep reading, the better.

“I’m sick and don’t know if I’ll get better.” Hearing those words is probably the most painful memory I have about my mother. And I’m reminded of it often when I talk with family at the Memorial Hospital Cancer Center.

But there is a fine line between being overly theatric and measured.

A good hook usually does one (or more) of the following:

• Avoids the cliche “I love science and helping people” opener
• Shows doesn’t tell
• Humanizes the subject
• Personal to you (doesn’t read as if it could have been written by anyone else)
• Carefully balances unique and shocking (it still needs to be an effective, serviceable essay)
• Avoids clunky langage/being tonally offensive

A good way to find out if you have a strong hook is to have it critiqued by an editor.

The examples above are just that (examples).

Without knowing the other aspects of a student’s application (or story), their value can be hard to judge!

That’s why it’s also important that the hook you use ties into both the body of your essay and its final paragraph.

What is a bad hook?

A bad hook is usually contrived. It might feature a run-of-the-mill quote or smack of unoriginality. Or tries to define something rather obvious.

An example of a bad hook could be something like:

The definition of medicine has gone through as many changes as the human race. Straddling the worlds of both art and science, it continues to remain unconfined to the boundaries of language.

This is both general (lacks any sense of personality) and empty.

Bad hooks for personal statements miss emotive marks and say little about the person writing them.

Or they over-dramatize the mundane, possibly differentiating you in a negative way.

Why are personal statement hooks so hard to write?

The big reason why hooks are so difficult to write is because of the pressure. They are the opening lines of a statement that’s meant to distill your entire ethos and philosophy for studying medicine into a few short paragraphs. And also summarize countless hours of extracurricular prep and everything else.

But another key reason is that you’re simply not used to crafting them.

Because of that, supposed “good” hooks can sometimes look cliched and cringe-inducing.

Your general lack of experience makes it hard to tell good ones from the bad.

How do you write a personal statement hook for medical school?

Now we’ve explored the example hooks and spent some time in discussion over what could make them good/bad, here are some general tips on how to go about writing them:

• Start by listing down all the possible ideas you could use for hooks (use the topic ideas to help)
• Choose the top 3-5 ideas and start turning them into short introductory paragraphs (use the examples as models)
• Get feedback by running them past other applicants/successful med students
• Go with the hook that you feel best suits the potential body of the essay

Starting with hooks is probably the best way to begin framing your essay as a whole.

Just getting in the practice of coming up with several ideas is great for overcoming any resistance to writing and helping you gain the confidence in believing you can create something great.

As a quick reminder, here are some of the top do’s/don’ts to keep in mind as you move through this process

• Do match the hook to the prompt (don’t make it seem random or off-topic)
• Don’t feel that the hook has to be the starting sentence only (it can be 2-3 sentences or an entire opening paragraph)
• Do “show”, don’t “tell”
• Do road test your hooks with friends/family
• Don’t include controversial topics
• Don’t be overly flowery (it’s a pointed essay, not a meandering novel)
• Don’t make it a sob story
• Don’t include patient names
• Don’t be repetitive
• Don’t include anything you wouldn’t want to talk about in an interview
• Don’t speak negatively (of yourself or others)
• Don’t use medical jargon
• Don’t use acronyms without writing them out first

Ready to start coming up with some hooks?

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more .

Write once, proof twice

Personal statement do’s and don’ts: avoid clichés, trust your own voice, you want a personal statement that isn’t just like everyone else’s. these 10 tips can transform your essay from cookie-cutter to captivating..

When you submit a personal statement for medical school or residency, you’re going up against applicants who are smart, driven and deeply passionate about medicine—just like you. To craft a personal statement that’s truly unique, it’s best to weave in compelling life experiences that speak to your goals and skills, and avoid oft-used essay tropes.

Here are the key do’s and don’ts of creating an engaging personal statement , according to emergency medicine residency program director William Fraser, DO; emergency medicine resident Janine Curcio, DO; and Elizabeth McClain, PhD, MPH, associate dean for academic affairs at the William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM) in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Personal statement pitfalls: 5 things to avoid

Cliché #1.

“Your personal statement should only include elements that are still relevant today,” advises Dr. Fraser.

Cliché #2

“When you’re writing your personal statement, think back to a experience where you wanted time to stand still so you could take it all in,” says Dr. McClain. “Those one-of-a-kind stories are the ones you want to include.”

