personal statement pediatric residency

• Residency Application

Residency Personal Statement Examples from Matched Residents

Use these residency personal statement examples as a reference as you are working on  preparing you residency applications . The following are printed with permission from our own past successful students who worked with us as part of our  application review  programs. If you are having trouble getting started, you are not alone. Many students find that the personal statement can be one of the most challenging components of the  ERAS  or  CaRMS  residency applications. However, your personal statement can make or break your application. Get started on the right track by following the guidelines outlined for you below reviewing the emergency medicine residency personal statement example , pediatrics personal statement example , cardiology personal statement example, and more..  

This blog will outline what types of things to include in your residency personal statement. It will also give you 10 examples of personal statements from 10 different specialties written by actual students who matched into those fields. Reviewing personal statement examples is also good essay writing practice if you decide to write a residency letter of intent . Many of the same principles you apply to the personal statement can be applied to other application materials as well, so consider this review comprehensive. Believe it or not, personal statements also entail a great deal of self-reflection, which means they also function as a great review for residency interview questions , like the “tell me about yourself” residency interview question .

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Listen to the blog!

Article Contents 39 min read

Residency personal statement example #1: family medicine.

During the pre-clerkship years of study in medical school, I enjoyed learning about the many specialties within medicine and actively considered pursuing several of them. I was drawn to the complex pharmacology of the drugs used by anesthesiologists, the acuity of care faced by emergency medicine physicians and the complicated medical issues of patients cared for by internal medicine specialists. I also found myself interested in psychiatrists’ thorough history-taking and the technical skills in performing procedures exhibited by surgeons. It started becoming clear to me that I was interested in many different areas of medicine. I began realizing that I wanted a career that combined the many things I enjoyed in different specialties. A family physician has the flexibility to practice all of these facets of medicine. As clerkship drew nearer, I knew I wanted to gain more clinical experience in family medicine to see if it would be a good fit for me.

My clinical experiences in family medicine were fantastic. I worked with family physicians and family medicine residents not only during my core family medicine rotation and family medicine electives, but also during my psychiatry, surgery, anesthesiology, and pediatrics rotations. These clinical experiences confirmed my belief that family medicine is a diverse and exciting specialty; family physicians, while maintaining a broad base of medical knowledge, can tailor their practices to the needs of their communities and to their own interests and areas of expertise. During my family medicine rotation and electives, I also found myself greatly enjoying my encounters with patients. I enjoy hearing patients’ stories and sorting through their many medical and psychosocial issues. I am also naturally a fastidious person. Being a thorough history-taker and a meticulous recorder of details helps me in formulating a complete story about a patient. My joy in interacting with patients and my attention to detail allow me to appreciate patients as people, not just as disorders or diseases. I am both interested in learning about and have a certain affinity for, family medicine clinical experiences; pursuing a career in this specialty is an obvious choice for me.

The versatility and diversity of family practice initially drew my interest but the wonderful encounters I had with family physicians solidified my desire to pursue a career in this specialty. These family physicians have not only been skilled and knowledgeable clinicians but also, variously, dedicated teachers, researchers, and administrators. They were committed to improving their clinical skills by attending continuing education lectures and courses. They practiced patient-centered care and were knowledgeable about community resources that may help their patients. They worked cooperatively with other health-care professionals to improve patient care. Importantly, these physicians have also been friendly and approachable towards both learners and patients. The family physicians I have worked with also strive toward a healthy work-life balance; all of them seemed to have many interests and hobbies outside of their professions. These clinicians demonstrated to me what being a family physician involves: practicing both the science and art of medicine, advocating for patients, guiding patients through the health-care system, being committed to improving clinical knowledge and, importantly, maintaining one’s own health and happiness.

Being sure of the specialty I want to pursue is the first step in my career. There are many learning opportunities ahead. [Name of the program]’s family medicine residency program is attractive in so many ways: the protected academic days, the opportunity to participate in research and, most importantly, the clinical curriculum, all appeal to me. I believe the solid foundation of family medicine experience, as well as the exposure to other specialties, alongside the opportunities to build the skills necessary for life-long learning through the academic experiences and research, make this an ideal program for me. On a personal note, I grew up in [hometown] and did my undergraduate studies at [name of university]; I would be thrilled to return to my hometown and a university already familiar to me. My career goals after finishing my residency include having a community-based, urban family practice and being actively involved in teaching residents and medical students. I am also open to being involved in research and administration. Career goals, however, may change as I progress through my training. I am excited to begin the next stage of medical training and begin my residency in family medicine!

