Personal Statement

One of the most time-consuming and important portions of your formal health professional school application is your personal statement. The best personal statement typically involves a lengthy editing process. This includes your own editing, as well as input from others. It is very important that you do the writing and that the essay is error free!

Your personal statement informs admissions committees about your personality, individuality, passions, dedication, and leadership abilities as well as what you bring to the mix of students and future professionals. It should not be a narrative rendition of your résumé—that information is provided elsewhere in your application.

Demonstrate to your readers your wonderful traits, accomplishments, and strong communication skills. Let your letters of recommendation and résumé tell admissions committees about you and your organizational, leadership, critical thinking, problem solving, and other characteristics.

You should :

  • Carefully follow the directions for the personal statement
  • Use words sparingly and avoid cliché, formulaic motifs and quotations
  • Use substantive, informative, insightful prose that provides admissions committees with a relevant, convincing rationale for giving your application serious consideration
  • Shun the cookie-cutter personal statement
  • Keep the personal statement to about one page, single-spaced, in length or within the word/character limits of the application
  • Admissions committees want to know how you write and think
  • Describe the special strengths and qualities you feel you will bring to the profession
  • Discuss background experiences that have shaped you and be positive by stressing what you have learned as a result
  • Cover a few topics in depth
  • Avoid generalizations like “I have always wanted to practice medicine” without backing them up