Cliché #3

“I don’t want to see quotes from historical figures or philosophers—I’d rather hear the applicant’s own voice,” says Dr. Fraser. “What drew you to this specialty, or to medical school, and what motivates you and keeps you going when things are tough?”

Cliché #4

“The single biggest mistake you can make is to submit a generic personal statement—you want to highlight what makes you unique,” says Dr. Curcio, whose essay on her experiences in the Navy earned praise from residency program directors during interviews last year.

Cliché #5

“As an emergency medicine physician, I already know why emergency medicine is a great career,” says Dr. Fraser. “I want to know why you think so, and what unique skills you have that would make you a good fit.”

5 steps to creating a personal statement that’s distinctively yours

“Build your personal statement around experiences you’ll be excited to discuss during an interview,” Dr. McClain advises.

“Ask yourself, what life experiences have you had that set you apart from anyone else who’s applying?” Dr. Curcio advises.

“You don’t want to sound arrogant or boastful, but you do want to sound confident,” says Dr. Fraser. If you’re unsure how your essay reads, try asking an honest friend or relative for their take.

“If you’re targeting your residency search by region, it’s definitely not harmful to include in your personal statement, and it’s helpful information for some review committees,” says Dr. Fraser.

Though you should ask several people to review your statement and offer suggestions, the finished product should be 100% your writing. “Nobody is better equipped to write about you than you,” Dr. McClain says.

For more personal statement guidance, see The DO’s recent article on how to write a compelling personal statement .

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How To Write Your Medicine Personal Statement - Dos and Don'ts

Find out how to start writing your Personal Statement, with dos and don'ts that will help you stand out from other applicants.

How To Write A Personal Statement

• Find out how to start writing your Personal Statement
• Understand PS dos and don’ts
• Discover common mistakes to avoid
• Learn how to check your Personal Statement

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• Deciding on Medicine
• Work Experience
• Choosing a Medical School
• Medicine Personal Statement Examples
• How Medical Schools Use Your Personal Statement
• How to Structure a Personal Statement
• How to Write a Personal Statement
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You might feel like you don’t know where to start when it’s time to write your Personal Statement for Medicine – but if you understand how to structure it and what to include, you should be able to get going without difficulty. We’ve got some Personal Statement dos and don’ts to help you avoid common mistakes and make your PS as strong as it can be.

How Do I Start Writing My Personal Statement?

Understanding how to structure your Personal Statement for Medicine will firstly help you to plan your writing. Note down the three key categories of Motivation, Exploration and Suitability – then write bullet points with everything you want to include for each one.

Once you have a plan, you’re ready to start writing your first draft. You can start with the introduction – but if you’re finding this hard, there’s no problem with leaving it until the end.

If you’re stuck for inspiration, take a look at these successful Personal Statement examples from medical students.

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Personal Statement Dos And Don’ts – With Examples

Do give a good reason why you want to study medicine.

Example: “I aspire to study Medicine because I enjoy science and my experiences of volunteering and observational placements cemented my decision. The opportunity to talk to patients and have an impact on them by giving my time was an incredibly important experience for me.”

You need to start your Personal Statement by explaining why you want to study Medicine. This example shows a multifaceted reason for wanting to study Medicine by linking science and interaction with people. It’s a good idea to give a layered reason for wanting to study Medicine, as it shows that you appreciate the variety of skills that are needed.

Do explain what you learned from work experience and/or volunteering

Example: “Speaking to a patient in Breast Surgery, I was impressed by how the Doctors involved the patient in the decision making process. They always considered her emotional needs as well as her physical illness, highlighting to me the need for Doctors to be empathetic.”

This is a good example of writing about work experience , because it covers an activity that the student carried out as well as what they learned from it. It includes a key learning point around empathy – one of the skills needed to be a good Doctor. It also demonstrates active learning rather than passive shadowing, which is important as you want your Personal Statement to have an active tone to show that you were participating in activities.

Do demonstrate that you have the qualities needed to study Medicine

Example: “Tutoring GCSE students in Maths has helped me to develop my communication skills by explaining complex topics in a simple manner. I know this is useful in Medicine as Doctors need to communicate with patients and also participate in peer teaching.”

Medicine is not just about academic skills, so it’s important to show that you appreciate the importance of other skills such as communication and teamwork. In this example, the student doesn’t just say that they have good communication skills – they explain why, state how they developed these skills and back it all up with evidence.

