Crafting a Personal Statement That Stands Out in Medical School Applications with Dr. Weiss

Struggling to make your medical school application stand out with a personal touch? Fear not, for guidance is at hand in our latest Black Med Connect podcast episode, where Dr. Weiss breaks down the art of writing a personal statement that resonates with admissions committees. As a novice in the field, it can be all too easy to fall into the trap of clichés and a laundry list of achievements. But here's the promise: You'll learn how to weave specificity and storytelling into a narrative that doesn't just list your accomplishments, but rather, paints a vivid picture of your unique journey toward medicine.

Join us as Dr. Weiss emphasizes the value of patience, reflection, and the power of feedback in crafting your story. This isn't about rushing to fill a page; it's about selecting the experiences that have truly shaped you, and articulating the qualities that make you an exceptional candidate. The conversation takes a deep dive into the delicate dance between humility and self-promotion, providing actionable insights to ensure your statement not only tells your story but also confidently highlights your potential as a future medical professional. Tune in, and transform your personal statement from a monotonous monologue into a compelling chapter of your life's work.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Are you struggling to write your personal statement for medical school? Do you feel lost in the process? Well, today we're going to talk all about writing personal statements and common mistakes that pre-medical students make when writing their personal statement for medical school. Before we get started talking about the mistakes that students commonly make, first I need you to subscribe here on YouTube to Black Med Connect. We really appreciate when you subscribe to the channel. Let's jump right into the episode. I'm Dr Weiss.

Speaker 1: 0:52

Welcome back to the Black Med Connect podcast, and today we're going to talk about common mistakes that students make when writing their personal statement for medical school. We know that this is an important essay, one of the most important essays that you'll ever write, and there are so many things that students do, unfortunately, that are mistakes when they're writing their personal statement. So let me share the first common mistake with you. The first mistake is number one being too generic, only talking about the fact that you want to help people. Everybody who wants to be a doctor wants to help people, so you've got to make sure that you tell us why you want to help people. How do you want to help people? Don't just use that statement very generically without using specific details. So that's my first tip for you Make sure you think about the details as to why you want to help people as you navigate the journey to becoming a doctor. The second mistake that people commonly make is only listing accolades, almost as if they are rehashing their CV or their resume on their personal statement. I want you to be really, really cautious and not do this. Pick a few of the experiences that you've had whether they be clinical experiences or research experiences something that was really impactful for you and only discuss those. You want to tell a story in your personal statement, but you don't want to list the fact that you are president of this society and you volunteered here for three or four years. This isn't the place to do that. The personal statement is the place where your reader and those who are on the admissions and interview committee can get to know you better. So make sure you don't just list your accolades. Be sure to tell a story as you write your personal statement.

Speaker 1: 2:32

The next mistake that people commonly make when writing their personal statement is trying to write it all at one time. I remember when I was writing my personal statement, I thought I was gonna sit down, get it all out in one draft and it would be that simple. You'll quickly find out that when you're writing your personal statement that is not the case. You're gonna need some time where you just sit and brainstorm and almost do a brain dump of your ideas that you have, because there have been so many experiences that you may wanna talk about, but you'll only have a little bit of time and a small amount of space to talk about the experiences. So make sure you don't try to sit down and do this all in one sitting. Give yourself actually a few months to write your personal statement, because that will lead right into the next mistake people make is they don't get feedback. They don't ask a professor or a person who's really good at writing, or even their career center. They don't ask a professor or a person who's really good at writing, or even their career center. They don't ask other individuals to read the personal statement. And this is a setup for, unfortunately, for failure, because by the time you've looked over it over and over and you've been mulling over the words you've written, unfortunately you may miss things. Now, of course, use the tools we have to our advantage now, such as Grammarly or other software tools to check grammar thus and so, but you still want to get another reader to read the personal statement to see if you're really sharing enough about who you are and if the message is really coming through about why you are the best candidate to get into medical school. So that is another common mistake. I see people and students not getting feedback about their personal statement.

Speaker 1: 4:12

The last mistake that I've seen people make and there are many others, but the last one we'll talk about today is being afraid to actually toot your own horn. Right, this is the time for you to highlight why you have been able to be successful along your journey and share what qualities make you a good applicant. It's not all about the accolades. It's not even all about just the story. What qualities do you have as a person? Are you a good communicator? Are you a compassionate person? Do you work well under pressure, and how can you demonstrate that in your writing? So don't be afraid to toot your own horn about the personal qualities that make you a great applicant, as well as the stories that make you a great applicant that readers will want to learn more about you and see that you're not just another applicant. You are an exceptional applicant. I hope you've learned a little bit about the common mistakes that students make when writing their personal statements.

Speaker 1: 5:09

Remember, don't be too generic. Everybody says they want to help people, so be very specific about how you want to help people and what you see for your career in the future. Next, I want you to remember don't be too generic and list your accolades. Here I want to make sure that you're not making a list. Instead, you're also thinking about taking a deep dive into one or two experiences and really giving details about how those experiences helped you become more interested in medicine and why you want to pursue the career. So don't just list the accolades and extracurriculars that you have in this moment. Be sure to really, really dig into some of the experiences that you've had.

Speaker 1: 5:50

Remember, don't forget to toot your own horn a little bit here. Be proud of what you've done and make sure you really write about it and showcase those personal qualities that make you the best applicant for medical school. And lastly, don't forget it's going to take you some time, so be sure to spend a couple of months planning different sessions where you can write multiple drafts. I remember by the end I was on draft 12, so don't be surprised if it takes you some time. Make sure you write the draft and get it the way you want to Be sure, though, to get feedback along the way so you're not just writing without getting someone to look it over. Make sure they're helping you with revisions and, most importantly, making sure you convey the message that makes you a standout applicant to medical school.

Speaker 1: 6:36

We definitely want you to be successful here at BMED in writing your personal statement, and we don't want you to make these mistakes. So if you made it this far in the episode, then I have a special bonus for you. If you're trying to write your personal statement, I know it's hard to get started, so we have a free cheat sheet that will give you 20 brainstorming prompts to help you get started with writing your personal statement. It'll include questions like who around you has influenced you to become a physician, or what experience has helped you think about becoming a physician. These are just a few, and there are some really creative ones on our cheat sheet as well, so comment the word statement on this post and we'll be sure to send you the cheat sheet. Thank you for watching this week's episode. Don't forget to like this episode. Comment below about how you're working on your personal statement and be sure to subscribe to Black Med Connect. Until next time, always remember to dream without limits.