personal statement residency examples urology

From Pre-Med to Med School to Residency

Urology Residency Personal Statement Sample

The Urology Example Medicine Personal Statement Library is now open!

These sample Urology residency personal statement examples are here for your viewing pleasure (fully anonymous). We’re hoping to add more Urology residency personal statements in the future, including Pre-Med personal statements. If you’ve got one to add to the free library, don’t forget to  contribute yours .

UROLOGY RESIDENCY PERSONAL STATEMENT When I started medical school I never expected to end up choosing Urology as my specialty. My medical school education was somewhat unusual in that I took a two year leave of absence to pursue research in oncology after the beginning of my third year internal medicine clerkship. After completing my leave, I returned to medical school to complete my studies where I had left off.  

The intent of interposing my research into the midst of third year was to allow me to continue the remainder of my clinical training uninterrupted, specifically via participation in the care of patients with diseases relevant to those I was researching. In this way, I was able to partake in “bench-to-bedside” translational research at its best. A prototypical example of this involved a quantitative PCR test that I set up which was able to detect microscopic levels of malignant cells with great sensitivity. With this assay, we were able to discover very early if our patients had relapsed and then confirm whether they were indeed responding to their experimental therapies. It was an ideal arrangement which allowed my hard work in the lab to have swift payoff in regards to my patients. After enjoying two years in the midst of internists, I was convinced that a career in internal medicine was for me. It was not until I began my surgical clerkships that my feelings radically changed.  [Great paragraph that incorporates research aspects without simply listing a resume. It really helps to explain why the applicant participated in research.] There were many aspects of surgery which held great appeal for me. I discovered that, to an extent much greater than that which I enjoyed in the lab, our hard work in surgery had immediate effects on the lives of our patients. Thus, by the end of the day I was able to begin to witness the fruits of our team’s labor: the cancer, stone, or bleed was already gone. In addition to this, I felt that the decisions of surgeons were of great consequence. In moments, our choices were literally saving “life and limb.” Finally, I saw that the actions of surgeons are definitive in nature. Once a problem is addressed in a surgical way, it is often solved. This meant that we were able to offer our patients cure of their problems instead of simply managing a fatalistic unavoidable end. Thus, the allure of the rapid, permanent, and magnificent rewards of surgery became quickly obvious to me. It took me a bit longer to realize that a surgeon’s mistakes could be equally rapid, permanent, and terrible. When things went badly, they went very badly. I saw that the rewards of surgery can only be realized with constant discipline and precision in both thought and action.  [ Ties in some great clinical descriptions and clearly starts to tell why this helps to point the applicant to the Urology specialty] It is a balance that I am happy to accept. I am the type of person who flourishes when challenged. Because of this, Urology holds a special appeal for me amongst the fields of surgery. The diversity within Urology seems unrivaled to me. There I saw both males and females, children and adults, and acute surgery intermixed with long term outpatient follow-up. The interventions ranged from medical management to simple outpatient procedures to marathon RPLNDs. With such variety, Urology was the only field in medicine that could keep me consistently interested without effort. At the end of each day, I kept thinking to myself “that was so cool… I can’t wait to see more.” Now I wonder that if being a mere witness was that enjoyable, then what would it be like to actually hold the knife and BE the surgeon?

My pursuit of a career in urology is absolutely fitting for me. That it is so distinct from what I originally foresaw my path to be, makes me somewhat reluctant to prognosticate my future within urology. However, I believe my predilection towards diverse challenges will be maintained. Thus, I feel a career which includes teaching and research in addition to my primary clinical responsibilities will be most fitting for me. A mentor of mine once pointed out that choosing a specialty in medicine is akin to choosing a spouse. . With foresight, it can at best be a mere educated guess: you will never know with absolute certainty whether you have chosen correctly without the benefit of many years of hindsight. He advised me to follow my gut instincts. I can safely say that my guts are screaming Urology.  [Fantastic and enthusiastic conclusion!]

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January 16th, 2023

Urology Personal Statement Writing Guide with Examples for 2023 Applications

Why do you choose urology?

Where do you see yourself as a urologist in ten years?

These are some important questions that you need to tell your admission panel when you apply for higher studies in urology residency.

Before you tell them these directly, you must illustrate them convincingly in a document called personal statement urology.

Don’t worry if you are hearing about it for the first time or haven’t written it yet.

Through this blog, we will help you understand:

What Is Urology Residency?

Urology residency is a specialization in medicine that is aimed at imparting detailed knowledge and exposure to trainees about the clinical aspect of urologic diseases.

It is a five-year-long post graduate education wherein the aspirants get a thorough understanding of various types of urology diseases and the prevention and treatment methods to cure them.

What Is a Personal Statement Urology Residency? Why Is It So Important?

Urology personal statement is a document which you need to include in your application for a urology residency program.

Most universities and colleges ask for it from their prospective candidates in order to have a basic understanding of them before taking their application forward.

You are required to present a personal statement because:

• There are hundreds of other applicants just like you waiting for the green signal from the selection panel.

Through your personal statement, you can show how you are different from them.

