sample medical school personal statements

How to Come up With an Effective Essay with the Help of Sample Medical School Personal Statements

If you are a student planning to pursue a career in the field of medicine and are now preparing for your application essays, you could make use of some tips for effective essay writing.  You can make it as simple as talking about “why you should be accepted to medical school.  You can include your plans of how to deal with medical school stress, personal development, and career advice.  The key is to make your essay as unique as possible — to stand out among the countless applicants vying for the same position.  Your essay is a very crucial part of your application process.  It is actually the “make or break” factor in getting accepted to your dream school.  This is why most students exhaust all efforts to come up with a creative and effective essay.  Here are some tips you can use to craft an effective essay about medical school

Choose a focus or theme

Focus or the thesis statement is the main point of your essay.  Most of the things you will say in your personal statement will support your focus.  In other words, all medical school personal statements lead to one thing, and that is “why you should be accepted to medical school.”  One effective way of doing it is to grab the admission officers’ attention, and start with a very catchy theme.  Focus on what influenced you to pursue your dream of becoming a doctor, your reasons for pursuing it, how you plan to finish it, and the efforts you plan to put to it.  Most of the time, you should also state why you chose a specific medical school given your background and experiences.

Personal evaluation

Conduct an activity on self-introspection and assess your personal statement if it’s unique enough for the taste of the admission officers.  When we say unique, we mean that the personal statement must be written with conviction, enthusiasm, and authority.  Emphasize your awareness of how this major decision will change the direction of your life in the future.  Make sure you sustain it up to the end of your essay.  Lay out all your accomplishments and achievements and somehow turn your weaknesses irrelevant to convince the admissions officers that you’re really deserving to be part of their school.  Elaborate on your dream to be a medical doctor, and detail how you plan to achieve it.  Do not forget to include your short-term and long-term goals, because all these are exactly what the admissions committee look for from their applicants.  Be true to your writing and not just put down what you think the reader wants you to write.

Concluding observation

Take your time in writing your piece.  Keep editing and proofreading it, until you’re able to conclude with a big bang.  This last part of your personal statement is merely restating your main statement, which will reiterate those specific instances in your life that taught you valuable lessons, and that you will continue to bring and apply them when you’re already in medical school or serving as a doctor.  Truly, a well-written personal statement that elaborates all your skills, achievements, goals, and interests is your ticket to your dream medical school, so make sure you give it your best shot.

Most of the time, medical school applicants make it a point to check free sample medical school essays online.  As these samples are well-written, these essays can be used as a guide.  Applicants browse through these essays to have an idea on effective themes and writing styles to employ on their own essays.

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Effectively Discussing Your Dream Medical Specialization in Your Essay with the Help of Sample Medical School Personal Statements

If you are a student aiming for acceptance to a top medical school, one good theme you can write about for your personal statement is on “medical specialization selection.”  This is all about a medical practitioner selecting which field of expertise he or she should take for his or her future career as a doctor.  Everybody knows that choosing the field of specialization is very difficult and is a major decision to make.  Here are some essay writing tips to help you get into your dream medical school by coming up with a clearly written personal statement that will adhere to the standards of the admission officers.

Choosing a focus

First, you should choose a focus or theme for your main topic.  Having a theme enhances the ability of the reader to understand your message, because your ideas appear more organized and therefore has a clear direction.  Your focus which, in this case is, your “dream medical specialization,” should be emphasized as related to your values that have shaped you as an individual, not to mention your perceptions that have made you decide to go for that particular specialization.  Therefore, include in your writing the experiences and events in your life that have made an impact why you are now choosing this particular field of specialization in medicine.

Creating a frame for your focus

After choosing a theme and making an outline for all your information, you should start with a frame of focus, which is actually how you will introduce your statement.  You may do this by writing down things about what makes your dream specialization so special to you, or you can provide details that will support and form the shape of your essay, such as indentifying the factors that enhanced your decision to go for this chosen field of medicine.  See, the frame of focus not only introduces the theme, or you as the applicant, rather, it also stimulates the interest of your readers.  This is why it plays a vital role for your acceptance to medical school because it entails getting the approval of the admission officers by merely reading your personal statement.