1. Emphasis on why the applicant wants to enter that specific specialty

This family medicine personal statement example does a great job of explaining why the applicant wants to enter that specific specialty. Their interest is clearly stated and the decision to enter the field is well explained. The author does an excellent job of talking up the specialty and stating what they like about the field based on their clinical experience. For your residency personal statement, you want to highlight any influential moment you had during these experiences. If you had a certain “aha” moment, you might mention this. If demonstrating this commitment is difficult for you, you can always find a reputable ERAS application review service .

2. Intentions are clear

Clearly stating your intentions and using the program's name makes your statement personal and stand out. It shows that you pay attention to details and that your goals and passion align with what the program offers. Use strong, precise language when you are writing. You only have about 800 words, so state your intentions and keep your story clear.

3. Personal connection is established

This particular applicant has a personal connection to the city in which the residency would take place. This won’t be true for every applicant, but if it is, be sure to make room to mention it as long as it fits with your personal narrative. In this example, the applicant also ties this in with one of their goals: having a community-based, urban family practice. In your personal statement, you should merge these elements together for a more cohesive essay.

What to Include in Your Personal Statement

Most residency programs, whether through  ERAS  (US-based) or  CaRMS  (Canada-based) require applicants to submit a personal statement or letter. Some programs will include specific instructions for what they wish you to talk about, while others will not give you a topic. When you’re doing your research for residency programs you want to apply for, you should also take a look at the selection criteria. Each school will have its own rubric that they use to evaluate candidates, so it’s a good idea to review these before you start working on your personal statement. Here is an example of some information stated by McMaster University regarding their residency selection criteria:

“Programs may consider a range of criteria in making their selection decisions for interviews including but not limited to: Medical School Performance Report (MSPR), scores on standardized tests, interest in and aptitude for the discipline, reference letter, experience in research or other scholarly activities, extracurricular activities, and personal qualities.”

ERAS, as well as most CaRMS programs, ask that your statement be within a one-page limit, about 750-850 words. Please check the specific program requirements through the ERAS or CaRMS websites.

The experiences in your  residency CV  can be used to help you indicate why you are applying to a particular program and how you came to that decision.

1. Introduction

Typically, your residency personal statement will have three to five paragraphs, which you will use to divide the introduction, body, and conclusion. The personal statement is a formal essay, so you must adhere to the proper structure. The introduction is for you to capture the attention of the reader; for this, you will need a strong hook or opening statement. Feel free to get creative with this. The remainder of your introduction should focus on what drew you to the specialty and how your background experiences informed your decision to apply to the school and program. Your introduction should also contain a thesis statement that allows you to connect your personal background with your suitability for the program, school, and a career in medicine (in this exact specialty).

2. Body (or middle)

The body of the essay is for you to expand on a few critical experiences that made you the excellent, qualified candidate you are today. A good strategy for the body paragraph(s) is to talk about relevant clinical rotation experiences; so for example, if you’re applying to a psychiatry residency, you can talk about a specific patient experience that solidified your decision to pursue this specialty, or an experience that sticks out in your memory. This will be similar to your answer to the interesting case residency interview question . Your goal should be to use these experiences to address your specific interests, goals, and what makes you a good fit for the program. Do some research into the program format, the patient population you will be working with, and the clinical environment. This will help you connect your experiences with what the school/program offers.

3. Conclusion

You might be thinking that once you’ve written a strong introduction and body, the conclusion will be simple. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. You need to use the space in your conclusion to tie everything together and show enthusiasm for the program and for your future career. You can revisit a few key points here to highlight them once again and to relate them to what you’re hoping to gain from the forthcoming training experience. Show passion, determination, and consistency throughout your letter and tie up any loose ends in the conclusion. Some applicants will use this part of the letter to mention a specific goal they want to achieve in residency, such as working with specific faculty members or research plans. You may also mention aspirations to complete a fellowship or what you want your future practice to look like.

