transitional year personal statement

[sdwigint]

What sort of personal statement is needed for transitional year programs? I am applying to diagnostic radiology programs as well. Should I use that personal statement or do you have to make up a new one for the trans year pgms? Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[joaquin13]

help! i am have the same quesiton. am applying to EM programs, some 234. Do I need a separate personal statement for transitional year/prelim year programs?
thanks!

 

[golgi]

Joaqin - I don't think you need to apply for a transitional/prelim year for EM. I thought it was just a straight 3 or 4 yr program.
But maybe I am wrong?

I am using my same personal statement for ophtho and prelim programs and was told that this was okay by people on the ophtho forum and by my advisors.

 

[Krafty]

(btw, make sure you leave the blanks open, to make it as generic as possible).

I love transitions. I am a man/woman on the flow. If it wasn't for the multiple electives offered to me in my latter half of 4th year of med school I would not be where I am right now (applying to your program). I think _______ program would be a perfect place for me to not work as hard as any of my other fellow interns during our time spend being indentured servants to the unregulated GME interests. That was I will have enough time to REALLY read up on my general medical kNoWlEdGe.
________ program also offers an excellent benefits package program that I would greatly enjoy.
Alright, enough of this sharade. (Insert the name of PD here) - you know I need you and you need me. I need the time off (I deserved it by busting my ass in med school - that's how I got into Anesthesia/Radiology/Optho and yes...even Neurology). And you need me (you want people with high board scores for your LOLs in NAD) in the cushy upper middle class community you supply. So why don't we cut to the chase, skip this ERAS bull&%*($ and just offer me a contract (with a signing bonus...like I know you do every year) and we'll both be winners. Whaddya say to a straight shooter?

Sign your name here

 

[Krafty]

On a more serious note. Just write about how the diversity, good teaching, and diverse patient population will make you a better ...ist (specialist).

Look, let's not kid ourselves here. These people don't need you to publish or give money back to the program. Your scores will get you through the door (before I matched I would have told you that they are the only things that matter- which they don't). Then it's up to how well your interviews go.
Just shmooze, smile a lot and make it seem like nothing bothers you (because that's what they're looking for, somebody that can roll with the punches).

At this point I would say they don't really care if you're a genius, but more of a work horse, that can also get along with people. That will get you a long way.

So basically I wouldn't be spending my friday nights in drafting different versions of your transitional year statment. Spend it on your categorical app part.

btw, same applies for prelim (medicine/surgery/other). Just spin it a little differently

Medicine - I want to really learn about differential diagnoses and round
Surgery - I hate rounding I want to learn how to do less with my brain and more with my hands.
OB/GYN - why would I ever IN THE WORLD want to do this to myself (answer it yourself)
Peds - Children are the future of the world.
FP - I am very touchy feely, and kinda dorky.

ps. These are just jokes people...hahaha...

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

What I did is basically sent my radiology PS, but changed the final paragraph to point out what I was looking for in a transitional / prelim program.

 

[Jaded Soul]

What I did is basically sent my radiology PS, but changed the final paragraph to point out what I was looking for in a transitional / prelim program.

Bingo. Exactly the same advice the Dean of Student Affairs at my school gave to me.

 

[Lefty]

Krafty,

I will be laughing at your posts during the entire application process!!!

 

[Chillio]

I applied to prelim medicine programs along with anesthesia. I took the lazy route and used the anesthesia one for all the prelim ones. I got the impression that the powers that be only skimmed the personal statments anyway. Many interviewers were skimming my application as they were doing the interview

 

[Skrubz]

I did the same as Chillio and got almost all of the prelim/transitional interviews that I wanted (save one transitional program that totally snubbed me). Maybe it was because I didn't bother writing about why I wanted to go to their program? (Or I just didn't make the cutoff in terms of grades/scores/school) No one else seemed to care that they were reading my anesthesia PS.