When you mention extracurricular activities, do talk about the skills you gained from them

Example: “I developed good time management skills while balancing being a school prefect, head of the Junior Medics Society and a mentor for Maths and Chemistry.”

This example shows that the student has one of the key skills needed to study Medicine and be a good Doctor, which in this case is good time management. Instead of just listing the various extracurricular activities they participated in at school, hoping to impress the Admissions Tutors with everything they’ve done, they have stated an important skill for Medicine that they possess and used their extracurricular activities as evidence for it.

Do show that you have explored Medicine further than your A-Level studies

Example: “To further understand the challenges faced by cancer researchers, I completed an online course which introduced me to the principles of chemotherapy. I realised the difficulty was finding ways to target tumours while sparing body cells, reflecting how neoplasms are derived from our own cells and have mechanisms to evade our immune system.”

It’s a good idea to show that you have an interest in Medicine beyond your A-Level science curriculum. In this example, the student has stated an area of Medicine they are particularly interested in and what they did to explore it further. They have also mentioned what they learned from doing their course, which shows that they engaged with the teaching and this is a useful skill for studying Medicine.

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Don’t give a generic reason for wanting to study Medicine

Example: “I want to study Medicine because I have always had an aptitude for science and excelled in school. Several of my family members are Doctors, so I gained an understanding of the career at a young age.”

This is not a compelling enough reason for why the student wants to study Medicine. A strong academic background is naturally important for your application, but this isn’t all it takes to be a good Doctor. You need to have a passion for helping and caring for people, and your Personal Statement should demonstrate this with evidence. Also, it isn’t wise to say that you’ve always wanted to be a Doctor because it runs in your family, as this makes your decision feel less independent.

Don’t talk about work experience without reflecting on what you learned

Example: “I carried out work experience on a cardiology ward where I saw Doctors doing stent insertion and coronary bypasses on patients. I also observed the Doctors and nurses doing multidisciplinary meetings to decide how to treat the patients.”

This is a bad example when it comes to writing about work experience because it lacks reflections. The placement may have been a valuable experience, but the student has simply listed what they saw rather than talking about what they learned. If you watched procedures and observed multidisciplinary meetings during your placement, what did it teach you about the role of a Doctor and the skills that are essential on a daily basis?

Don’t talk about qualities you have without providing evidence

Example: “While carrying out work experience in a surgery ward, I saw the importance of teamwork when carrying out an appendectomy. I believe I am a good team player too.”

The student started off well by talking about the qualities of a good Doctor, but they followed it up by simply claiming they are a good team player without offering the Admissions Tutor any evidence for this. As a general rule, don’t put claims in your Personal Statement that are unsubstantiated. If you want to say that you’re a good team player, what proof can you provide?

Don’t just list your extracurricular activities

Example: “Outside of school I enjoy playing hockey, tennis and football. I have been doing competitive dance for the last six years and I won the regional championships last year.”

It’s brilliant that the student has been involved in so many activities outside of school – however, they have forgotten to link these skills to Medicine. To improve this, they need to mention the skills they have learned from doing these activities, such as teamwork and time management. Remember that the purpose of your Personal Statement is to showcase your suitability to study Medicine, so you need to link everything back to this and prove why you are a strong candidate.

Don’t come across as boastful or arrogant

Example: “I have achieved gold medals in the senior level Maths and Chemistry national olympiads. This shows that I have excelled academically, and as such I believe that studying Medicine will come naturally to me.”

It’s good that the student has performed well in academic competitions, but their reflection on it comes across as boastful and implies that they think Medicine is all about academic ability. Medicine is a difficult course, leading to a challenging career – so by claiming that Medicine will come naturally to them, the student is showing that they haven’t really done their research and are perhaps applying with unrealistic expectations of the course/career. After mentioning the olympiads, they could have avoided the next sentence and instead talked about how the olympiads helped them to develop their problem solving skills, which will be useful when they study Medicine.

How Do I Check My Personal Statement For Medicine?

When you’ve spent hours writing your Personal Statement for Medicine, you might struggle to view it objectively, like an Admissions Tutor will. Here are some ways for you to check your Personal Statement thoroughly:

• Print it out and read it on paper. This will help you see it through new eyes and you might spot things you missed from proofreading it on your computer.
• Read your Personal Statement aloud. You’ll catch more errors this way, and it will highlight parts where you still need to work on your wording.
• Ask someone else to check it, like a friend, family member or teacher. They will be able to look at it more objectively, because they haven’t already read it lots of times like you have, so they should be able to pick up more errors.
• Get your Personal Statement reviewed by an Admissions Tutor . They’ll spot issues with spelling and grammar, and can also advise ways to improve the content.