Here's why "show, don't tell" is the most important tip for any personal statement:

Questions to Ask Yourself to Help You Brainstorm Ideas

• What makes you right for this specialty?
• What experiences drew you to this specialty?
• What appeals to you about this specific program?
• Do you have any experiences working in the city of the program you’re applying to?
• How will your residency training help you achieve your goals?
• What are some of your personal strengths that will allow you to contribute to the program?
• What evidence do you have that you possess those strengths?
• Do you have any research/publications that align with the research the school is doing?
• Do you have any gaps in your medical education or evaluations that you would like to address?
• What’s something you think the program director should know that isn’t obvious from your application materials?

  Growing up the first-born daughter of a hard-working Saskatchewan cattle farmer and hairdresser, medicine was never a consideration. In a small town, I could easily see how too much free time got many of my peers in trouble. From grade 8-12 I devoted myself to sports, playing high school, club and provincial beach volleyball, weeknights and weekends year round. Despite my small stature and lack of innate abilities, with determination and persistence, I overcame these obstacles. At the end of my grade 11 year, I received an athletic scholarship and chose to pursue business administration and athletics.

After the first six months, it became apparent that I was not going to attain my full potential in education at [university name}. Despite my parent’s reservations, I left and enrolled at a [university name] for the next semester. This university was much more challenging as I was now balancing my educational and financial responsibilities by working evenings and weekends managing a number of part-time jobs. With little direction as to what degree I wanted to pursue, I happened to enroll in anatomy and physiology. This was the first time I became really excited about my future prospects and began actively considering a career in medicine.

The first time I applied to medicine, I was rejected. Despite my initial devastation, in hindsight, it was a great opportunity for myself to reflect on my own motivations for medicine and work as a laboratory technician at a potash mine in my hometown. I gained additional life experience, spent time with my family and was able to help financially support my husband’s pursuit of education after he had so selflessly supported me for many years.

My first exposure to anesthesia was in my first year of medical school with [Dr. name here] as my mentor in clinical reasoning. I was again, intrigued by the anatomy and physiology with the interlacing of pharmacology. I remained open to all specialties, however, after summer early exposures, research, and clerkship it became clear to me that anesthesia is where I felt the most fulfilled and motivated.

In a way, anesthesia was reminiscent of the competitive volleyball I had played years prior. I was again a part of a team in the operating room with a common goal. Similarly, our countless years of education and practice had brought us together to achieve it. In volleyball, my role was the setter, which to many is considered a lackluster position as we rarely attack the ball and score points with power. However, as a setter, my role is to set the pace, strategize and dictate the game from my team’s perspective. There is a long sequence of crucial events before a “kill” in volleyball and I strategized my teammate's individual strengths in both offense and defense to win. Anesthesia gives me the same opportunities to strategize anesthetics, balance individual patient’s comorbidities and anatomy all while maintaining a calm demeanor and level head through unexpected circumstances. In volleyball, I never shied away from tense games or difficult situations, instead I trusted in my own abilities and training despite uncharted territory. Lastly, I didn't need to actually score the point in order to understand my role and contributions to my team.

As an athlete, I understand the importance of practice and repetition which allow us to fail, but most importantly, to learn. I believe that the curriculum at this program will provide me with a well-respected education, which strongly reflects my learning style. I also admire the mandatory communication block in the curriculum because I believe an emphasis on clear and concise communication, is essential as an anesthetist.

Throughout the course of the next 5-10 years, I anticipate that both my husband and I will complete the next chapter in our educational pursuits. We both agree that [program name here] has the potential to nurture the next chapter in both our private and professional lives if given the opportunity.

What Makes This Sample Effective?

1. the theme is personal and consistent.

In this anesthesiology residency personal statement example , the author of this passage carries the theme of athletics throughout the statement. Having a theme can unify your personal statement and give it direction. This is a good example of a way to use a theme to tie together different ideas. Having a good theme is also something you should keep in mind when you’re answering anesthesiology residency interview questions , as program directors want to see that this particular specialty choice wasn’t simply drawn out of a hat; rather, your emphasis on a theme can demonstrate that your choice was intentional and the right fit.

