ERAS Personal Statement and Specialty

[ObGyn]

I have heard so much conflicting information that I am seeking advice from all you experts who have completed your personal statements. my program director told me that personal statement does not have to be about "why I want to go into____ ." In fact I have heard from some past applicant who said they did not even write about the specialty. Instead he told me to talk about myself or something interesting to me not necessarily have to be about the specialty.

I am planning on not really even mentioning the specialty. I was thinking, heck I can just tell you at interview. I don't know what do you guys think.

any helpful and constructive opinion is much appreciated.
Thank you

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[monkey7247]

I wrote about why I want to go into the field.

 

[ObGyn]

I wrote about why I want to go into the field.

Hey, thanks for replying

yeah, I am sure a lot of people wrote about why they want to go into the field. In fact, I am willing to bet that most people wrote that.

I don't know, I just think that if this is the case, PD or whoever would get sick of reading essays after essays of why an applicant want to do _____.
It just seem that after a while, they all sound the same.

but at the same time, it's may seem kinda scary to not even mentioning the field!
what do you guys think?

 

[shorrin]

I am writing about why I like to learn and why the specialty fits my personality without telling them "hey I'm a good fit for _____ because xyz". I mention the specialty 2x at the very end.

 

[cytoborg]

Probably depends on the field, but I imagine most people discuss "why ___" to some extent. In path, which is not an obvious specialty choice for most med students, the decisionmaking process is often unique and reveals a lot about the applicant, so it makes sense to address it in the PS. For more popular fields, it's easy to slip into platitudes, just like med school admissions essays. Just remember that you are applying for a job, and you are trying to convince an employer WHY you are right for this particular job and HOW you will benefit the employer and the company. Someone applying for a job as head chef at a famous restaurant does not wax poetic about how they first got interested in cooking - they focus on their experience in the industry and their plans for designing the menu. So while it's probably good to at least address the question briefly, it doesn't have to be and probably shouldn't be the focus of your PS.

 

[GrandMasterB]

according to our dean, and the iserson book it is a bad idea to try to be "different." i would strongly suggest that you write about why you want to go into the field and incorporate other interesting info about you if you must. many people have told me that the essay is mainly to screen out people that do things which are red flags- ie write something strange, have poor communication skills, or are sloppy. i would suggest reading the section in the Iserson's guide to getting into a residency or the section in First Aid for the match. good luck.

 

[Butch]

The previous advice by cytoborg is accurate.

My advice:

1. The personal statement content will vary based on the field of interest. Some fields, such as psychiatry, weigh the personal statement far more than others.

2. Getting original is risky. The rationale for entering a field is a wise topic.

3. The majority of interviewers will not read your statement. It might get glanced at by the physician (or secretary) in charge of screening applicants.