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How To Structure Your Medicine Personal Statement

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Medicine Personal Statement: 12 Top Tips

The medicine personal statement is your first chance to show off what you’ve accomplished and how you’ve been preparing for medical school. It is vital that your medicine personal statement is well written and structured to ensure you get that all important interview invitation.

It can be overwhelming when you’re first faced with a blank document and have to somehow convey all of your work experience and passions in just a page. This article will give some of our top tips for personal statement writing based on years of experience.

1. Jot down all of your biggest achievements!

A good way to start writing your medicine personal statement is to make a list of absolutely all of your achievements so far. The personal statement isn’t very long so you most likely won’t be able to mention everything here. Making a list will help you pick out which achievements will help you to stand out from other applicants, so you can prioritise what to talk about.

Examples of Achievements

• Academic e.g. poster presentation
• Social , e.g. being volunteer of the month at at local care home
• Highlight key skills e.g. leading a project as a prefect

Writing all these down beforehand will mean you don’t forget to slot them in later. This list will also be helpful when it comes to interview preparation!

2. Make your motivation for medicine original

Why do you want to study medicine? This is the big question to answer in your medicine personal statement. As a future medical student, hopefully you have already thought this through and have some ideas. It is very important that you fully understand your motivations as this will be key for interview preparation too. At some medical schools your personal statement is used as a prompt for questions during your interview, particularly during the motivation question. It won’t look great if you give a completely different answer for wanting to study medicine at interview compared to what you’ve written in your personal statement, especially if the interview has it right in front of them!

Try to make your answer as original as possible: most people will say something along the lines of ‘I love helping people and I love science’. While these are very valid answers, and definitely good reasons to want to study medicine, they aren’t very original and won’t help you stand out.

Your passion has to jump out from the page, so don’t be afraid to rewrite this until it shows exactly how keen you are to study medicine. It is up to you how you start your introduction, but a unique and relevant anecdote may make you stand out from other applicants. 

If you’re unsure of how to phrase your motivation for studying medicine, keep reading and I’ll give you some guidance on how to get around this when we chat about work experience.

3. Don’t lie

This is a very important point. We all elaborate a little and embellish our experiences on our CV every now and again, but it is very important not to lie. If you lie in your interview or medicine personal statement and are caught, you will be instantly rejected by the university. This is clearly not a good quality for future doctors.  It isn’t worth risking.

4 Link your extracurriculars (and everything) back to how they will make you a better medic

Extra-curriculars are important in developing skills required of a doctor. Don’t be afraid to show off everything you have achieved during your time at school, whether that be debating club, hockey or jazz band.

But what is important here is that, firstly, you link it back to how it will make you a better medic. Try thinking about your extracurriculars in terms of:

• What skills have you developed?
• Name things that have challenged you?
• What have you learnt about working in a team?
• Are you keen to continue these at university? Medical schools want you to bring something as part of the medical school community!

5. Reflect when talking about work experience

By now you will have completed most (if not all!) of your work experience. When getting work experience, it is much better to make the effort to secure your own shadowing or volunteering, rather than someone else organising your on your behalf. This shows you’re proactive and motivated – both excellent qualities for a future doctor!

The most important point regarding work experience is to reflect . Self-reflection is a key skill for a doctor, and you will be expected to reflect on your experiences throughout your entire medical career – even up to consultant level!

Instead of just describing what you did, instead talk more about what you’ve learnt from this experience. Include both positive and negative points as it shows honesty and a realistic understanding of a career in medicine. You should also try and apply what you’ve learnt to show personal growth. For example, did you observe some excellent communication skills that you then tried to replicate in your volunteering? What did you learn about the realities of medicine? How will this impact on your future practice?

Trusted Personal Statement Review: Learn More

6. You don’t need to include everything

It is a common mistake for students to cram as much as possible in. When it comes to work experience on your personal statement, quality is better than quantity. Admissions staff would much rather hear about one particular experience in detail with insightful reflection rather than reading a list of 10 different shadowing experiences.

7. Remember the character and line limit

Try and start outlining your personal statement early so that you can write freely and include everything you’d ideally like to, using your list of achievements mentioned in Tip 1! Once you’ve written this you can cut it down to the correct character and line limit.

