| Getting into medical school is a rigorous procedure | | | | with the specific program. Research the school and |
| that requires many steps. For instance, whereas | | | | take note of any professors whose work you |
| other graduate school programs require only one | | | | admire. Your essay can also mention factors such as |
| personal statement, many medical school applications | | | | location and other program advantages, but don't |
| require that the student write two personal | | | | make it sound like your reasoning is based solely on |
| statements: an AMCAS application essay, and a | | | | geography or school rating. |
| secondary application essay. | | | | Where you envision yourself in ten years - Some |
| How does AMCAS work? | | | | medical schools may also ask about your long-term |
| AMCAS is an application processing service that | | | | career goals. These admission boards are looking for |
| allows you to put together just one application, which | | | | personal statements that reflect the writer's ambition |
| is then submitted to all of the medical schools of | | | | and career focus. A student who has not given a lot |
| your choice. One of the pieces of your AMCAS | | | | of thought to their career path is more likely to fail |
| application is your primary personal statement. | | | | to complete the program, so be sure that you |
| Because your AMCAS application essay is submitted | | | | convey your passion and dedication to your chosen |
| to multiple schools at once, it focuses on the | | | | career. |
| applicant, leaving out the school-specific information | | | | The specific clinical experiences that influenced |
| that many graduate school personal statements | | | | your decision - If you are asked this question, do not |
| include. As a result, many medical schools require | | | | interpret it as a request to repeat information given |
| prospective students to submit a secondary | | | | in your AMCAS personal statement. Instead, use it as |
| application essay, which is written with that specific | | | | an example to provide information that you didn't |
| school in mind. | | | | have space for in your primary application essay, or |
| What Does My AMCAS Personal Statement Need to | | | | fill in the gaps that your other anecdotes have left. |
| Include? | | | | What Else Do I Need to Know about Writing a |
| Most graduate schools require that your personal | | | | Medical School Personal Statement? |
| statement address your interest in that school, as | | | | Regardless of whether you are writing a primary |
| well as answering a range of questions about | | | | (AMCAS) or secondary personal statement, you |
| yourself. When you use AMCAS to apply for medical | | | | need to be sure your essay will stand apart from all |
| school, however, you will need to omit the | | | | the rest. For instance, you should be sure to: |
| school-specific information in order to create a | | | | Use anecdotes to illustrate your points. Personal |
| primary personal statement that can be submitted to | | | | stories not only make your personal statement |
| all of your chosen schools. | | | | unique and memorable, but also illustrate your |
| The AMCAS personal statement or primary | | | | qualifications and personality to the admissions board. |
| application essay should always answer two different | | | | Avoid generalizations. Although stating - either in |
| types of questions: | | | | your thesis or your title - that you have always |
| Why do you want to be a physician? As with | | | | wanted to be a doctor may seem to answer the |
| any personal statement, this question should not be | | | | question concisely, this does not really convey |
| answered by stating that you have always wanted | | | | anything about you, either as a student or as a |
| to be a doctor. Likewise, you should avoid espousing | | | | prospective doctor. |
| a desire to "help people." These are clichéd | | | | Avoid clichés. Almost all the personal |
| responses that not only fail to convey anything | | | | statements the admissions board reads will contain at |
| concrete about you, but also have been undoubtedly | | | | least one cliché - and probably more. By |
| used by many other applicants. Instead, you should | | | | avoiding clichés in your application essay, you |
| use anecdotes of your personal experiences to | | | | will ensure that your writing is not only unique, but |
| show, rather than tell, your interest in the field of | | | | also more interesting than the competition. |
| medicine. | | | | Be concise. Although it is important to avoid |
| Why are you qualified to be a physician? Your | | | | generalizations and add personal detail in your |
| personal statement also needs to demonstrate the | | | | application essay, you also don't want to bore your |
| qualities that will make you a dedicated medical | | | | readers. Make sure that your writing is as concise as |
| student and a skilled physician. For example, you can | | | | it can be without losing important detail. |
| discuss other interests that you have, describing the | | | | Proofread your work. The last thing you want to |
| qualities that have helped you to excel, and explaining | | | | do is to give the admissions board the impression of |
| how those qualities will benefit your education and | | | | a hastily thrown-together personal statement. To |
| career. Other examples of material for your personal | | | | avoid typos, grammatical errors, and other problems |
| statement include stories from your hospital | | | | in your essay, be sure to proofread and revise your |
| experiences that demonstrate how you interact with | | | | work several times before submitting it. |
| patients, or stories from your laboratory experiences | | | | Writing a Winning Medical School Personal Statement |
| that demonstrate your insight and dedication in a | | | | Applying to medical school can be an intimidating |
| research environment. | | | | process. The stakes are high, the competition is |
| How is the Secondary Personal Statement Different? | | | | fierce, and the application itself can be quite length |
| Some medical schools require a secondary personal | | | | and complicated. Writing both an AMCAS application |
| statement, in addition to your standard AMCAS | | | | essay and at least one secondary personal |
| application. This application essay is meant to give the | | | | statement can be quite an alarming prospect, as well. |
| school a closer look at each applicant, particularly | | | | However, it is important to remember that writing |
| more individualized information such as why you are | | | | your personal statements for medical school is not |
| interested in that school. | | | | that much different than for other graduate |
| Secondary personal statements usually are focused | | | | programs: The information is simply broken up into |
| on answering specific questions. Examples of | | | | primary and secondary application essays, instead of |
| questions that many medical schools ask include: | | | | all being contained in one. With the right information |
| Why you want to attend that school - As with a | | | | and mindset, writing your medical school personal |
| personal statement for any other graduate school, | | | | statement doesn't have to be difficult at all! |
| you may be asked to indicate that you are familiar | | | | |