Playing with words

Use sensory details to describe your dream specialization. Choose carefully the words you say.  State your reasons why the particular field has become your desired field of specialization.  You could elaborate that it fits your interests, personality, and experiences, and that you believe your personal satisfaction and fulfillment will be realized only with this chosen specialization.  Furthermore, you may explain in detail how your previous accomplishments and achievements have directed you in choosing a certain specialization. Another tip would be to share your personal emotions and opinions about your dream specialization, so as to put a more personal touch to your personal statement; and therefore, successfully get the “yes” of the admissions committee.

For example, you might want to specialize in pediatrics, a medical field that is popularly known to be about the health and welfare of infants and children.  If that’s the case, then relate the nature of job of pediatricians with your interests, lifestyle, experiences, and personality.  And surely, you’ll be able to convince the medical school admissions committee that you deserve to be a part of their school.

Most of these tips can be found in many sample personal statements.  These essays are free and can easily be found online.  Just remember not to commit any plagiarism when you browse through these samples.  Always keep in mind that these are merely guides for you to emulate.

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Discussing Recent Life-changing Experiences in Your Essay with the Help of Sample Medical School Personal Statements

Are you a college student in the process of writing your own essay or personal statement for medical school admission? Well, if you just can’t seem to think of a good topic that will trigger the interest of the admission officers reading your article, then you can just simply try writing about your “recent life-changing experiences,” and how they have made a significant impact on your life as a college student.  Here are some guiding tips on how to effectively write the personal statement for medical school and get into the medical school school that you want.

Drafting an outline

Everyone in this world has his own story.  And these are what we call our “life experiences.”  They are the minor and major events in our life that, in one way or the other, have affected us significantly.  They are what we go through every day of our lives, giving us new knowledge and insights about so many things in life.

The concept of life experiences is a rather broad topic, so as a writer, you should make an outline of what you need to discuss until you have narrowed them down to the most important issues you should focus on.  Life experiences as the theme of your essay can be vague and ineffective if written in the wrong way.  As a writer, you must give focus or theme to your essay.  So try to recollect vividly which events in your life had the greatest impact to you as a person and as a student. Describe the experience and discuss whether it was a good or bad event and how it has impacted you.

Ask yourself probing such as the following: Did it bring any new knowledge for you?  New insights perhaps?  What was the general outcome of your experiences?  Did a new personality emerge from the experience?  Was the experience for a positive or negative change?  All these should support your main idea in the essay to add depth or specificity, which makes an essay a very credible one. In other words, elaborate on all the details if you are writing a life experience essay.

Telling your story

The essay or personal statement is actually your chance to tell your story and share a private part of you to your reader. However, remember to control your emotions.  Some writers have the tendency to let their emotions overwhelm them and therefore, create an awful abstract or overall theme of the essay.  What you should do instead is involve the school admission officers in your essay.  You can do this by presenting a lot of significant events that happened to you.  Also,  identify which experience was the most turning point in your life and explain your reasons why.  Ask what were the results of these experiences and how important they were.  Finally, zero in on how valuable this experience is to you, and to your future. But remember also to not make too much descriptions as these may also bore your readers. It’s already enough that you highlight how such experiences changed your outlook of life for the better and how these experiences have transformed you into a better and more self-assured person.

The key here is to make it a point that your readers, while reading your essay, empathize with what happened to you.  If you were able to move your readers to put their place in your shoes, then you have successfully sent your message across.  It only means one thing, and that is, you have definitely succeeded in convincing the medical school admissions officers to grant you a slot in the medical school.

