In response to many reader questions following a recent blog post about secondary application essays, I’m focusing this time on preparing your primary essay, which you will submit to every medical school you apply to.
Simply stated, this all-important component of your application should describe why you want to go into medicine. Here are four attributes you should demonstrate on your medical school essay to help you stand out from the crowd:
[Avoid these common mistakes on the medical school personal statement.]
1. You are more than a list of your experiences. Your primary essay should not be a list of all your experiences. The admissions committee will read about your experiences in the activities boxes on the application. Committee members want to learn one thing from your primary essay: why you want to become a physician.
I recall one applicant who wrote extensively about his travels, the languages he spoke and his hobbies. His experiences were colorful, and I could see why he wanted to share them, but they were included in his activity list already.
Because he neglected to explain why he wanted to go into medicine, he did not convince us that he was a strong candidate. He did, however, convince us that he liked to travel.
2. You know how to yield meaning from your experiences. Be sure your essay is sincere and self-reflective. Think of your essay as an opportunity to tell your story. And remember, each person’s story is worth telling. You need not to have traveled to an impoverished village to dig wells, but you must have the ability to journey within yourself.
By that, I mean engaging in self-reflection to discover your honest thoughts about why you wish to practice medicine. The reasons could relate to your own personal struggles or those of another. Whatever the reasons, your emotional responses are necessary.
[Get expert advice on submitting medical school applications.]
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of self-reflection, for both your essay and your future. When applied to your essay, self-reflection will help illuminate the details of your thoughts and behavior. Use self-reflection to show how an experience made a mark on your life, and how it made a difference in you going forward.
As well, the ability to self-reflect can provide strength for you during times of significant stress. Self-reflection can keep you from giving up. You’ll need that strength to endure the rigors of medical school.
3. You have the ability to empathize. The ability to empathize is critical to your future. When doctors care deeply, they will go the extra mile for their patients. Empathy is what admissions committees want to see in their applicants because empathy is what patients want to see in their doctors.
Recently I read a compelling primary essay that involved an applicant’s relative. For reasons of confidentiality, I cannot give specific details.
I can say that the applicant learned a painful secret from others in his family that caused him to pause and consider what he wanted to leave behind when he died. After discovering this secret, the applicant learned a lesson in values through the pain of others.
[See if you are ready to apply to medical school.]
4. You learn from your experiences. Complete your essay by closing the loop. What did you learn about your experience — or that of another — that will last you a lifetime?
Going back to my prior example, from reading the applicant’s essay, I could tell that he learned not only from his personal experience, but also from that of another. I learned he is a good listener and does not walk away from difficulty.
He felt the tragedy and the shame of another and, through those feelings, understood more about what he expected of himself. This young man’s journey didn’t take him across the world, but rather into a family member’s soul and, consequently, into his own.
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4 Attributes to Demonstrate on Your Primary Medical School Essay originally appeared on usnews.com
