Reading My Medical School Personal Statement | 2 Full Scholarship Offers

Struggling to pen down that winning personal statement for medical school? I'm Dr. Jasmine Weiss, and I've sat on both sides of the admissions table. I know the power of a story that can catapult your application to the top of the pile. In this electrifying episode of BlackMed Connect, I'm peeling back the curtain to share the very narrative that landed me not one, but two full-ride scholarships. Prepare to elevate your writing with my intimate insights and personalize your journey into one that resonates with the hearts and minds of the admissions committee.

Join me as we dissect the anatomy of a standout personal statement. From my childhood battles with asthma to the profound influence of my pediatrician, I'll show you how to captivate from the first sentence and maintain that grip throughout your narrative. We'll navigate the delicate art of authenticity, ensuring that your genuine self-pulsates through every word. With personal anecdotes and key experiences from my own life as a guiding light, this episode is an arsenal of strategies to showcase your unwavering commitment to medicine and the underserved. By the end of our journey, you'll be armed with the knowledge to craft a personal statement that not only tells your story but also opens the gates to your medical career.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

I've had the opportunity to review a lot of different personal statements for people who are going to medical school. I've been a medical school admissions interviewer and I've written my own personal statement as I journey to medical school. So today, on this episode of the BMAID podcast, we're going to tackle how to write a compelling personal statement, and I'm even going to share parts of my personal statement with you that helped me to get two full-ride scholarships to different medical schools. So before we get started, I want you to first follow BlackMed Connect on YouTube. If you're listening on a podcast platform, be sure to follow and subscribe. Now let's jump right into the episode. Welcome back to the BlackMed Connect podcast. I'm your host, dr Jasmine Weiss, and we share inspiring stories of Black physicians and physicians in training, and today I'm going to share with you three tips to help you write a compelling personal statement. So the first tip I have for you is to make sure you crush the opening act, just like in a play or in a movie, when the action gets started. You want to make sure your first paragraph of your personal statement is something that's very attention grabbing. It's something that captures the reader's attention and I know this sounds unique because you're writing an essay to get into medical school. But individuals are reading a lot of personal statements and you want to do your best to stand out. So let me share with you a snippet from my own personal statement.

Speaker 1: 1:41

When I was applying to medical school as a child, it was very common for me to stare out of the window as the school bus would go by. All I wanted to do is go to school, but the wheezing, the coughing and the nebulizer treatments made this an impossible feat. Multiple stays in the hospital and recurring doctor's office visits due to my asthma were absolutely dreadful. The only source of comfort at the doctor's office was the pediatrician, whose kind words always eased my mind and helped me with my illness. My experiences with asthma, coupled with my pediatrician's compassion, warmth and ability to relate to me during my time of sickness, sparked my interest in medicine At a young age. I knew that one day I wanted to reciprocate the generosity afforded to me in an effort to care for suffering individuals. So this was my opening act and this was a way to make sure that the readers knew my passion for medicine was personal and very deep for me. So make sure you figure out what's important to you and showcase that experience in your opening paragraph.

Speaker 1: 2:44

The second tip I have for you is to make sure you showcase your personal experiences throughout your personal statement. This is not the time to be shy. I want you to be sure you think about activities that you've done that you really really valued, that really helped you solidify your interest in medicine, and this isn't the time to be superficial. I want you to be very specific about what you learned during the experience, how it impacted others and impacted patients, and ultimately, how that experience helped you move forward as you decided to go to medical school. Let me share this next excerpt with you from my personal statement, where I highlighted a particular experience.

Speaker 1: 3:24

There was a day when every single patient that came into the office suffered from high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. A common thread amongst the majority of these patients was that these individuals were from minority populations. While working as an assistant office manager for a durable medical equipment company, I also noticed that a majority of the patients were coming in for diabetic supports and motor wheelchairs due to amputation, and these individuals were often African Americans who were on Medicare or Medicaid. Having these personal experiences allowed me to see the vast effects of lifestyle diseases and how they impacted minority communities. Being that minorities collectively have less access to quality, affordable healthcare in the United States, it is my desire to be a part of the solution by serving underserved populations. As the daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of three women, each of whom have diabetes and high blood pressure, I can identify with patients and families who are trying to help their loved ones make lifestyle changes due to these illnesses. So, again, this highlights how my own personal family experiences and my work experiences and shadowing opportunities and shadowing experiences that I've had helped me to really become interested and passionate about health and underserved communities. So that's tip number two Make sure you showcase the experiences that are important to you and why they've helped you to decide on a career in medicine.

Speaker 1: 4:51

My third tip for you is to make sure you are authentic when you write your personal statement. This is about your unique journey, so don't try to copy anyone else. Don't look at the framework or the way in which other personal statements have been written. You can use, ultimately, the same kind of opening paragraph talk about your experiences and, conclusion, make sure you talk about something that is very near and dear to you. Remember, this personal statement will be something that schools will read to get to know you better. So you don't wanna pick an experience that you think is important just because it may have been the most popular or most prominent experience you had. Pick something that was really impactful to you and your journey to medicine. So that is my third tip for you Make sure you are authentic when you're writing your application and writing your personal statement.

Speaker 1: 5:42

My final bonus tip I have for you is that this process takes time. So I want you to make sure you take some time just to brainstorm about what type of topic you wanna talk about during your personal statement. I want you to reflect back on different volunteer experiences you've had, any patient care experiences you've had. What has happened with you personally and your health, or maybe even your family or a friend. Make sure you take the time to reflect on how all of those experiences have shaped you and made you the person you are as you pursue medical school. So when writing that personal statement, I want you to take the time to brainstorm. So that's my bonus tip for you.

Speaker 1: 6:21

So I hope you've enjoyed this episode where I shared three compelling tips to help you tackle your personal statement. I want you to remember to hit that personal statement hard in the first paragraph. Make sure you have a great opening paragraph that is interesting and exciting and gets the reader engaged in reading your personal statement. Then I want to make sure you highlight and showcase your personal experiences that helped you to decide why medicine is a career that's important to you. And then don't forget to be authentic. Write about something that was meaningful to you and impactful to you as you write your personal statement. I hope you have enjoyed this episode. Next week we're gonna also tackle a little bit more about the common mistakes that people make when writing their personal statements. So make sure you tune in. Next week. Don't forget to follow BlackMed Connect on all podcast platforms. And until next time, always remember to dream without limits. No mistakes will be easier than ever in your journey.