• Personal statement helps you prove that you are truly motivated to choose urology residency and focus your career on it.
• Admission panel learns about your career aspirations as a urologist from your personal statement.
• Personal statement also serves as proof of your written communication skill and English language proficiency.
• Your urology personal statement gives you the opportunity to get noticed for your relevant experiences and exposure to urology.

NEED EXPERTS HELP FOR WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT? CLICK HERE NOW!

When Should You Start Writing Your Personal Statement Urology?

It is never too early to start working on your urology personal statement. The earlier you have it ready to submit, the better it is.

Ideally, the best time to start writing it is two months ahead of the application closing date.

If the last date to file the application is December 15, start your urology personal statement preparation by October 15.

Even if you haven’t finalized the college or university for your course, you can get ready with all other points, the narrative for the introduction, skills, strengths and experience to highlight etc.

What Is the Recommended Length for A Personal Statement Urology?

Although not all universities would tell you how long your urology personal statement needs to be, the common consensus is to keep it somewhere in the range of 500 words.

Here are some useful figures for you to consider.

No of pages:

No. of characters:, font style:, example 1 – urology residency personal statement.

I have always loved studying biology. As a biology enthusiast, it was my childhood dream to be a Doctor in the future. Though I was not sure about the specialisation, I was adamant to build my career in the field of medicine. As a senior secondary student I was mesmerised after learning about various body parts and its functions. On learning about the genetic makeup of the human being, I was left wondering and thrilled about the complex structure of the human body. As a student who has had a profound interest in the field of medicine, I was sure that I will have a great career in the future.

It was during my medical study at XYZ Medical College that I developed a special interest in the field of Urology. At first I didn’t have a special liking for the field of Urology, but it was my clinical experience which attracted me to choose Urology medicine. Assisting various Urologists gave me a fair idea regarding the whole practical treatment followed in Urology. I still remember the young patient who was in his early teenage years, brought to the Urology department due to severe pain in back, lower abdomen and side. Though several medications were given to him, nothing had a positive effect on him, until an Ultrasound Scanning was prescribed to him. The scanning result shocked me as he was diagnosed with Renal Calculi or Nephrolithiasis. Though it was rare to find kidney stones in children, it was common as well. It was then my professor explained to me that there are many diseases that can affect the Kidney and reproductive organs, but due to negligence, it is diagnosed very late. So during my clerkship, I conducted several workshops and webinars to make people aware of different diseases coming under Urology medicine. It is a bitter fact that people try to be negligent when it comes to any diseases affecting their lower abdomen area, but I hope that I was able to contribute my little part to create awareness with my workshops and webinars.

I am impressed with the scope offered by Urology Medicine as it gives me the liberty to treat both male and female patients including children. As an important field of medicine, I am sure I can perform well with my duties and treat my patients with great care and passion. As a medical branch which offers the scope of surgery, I would like to solve my patients’ medical problems. As a field of medicine which is connected with bladder issues, urinary tract infections, or kidney problems, I am sure, with my passion and diligence, I would be able to track down issues and understand the origin of ailments. With my inquisitive behaviour and diligent attitude, I am sure I can perform well in my professional responsibilities.

I choose this Medical Residency due to its proclaimed status as a pioneer in Urology Medicine. I am sure with the right guidance and teaching offered by the faculty of your Residency, I can hone my skills and develop great understanding of different facets of Urology which will help me to exercise my duties well in the future.

Example 2 – Urology Residency Personal Statement

Last year I lost my grandfather to prostate gland cancer. It was diagnosed late, and was diagnosed at the 4th stage. So he passed away within a few months of diagnosis. As I was greatly attached to my grandfather, this incident left a trauma in my mind. Being a medical student, I was not even able to diagnose his problems and this made me guilty of what had happened. As I had not planned my medical school specialization, this incident inspired me to choose Urology medicine as my specialization, as I believe this specialty matches with my interest and aspirations. With the knowledge gained, I wish to create awareness among the people about the diseases coming under Urology medicine, so that no one will be negligent about the changes happening in their body.

With the passion to join Urology medicine, I was very diligent and enthusiastic during my clerkship at the Urology department and the subsequent ward experiences. One day a lady was brought to the clinic who had discomfort, pain, tenderness, pressure in the bladder, parts of lower abdomen, and areas in the pelvic region. On evaluation, she was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, a painful bladder disease. She was in her nascent stage of disease, and though this medical condition is incurable, with our proper medication and treatment, she got a certain amount of relief from her ailments. With the care and comfort received from our side, she was very satisfied with our humanistic approach and treatment. She was particularly satisfied with my care and approach, and she gave me a special review about the same as well. This was a proud moment for me, as this is all one happens to receive in the busy schedule of one’s medical life.

To familiarize myself with the various tests involved in Urology medicine, I had spent a considerable amount of time in labs. I am sure this has increased my clinical understanding of the diseases and with the knowledge gained from various methodologies used in a lab, I believe that I have gained a considerable understanding of the same as well.

As a branch of medicine which covers all types of people including males, females, children etc. I know I must be patient, approachable, kind and friendly. To enhance my communication skills, I have even enrolled myself at various clubs and organizations to better hone my communication and interpersonal skills.