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Weill Cornell Medical College

Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, students studying in the Weill Cornell Medical College are not far from the social and cultural happenings of New York. This less than a century old institution has been paving the way towards breakthroughs in the medical field, earning accolades for the Pap smear, the discovery of oxytocin, and its current research on the possibility of treating heart disease with gene therapy. Its illustrious history is littered with achievements and other discoveries in the medical field that are now serving as the basis for educating its students. Those who are lucky enough to get into Cornell will be up to their ears with information and valuable skills that they will find useful in their future careers in medicine and science. For admissions information, check out the school site.

The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services

What was once a medical institution that was ravaged by various wars and battles gained prominence in 1981 when US President Ronald Reagan, shot at close range, was rushed to its ER and given the proper care and assistance. Politics aside, the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services or GW has always been in the know when it comes to using the latest technology for research and application. Many innovations have been borne from GW such as the six-million volt linear accelerator, a radioisotope laboratory, and the first operating theaters with overheard observation decks among others. Students who get into GW are afforded the privilege of studying in one of the most historically significant school, and having access to the various state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. Check out the school site for information on admissions.

The Ohio State University College of Medicine

If you’re looking for a different kind of approach to preparing for the medical profession, Ohio State’s College of Medicine can offer you the options and the adequate knowhow and experience. OSU has been awarding medical degrees for decades and has been known to be one of the premier medical schools in the US. Programs are unique, with med students having patient contact in their first year of study. As current dean Dr. Chip Souba put it, students of OSU are prepared to provide a new kind of healthcare, the personalized kind catered to each individuals’ different biological, behavioral, and environmental make up. Visit the school site for admissions information.

Penn State College of Medicine

In the middle of the chocolate empire stands a veritable medical and academic institution that has been churning out medical professionals since the late 1960s. The Penn State College of Medicine has produced outstanding physicians and other medical professionals who specialize in the study and research in key areas such as neuroscience, pharmacology, molecular biology, and genetics among others. Situated in the successful resort town of Hershey, PA, students enrolled in Penn State will never have a dull moment with the many cultural and social treats around. Penn State has been in the forefront of producing physicians and medical scientists who have pioneered studies in childhood health research, allied health services, and other areas of study. Check out the school site’s admissions page for admissions details.

A.T. Still University

Professionals who are products of this prestigious university have gone on to be the purveyors of success in the field of medicine, particularly in osteopathy which A.T. Still University or ATSU has been known for. Just how the founder of this institution, Andrew Taylor Still, who challenged traditional medical practices in the 1850s, ATSU continues being the premier university that turns its students into compassionate leaders in the field of healthcare. ATSU has campuses in Kirksville, Missouri and Mesa, Arizona where students have free reign in learning, practicing, and applying the skills and knowledge in osteopathy, allied health, and other branches of medicine. For admissions details, check out the school site.

Hofstra School of Education and Allied Health Services

Though the Hofstra School of Medicine in partnership with the North Shore LIJ Health System will only be opening its doors to students by 2011, the announcement of its conception has been greeted with much approval. However, while med school is still in the works, set your sights toward the existing health and human services education provided by Hofstra. The School of Education and Allied Services (SOEAHS) in Hofstra has produced many medical professionals who have been trailblazers in the industry. Graduates of the SOEAHS have become leaders in the fields of community health, school and occupational health, as well as therapy and counseling. Check out the school site for information on admissions.

Yale School of Medicine

Aspiring medical students are always on the clamor to get into this almost 200-year-old institution that has been producing top-notch medical professionals throughout its illustrious history. However, medical students of the Yale School of Medicine are far from leading a charmed life as the education and training that they undergo is pretty hectic and intensive. Thanks to this training though, breakthroughs such as penicillin, chemotherapy, and more recently, the detection of genes that may lead to autism, hypertension and dyslexia among others. Students lucky enough to get into Yale will then be trained using the “Yale system,” which treats medical students as graduate students who can extensively research, prepare, defend, and present their own unique theses before graduation. Check out the school site’s admissions page for admissions details.

