Getting started on your personal statement for medical school, residency or fellowship can be very painful. One applicant admitted to me that he would rather spend the entire summer prepping for his upcoming boards than write his one-page essay. With that in mind, here are some tips to facilitate your writing:
1. Start early (= now). It’s usually a surprise how much time writing a good essay takes.
2. Pick a distinctive topic. If someone else could choose the same subject then it’s not a good one.
3. Make an outline. Although this might sound like something your fifth-grade English teacher told you, you’d be surprised how many essays are corrupted early by disorganization.
4. Do not regurgitate your CV. Yes, you should highlight your accomplishments but they should be interwoven in a logical manner – not listed without direction.
I’ll write more about personal statements in future entries. For one-on-one help on your essay please see http://www.insidermedicaladmissions.com/ for information about my personal statement editing services.