I choose this Medical Residency because I am satisfied with the opportunities offered here in Urology Medicine. With the right combination of both theoretical and practical training, I am sure I can better hone my skill set. I believe my passion for Urology Medicine will help me to connect with all of my patients well. As a person who is very professional in approach, I am sure I can undergo my training in a fruitful and effective manner. With my passion and diligence for the subject, I am sure I can be a great Urologist in the future.

How to Make Use of These Urology Personal Statement Samples?

Before you read the samples, here are a few tips to help you make the best use of them.

• Understand how each sample differs in narrative and writing tone. Your urology personal statement needs to be as unique as your profile.
• Do not copy the narrative or points or themes used in the urology personal statement examples.

Use them only to help you brainstorm your own unique ideas.

• After you have finished writing your own personal statement, see how it compares with the sample in terms of engaging the reader.
• Use the samples to understand how relevant points are emphasized and supported by evidence.
• Learn from the sample how different grammatical ranges and sentence construction structures are used to emphasize specific points.

How to Structure Your Urology Personal Statement?

Organize the paragraphs of your personal statement into three parts.

The body can be further divided into multiple paragraphs depending on the number of points you want to include.

Introduction

The introduction of your urology personal statement should:

• Create a curiosity in the reader about your backstory and make sense as to how that relates to your choice of urology as a career choice.
• Give a clear overview about what you are going to present through your personal statement.

Take a look at the below example of the introduction:

One of the incidents that led me to get interested in urology was a casual reading I did as part of my first-semester research paper in medical school. It was about cancer in men and the journal I read mentioned that prostate cancer was the most leading cause of cancer deaths in men. While this new knowledge didn’t surprise me, the fact that the advanced stage of prostate cancer was one of the most impossible types of cancers to cure even by today’s advanced treatments did really surprise me. This challenging nature of prostate cancer, in fact, made me more interested in the specialized residency program of urology. I am convinced that this urology residency program will equip me with the knowledge and foundation for a career in urology.

Coming to the main body of your personal statement:

• Keep in mind that the main body should flow naturally from the introduction
• Make sure that it provides sufficient clarification to all questions that selection panel may have such as

Why do you want to study urology?

Answer why urology is the right higher study option for you. Explain what you can contribute to the field and how you are going to benefit from the course.

What are you good at?

List down the important academic achievements and accomplishments with evidence. Also, share a couple of notable contributions in the non-academic areas.

In what way are you different from other candidates?

Here you talk about any voluntary works or personal research etc, you have done in a relevant field of urology. Sometimes, such exposure would give you a competitive edge over other candidates.

What are your future plans?

Talk about your short term and long-term career plans.

Write a conclusion that reiterates all points you have covered previously. Remember that the two three sentences that you write in the conclusion are all that will stay in the mind of the reader.

So, make each word in the conclusion really count.

• Make your conclusion sound positive and hopeful.
• Ensure that your conclusion agrees with what you said in the introduction and main body.

Common Mistakes in Urology Residency Personal Statement

Personal statement is a unique piece of writing that differs from person to person. However, there are some common mistakes that you need to avoid while writing it.

This happens if you are going to write your personal statement after reading many personal statement samples online. Come up with a unique narrative that has no resemblance to any samples.

Errors can be in multiple forms. For instance, grammatical errors, spelling errors, use of incorrect punctuation etc. Do not let any of those mistakes ruin the appeal and strength of your urology personal statement.

Failing to customize:

The admission panel tries to see how much you have understood about their program, institute and student community. Failing to customize your personal statement without addressing these can ruin your write-up.

A personal statement is an academic document and thus a certain degree of professionalism and the academic standard is expected in it. The use of slang will not make it look professional and tailored for academic purposes.

Negativity:

Through your personal statement, you should try to make the admission panel feel positive about your profile. The presence of negativity or pessimism in the document will make the reader feel the same about your profile.

Urology Personal Statement Writing Tips

• Show your in-depth understanding of urology and different aspects that it deals with such as reproductive and urinary systems.
• Urologists are expected to have great observation skills. Show how you excel in that area with examples.
• Start working on your urology personal statement as early as possible, even if you haven’t finalized your university yet.
• Clearly demonstrate why urology and why it is the best choice for your higher education. This is the most important area to address in your personal statement.
• Develop a good grasp of medical terminology and use them diligently to show your domain knowledge.

Best Urology Residency Programs to Choose in 2023

Urology programs are offered across numerous universities across the world.

If you are considering your residency in urology abroad, check the programs in the following universities.

Choose a program that best fits your skills and expectations.

Always apply with a customized urology residency personal statement.

• University of Alberta
• Western University
• Canterbury Christchurch University
• University of Adelaide
• Massey University
• University of British Columbia
• Laval University
• The University of Edinburgh
• Monash University
• University of Melbourne

When Should I Apply for Urology Residency?

Once you zero in on the university, the next step is to fill out your application and submit it.

But before you do that, it is necessary to find out when to apply.

• In most universities abroad, you can apply through fall and spring intakes. Go with the most popular intake of your preferred university.
• Do not wait for the last date to submit your application. If all your documents are ready, apply as early as possible.
• Since personal statement urology residency is an important part of your application, give utmost importance to its preparation.