Baylor College of Medicine

Houston has no problems, as was quoted in a Newsweek headline, referring to the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. This academic institution is recognized as the only private medical school in the Southwest. It has been producing top-ranking medical personnel for decades. Techniques in surgery considered revolutionary back in the day were perpetuated by Dr. Michael DeBakey. These gained worldwide prominence and set the college to a path of prominence thereby bringing medical fame to the Southwest. Students enrolled in Baylor are blessed to have access to research facilities, thanks to funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

UI Carver College of Medicine

Uniting excellent instruction from top-notch academic institutions with the hands-on training and execution in the best medical facilities in Iowa, the UI Carver College of Medicine is a force to be reckoned with in the Hawkeye State. Students who get accepted to Carver can have the opportunity of studying under the 700-strong faculty who are each distinguished professionals in the field of medicine and health sciences. Carver is a nationally ranked med school that continues to produce esteemed individuals who go on to become professionals in the field of medicine, allied health services, and medical education. Carver is also one academic institution that gives back to the community by providing opportunities for others to gain medical knowledge through its mini Medical School programs conducted throughout the nation. Check out the school site for admissions information.

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

If the sole fact that this school is located in Baltimore, Maryland makes you choose not to get into Hopkins, then you’re forgetting that the modern hands-on teaching methods used in all other med schools came from this institution. If that makes you take a second look at Hopkins’ website, get ready to spend more than just a few seconds browsing through it. Aside from pioneering the modern method of letting med students handle and participate in medical procedures to learn, Hopkins is a veritable institution that is a pioneer in so many ways. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is one of the first schools to admit women into med school. Hopkins is also one of the premier academic institutions to house faculty and personnel who are researching and developing government-funded projects in human development. For information on the admissions process, visit the school’s admissions page at its official site.

Harvard School of Public Health

This institution certainly lives up to its name. The Harvard School of Public Health demonstrates that people studying there will go on to become the best professionals in their fields of interest. In-depth researches in specializations and various studies done in the Harvard School of Public Health have served as the backbone of various campaigns implemented in the US such as the “designated driver” during nights out. This institution can also be credited with the discovery of the HIV2, the polio vaccine, and other medical breakthroughs. Located in culturally and financially affluent Boston, Massachusetts, students can have an exciting time studying in Harvard. To apply to this school, just visit the school’s official site and get more information from the admissions page.

Duke University School of Medicine

Though the Duke University Medical School is a young institution than most of its contemporaries, it’s already a big player by having been ranked as one of the top 5 medical schools in the US. Thanks to a substantial grant awarded by the US National Institutes of Health, Duke University students and faculty have pioneered many studies and breakthroughs in medicine. Students who are lucky enough to get into Duke can have the chance to work with the country’s top medical professionals, do research in scientific and medical fields, and have access to modern and complete facilities for research and execution. For admissions information, visit the school site.

Many aspiring doctors spend too much time on medical textbooks and scientific concepts that they tend to forget one of the most important qualities that every doctor must possess: people skills. Your job as a doctor is not limited to making diagnoses, administering medications, or performing operations. The medical profession expects you to be more than a healer. To do your job better, you also need to assume teaching and counseling duties. Here is why interpersonal skills or people skills are important in the medical profession.

Better doctor-patient relationship

If there is one thing you should gain from your patient, it has to be trust. Your patient’s trust is very important because it will help you do your job better. Patients, in general, prefer having friendly and approachable doctors. They find it easier to explain their situation or forward their questions if their doctors show actual congeniality and genuine sincerity. If you want to get a full scoop of your patient’s feelings and concerns, then be approachable and amicable enough to be entrusted with secrets.