If you would like help in editing your medicine personal statement, make sure to check out our personal statement review service

Remember – your personal statement must be under 4000 characters and 47 lines. This is roughly only 500 words!

8. Write it yourself

Remember that this is a personal statement . It should be written by you. Nearly everyone has someone to check or proof-read their personal statement, but you should be the one who is ultimately writing and driving the process.

Remember that your personal statement can be used as trigger material at interview. It is very obvious when a candidate hasn’t written their own personal statement so do not fall into this trap.

9. Don’t forget good structure

Structure is important! Use paragraphs to split up the block of text, each with their own topics such aswork experience or academic achievements. This makes the overall text easier to follow. You should begin with your overall motivation for medicine, which you can then link to your work experience reflections which should be the main body of the text.

You should end with a short conclusion. This will be the lasting impression your statement gives off to the admissions team! Tell them why you’d make an excellent doctor in one short summary sentance.

10. Check, check and double check

This may sound obvious but, check your spelling and grammar. Not just once but multiple times and after every single change to a draft you make. Poor grammar and spelling suggests that you’re careless, have poor attention to detail and is just generally unprofessional. You will have to write essays at medical school and beyond, so show the admissions team you can do it well!

11. Do your research

As well as reading books and attending extra lectures to widen your breadth of knowledge, it is also important to familiarise yourself with what makes a good doctor.

Read medical newspaper articles (from good sources), take a look the GMC’s good medical practise, confidentiality and also look at the suggested reading and links for the universities you are applying to. 

12. Don’t be too hard on yourself!

At the end of the day every applicant has decided to study medicine, and if you’re a school leaver especially, you’ve likely all come from similar backgrounds. Personal statements are bound to look similar, but this ultimately doesn’t matter. It’s less about how impressive or unique your experiences have been, and more about how well you can reflect on these experiences to demonstrate the skills needed of a doctor. Try not to stress too much!

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Frequently Asked Question

🔍 what is a medicine personal statement.

A medicine personal statement is a written document that applicants for medical school use to showcase their strengths, qualifications, experiences, and aspirations. It is an essential part of the application process and provides admissions committees with insights into the applicant’s character and suitability for medical school.

🔮 What are some tips for writing a strong medicine personal statement?

Some tips for writing a strong medicine personal statement include researching the medical schools you are applying to, highlighting your relevant experiences and qualifications, demonstrating your passion for medicine, using clear and concise language, and proofreading for errors.

🎥 What should I include in my medicine personal statement?

Your medicine personal statement should include information about your relevant experiences and qualifications, your motivation for pursuing a career in medicine, your strengths and skills, and any relevant achievements or awards. It should also demonstrate your knowledge of the medical profession and the specific medical school you are applying to.

📜 How long should my medicine personal statement be?

The length of your medicine personal statement can vary depending on the medical school’s requirements, but it is typically around 500 to 700 words. It is important to follow the guidelines provided by the medical school and to be concise and focused in your writing.

💣 What should I avoid in my medicine personal statement?

You should avoid using cliches or generic statements, exaggerating your accomplishments or experiences, being too negative or critical, or including irrelevant information. It is also important to avoid plagiarism and to ensure that your personal statement is original and authentic.

💡 Why is the medicine personal statement important?

The medicine personal statement is an important part of the medical school application process because it allows applicants to demonstrate their motivation, commitment, and suitability for a career in medicine. It is also an opportunity to showcase relevant experiences and qualifications that may not be reflected in other parts of the application.

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Anonymous medic mind tutor 6 may 2020.

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Asnan Medic Mind Tutor 7 May 2020

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Caution! Medical School Personal Statement Don’ts

By: Ryan Kelly

Sometimes it’s more about what you don’t say than what you do.

Google “Personal Statement Don’ts” and you’ll get a host of obvious advice: “Don’t have any typos” or “Don’t discuss political topics like abortion.”

This article aims to go deeper. We’ll focus on specific mistakes that plague average personal statements. Steer clear of these pitfalls:

PERSONAL STATEMENT DON’TS

Don’t #1 - narrating your resume.

Why do pre-meds do this?

Because they think it’s what medical schools want. They want to show the schools that they’ve accumulated the thousands of clinical and volunteering hours needed to be a doctor.

But it’s not what medical schools want to read about in the personal statement.

