Ten Steps for Writing an Exceptional Personal Statement

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Danielle Jones, Emory University; J Pittman, Emory University; Kimberly Manning, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-10-01
• Publisher: ACGME
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-22-00331.1
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of graduate medical education
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: 522
• End Page: 525
• Keywords: Humans; School Admission Criteria; Writing; Internship and Residency

Abstract

The personal statement is an important requirement for residency and fellowship applications that many applicants find daunting. Beyond the cognitive challenge of writing an essay, time limitations for busy senior residents on clinical rotations present added pressure. Objective measures such as scores and evaluations paint only a partial picture of clinical and academic performance, leaving gaps in a candidate's full portrait.1,2 Applicants, seemingly similar on paper, may have striking differences in experiences and distances traveled that would not be captured without a personal narrative.2,3 We recommend, therefore, reframing personal statements as the way to best highlight applicants' greatest strengths and accomplishments. A well-written personal statement may be the tipping point for a residency or fellowship interview invitation,4,5 which is particularly important given the heightened competition for slots due to increased participation on virtual platforms. Data show that 74% to 78% of residency programs use personal statements in their interview selection process, and 48% to 54% use them in the final rank.6,7 With our combined 50 years of experience as clerkship and residency program directors (PDs) we value the personal statement and strongly encourage our trainees to seize the opportunity to feature themselves in their words.