How to Apply for Your Favourite Urology Residency Course?

• Visit the website of the university or college you have chosen for your urology residency program and understand the application procedure, requirements and timeline.
• Prepare all necessary documents for your application such as duly filled application form, urology residency personal statement, letter of recommendation, etc.
• Submit your application before the deadline as per university guidelines.

In A Nutshell…

Always remember that the centre of attraction in your urology residency application is the urology personal statement.

So, make it work by incorporating the tips and strategies we shared in this blog.

How was your experience of writing your personal statement?

We are excited to know about it.

In case you feel that we could still add more to this blog to make it even more useful to you, let us know the same in the comments below.

Mrs Jizah M

Mrs Jizah M has always enjoyed writing down her thoughts since school days. What just started as a hobby slowly transformed into a passion. Her writing skills were first acknowledged by few of her professors when she wrote content for the college website; this was a turing. Slowly she started getting freelance works and later on, a series of events led her to specialize in academic and higher education related documentations. In additional to personal statements, she along with her team writes LORs, SOPs, college application essays, admission essays and all similar types of documents.

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The Residency Personal Statement (2023/2024): The Insider’s Guide (with Examples)

A physician and former residency program director explains how to write your residency personal statement to match in to your top-choice residency program in 2024.

Read example residency personal statements and suggested outlines..

Introduction

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

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

It is imperative to make sure you get the most accurate guidance possible with regards to your residency personal statement content and optimal residency personal statement length (up to 5300 characters with spaces).

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

Table of Contents

Goals for Writing Your 2024 Residency Personal Statement

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

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

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

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

The Importance of a Balanced Residency Personal Statement

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

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

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

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

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

About MedEdits

Getting into a residency has never been more competitive. Founded by a former associate program director, the experts at MedEdits will make your residency personal statement shine. We’ve worked with more than 5,000 students and 94% have been matched to one of their top-choice programs.

Need Help With Your Residency Personal Statement?

Schedule a Free 15 Minute Consultation with a MedEdits expert.

Residency Personal Statement Outline & Structure

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

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

Residency Personal Statement Length & Residency Personal Statement Word Limit

Residency Personal Statement Length: Our recommendation is that your residency personal statement be between 4000 – 5300 characters with spaces or up to 900 words in length. 

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

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

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

ERAS Residency Personal Statement Checklist

• Ensure your personal statement flows well

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

2. Your personal statement should be about you!

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

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

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

4. Make it human.

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

5. Express your interest in the specialty.

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

6. The start and evolution of your interest.

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

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

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

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

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

9. What do you bring to the specialty?

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

10. What type of program you hope to join?

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

11. Who you are outside of the hospital?

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

12. Any personal challenges?

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

• Residency Match: How It Works & How To Get Matched

Common ERAS Residency Personal Statement Mistakes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Writing ERAS Residency Personal Statements For Multiple Specialties

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

Writing About Red Flags in your ERAS Personal Statement

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

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

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

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

Residency Personal Statement Example

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

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

The most common approach to the personal statement is what I will call the traditional approach, in which the applicant conveys her interest in the specialty, when that interest began and what she has done to pursue the particular specialty.

Suggested outline:

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

Below is an example of the traditional approach:

I looked into her eyes and saw terror. She knew the life of her unborn baby was in jeopardy. As tears streamed down her face, she looked to the attending physician. In desperation, she pleaded, “Please save our baby.” She and her husband had been trying to conceive for more than two years, and they knew this could be their only chance to have a healthy child. She went into labor at home and because of a horrible snowstorm was not able to reach the hospital for several hours. When she arrived in labor and delivery, she was crowning. But, the baby was having late decelerations. Because of the sweat on my attending’s forehead I knew the situation was serious. Yet we all tried to remain calm and to keep the patient and her husband calm as well. 

I entered medical school with an open mind as everyone suggested. Even as a first year medical student, however, I was fascinated with embryology. I entered my third year still unsure of what I would pursue. I knew I wanted a career that would be challenging and interesting. Because of my background in drawing and painting, I always loved working with my hands. Yet I also enjoyed working with people. Thankfully, my obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) rotation was the first of my third year and I was immediately hooked.

I quickly sought out opportunities for research and became involved in a clinical study investigating the impact of a vegan diet on birth outcomes. I have always had an interest in wellness and nutrition, and this seemed like a perfect fit for me. My research is still in process, but through this experience I have learned how to analyze data, stay objective and critically evaluate the literature. So far, our findings suggest better than normal outcomes for babies born to vegan mothers. This reinforces my goal to educate my patients about the important of diet and nutrition, which I hope to make a part of my future practice. 

Early in my fourth year, I completed an elective rotation at Inner City Medical Center. There I cared for a diverse group of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. I realized how much I enjoy labor and delivery, but I also value the operative aspects of ob/gyn. I appreciate the importance of understanding the female anatomy so I can operate with precision.  I also value the diversity of practice in ob/gyn. Whether caring for a woman about to give birth, helping a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer navigate her treatment options, or caring for a perimenopausal woman who is coping with symptoms of hormone fluctuations, I enjoy caring for patients with knowledge and compassion. The outpatient aspect of ob/gyn brings satisfaction as well. I look forward to building relationships with my patients, helping them to lead the healthiest lives possible. I have also realized how much I want to care for those who lack access to care. The work I have done at Medical School Free Clinic has helped me realize the gaps that exist in access to care and education. As a future practicing ob/gyn, I hope to work in such a setting at least on a part time basis.

