What to write in your personal statement?

[rs2006]

Hi everyone,

I hope all is well. Anyone who matched in cards have any advice for those of us trying to write good personal statements? thanks.

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[dochuffman]

Be original...they read hundreds of statements that might as well be by the same person.

 

[ProgCoordinator]

Originality is most appreciated as well as brevity. Just one page please. In ERAS that's about 4,300 characters (including spaces). I'll tell you that about 95% of candidates start with an anecdote about someone in their life who has been afflicted by cardiovascular events. Although we appreciate the sentiment and the impact on a candidate's experience, they all start to blur together and the impact is lost.

Also, please don't regurgitate your CV in your statement point-by-point. We'll comb through your CV and highlight your accomplishments. Not to worry.

Be yourself. We want to get to know you.

 

[dragonfly99]

I did match in cards.
I don't have any great advice except to try to keep it to 1 page, and do not do something stupid like use bad grammar, bad spelling, or say something outlandish. Also, if you have a strong interest in a particular hospital, I would add something/a paragraph to your basic PS mentioning why you like that hospital (i.e. My interest in Duke cardiology stems from its history of clinical and research excellence, particularly in the areas of X and Y [pick subspecialty of cardiology that you have an interest in and that this medical center is well known for]). Just one idea.

I'm not sure the PS really is that important, at least until the stage of interviews. "Numbers", where you did residency and your letters of recommendation are most of what gets you in the door.