2. The tone is positive throughout

Also, take note of how the author explained the transition to different schools without speaking negatively of the institutions. In your own personal statement, feel free to use the names of the universities you attended. They have been redacted here for anonymity. This statement has parts where you could customize it. Use the name of the program when possible or the name of the town. Taking time to add this into your statement shows the program that you pay attention to detail while personalizing it to each program.

3. Lessons learned apply to medicine

The writer of this personal statement relies on analogy to connect their experience to their interest in anesthesiology: “I understand the importance of practice and repetition which allow us to fail, but most importantly, to learn.” This analogy works so well because it shows why the applicant is suited to the program and specialty, it reveals an important aspect of their personality with evidence, and it sets expectations for how they want to contribute to the field. In your essay, you can use a similar strategy by tying together a major life theme or event with what you learned and how that applies to your medical training.

I was six years old when my father read to me the first chapter of “How Things Work.” The first chapter covered doors and specifically, the mechanics in a doorknob. What lay hidden and confined in the door panel was this complex system that produced a simple action. I credit this experience as the onset of my scientific curiosity and eventually my passion for complex systems found in medicine. Intensivists vigilantly maintain homeostasis within the human body, a complex system in and of itself, a concept I recognize as personally fascinating and enticing. I find myself especially drawn to the field of critical care and intensive care medicine. My dreams to become an intensivist would be highly complimented by a residency in surgery.

In critical care, each patient in the ICU is usually in a general state of shock. From the initial state of shock, the patient can be further complicated with comorbidities and chronic diseases that may require further intensive medical intervention so that they may recover from a recent surgery or traumatic event. This dynamic nature of the ICU is not available in every unit of the hospital and the high level of acuity does not suit everyone. I, however, enjoy the high energy of the enthralling, engaging and exciting environment offered by the ICU. I am personally energized and awakened by managing patients with surgically-altered physiology coupled with comorbidities. There is an overwhelming satisfaction when a patient following a bilateral lung transplant gets up from his bed and walks through the unit after days of being bedridden, or the moment we can discontinue the lines we had the patient on and finally talk to them after two weeks of intubation and sedation. Being in the ICU also encompasses the emotional seesaw of going from a successful patient case to a room in which a family has just decided that comfort care is the best way to proceed, which gives me chills just to type and verbalize.

The work of an intensivist is not only limited to the patient, but also the emotional well-being of the patient’s family as well. My involvement in the ICU has taught me that sometimes it is necessary to talk to a patient’s family, to explain to them simply that the postoperative expectations that they had had, may not be met. Communication is key in this field, both with the patients and the physicians of the OR. Communication prevents perioperative complications, establishes a willingness to follow directions and relays professionalism. It is important for an intensivist to have an excellent understanding of surgical procedures, so that they may explain to the patient what to expect as well as ease the nerves of the patient preoperatively. A surgical residency would facilitate this understanding and undoubtedly prove to be useful in my future training.

Studying medicine in Europe has taught me volumes about myself, how driven, motivated and open-minded I can be. To move so far away from home and yet be so familiar with the language, I feel blessed to be able to say that I’ve had a high level of exposure to diversity in my life. The mentality in [insert country name here] is if you don’t see the doctor, you are not sick. This common thought has to lead to an outstanding environment to study medicine and to see end-stage, textbook presentations of various pathologies and their management. Studying medicine in two languages has in itself taught me that medicine is a language and that the way a patient presents, conveys themselves, and the findings of the physical examination, all represent the syntax of the diagnosis. This awareness has reminded me that patient care, relief of patient suffering and illness, transcends the grammatical rules of the patient’s native tongue. My clinical experience in [insert country here] will aid me in providing thoughtful care to my future patients.

All things considered, I am ready to leave my home of the last four years and come back to the United States, to enter the next stage of my life and career. I am ready to work harder than ever, to prove myself to my future residency program and most importantly, learn so that I may be a suitable candidate for a future fellowship program in critical care. My experiences abroad have constantly pushed me to new horizons and encouraged responsibilities that I don’t believe I would otherwise have. I’ve developed a new level of human connection through my work in the ICU, the OR and my travels throughout Europe. These experiences will aid me in working with a diverse patient population and a diverse team of physicians. I hope [the program name here] can give me the variety and the background in surgery that I will need to succeed.

