Your personal statement "may be just the element that tilts the decision on acceptance into a program in your favor," write Saul and Edith Wischnitzer in their "Residency Manual." Your acceptance into a medical residency in a hospital, clinic or other health care institution depends on communicating clearly and convincingly demonstrating you have the necessary personality, skills and dedication to practice medicine. Pay attention to detail and observe key principles as you edit your personal statement into shape.
Instructions
1. Add information that helps achieve your main goal of obtaining a residency interview, and remove anything that detracts from that aim. Delete lists of hobbies and extracurricular accomplishments that have no bearing on your professional qualities and medical career.
2. Check that what you've written reflects you, your personality and your goals. If you've written something that could apply to anyone -- "I come from California and I want to be a physician" -- you won't stand out from the crowd. The reader should feel he has met you personally through the essay. For example: "My father was a nurse, and he taught me the value of working hard to benefit the lives of others."
3. Substitute general statements about your strengths, skills and desires with specific examples from your experience. For example, instead of saying "I like working with kids," say, "In 2010, I spent six weeks volunteering in my local pediatric unit."
4. Check that the statement addresses the specific program you're applying for. If you haven't mentioned the institution by name, do so, and mention ways you think you uniquely can contribute.
5. Examine and rewrite your opening sentence. The opener either grabs the reader's attention or loses it. "Watching a documentary about medical missionaries in Ethiopia, at the age of 17, convinced me to pursue a career as a doctor" works; "My name is David Smith and I would like to apply for a residency" falls flat.
6. Cut the length if your personal statement runs to more than a page. A concise, well-worded statement makes the most impact, while a rambling and overlong statement can appear incoherent and confusing, ultimately costing you the residency interview.
7. Proofread the statement for grammar and spelling errors. Sloppy mistakes cast doubt on your professionalism.
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