Personal Statement Do’s and Don’ts
Personal statements are an important part of your application to residency programs in the
United States. This is your opportunity to discuss your passion for medicine and/or your chosen
specialty, why you want to practice medicine in the United States, important milestones in your
life that influenced your decision to become a physician, and your goals for the future. The
personal statement should show what kind of person and physician you are and wish to
become. The following guidelines are derived from feedback we’ve received from program
directors and staff about what they do and do not like to see in an applicant’s personal
statement.
Do’s
DO describe your passion for and commitment to medicine and patient care. Other documents
in your application, such as your curriculum vitae (CV) and transcripts, already describe your
education and experience in medicine thus far. This is your opportunity to communicate why
you chose medicine as a career.
DO discuss why you would like to practice medicine and treat patients in the United States.
Moving to another country is a big decision and programs want to know why you made this
decision.
DO talk about something personal. Whether you are focusing on your personal experiences or
personal career goals, it should be centered on you.
DO let readers know why you believe they should have you in their program. What special skills
or traits do you have to offer? What makes you unique? What might set you apart from other
applicants?
DO be honest. If there is a “red flag” on your application (gap in training, disciplinary action,
course failures), this is your chance to explain it. Don’t avoid the topic, and make sure your
explanation is accurate and forthright.
DO proofread. A well-written personal statement demonstrates care, attention to detail, and
good English language skills. The personal statement is the only place in your application where
you can showcase your writing skills. A poorly written personal statement may cause a program
to reject your application.
DO show your personal statement to others to obtain their feedback and for proofreading, but
not for their rewrites. It is good to reach out to friends and colleagues for advice on your
personal statement, especially those in residency positions in the United States or native
English speakers; however, these individuals should not be writing the statement for you. This is
about you, and you know yourself best.
DO keep your statement to one page in length. Limiting yourself to one page will help you keep
your points clear, concise, and readable.
Don’ts
DON’T plagiarize. You should not copy language from any source for use in your personal
statement. Samples of personal statements can be found on the Internet. Although these
samples may be used as a reference when writing your own personal statement, copying any