1. Atypical experiences are justified

This surgery personal statement example has to do double duty for the admissions committee. It has to explain why surgery, what this student can offer, and why this student is passionate about the field while simultaneously explaining why the applicant chose medical school abroad. If you are applying to a country where you did not attend medical school there, you have to explain why you studied abroad. This often poses a challenge for students. Be honest and positive about your experience. This student did an excellent job of explaining why it was such a good fit for their personality while highlighting the advantages of this experience.

Focus on the characteristics you gained from your experience abroad. Explain how your experience will translate into success in your residency. There are many things to be gained from having spent time outside of your home country. Talk about the skills you developed from living abroad. Unique details like those will set you apart when you are writing your statement.

2. Makes unique experiences an advantage

This applicant studied abroad in Europe. The way they talk about it is key: they explain how the experience was a challenge that they learned from. Most programs and schools are looking for medical school graduates who can contribute to their vision of diversity. If you have experience travelling abroad, this is a good chance for you to explain how this enriched your perspective and professional capabilities. Some of the skills that this applicant discusses are assets for a career in medicine: speaking two languages, exposure to diverse people and methods, and the ability to work with a large patient and physician population from different backgrounds. If you endeavor to explain some of your diverse experiences, be sure to make it clear what you gained and how you can apply it to your residency training.

3. The writer’s voice and style are unique

To get matched to the program and school of your choice, you will need to stand out from the crowd. To do this effectively in your personal statement, give your writing a unique style and allow your personality to shine through. In this example, the writer achieves this in the first paragraph in the “hook” in which they describe when their father used to read “How Things Work”; this life event left a lasting impression, and the writer links this to why a residency in surgery would benefit their goal of becoming an intensivist. With a first draft, it’s okay to experiment with word choice and content. Make sure you include all the necessary elements and formatting requirements, but try your best to put the “personal” in personal statement. Note that this is a general surgery example; if you were applying for plastic surgery or neurosurgery, you should read plastic surgery residency personal statement examples or neurosurgery personal statement examples for a slightly varied essay strategy.

Writing a residency personal statement? Here are the top books for residency applicants:

Residency Personal Statement Examples #4: Emergency Medicine

One of the most surprising things that I learned through my emergency medicine (EM) electives is that working in an emergency department is like leading a horse. I grew up on a farm in the [name of city], and working with animals was very much a part of my childhood. When walking a horse, one must be prepared for anything should the animal become spooked. It can startle at any moment and one must react quickly and calmly to redirect the thousand-pound creature. Similarly, in EM, one never knows when the department is going to become “spooked” by what comes through the door. EM is exciting, with a variety of patient presentations and medical procedures done on a daily basis. I enjoy dealing with the unexpected challenges that arise in caring for patients with backgrounds vastly different from my own. It would be a privilege to gain the skills as an emergency physician to provide acute life-saving care, to connect patients with resources and other healthcare professionals, and to provide comfort to patients and families in the settings of acute loss or difficult diagnoses. I feel that the [name of program] is the ideal path to reach that goal.

First, the [name of program] offers additional support and training to continue to perform research and other scholarly activities. Through my experience in quality improvement, I have learned of the value of research and how it can be applied to practical problems. For instance, while volunteering in a pool rehabilitation program for individuals with neurological disabilities, a patient who I had worked with for a year tragically suffered a fall and broke his hip leaving him significantly disabled. This led me to research inpatient falls during medical school and I initiated a quality improvement project and presented at several conferences, quality improvement rounds, and meetings with hospital stakeholders. After several years of work, I am very proud that this led to the implementation of a province-wide quality improvement initiative funded by [name of organization]. This initiative is physician-led and is aimed at reducing inpatient falls across [name of city]. This project demonstrated how rewarding research is when it can be translated into tangible initiatives and is why I am particularly interested in quality improvement research. I look forward to more dedicated time in the [name of program] to develop my research skills and to apply quality improvement to EM.