On that snowy night, when we realized the baby was having difficulty being born because of shoulder dystocia, a simple maneuver eased the situation. The baby’s first cry brought such joy and relief to everyone in the room and, at that moment, I knew I had to be part of this specialty. I hope to join a program where I will have the clinical exposure that will give me the skills and experience to care for a wide range of patients. I do not yet know if I will subspecialize, and I will seek out mentors and experiences as a resident to make an informed decision. I would be honored to interview at your program and thank you for your consideration.

Why It’s Great

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

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

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

Suggested Outline:

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

Below is an example of the outside interests approach:

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

Throughout my life, I have pursued my interests and curiosities with focus and creativity. One of those interests is photography. Even as a small child, I wanted my own camera, and I started snapping interesting scenes and images at the age of 6. As I grew older, this hobby took on more significance. I took a college level course in photography as a high school student, worked as a photographer’s assistant and even considered a career in photography. Paralleling my interest, however, was a desire to travel and experience new places, foods, and cultures.

I have been fortunate to travel all over the world. Rather than stopping in a city or place for a couple of days and seeing the sights, I prefer to immerse myself in my surroundings, eating the food, meeting the people, and staying for as long as I can. My fluency in Spanish and Italian has made it easier to “fit in” naturally. My most recent trip to Costa Rica allowed me to visit sugar cane fields and rain forests. I also volunteered in a clinic that helps the most desperate citizens. Of course, because I never travel without my camera, I also captured the beauty of this country; those pictures can be found on my blog.

Surgery seemed like a natural choice for me. It is a very tactile and visual field that requires patience, attention to detail and creativity—just like photography. The operating room setting is invigorating. I love to be a member of a team, and in surgery team work is an essential part of practice. The ability to deal with anatomical variations also satisfies my creative side; I have always been fond of puzzles, and the field of surgery represents a real-world puzzle to me. I also appreciate the intensity of surgery and believe I have the personality and demeanor for the field. I have always enjoyed solving problems quickly, something the field of surgery requires. My rotations in surgery – in addition to my core surgery rotation I have done trauma and cardiothoracic surgery – have helped me to understand the tremendous opportunities and diversity of the field. I have heard some residents lament that the only reason they went into surgery is to operate. However, I really enjoy seeing patients postoperatively. It is only at that time that a surgeon can really appreciate the impact of his or her work.

Finally, my trip to Honduras with a surgical team from my hospital and medical school made me realize that I can make a great contribution globally in the field of surgery. There we saw patients who had no resources or access to care. The facilities in which we worked were bare-bones. Yet the impact we made was tremendous, given that this was a group of people who otherwise would have no surgical care. In this way, I hope to combine my interests in travel and surgery as a resident, if I have time, and certainly as a practicing physician. My ultimate goal is to use my training to help populations globally and domestically.

To gain the most clinical exposure possible, I hope to train in a busy urban hospital. I believe that such a setting will give me the operative experience I need to be able to navigate many situations in the future. Such a setting will also give me the outpatient experience to understand how to manage patients once the surgery is completed.

I look forward to the day when I can be snapping my camera intraoperatively, documenting what I am doing and seeking to help other surgeons. For some, such pictures may not represent the art of those pictures I take in the wilderness, but for me they reflect the beauty of surgery and the great opportunity to make a lasting impression on another human being’s life.

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

Final Thoughts

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

Residency Personal Statement Consulting Services

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

Getting into a residency has never been more competitive. Let the experts at MedEdits help you with your ERAS personal statement. We’ve worked with more than 5,000 students and 94% have been matched to one of their top-choice programs.

Sample Residency Personal Statements

Residency Related Articles and Guidance

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

Residency Specialty Articles

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Personal Statement

Home  >   Specialty  >   Urology   >  Personal Statement

The personal statement is an important factor used by urology residency programs in making interview decisions. 

A particularly important question to answer in the statement is "Why are you interested in pursuing a career in urology? In our free E-Document "Why Urology," we share the reasons why physicians chose to enter the field. 

Resources to Help You Develop a Powerful Personal Statement

Why urology   read more >>, the book the successful match 2017 (includes 40-page chapter on the personal statement with sample statements)     read more >>.

For those requiring additional assistance, we have an exceptional personal statement review and edition service. Learn more about our Personal Statement Review and Editing Service with Dr. Samir Desai.

Residency Sample Personal Statements

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

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

Sample Personal Statements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Writing a Personal Statement for Residency Application

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

How to Write a Great Personal Statement

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

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

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

Sharpen Your Writing Skills 

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

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

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

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

Don't cross the line

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

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

StatementWritingHelp.com by  Dr. Robert Edinger Helping Applicants Since 1995   [email protected]

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• Oct 28, 2023

Residency Urology Personal Statement Examples, Edit

Updated: Jan 14

Urology is a field where surgical competence, compassion, and sensitivity is paramount to patient care. I believe my personal strengths and experiences will allow me to succeed in this area of medicine. My interest in urology began in college when I lived in a fraternity and served as a Peer Health Counselor while attending UCLA. This meant conducting student seminars discussing topics ranging from dysuria to sexually transmitted diseases. I felt privileged to be confided in by so many people about their intimate personal problems. As a result of this experience, I authored a paper exploring the psychogenic versus the organic causes of impotence among the elderly as a class project during my senior year.

