It can take many drafts to complete an effective personal statement.
Applying for medical school requires pre-med students to prepare a personal statement to accompany their formal application. Personal statements allow students the opportunity to introduce themselves to the review board or committee, and to make an argument for why they are an ideal candidate for that particular medical program. A poorly written personal statement can jeopardize a student's chances for getting accepted into the school. Accordingly, it is critical for students to learn compose successful personal statements.
Instructions
1. Review the application packet provided by the medical school, and look for instructions relating to personal statements. Look for specific requirements, such as word count and format, as well as what the content of the statement should cover. Remember that personal statement instructions may differ from one medical school to the next.
2. Create an outline of the information you wish to cover in your personal statement. Start with the introduction, then the body and end with the conclusion. Be prepared to write one paragraph for the introduction and conclusion, and one or two paragraphs within the body.
3. Begin composing your personal statement. Write the introduction first, and use this paragraph to introduce yourself to the audience. Make sure the introduction is catchy and warrants the attention of your reader. You will want your personal statement to stand out amongst the many that the medical school receives.
4. Compose the body of your personal statement after the introduction. Use these paragraphs to explain why medical school is important to you, what your career goals are and why you would make a successful doctor. Make these sections personal and avoid sounding cliche or like a textbook.
5. Write the concluding paragraph last, using it to wrap up your personal statement. Avoid repeating information already given in the body or introduction, and, instead, end the paper with something unique, such as a famous quotation.
6. Have a red pen handy (or a computer equivalent) and review your personal statement. Look for spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors, and use the red pen to mark up the areas that need correcting. If you use citations in your paper, be sure the references are available and that you have cited the information correctly.
7. Revise any part of the paper that does not read smoothly. Review the personal statement again after making corrections. Continue to make corrections and notes on the statement until you are happy with the way it reads.
8. Ask a friend, relative or colleague to read your personal statement and note any changes that should be made for a final revision. Print the final draft and submit it along with your application.
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