Healthier working environment

Exceptional people skills are also needed to develop and maintain good working relationships with the other staff members of the hospital. Remember that doctors cannot work alone. You need nurses to administer IV fluids, hematologists to perform blood tests, and radiologists to operate X-ray machines. For non-doctor medical practitioners, there are only two kinds of doctors: doctors we love and doctors we love to hate. “Doctors to love to hate” reassign all their work and blame all their mistakes to other people, while “doctors we love” make polite requests and give flattering compliments for every job well done. Treat your colleagues as your equal. The lack of an M.D. after their surnames doesn’t make you any better than them just because you have that title. Learn how to properly interact with the other hospital staff members and be the doctor that everybody loves.

Successfully performing a bypass operation or perfectly stitching a surgical suture is not enough to save a patient’s life. Real saving starts after the critical medical procedure. You need to convince your patient to commit to a healthy lifestyle. The fastest way to recovery, after all, is the patient’s willingness to heal.

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Not all medical graduates pursue a career in medical practice. Turning away from emergency rooms and laboratory testings, however, doesn’t mean that you have to throw away everything that you learned during your four years in medical school. You can still use your medical education in a non-hospital setting. Here are some alternative career options for medical graduates like you.

Genetic counseling

If genetics was your favorite subject in medical school, then you should probably consider a career in genetic counseling. Genetic counseling is a health profession that involves the provision of medical information and emotional support to families with histories of genetic disorders. Your job as a genetic counselor is a mix of doctor duties and social work: you investigate a family’s hereditary background and analyze genetic patterns to help them understand the risks of genetic disorders and implications of birth defects.

Important courses: genetics, biology, psychology, and public health

Medical examiner

Do you enjoy watching CSI more than House, M.D.? If you do, then put your medical education to good use by becoming a medical examiner like Al Robbins. Your job as a medical examiner is like your typical activity in gross anatomy class: you cut up cadavers. The only difference between the two, aside from getting paid lots of money, is that medical examination requires you to determine the person’s cause of death. Your role is very essential in forensic science because it will be the main focus of the investigation.

Important courses: physiology, anatomy, pathology, and biochemistry

People develop dreams of becoming of doctors because they wish to do good in this world by saving other people’s lives. Wearing a scrub suit, however, is not the only way to do that. You can still touch other people’s lives by applying the knowledge you gained in medical school to counsel people and giving expert advice to different organizations and companies. So, if you feel like traditional medical practice is not for you, then don’t worry. You can still save lives.

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All-nighters are unavoidable in medical school. With overwhelming medical school work given in very limited time, you have no other choice but to pull an all-nighter. Many medical students even consider it as a “rite of passage” to the medical world. Losing hours of sleep to get work done is not the healthiest thing to do, but sometimes it is the only option you have. Here are some tips to help you cope with medical school all-nighters.

Limit sugar and caffeine intake

Coffee, chocolate, soda, candy, and energy drinks are very popular during all-nighters because they will keep you up all night long. Intake of sugary food and caffeinated beverages, however, affects your concentration – a definite no-no during test day. Instead of having sweets and caffeine for midnight snacks, stack up on protein-rich food like cheese and sandwiches. Eating protein-rich food helps in improving metabolism, developing immunities, and boosting brain power.

Find time to get more sleep

All-nighters are supposed to last the whole night through, but try to find some time to sneak even an hour-long nap. Because most all-nighters are spent in the company of classmates, ask one of your classmates to cover for you while you doze off into la-la land. Sleep deprivation is hazardous not only to your grades but also to your health. Not getting enough sleep alters your concentration, affects your decision-making skills, and even strains your mood. What benefits will you get from an all-nighter if you’re too sleepy to function the next day?

Do not pull an all-nighter every chance you get because doing so is very dangerous to your health. It will affect your Circadian rhythms, your sleeping habits, and even your short-term memory. To avoid all-nighters, always focus during classes and never succumb to procrastination. Recent studies also show that medical students who frequently pull all-nighters are more vulnerable to getting low GPAs. Sleep deprivation, after all, prevents you from reaching your full academic potential. Still want to pull an all-nighter?

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