sample medical school personal statements

Thanks to Dr. McDreamy, surgical drama Grey’s Anatomy is currently one of the most-watched television shows in the US. Aside from the tangled love lives of the main characters, another source of confusion among the non-medical viewers of the show has to do with the differing titles of the doctors. Why is George still called an “intern” while Meredith and the gang are already “residents?” What makes “attendings” any different from other doctors? Why does everybody call Dr. Webber “chief”? To help you understand the indication of each title, here is a glossary of common hospital staff terms.

Medical interns

First-year residents fresh from medical school graduation are called medical interns. Because the results of their medical exams are yet to be released during the start of internship, medical interns are not yet licensed to practice medicine. To gain hands-on medical experience, however, medical interns are allowed to scrub in for some surgical procedures.

Medical residents

If they manage to pass their medical boards and intern exams, medical interns will move on to be medical residents (thus the explanation why George remains an intern). Medical residents are doctors who legally practice medicine under the supervision of attending physicians. Aside from practicing medicine, medical residents also perform teaching and supervisory duties to medical interns.

Attending physicians

Doctors who have finished training for their medical specializations are called attending physicians. As the “doctors in charge” in their respective sub-departments, attending physicians are ultimately responsible not only for the medical care of their patients but also the clinical performance of their residents. In teaching hospitals, attending physicians are required to teach interns and train residents to become better medical practitioners.

Chief attending

Every institution needs a boss. In a hospital, the big boss is the chief attending. The chief attending is an attending physician who is responsible for the overall organization of the entire hospital department. In the surgical department at Seattle Grace Hospital, that responsibility is given to Dr. Richard Webber.

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“What are the qualities of successful doctors?” is the question that both practicing medical doctors and medical students want to be answered. Of course, you are curious. After all, you want to be a successful doctor too. So, what makes them successful? Is it their excellent choice of medical schools? Their outstanding grades? To give you some tips on how to be a great physician someday, here are some of the qualities of successful doctors:

Successful doctors are excellent communicators

Social interaction is both inevitable and important in medical practice. Case in point: Dr. Cristina Yang of Grey’s Anatomy. Dr. Yang graduated received top honors from Stanford Medical School and got her PhD from Berkeley. She is a walking medical textbook with excellent surgical skills. So, what’s missing? People skills. Dr. Yang is not comfortable with communicating with her patients or good at delivering terrible news. You need to find a balance between medical aptitude and social skills to be a successful doctor. Patients are people too, and they need to be taken care of with enough sensitivity.

Successful doctors are keen observers

Great things, they say, come in small packages, and this still holds true when it comes to diseases and disorders. Malaria starts with a tiny mosquito bite. Cancer begins with a small malignant tumor. An eye for detail is very important in medical practice because it will help you in easily identifying the cause of an illness or the problem of a patient. A keen observation will help you save a person’s life. In medical practice, you have to stay curious and alert 100% of the time before things get worse. If you wish to have a successful career in medicine, then you should start practicing that Sherlock Holmes vigilance.

Successful doctor are time management experts

Yes, time management is very important in medical practice. Time management, however, doesn’t start with medical residency. It should start during medical school. Practicing excellent time management skills during medical school not only helps you study all your lessons well but it also helps you get more sleep. Organizing your daily activities into a tight schedule is very effective in fighting procrastination and laziness. If your schedule for studying biochemistry is from 8:00 to 10:30 pm only, then you must understand pyruvate oxidation by 10:30 pm. And if your schedule indicates that you need to be asleep from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 am, then you better be in bed once midnight strikes.

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Marriage and medical school work are two of the toughest things to manage. Both need your full attention and 100% dedication. So, what happens when you find yourself in a situation where you have to fulfill duties as a student and as a wife and mother? Can you survive medical school and save your marriage at the same time?

Juggling spousal responsibilities and medical school work

If you are a woman, juggling marriage and medical school will be extra hard for you. As a wife, you are expected not only to take care of your husband but also to take care of your household. You have to cook dinner, wash dishes, sweep floors, and buy groceries while studying for pharmacology or neuroanatomy. If you can afford it, then get some household help. It may cost you money, but it will also lessen your chores and increase your sleep hours. By taking your mind off household chores, you are also able to focus more on your studies.

