Who Wrote Your Personal Statement?

Would you hire someone to write your personal statement? A recent article in Business Week explores this issue and, while the focus is business school admissions, the same issues exist for the medical professions. Hiring someone to write your essays is an issue of ethics and there has been discussion in the academic community about policing these practices. Software programs have been created to detect plagiarism and admissions committees are now using these tools. If you hire someone to write your essay, you may never know if the same words are being used for another client.

The exercise of writing admissions documents is important; this allows applicants to reflect, introspect and explore their paths, ideals, and pivotal experiences. Not only does this help clients compose great documents, but it also encourages them to learn about themselves, establish a foundation for interview preparation, and clarify their future goals.

Click Here to read the Business Week article.

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Personal Statement Article and Podcast

by Jessica Freedman, MD, www.MedEdits.com

An article that I authored, Personal Statement Myths, was published today on the Student Doctor Network. You can also listen to the corresponding MedEdits podcast on iTunes.

New Tool For Admissions Officers

A company called Turnitin for Admissions now provides plagiarism and content verification software specifically designed for admissions offices. I am not sure if any one in the medical admissions arena is using this resource yet but, as applicants write their essays, personal statements and applications, be aware that this exists! I always discourage applicants from using companies or individuals that offer to write your documents, and this "authenticity" tool should serve as a further disincentive.

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Medical School Personal Statement

Believe it or not, the next wave of applicants are starting to write their personal statements for the 2009/2010 application season.

As I was brainstorming with a client yesterday about possible personal statement topics, I was motivated to write a blog entry about a common theme I have observed in applicants written materials. Oftentimes, applicants shy away from writing about the obstacles or hardships in their lives that have motivated their choices and influenced their paths. They fear that the reader will think they are seeking sympathy or that their essay will be interpreted as a "sob story." I encourage applicants to tackle and write about these hurdles because this often provides the reader with valuable insight about the applicants' decision to pursue a career in medicine. As long as this is done in a positive and constructive style, these applicants' essays are often the ones that leap out from the rest in the pile.

It is not too early to start thinking about your application and admission strategy for 2009/2010.

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Application and Personal Statement Tips

When writing your application entries and personal statement for medical school, residency and fellowship it is important to consider the following:

1) Your application entries and personal statement must complement each other. It is important to consider your entries and personal statement as a whole.
2) Your personal statement should say something new that isn't stated in your application entries.
3) "Show" rather than "tell." Examples and anecdotes to illustrate your values and accomplishments keeps the reader engaged.
4) Delve into your background and experiences to say something unique in your personal statement. Oftentimes, applicants shy away from the very things that make them stand out.
5) With the new emphasis on a holistic approach of reviewing applicants for medical school, it is essential that you emphasize how you would contribute to the overall diversity of the student body.

MedEdits can help your written materials stand out from the pile. Visit us: www.MedEdits.com for more information on our personal statement and application editing services.