In addition to increased training in research, the [name of program] offers the opportunity to subspecialize within EM. While in medical school, I helped my single mother raise my much younger siblings and this has inspired my interest in pediatric EM. I maximized my studying through the effective use of weekly group study sessions and podcasts to allow for free weekends to return home to spend with my brother and sister. Through my experiences teaching and playing with my siblings, I have learned to deal with children in a calm and friendly manner. I used these skills to maintain positive therapeutic relationships with children during my pediatric EM rotation at [name of hospital]. For instance, I was able to cast the forearm of a frightened child by first demonstrating the procedure on her toy rabbit, and then calmly fitting a cast on her arm. I enjoy the emphasis on patient and family education as well as the focus on making the patient feel safe and cared for. I would love to explore this field further as my niche within the [name of program] in emergency medicine.

Alongside research and pediatric EM, I am also interested in teaching. Some of my fondest memories involve the evening teaching sessions during primary and secondary school spent with my grandpa, a retired teacher. My grandpa modeled effective teaching techniques, first assessing my knowledge and then expanding on it by asking questions and providing guidance when needed. Similarly, some of my best memories in medical school include the five-minute bedside teaching sessions after interesting cases that were taught in that way. Inspired by many residents and staff I have worked with, I look forward to expanding my teaching role in residency. Like my grandpa and my clinical mentors, I hope to help future students maximize their learning potential through the delivery of lectures and bedside teaching. Training within the [name of program] would allow additional time to develop the skills necessary for this, through increased exposure to mentorship, teaching role models, and opportunities to be involved in curricular development.

I would feel privileged to join the resident team in the [name of program]. I was fortunate that most of my core clerkship training including EM, as well as my fourth year EM elective, was at the [name of hospital]. What stands out the most to me most about working in the [name of hospital] is the tight-knit community feel in the setting of a high volume, high acuity ED. I value that the small program leads to a cohesive resident group and staff who are invested in their learners. Furthermore, from my rotations there, I know the ample procedural and hands-on exposure residents get from the beginning of their training. With my interest in pediatric EM, I value the longitudinal exposure to pediatrics at [name of program], with opportunities to do dedicated pediatric rotations both at [name of hospital], as well as [name of hospital]l. Finally, the [name of city] is my home; my family and friends are here, and I love the hiking, fishing, kayaking, and snowboarding that are all less than an hour away. I would be incredibly honored to have the privilege of pursuing EM in the [name of program], and look forward to serving my community.

Read some more Emergency Medicine Personal Statement Examples !

---------------------

The thought of caring for severely ill children seemed disheartening and overwhelming when I first began shadowing [name of doctor] at [name of hospital] five years ago. I was very nervous. While some of the cases were indeed difficult, my experience was starkly different. In one of our first cases, I quickly jumped in to comfort a scared child suffering from kidney disease. The mother of our patient confided in me about her son's struggles with bullying due to the disfiguring edema. I felt how much she appreciated being able to share her son’s challenges with me. Throughout my clinical experiences, I saw that caring for a pediatric patient often involves delicately navigating complex social situations and family dynamics. From that point on, I knew I had both the passion and compassion to succeed as a future pediatrician.

I am particularly keen to complete my residency at the [name of school], because I had such an immersive learning experience completing 5 years of research with [name of doctor] at [name of hospital] and at [name of hospital], not to mention [name of school]'s stellar international reputation. The incredibly high standard of excellence at [name of school], as well as [name of city] being my hometown, make the [name of school] my top choice to complete my residency. To further demonstrate the excellent education, I remember a time while shadowing at [name of hospital] in the genetics clinics where we discussed the pathophysiology of Bartter’s syndrome. The residents were having a hard time understanding this disease, but [name of doctor] explained the exact pathophysiology and downstream effects of it. The incredible intellect, mentorship and leadership [name of doctor] demonstrated has inspired me to pursue a nephrology fellowship upon completion of my residency.

During my elective rotations in [name of cities], I saw indigenous pediatric patients with a variety of ailments from hypoglycemia to cystic fibrosis. I spoke with them about the struggles of travelling long distances to obtain care. As an Inuit member of the [name of group], I have spent time reflecting on the medical needs of this much-overlooked population and hope to explore ways of reaching out to underserved populations in my future career.

I am prepared to be a leader and engaged learner in my residency program because of my participation in impactful leadership roles. I am currently the president of the [name of society], where one of my main duties is coordinating the [name of initiative], an initiative that teaches children about hospitals and healthy living. I was able to spend one-on-one time with disabled children teaching them about the heart through dance and instruments and activities to decrease fears associated with hospitals. This demonstrated the importance of promoting health care initiatives for kids and educate families and their children on how to be advocates of their own health.