Balancing marriage, medical school work, and parenting

What is more difficult than juggling marriage and medical school? Parenting duties. It takes a lot of willpower to succeed in maintaining your marriage, passing your subjects, and raising your child at the same time. It is difficult, yes, but it is still very possible to excel in both roles. All you need is excellent time management skill. Organize a daily schedule of your activities. During your time off medical school, spend some quality time with your spouse and your child. It doesn’t matter if you visit a park or stay at home, what’s important is that you enjoy your time together.

If you are yet to be parents, then wait until graduation or residency before having children. This is not to say that a baby will ruin your chances of finishing medical school. A baby is always a blessing, but it will also make things more challenging for you. Parenting is a serious obligation that needs 100% attention and commitment. It will be thrice as hard to survive the stress of medical school and overcome the pressure of parenting. Don’t try to be a superhero. Do things one step at a time.

Marriage is not always a disadvantage to medical students. Knowing that somebody at home is waiting for you is enough inspiration to help you do well in your tests and examinations. Besides, a warm and sweet “welcomed home” from your wonderful and supportive partner after a stressful day in medical school is all you need to stay happy.

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Majority of the students who apply to and get accepted in medical school are science majors. They spend their college years studying vertebrate anatomy and organic chemistry to prepare themselves for medical school. So, what if you took up journalism or political science in college only to find out that a career in medicine is your true calling? Can you still get into medical school?

Yes, you still can. Yes, you can get into medical school because having a science major in college has never been a requirement, but you still need to accomplish certain medical school prerequisites to qualify for admissions. Before filling up that medical school application form, make sure that you get passing marks in the required science courses for medical school.

Science courses required in medical school

Although a science major is not necessary to get into medical school, you are still required to take up science courses to qualify for enrollment. The required science courses include biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. In most medical schools, applicants are also required to take up basic psychology units to qualify for enrollment. Basic psychology is a good preparation for medical psychology, especially if you are interested in pursuing a career in psychiatry. Non-science courses like English, humanities, and social sciences are also needed.

Personal statement tips for non-science majors

When it comes to academic background, science majors have an advantage over non-science majors like you. Science majors have more experience in dissection and other laboratory work and in naming organic compounds. To increase your chances of getting accepted in the medical school of your choice, you have to submit a well-written personal statement. Personal statement is a written appeal to the admission evaluators that explains why you are worthy of a slot in medical school. Your goal in writing your personal statement for medical school is to convince the admission evaluators that your non-science major is essential to medical practice. Take time to reflect on the things you learned while you were in college and try to associate them with medical practice.

Although it is not required to get you into medical school, science major is still the preferred pre-medical degree by most medical schools. But if you already finished history or fine arts, don’t give up just yet. Besides, hard work and determination are all you need to succeed in medical school.

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Have you decided on a medical specialization yet? If not, then you should start checking your options now. Selecting a medical specialization, just like writing sample medical school personal statements, needs a lot of careful planning and evaluation. One of the things that you have to consider in your selection is the tightness of competition. Medical practice, after all, is not only about helping other people survive but also helping yourself survive. To help you make your choice, here are some of the most competitive medical specializations according to most people.

Neurosurgery

It may look easy for Dr. McDreamy, but neurosurgery is actually one of the toughest specializations in the medical world. There is absolutely no room for mistakes in neurosurgery because the nervous system is the control unit of a person’s entirety, so damaging one part of the brain can ultiately harm the whole person. Even the slightest mistake in neurosurgical operations may lead to paralysis, coma, psychosis, brain damage, or death. Despite the risks associated with it, neurosurgery still remains as a favorite medical specialization among aspiring doctors. Many doctors are drawn toward neurosurgery because it is both challenging and exciting. The human brain is so powerful and delicate that every successful neurosurgical operation seems like a medical breakthrough.

Dermatology

In a world where people are obsessed with physical beauty, it comes as no surprise that competition in dermatology is very tight. Skin care services, despite their being expensive, remain very popular because people want to look good all the time. Dermatology, however, is not limited to wart removal or skin whitening services. It also involves the treatment of skin diseases such as impetigo, dermatitis, acne, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, eczema, and melanoma. Because of its wide scope of potential patients, dermatology is still one of the most sought-after medical specializations today. Dermatology appeals to many medical practitioners because it involves a wide variety of medical procedures and a huge amount of salary.

Competition in neurosurgery and dermatology is tight, but it doesn’t mean that you have to cross them out of your list. If you think you can handle the insertion of electrode in people’s brain or the removal of tissue from people’s eyelids, then go for it. After all, you did mention in your sample medical school personal statements that you will do whatever it takes to succeed in the world of medicine.

