sample medical school personal statements

Taropanda contains articles about a wide variety of topics,including health and beauty, food, entertainment, medical issues, schools, relationships, and current events. There are actually a lot of things to expect from this site. Many of them are really very interesting. The blog seems to be about everything, but if you explore it, you will know that the blogger is really passionate particularly about food and topics related to medicine. The theme and the tone of the blog suggest that it is intended for teen audience.
What’s to like about the site

One thing I like about the blog is its theme. The design is simple, but at the same time attractive. The color combinations are appealing to the eyes as well. The theme is a great choice for it complements the content of the blog. Like the design, the entries are light in tone and as interesting as the colors in the design.

One of the interesting entries is the Random + Weird Medical Stuff. The post contains different medicine-related ideas that are surprising and insightful. Aside from the entries, I also like the layout of the site. It is very easy to navigate. In the category “Blogs that I Like,” for instance, you can have a view of the list of blogs in the subcategory just by hovering the cursor on it.

What’s not to like about the site

I think it would be more fun if the blogger includes videos and several interesting photos in the homepage. This will make the site more interactive, refreshing, and appealing to readers. But, this is only a minor concern. Overall, I like the site because of its well-written articles and diverse topics to offer. It seems like the blogger really is passionate about life.

Advisor’s Corner is intended for those who are interested in taking up medicine. The articles on this blog, such as the Top Ten Pieces of Advice for Aspiring and Successful Pre-Meds, are obviously written for premed students who want to be in the know. The blog aims at providing a useful resource for med-related issues and concerns. You get the impression that it was created by professionals for aspiring med school students.

The strong points

One of the strong points I see on the site is its layout. The layout and design are reallly professional-looking. The photos of the developers in the home page also help to establish the credibility of the site. The formality of the theme and the photo of the blog’s developers make it seem professional. This is, of course, a very important factor especially if you’re writing about med school advice and tips. In terms of content, the site has well-written articles. The med-related topics highlighted in the blogs are, indeed, very helpful for med school applicants and med school students. The style and tone of the entries are very consistent.

The weak points

What I don’t like about the blog is its very simple design. The colors should be made more attractive. Adding some colors to the site would make it more appealing to visitors. It could also encourage visitors to explore the site. The developers should also improve the frequency of posting entries. Although the entries are excellent, they’re too few. I look forward to seeing more posts. Hopefully, authors will find time to contribute more. I’d also appreciate it if subheadings will be in set in bold face. This typeset will defenitely make reading the entries easier. I can easily spot the information I need to know or the subtopics that really interest me.

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.

Photo Credit : pmccormil

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.

Photo Credit : banjo d

“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.

Photo Credit : Dwight Evans for Mayor

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.

Photo Credit : Zannal.yon

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.

Photo Credit : dulsine

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.

Photo Credit : Philnelson

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.

Photo Credit : Ben+Sam