Don't Make These Mistakes on Your Personal Statement

In a previous post I talked about a general approach to writing the personal statement. Here are some other things you should look out for.

1. Keep skeletons in the closet. Although the essay is meant to be personal, avoid discussing the particulars of your life that you might feel uncomfortable talking about. Anything in your application is fair game and could be brought up in an interview. Don't belabor on about personal issues. Professionalism is regarded as one of the most important characteristics that the admissions committee looks for; keep your essay personal and interesting, and always professional.

2. Keep your essay tight. Proofreading is essential. An essay riddled with grammatical errors looks sloppy. Make sure every word and sentence has relevance to your overall message. Be ruthless in cutting out things that don't serve a purpose in your essay.

3. Be respectful. This means to the medical profession, to other disciplines, and to other professionals you have met along the journey. Complaints and criticisms can give readers an unintended negative impression of you.

4. Steady wins the race. Stories are the substance of life. But if your intention is not clear or if you try too hard to make an obscure or unfitting analogy, this can end up hurting your essay. Always aim for clear, concise, effective writing. Over the top stories can detract readers from the main message.

5. The essay is about you. It is okay to talk about patients or people who have helped or inspired you. But ultimately the essay is about you, not your childhood hero or your ill family member.