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After coping with stress in medical school and adapting to the pressure of medical residency, doctors must face yet another tough challenge in their medical career: the selection of medical specializations. Here are some of the most popular medical specializations:

* Plastic surgery

One of the most popular specializations in the world of medical practice is plastic surgery, but what most medical students do not understand is that plastic surgery is one of the toughest medical specializations to excel in. The reconstruction of physical deformities and enhancement of physical assets are not as easy as creating incisions or making stitches on a patient’s body. Plastic surgery is always coupled with a lot of risks, which usually include paralysis and death.

Cause of popularity: Aside from the expensive rates involved in surgical procedures, surgery owes it popularity to people’s undeniable obsession with physical beauty.

* Pediatrics

Because cute little kids are so hard to resist, more and more medical students are making their way toward pediatrics. The job of pediatricians goes beyond asking for deep breaths and checking for possible infections. Pediatricians provide medical care not only for children’s physical health but also for children’s mental condition and social wellness. They also give tips and guidelines on how to avoid chronic diseases and maintain proper nutrition.

Cause of popularity: Aside from having adorable children as patients, pediatrics owes its popularity to the fact that most parents will pay large amounts of money just to ensure their child’s safety.

* Obstetrics and gynecology

Probably the most popular medical specialization among female doctors is obstetrics and gynecology. This medical specialization remains close to every female doctor’s heart because it focuses on parts of the anatomy that are found only in women. Obstetrics and gynecology deals with the provision of medical care for the reproductive health of both pregnant and non-pregnant patients.

Cause of popularity: Aside from the challenge and excitement of administering births, the fact that women get pregnant and give birth every single day assure these medical practitioners of a stable practice.

The cultural popularity, as well as the amount of salary involved, should never be the basis for selecting a medical specialization. Medical practitioners should choose a medical specialization in which they feel most useful in. Those interested in treating skin diseases should pursue dermatology, while those who are interested in treating heart diseases should go for cardiology. The selection of medical specialization must always be based on passion because that is the only way doctors can do their job effectively.

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Learning doesn’t stop with your graceful exit from medical school. Medical practice, in itself, is a continuous learning process. To help new doctors learn more about the professional practice of medicine, medical experts began setting up teaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals are medical institutions that focus not only on providing medical care to patients but also on providing clinical training to interns. To give you an idea on which teaching hospitals to consider, here are some of the best teaching hospitals in the USA.

Johns Hopkins Hospital

Johns Hopkins Hospital is responsible for the birth and development of popular medical specialties such as neurosurgery, pediatrics, endocrinology, and urology. Other medical breakthroughs such as the discovery of restriction enzymes, the identification of the three polio virus types, and the operation of the first blue baby have been all made in Johns Hopkins Hospital. To preserve and continue its legacy in the world of medicine and health care, Johns Hopkins Hospital invests in the proper training and education of its medical practitioners. A proof of its success? Eighteen consecutive years of recognition as the best medical institution and teaching hospital in the USA.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Joining Johns Hopkins Hospital in the list of top medical institutions and best teaching hospitals in the USA is Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Canter. Aside from getting recognition for its overall medical services and programs, the teaching hospital also gained praises for its outstanding medical specialties. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is also known for its low mortality data, advanced medical technology, and brilliant medical practitioners. The secret to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center’s success? Its effective clinical education and training program not only for its interns but also for other medical residents.

Massachusetts General Hospital

Experience, they say, is the best teacher, and that saying is evidenced by the success of Massachusetts General Hospital. The teaching hospital, aside from being one of the best, is also one of the oldest medical institutions in the USA. The medical staff from Massachusetts General Hospital, through its affiliation with Harvard Medical School, is dedicated to finding new ways to improve medical clinical practice and develop medical innovation. The annual budget for their hospital-based research program is over US$400 million, the biggest in the USA.

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The AMA style is the proper format used in citing references used in the text. Developed by the American Medical Association, the AMA style is used in writing research papers or documents on science, medicine, and other health-related topics. This citation style is not only used by medical practitioners and medical journalists but also by medical professors and medical students.

General guidelines in AMA style

All sources, which are enumerated at the end of the paper, are listed according to their chronological appearance on the text. For text reference purposes, each source entry must be properly numbered, not bulleted. All citation elements, regardless of the source type, must be separated by periods.

