Personal Statements

The personal statement is a critical component of your application, and it is, in fact, the most difficult part to write. The personal statement comes from inside you, passionate and gutsy. A personal statement is your introduction to faculty members and admissions personnel of the school you are applying to. It is a critical part of determining if you are invited to interview. If selected for an interview, many of the questions during the interview will be based on the general application (MCAS, VMCAS), supplemental application material, and your personal statement.

A personal statement can be a self-portrait. Your personal essay should produce an image of you as a person, a student, a future contributor to the school and the chosen profession. It should be an invitation for others to read. Faculty readers must be invited to get to know you, personally. It should include short-and-long term goals. Further, it should be an indication of your priorities and judgment. What you choose to say in your statement tells Admissions Committee members and faculty what your priorities are. What you say, and how you say it, is crucial. Tell us your STORY and share your story with others for input on shaping the perfect personal statement.

The personal statement allows you to recount the life experiences and interests that make you unique and describe the motivation that brings you to the choice of a medicine career. Composing the personal statement is good preparation for the interview, where an articulate synthesis of your life experiences and aspirations is valuable.

Examples of items you may wish to include in your personal statement are:

• Experiences that have been important in shaping you: your family, where you grew up, major events in your life
• Particular interests related to the chosen profession, for example, specialized practice or research interests
• Ad vocational interests and hobbies
• Organizations and activities, such as clubs and athletics you have participated in and their influence on you
• Values and goals
• Your particular skills and strengths
• Your perceptions of the chosen professional’s role in society and the particular role you envision for yourself
• Specific educational and extracurricular interests that represent well-rounded education and experience.