Thread by @SonjaRaaum

#MedStudentTwitter #IMResidency

It’s Personal Statement Season!

I help review med student statements and have a few thoughts to share to hopefully help students/faculty along the way.

Its a thread.

👉awesome PDs can chime in @carolinemilneMD @abbyCCim @CincyIM @AmyOxentenkoMD

1⃣Big Picture
The personal statement is an opportunity to weave together
* highlights from CV
* experiences
* personal attributes
Into a cohesive story that explains
- Why you are going into IM
- What you can bring to a program
#IM_PSTips

2⃣ To start, find your PS from your Med School Application

- Think about how you have grown since then...
- What experiences in med school helped you grow into the prepared student you are now ready for residency?

☑️ Write all of this down
#Reflect #growthmindset #IM_PSTips

3⃣Review your CV and accomplishments

- Gather up everything in one place (ahem, ERAS)
- Look at it as a whole, how does it fit together into a story?
- Do you need to highlight a success or failure to explain how everything fits?

☑️Write all of this down

#IM_PSTips

4⃣Now, let's get into the WHY for the PS

- Everyone going into IM ❤️ complex medical cases, but for different reasons
- Stand out by getting to your specific *why*
- Continually ask yourself "why" you like something to get to the bottom of it

☑️Write all of this down
#IM_PSTips

5⃣Re: patient stories in personal statements

They are awesome *if* they connect to the larger context and goal of the PS

You may want to include a story to demonstrate a point, but it may be easier to just state it

If you're including, tap into @gradydoctor level storytelling

6⃣Now, think about what you want in a program

- Size
- Community/Academics
- Location
- Opportunities (research, GH, MedEd, etc)
- Also ask yourself why these are important and how they fit into your story

☑️Write all of this down
#IM_PSTips

7⃣Finally, what do you bring to a program?

- What is unique about you that you want to highlight?
- What interests to you want to invest time in? Teaching, research, community work, advocacy, etc.
- Where do you see your career headed?

☑️Write it down
#IM_PSTips

8⃣OK, so now use what you've written so far and bring it together

- Use 1-3 paragraphs to explain how you have gotten to this point
- Use one paragraph to flesh out what you are looking for in a program
- Use one paragraph to explain where you see yourself going

#IM_PSTips

9⃣GRAMMATICAL TIPS

- 1 Page MAXIMUM
- Avoid passive voice
- Spellcheck
- Be consistent with abbreviations or terms
- Read it out loud at least once and edit for flow

#IM_PSTips

🔟Now you have a draft of a personal statement. Sit on it for a day or two, edit, then send it out!

- Get input from trusted advisers
- Get input from family and friends

Do NOT feel obligated to use every single revision suggested, use what feels right to you.

#IM_PSTips

Would love to know what other advice re: #PersonalStatements others would offer to IM bound medical students!
#MedTwitter

@alvinseattle @cacace_frank @PDX_Tom @SusanHingle @aoglasser