After college, my road to becoming a physician took a detour. I worked for a business management company for the music entertainment industry and then started and operated a computer consulting company. These experiences taught me important organizational skills, self-discipline, and knowledge in the inner workings of computer hardware and software.

My vision to pursue urology came into sharp focus in medical school. After my first exposure to the operating room, I realized the structure, teamwork, and the challenge of various surgeries had sparked a keen interest in me. I jumped at the opportunities to do everything in the operating room from starting IVs and intubating the patient to closing the wound. I enjoyed staying late at the hospital, which meant more opportunities to be involved with cases I would have otherwise missed.

My interest in and love of surgery was reflected in receiving a rating of eleven out of ten from my first surgical clerkship as well as excellent comments from all my preceptors. Coincidentally, it was during my urology rotation that my father suffered urinary retention secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Through the rotation and my father's experience, I was able to fully appreciate the prevalence and management of prostatic diseases and other urologic abnormalities. Just when I thought the cases could not become any more interesting, I was fortunate enough to assist in a ureteral-appendiceal interposition in a trauma patient. I was fascinated. After speaking with practicing urologists both in private and academic settings, I decided that I want to combine my natural ability to discuss sensitive issues and my love for the operating room with the fascination I have dealing with urological pathologies.

I have balanced my academic and clinical endeavors with an active personal life. Shortly after I immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan at age 11, I became involved with two-way amateur radio communications. I enjoy the ability to relay messages succinctly and accurately. I have found this to be an important skill both in and out of the operating room. With English as my second language, I especially welcome the challenge of public speaking. Synthesizing my knowledge of medical education as a student and personal computers, I frequently give presentations in front of large audiences. In my spare time, I like to run, play basketball, and weightlift. Having completed a marathon and numerous 10K runs, I have the stamina to endure the rigors of a surgical subspecialty. Lastly, there is nothing more relaxing than to spend a weekend snow skiing with friends.

My varied interests make deciding on my future goals in urology difficult. There are many topics in urology which intrigue me, and I am unable to decide on a specific area now. I hope to further my training in a residency program as I learn more about my options. In order to combine my desire for public speaking, love for helping others, and ability to succinctly explain complex topics, I am certain that I will be involved with teaching. I would like to continue my clinical research efforts and to eventually practice urology in an academic setting.

I seek a well-balanced program which will further my intellectual and technical development through varied and numerous surgical cases along with exposure to different subspecialties within urology. Combining my personal strengths and dedication with a strong residency program, I am looking forward to incorporating compassion with results in becoming a urologist.

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• Urology Personal Statement Help

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Personal Statements

Your CV is a beautiful, readable, error-free summary of your accomplishments. You are moving on to your personal statement. You are ready, in one page, to tell residency program directors why they should select you, everything that has led you to this moment, to this decision, to this specialty choice. No pressure at all!

This blank page can be intimidating to many students. You are not alone. Take your time, so you can write several drafts.

Your CV tells people what you have done. Your personal statement tells people who you are.

• Do not use space in your statement re-stating what is already in your CV or other parts of your residency application.
• Don't redo your personal statement from your medical school application. You don't need to convince someone to admit you. You are in! You will have a job at the end of your fourth year.
• Do use your personal statement to help you find the job that is the most ideal match for you and your goals. You are going to be a doctor in a few short months. This personal statement should be much more focused on your specialty selection, your professional traits and your accomplishments that will impact your work as a physician.

A well-written personal statement should accomplish the following goals:

• Help pull you out of the crowd of applicants – be sure to include unique experiences, background, and information.
• Give the reviewer a glimpse at the type of resident you will be – don't say you are hard working (all residency applicants are). Instead, include examples of how you have acquired the attributes you want to feature in your statement. (See more ideas below.)
• Make the case that this specialty is really the right match for you. No program director wants to select a student who, six months into the residency, realizes they are not a good fit. What have you done to be sure this is the right career path for you?
• Be specific about what you like about the specialty. Do you enjoy the procedures? Why? Do you like the environment of the OR? Why? What type of patients do you enjoy working with? What experiences led you to consider this specialty? And, ultimately, why did you select this specialty?
• What about you will contribute to the specialty and the program? Residency programs, and residents, want to select their future peers and colleagues. What do you bring to them? What can you offer? How will you enhance that area of medicine?

Students should select six to 10 characteristics to weave into their statements. Some possibilities you could consider including are:

• leadership skills
• future practice location
• team building skills
• organization
• ability to work under stress
• problem solving
• patient communication skills

Sample Personal Statements

Sample statements are from University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine graduates who matched into various specialties. Ideas can be used for any specialty choice. The Associate Dean and the Director of Student Services are available to give you feedback on your personal statement draft. You can email a draft to Cherie Singer .

