Residency Personal Statement Myths

The residency personal statement is an incredibly important aspect of your application, and there is tremendous pressure to “get it right.” All too often, this drives applicants to the web in search of the “right way” to write a personal statement. This strategy usually hurts more than it helps.

There is No “Right Way” to Write Your Personal Statement

Use extreme caution when considering any advice found on the web. The vast majority of it is prescriptive, meaning it tells you what you need to write and encourages you to create a personal statement that fits into a box. Common examples are:

You must have a dramatic hook to convince program directors to read your PS.
All good personal statements include a major life-changing event/emotionally driven story.
The personal statement should have a theme that is present throughout every paragraph.
Your PS must talk about “what you want in a program.”
You should focus on your achievements and experiences in the PS, especially USCE.
If you’re an IMG, you must write about why you want to come to the US.

This advice is unfounded. Of course it’s fine to have a hook, incorporate a subtle theme, discuss your ideal program culture, highlight achievements, and share why you chose to pursue training in the US…but you don’t have to do any of these things.

There is no “right way” to write your personal statement. Your PS should take shape based on the story you want to tell.

Getting Started…On Your Own

Now that you know better than to follow prescriptive advice about writing your personal statement, here’s some advice for getting started.

First, think about what programs hope to learn by reading your personal statement:

What makes you different from other applicants? An interesting personal experience, a poignant moment in your medical journey, an unusual upbringing?
What drives your motivation, vision, and personal philosophy—medically and beyond?
What’s your demeanor like? In what kind of setting do you thrive?
Why are you drawn to this particular specialty?
Which of your attributes and experiences support your application?

Write down all your thoughts related to those questions and any other ideas you have, and then draft your personal statement without regard for what anyone else says it “should be” or what you’re “supposed” to say. Instead, pour your heart out. Every last bit of it. If there were no rules, no limitations, what would you tell programs?

For extensive guidance on drafting, revision, and polishing, review our article about a question-based approach to writing your personal statement.

Asking for Feedback on Your Personal Statement

Seeking feedback on your personal statement is smart. So is identifying when that feedback is prescriptive. Most reviewers have good intentions, but…

A peer who previously matched is likely to give feedback suggesting you modify your PS so it more closely resembles theirs. This doesn’t work because you’re not telling their story.

A program director or attending who has read 100s of personal statements that follow the same approach and hasn’t had exposure to unique personal statements will likely suggest you revise to better fit within the only box they’ve seen. Unless you’re aiming to blend in with the crowd, this isn’t a good approach.

The truth is, you have tremendous flexibility with regard to your personal statement–so don’t allow a lack of confidence (or well-meaning reviewers) to box you into a boring, cliché piece of writing!