By the time the admissions committees read your personal statement, they will have already read your entire work and activities list, including three most meaningful essays about those activities. They’ll be familiar with your resume, so repeating it will leave them unimpressed.

Many pre-meds take this route because they want to make sure the committee considers all of their many accomplishments. They don’t realize that the more you try to include, the less impact and depth your personal statement can convey.  

DON’T #2 - WRITING ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD

They treat the personal statement too much like an autobiography. When considering their backgrounds, they think logically and start at the beginning.

But chances are, the things you’ll say about your five-, six-, or 10-year-old self won’t be that impactful. Medical schools are much more interested in what you’ve done recently, since that’s most relevant.

Spare them the narratives about you playing with your Fisher Price stethoscope or band-aiding your friends’ boo-boos on the playground. These angles are overdone and uninspired. The exception to this rule is if your childhood contains a story that continues to shape the person you are. In that case, be sure to relate what happened in your childhood to your present motivations for the field.

DON’T #3 - WRITING ABOUT DOCTORS YOU ADMIRE

Doctors are their primary mentors and role models. Shadowing is often their deepest exposure to medicine, so they feel inclined to share the inspiring things they’ve seen doctors say or do.

But there’s a problem with this approach in the personal statement: it reveals little about you, the writer.

For example, my own father is a doctor, and I admire him a great deal. I could even list his specific qualities that I find admirable, or share stories of how he’s helped people. But in the end, that would say nothing about me as a person or candidate.

It’s particularly lame to write about Dr. Parent:

The 5 Most Overused Sentences in Personal Statements

Doctors and shadowing experiences can have a place in the personal statement, but they should not be the focus. Medical schools prefer to hear about YOUR OWN patient interactions and healthcare contributions.      

DON’T #4 - “THEORIZING” ABOUT MEDICINE

They find medicine fascinating. They want to impress medical schools with ruminations about this noble career calling.

The problem: the admissions reader probably knows more about medicine than you do. Either it’s a faculty at the medical school, a current medical student, or a career admissions officer, who reads about medicine all day, every day. By trying to tell the reader how you think medicine SHOULD be, you run the risk of sounding naive.  

Medical schools don’t expect you to have all the answers, and they certainly don’t want to read long paragraphs about medicine being the “ultimate trichotomy of science, ethics, and humanitarianism.” No need for fancy, high-falutin discourse (see what I did there?). Try to tell your story in an engaging, accessible way.      

DON’T #5 - UNNECESSARY NEGATIVITY

Many pre-meds have ambivalent feelings towards the medical system. Others have witnessed doctors make inappropriate comments or take questionable courses of action. These negative interactions have helped drive them towards medicine, to do better for their own patients than their doctors did for them.

Most of the time, these stories will rub admissions committees the wrong way. Regardless of the injustices or unethical behavior you’ve seen, it’s not your place to be overly critical towards a long-established system or professionals with decades of experience.

Plus, even if you make a valid point, what does that accomplish? You’ll end up wasting space that you could have dedicated towards building the case for YOUR candidacy. Remember that you’re the one being assessed, not the people who are already working in the field.

These aren’t the only 5 things to avoid, but they’re probably the most important.

Look around online and you’ll find all kinds of advice about personal statements. Read these pieces of advice, but do so with a grain of salt.  

You can’t please everyone, and that shouldn’t be your goal in the personal statement. Sure, you want your essay to be as palatable as possible, but not at the expense of your individual voice and distinct qualities. Present yourself in the way that feels most personally authentic.

Don’t drown in the sea of opinions. Grow wings and fly above the choppy waters. I really mean it when I tell my students to “celebrate yourself” (stolen from Walt Whitman). If you can’t, why should anyone else?

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How to Write a Personal Statement for Medical School

June 14, 2023

Don’t leave anything to chance when applying to medical school. Every part of the process requires you to be more competitive than other applicants. That includes studying hard to get a high MCAT score, asking professors to write you letters of recommendation to evaluate your readiness for the rigors of medical school, and submitting your applications as early as possible during the application window. All centralized application systems for medical school will require a personal statement. Your personal statement is just that—personal—so you won’t be able to study for it. But there are a few tips and tricks you can use to write a personal statement that may give you an edge over the competition.

What is a Personal Statement for Medical School Like?

The personal statement is an essay, of sorts, that establishes who you are and what drives you. In it, you’ll offer a narrative to describe your personal journey toward medicine. You should also elaborate on a few personal traits that will help position you as a suitable candidate among the many applicants that the school will be reviewing.