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Pathology Residency Personal Statement Examples

Reading over pathology personal statement examples can be of utmost help in composing your own personal statement. You cannot allow the blank page to conquer you, but when you find yourself unable to proceed, taking a look at what others have written will be your greatest boon.

How to prepare for residency applications will necessarily include writing the perfect personal statement to send out to programs. Even if you are in one of the medical schools with the best match rates , you will still benefit from standing out in every way, including your personal statement.

Even if you already know everything about writing style, tone, and structure, even if you have all of your past accomplishments on hand, it can still be a daunting task to write out a personal statement. It’s a great comfort reading example statements, which is why we present them here for your edification.

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Article Contents 10 min read

Pathology personal statement example #1.

I have to assume that most people don’t find their true calling while being covered in blood and surrounded by sundered body parts and organs. But there I was in the pathology lab, after a particularly grueling session, with a smile under my mask, and an understanding that this was where I wanted to be. 

Any lab was home to me, ever since I was little my parents gave me a “kid’s science kit”. They are both scientists themselves, and are the ones who spurred my natural curiosity about the world.

When I was a little boy I would ask questions about why moths are attracted to light or what makes a bat come out in darkness. They would rarely give the answer. They would start me on my journey of discovery, and I would move forward to learn. I learned how to set up very rudimentary experiments from them, and I did so often, learning about the natural world.

This paid off when I was enrolled in the gifted program. I was taking high school courses in junior high, and would continue to excel academically.

Unfortunately, I must stress that word, “academically”. I found that a lot of my friends didn’t really like me in the advanced program, and as much fun as I had there, I was – I admit – becoming insufferable. My friends let me know this, and we got into a lot of fights.

After a while, I started to flub my grades in an attempt to just “Be normal”.

My life didn’t get back on track until one evening when I heard that one of my friends – Dale – was in a car accident and was on life support. In his hospital room, I remember thinking how small he looked.

I felt guilty for not being a better friend to Dale, and so I started volunteering at the hospital, hoping to help him as best I could. I found I loved that, too, and had an aptitude for much of the work that was being offered me at the facility.

“Five letter word. Neckwear for a highlander.” Ascot. A Scot. That was the first cryptic crossword clue that I ever solved, and I was happier for that small victory than if I’d run a marathon.

I am a puzzle-solver. Crossword puzzles are my favorite ones to crank out, and I cannot consume enough of them. Much of my spare time is devoted to puzzle-solving, and when it came time to choose a path in life and a vocation, I wanted to solve puzzles. “Puzzle solver” isn’t on any of the forms, though, and so I was stumped as to this puzzle: what should I do with my life?

To make some money for university tuition I was a lifeguard. I remember being mostly bored, often doing a crossword puzzle nestled beside me in the lifeguard seat. Fourteen-down, seven letters… Then a splash moved my eyes from the page. It was a “wrong” splash. I can’t explain it, but it wasn’t like the others. Maybe it was the commotion around the splash, but I knew it was wrong.

If it sounded wrong, boy did it look wrong. Red was in the water, floating like crimson mist, and I dove into the pool. Forget the whistle, just dive. I lost track of time, I think, and remember only dragging the boy out of the pool, his head bleeding, his eyes closed, water seeping from his mouth, and my CPR and first aid training took over. I was counting and pumping and breathing, and finally – finally – after an agonizing time, I saw him cough and splutter and sit up. His mother had been shouting the whole time, but I hadn’t heard her; I was focused and in the zone.

I saw her bright embrace of the boy, and I knew I wanted to save lives.

Medical school came next, and there was always, lingering in the back of my mind, the sense that I had been beaten by that puzzle: how to be a puzzle-solver for a career. I was enjoying my classes, my labs, learning about aspects of medicine, shadowing physicians, but nothing was really solving that itch. I resigned myself to being a weekend puzzle-solver and a doctor by day.

Nine letter word; an aspect of medicine concerned with the study of tissues. PATHOLOGY.

I encountered a fellow puzzle-solver: a pathologist named Dr. Claire Barton, and she had me hooked from day one. I found a world I had never seen before in the study of pathology, and I started doing as much extra credit as I could.

Dr. Barton showed me how to use clues contained in tissues, how to investigate and discover, and how to handle the technical aspects of the ins and outs of her profession. I know this is what I want to do.

With my work and education under Dr. Barton, I shared my crosswords and Sudokus and murder mystery novels, and she and I found new insights in applying puzzle solving patterns to our lab work. Treating it almost like a game helped our minds relax and work faster.

Dr. Barton and I worked one case – in perinatal pathology – where we put in extra hours to find the root cause of a patient’s miscarriages. It turned out that she had a rare autoimmune condition which was affecting her pregnancies. Months later, Dr. Barton showed me a picture of a baby, and told me it was sent to us by our patient. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.

Someday, I hope to be a physician working to solve problems faster. I want to solve the problems of solving problems, and my ambition is to refine pathology methods into a superior state. My dream job would be to work in a laboratory and ferret out the best methods for identifying and disposing of illnesses. I would also like to write materials, text books, that combine my two loves to make pathology more accessible – teaching the discipline through a series of puzzles and games. That would be a tremendous project and undertaking.

