Five Tips for Writing a Winning Personal Statement

The new year is here! If you plan to apply to medical school this fall, now is the time to think about writing your personal statement. Students consider personal statement writing one of the most challenging steps in the medical school application process, so there is no time to waste in starting to think about how you want to approach yours. As your experts for personal statement writing and other medical school application topics, we at Code Blue Essays would like to offer some basic tips and ways to avoid missteps in the personal statement writing process:   

1) Get your thoughts on paper first. 

Start by brainstorming. Think about your personal experiences and how those experiences have shaped who you are as a person. Write down possible approaches and create a list of topics you could explore in your essay. Then, narrow them down until you find a topic that is personal and unique to you. In the first draft of your personal statement, don’t worry about tracking your word count or perfecting organization. Instead, focus on an effective opening and continue your draft by discussing all the points you hope to make to support that opening.   

2) Take a break between phases of personal statement writing. 

The first draft of your personal statement should not be polished – there’s still work to do! You should expect to work through several iterations of your personal statement, making edits and structural changes along the way. However, the key to a great personal statement is to let it breathe. Step away from what you have written and sleep on it before you review and revise the essay. Here are some tips for your personal statement revision: 

• Almost everyone writes too much. Cut out the fluff and include only information you feel adds to the essay. 
• Focus on structure. You should start your essay and end it with a consistent idea to give a cohesive feel to your personal statement. 
• Check your grammar and spelling! If you don’t meticulously check your essay, silly mistakes can get you cut from a medical school. 

3) Show, don’t tell medical schools about yourself. 

Writing anecdotally is the best way to show admissions teams who you are rather than rattling off a list of your qualifications. Remember, this is not a resume – your CV is already attached to your application. One way to show a medical school who you are instead of telling them is to think about a claim you write in your essay: could anybody else say the same thing about themself? If so, think of a way only you could convey the ideas. Consider reflecting on a specific experience you have had and make the reader feel like they are there, reliving it with you. 

4) Be sincere, but do not be cliché. 

One of the goals of a medical school personal statement is communicating why you want to go to medical school and eventually become a physician. While you may sincerely seek the career in order to help people. However, simply stating this motivation in your personal statement may sound disingenuous and unoriginal. The drive to help people truly is a great reason to want to go to medical school, but most (if not all) medical school applicants seek the profession because of a desire to help others. Your personal statement is an opportunity to tell admissions committees about your special qualities that are not evident in the rest of your application. Therefore, make use of the space to discuss things that make you stand out from other applicants instead of stating the obvious. Show your prospective schools more of yourself! 

5) Use our Personal Statement Review services.  

Did you know that only 36% of medical school applicants get an acceptance letter? Compare that to the 90% of students using our services getting accepted. Asking for help is a vital component of perfecting your personal statement, and is a vital skill to have as a medical professional. Our personal statement review service will ensure that your personal statement enhances your medical school application. When you submit your medical school personal statement to Code Blue Essays for review, actual physicians (who wrote their own winning personal statements) will review yours and offer edits and suggestions. If you are feeling stuck with starting your personal statement, our comprehensive personal statement writing course will get you on track quickly. Best of all, it includes personal statement editing and personalized guidance along the way.  At Code Blue Essays, we know that being a skilled writer is a trait you must possess for medical school admission. This is because writing is a vital skill for success in medical school and the practice of medicine. We are here to help coach you to your highest writing potential. Contact us for the advantage you can leverage for success for years to come.