The initial screening process for your application will likely be based on raw numbers – specifically, your MCAT score and GPA. But, even a stellar MCAT score and flawless GPA aren’t going to be enough for you to get into the programs of your choice. Med schools need to know that you have the characteristics and resiliency to handle the rigors of a med school program and residency. They also need to be able to humanize you in a way that allows them to get to know who you are – above your measurable statistics.

A good personal statement will accomplish this for you. It’s also going to be the first opportunity that med schools have to understand your “voice.” In most cases, the individuals reviewing your application and reading your personal statement are some of the same medical school faculty members that you’ll be learning from and working under. They want to know that you’ll be a good fit – not just for their program, but also for the medical profession.

How to Write the Best Medical School Personal Statement

The word “personal” is integral to how you craft the personal statement. It’s easy enough for someone who knows you well to write about you. But nobody can tell your story from your perspective. And, indeed, the best and most successful personal statements are written in the form of a story, are conversational in nature, and are told in a way that a third party could never express. To that end, there are several important do’s and don’ts you should follow before you begin writing your personal statement.

Dos and Don’ts of How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement

• Consider your defining and positive personality traits that are best for medical professionals.
• Think of life events in which those traits shone through.
• Retell one of these events in a compelling and narrative way.
• Weave those defining traits into your narrative.
• Establish how those defining traits influence your future goals as a medical professional.
• Develop a thematic concept that is established in the beginning and summarized at the end.
• Don’t just summarize or rehash your CV or resume.
• Don’t write anything that could be offensive.
• Don’t include negative comments about other people, or use it as a space to express why you’re better than others.
• Don’t turn it into a chance to excessively boast about your intelligence.

Try to avoid thinking about your personal statement as an extension of your CV, resume, or other application documents. Instead, treat it as a separate and unique piece of the application. Spelling, grammar, syntax, and other writing errors can significantly hurt your personal statement’s appeal. Have your statement read or revised by a professional before you submit it during the application process.

Best Personality Traits for a Medical School Personal Statement 

Your personal statement is the only part of your application that allows you to talk directly to application reviewers. Letters of evaluation will help create an image of your human side, but they don’t come from you. Success during the med school application process could well hinge on the personality that shines through in your personal statement.

Your medical school personal statement is all about how your personality fits with your goals and viability as a future medical professional. However, not all personality traits are good to elaborate on or show in your statement.

As you plan your statement, consider focusing on one or more of the following traits:

• Resourcefulness
• Responsibility
• Accountability
• Scholarship

Avoid making the personal statement all about the traits you’re trying to show that you possess. For example, don’t go on a long rant about your empathy. The way you write about yourself will also give the application readers an understanding of your personality. So, even as you write about a life event that shows a personality trait, understand that your writing style and choice of words will also convey your personality. Writing about humility won’t work so well when your written voice shows too much pride.

Do Your Research

Keep in mind that the people reviewing your medical school application are other medical professionals and professors in the medical school. Before you write, do a bit of research about the faculty and medical schools you’re applying to. You may not know who will ultimately read your personal statement, but you can try to align the subject matter and voice to best fit with your potential audience and the school’s mission statement. Just do so without overtly pandering to them.

Create Multiple Versions of Your Personal Statement

You may find it necessary to create multiple versions of your personal statement, as well. Creating different versions of your personal statement could help you create a more polished end result.

Are you still getting writer’s block? US News and World Report interviewed several medical school professors and deans to get a better idea of what medical schools look for in a successful personal statement. 

Look for Opportunities to Enhance Your Personal Statement: KGI

Your medical school personal statement can help you get noticed during the med school application process. KGI’s Postbaccalaureate Premedical Certificate program (PPC) can help give you something to talk about.

Our PPC program will help you develop a stronger pre-med background to use for later med school applications. You’ll hear from medical professionals, interact with medical school representatives, and network with alums – plus, you’ll receive individualized pre-med coaching that will make you a solid candidate during the medical school application process.

Earn valuable credits in graduate-level science courses. Then, apply that learning and experience into your personal statement and other parts of your med school application.

Contact us today to learn more about our PPC program, including financial aid opportunities, and how KGI offers post-graduate assistance for our premed graduates.

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In our guide, you’ll learn all about the degrees you need to get you to your dream job. You’ll also discover how the different industries within STEM, healthcare, and the life sciences interact with and impact each other. 

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