The real goal, though, at the end of the day, is to always give out more of those bright-eyed hugs – the welcome-back embraces of that mother to her child. Puzzle solving is fun, but saving lives is the goal, and that’s what I want to do. Wherever I do it, however I do it, that’s the principle and purpose of my four-letter-word for existence.

They were panicking. They didn’t know where the campsite was and they had the compass calibrated all wrong. Even worse: they knew it wasn’t quite right, but nobody could remember how to fix it. I did, but I was waiting to see if they figured it out. It was funny because we weren’t really lost, had plenty of food, and I knew there was no real danger.

My first foray into guiding was as a boy scout, and I was in my teenage years leading some campers on their first-ever canoe trip.

Don’t worry, I only let them panic for about five minutes before giving them some pointers on how to calibrate their compass. That’s the thing, I don’t want people to just have answers handed to them. I had that happen to me; I had a grade school teacher who would just give us the answers, and that was never satisfying to me. I wanted to figure it out myself – just a few hints. So that’s how I taught: here’s how to calibrate the compass, hold the map like this, now figure it out. The best part? They did.

I had other teachers who challenged me the way I liked to challenge others. I think we learn best when we do that.

As much as I enjoy teaching students and guiding them, I never really wanted to purely be an educator. It’s a fine field, don’t get me wrong, but I felt like I wanted something different. Medicine seemed just right.

How did I arrive at medicine? Well, let me give you some pieces.

My mother was a nurse and used to complain about a lack of good doctors. She said they were few and far between.

I had gotten a few high grades, high enough that I started to think the sky was the limit when it came to educational opportunities.

I wanted a field where I could teach, guide, and help, but not where I would just be a teacher.

It’s obvious that I decided on medicine. What really clinched it for me, though – good as those reasons were – was when I went with my mother on career day into the hospital and watched her first-hand care for patients. I saw what she dealt with and the impact she made.

I’ve always been close to my mother, and she taught me well. She was the first to hint-teach, and maybe that’s why I prefer that method over all others.

She needed my help when she caught the coronavirus at work, too. She isolated, but I had to care for her and the household, and keep on top of my studies. I had already expressed an interest in pursuing medicine, and at the end of the fortnight of caring for her she asked, “So, you still want to be a doctor?”

Would you like to go over some medical school personal statement examples that got SIX acceptances? Check this video:

So I enrolled in medical college and started trying everything. Pediatrics wasn’t for me, although it was almost what I wanted. Pathology wasn’t even on my radar until I took a course and then as a research assistant for the instructor in the next semester. Teaching pathology students was special because a lot of them liked learning how I liked learning. A couple expressed an interest in piecing answers together rather than having them presented.

I had many excellent experiences working with pathologists, and I found I had an aptitude for it. I helped diagnose a bone condition in one patient, for instance, that let us solve a long problem he had. He had a history of fractures, and since the patient was in his 60s, his doctor had thought that this was just age. Still, he wanted samples tested in the pathology lab, and we discovered that the patient had a medical condition which affected his bones – outside of just age. That patient is now receiving treatment that will help combat his fractured condition.

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I loved working with that team so very much, and I knew this was the specialization for me. I want to work as a physician and a teacher, even if only a class or two at a local medical college or high school, but that is my main goal and what I hope to accomplish. Someday I would like to create educational programs that more closely operate within my ideal educational methods, but that’s the far future. The next step is to study further and find more students who love the question and the answer as much as I do.

Between 700 and 800 words, or about a page.

Not with a letter grade, no, but they will absolutely affect your chances of acceptance.

It’s the best way that the applications committee can get to know you. These statements move beyond residency CVs , MSPEs , transcripts, and USMLE and MCCQE , and let the committee know the kind of person you are, the values you have, and the growth you have experienced.

Yes, if you can show your growth and strength of character in overcoming obstacles and learning from past mistakes. You can’t just say that you’ve failed a class or have a problem with procrastination. Instead, you need to explain why failing a class once made you a stronger student and why you’ll never procrastinate again. Use specific examples.

It means that you can’t just list off your accomplishments or abilities, you have to make the reader understand them.

It’s the difference between saying, “I never give up and fight for the underdog,” and telling a story of how you championed a weaker person, faced adversity head-on, got “knocked down”, but never quit, and kept trying.

The story will communicate those qualities (perseverance and helping out people weaker than yourself) without ever needing to say them directly.

That’s how to show instead of tell.

Residency applications are looking for one page, keep it to one page.

Keep in mind that these readers are going through a stack of applications, so you don’t want to bog them down by being overly verbose. Better to say something quickly and effectively than simply with a lot of empty ink.

By the time you’ve hit residency application, odds are very good that you’ll have a stack of experiences as long as your leg – or longer. The trick can be figuring out which to use.

Pick your two or three best qualities and stories that illustrate those. You will also want to pick qualities and stories that highlight your appropriateness for the discipline to which you are applying. Specializing in pathology means you pick stories that highlight how good a pathologist you’ll be.

Never lie, never brag, and never be unprofessional – including putting anybody down.

Your statement should never have any poor spelling or grammar.

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