Element chronology for book citations:

* author’s name
* chapter title
* editor’s name/translator’s name
* book title
* volume number
* book edition
* place of publication
* book publisher
* copyright year
* page numbers

General rules in citing books

If some of the elements are unavailable in your source, then just skip them and follow the same chronology. Page numbers are only included in book citations if the specific pages of the book are directly cited on the paper. When writing the author’s name, always follow the “<last name>, <first name> <middle initial>” format.

Element chronology for journal articles:

* article title and subtitle
* abbreviated name of journal
* year of publication
* volume number
* supplement number
* page numbers

General rules in citing journal articles

Unlike in book citations, there is no need to write down the first name of the writer in journal article citations. Just follow the “<last name>, <first name initial> <middle initial>” format.

Element chronology for Internet sources:

* author’s name
* article or webpage name
* URL source
* date accessed

General rules in citing Internet sources

Citation of Internet sources, although not advised, is now accepted in the AMA style. If the Internet source is an abstract of a study or an article in an online journal, then indicate it inside brackets. You must always include the proper notation of the online journal cited in the text.

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Student-teacher ratio is the number of teachers with respect to the number of students in a given academic institution. To ensure the effective conveyance of knowledge from teacher to students, the preferred student-teacher ratio is between 10:1 and 15:1. Here are some examples of medical schools with low student-teacher ratio:

Washington University School of Medicine

An example of a medical school having low student-teacher ratio is Washington University School of Medicine. Only a limited number of students are admitted to this St. Louis, Missouri medical school because the administration wishes to preserve the quality of its graduates. Washington University School of Medicine, by limiting its annual enrollees, is able to provide equal opportunities and quality education to each medical student.

Harvard Medical School

With over 10,000 faculty members to educate its medical students, Harvard Medical School has one of the lowest student-teacher ratios in the country. To preserve the school’s academic excellence, the Harvard faculty sees to it that each medical student is given enough attention and education to become a great medical practitioner. Harvard Medical School, aside from having a low student-teacher ratio, is also the current number one medical school in the country according to many experts.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Like Washington University and Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine maintains a low student-teacher ratio to ensure the proper education of its students. Johns Hopkins medical school started the “Hopkins Model” of teaching, which is a combination of basic science education and intensive clinical mentoring.

Top medical schools have low student-teacher ratios

Most medical schools with low student-teacher ratios also do well in overall top medical school rankings. Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Washington University School of Medicine all managed to secure top 5 spots in the 2008 list. One of the main reasons for this is that the teachers find it easier to teach in an intimate setting than a crowded room. Learning, after all, is easier when you share a classroom with ten more students than a lecture hall that can accommodate almost a hundred people.

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Got a study group invitation lately? Well, if you did, then you should say yes right away. Joining study group sessions is not only a great opportunity to meet potential partners, but it is also a good chance to improve your study habits and academic perforamce. And in the stress-filled world of medical school, study group sessions might just be your key to survival.

No room for procrastination

The worst enemy of studying is procrastination. Recurring thoughts of “I still have time” and “maybe tomorrow” will most likely direct you toward a movie theater instead of a library. There is no room for procrastination in a study group. In study group sessions, you study not only for yourself but also for the entire study group. If you put off your reading assignments or teaching duties, then the other members of your study group will also lag behind their medical school work. Be responsible and considerate. Many people are counting on you.

Enough collection of ideas

Study group sessions involve lots of discussions. You will be assigned one topic per session and you will be in-charge of explaining it to the rest of the study group. After your teaching duty, however, there will be a group discussion where each member will give his or her comments or ideas about the previously discussed topic. When you study alone, your ideas are only limited to what your brain can generate. In study group sessions, however, you also learn about the thoughts and ideas of your colleagues. Two heads are better than one, they say, and a gathering of bright minds in one room will generate enough ideas to complete a textbook. Besides, you will have more ideas on what to expect on your next test!

More chances for self-improvement

The benefits of joining study group sessions go beyond good grades and new friends. Frequently speaking before a small study group helps build your confidence and develop your interpersonal skills – qualities that every doctor must need. Getting used to listening to other people’s explanations or ideas is also an effective way to improve your attention span and recall ability. Exchanging ideas and comparing notes with your fellow study group members is actually a good preparation for your medical career. They allow you to enhance your critical thinking and problem solving skills by assessing not only your ideas but also your colleagues’.

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