As a competitive Irish dancer for sixteen years, I developed perseverance, determination, and time management that have been critical throughout my medical school training. Competing in front of judges and thousands of spectators all over the world, performing to my best ability under intense pressure was a necessity. I persevered with the challenge of competing at an international level and still maintained a very high level of academic performance while achieving my career high of second at the World Championships.

As an IMG applicant born and raised in [name of city] and educated in [name of country], I believe that my international education provides many advantages. I was exposed to diverse cultures and innovative ways of thinking from teachers from all over the globe at the [name of college] that I hope to bring back to Canada with me. Through the last 6 years, I have also had many research experiences and clinical electives in Canada that have given me insights into the intricacies of the Canadian Health Care system.

I am confident that pediatrics is the field I wish to pursue and I cannot wait to begin my residency so that I can start becoming an excellent clinician who advocates for children, as well as a scholar involved in research projects that will help advance the field. After successfully completing my pediatric residency program, I plan to pursue a pediatric fellowship. I am excited at the prospect of working and learning at the [name of school] while being an active and professional member of your residency program. I am also looking forward to developing my teaching skills and contributing to the community while also enjoying bike rides down the paths in the [name of path] and to be reunited with my [name of city] based family.

Want to see more Pediatrics Personal Statement Examples ?

“Code blue, electrophysiology laboratory” a voice announces overhead during my cardiology rotation. As the code team, we rush to the patient, an elderly man in shock. Seamlessly, we each assume our preassigned roles. I quickly review his chart and note to the team-leader that this patient had a previous EF of 10 percent and just got cardioverted. Vasopressors administered, intubation, central line secured, and the patient is stabilized and sent to our floor. During my rotations in internal medicine, I was constantly elated by my team’s ability to come together at such key moments. This gave me a sense of joy I did not find in other rotations. Moreover, I had inspiring attending physicians and residents who served as my mentors. They taught me that an internist is a medical expert committed to evidence-based medicine and perpetual learning, a compassionate physician, and an engaged community member. These lessons and the satisfaction of managing highly complex cases with a dedicated team consolidated my interest in internal medicine.

Compassion and a holistic approach to medicine remain quintessential for patient care. During my rotations, I took advantage of opportunities to learn from my patients both at the bedside and through independent reading. As a senior student, I prepared learning capsules that I presented to my team. This taught me to synthesize and communicate information efficiently. Beyond that, I took courses outside of the formal curriculum such as a point-of-care ultrasound course to improve my ultrasound procedural skills. When we no longer had any curative interventions to offer patients, I learned that acknowledging the patients’ suffering and being present for them in their most vulnerable time can ease their pain. As a resident at [name of school], I will continue my dedication to academic excellence and compassionate, patient-centered care in my efforts to care for my patients.

I have built strong ties to my community serving as president of the [name of school] Biology Student Union. Together, we enacted a complex study space and locker initiative through my role as a mentor at [name of organization]. These experiences instilled in me the values of proactivity and advocacy which I aim to bring with me to [name of school]. There, I hope to continue my community engagement as a mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of [name of city]. Moreover, as I learn more about [name of town]'s healthcare system, I hope to combine that knowledge with my medical education to add my perspective to health policy decision-making in the province.

In addition to its excellent academic reputation, [name of school]’s commitment to academic excellence and continuing education, as exemplified by the abundant academic teaching, drew me to the program. Moreover, given my belief that we develop to be an amalgam of characteristics and values our mentors espouse, I was delighted to learn about the mentorship opportunities available. This was a unique characteristic that motivated me to apply to [name of school]. Finally, having lived in [name of city] for the last ten years, I am looking forward to spending the next chapter of my life in a smaller, more tightly knit community of [name of city].

As I learned and modeled the different roles of an internist, I also learned a lot about myself. I learned of my thirst for knowledge, of my desire to treat as well as to heal the patient, and of my urge to be a leader in my community. These characteristics will play a defining role in my residency. I also learned of my passion for acute medicine. After my residency, I hope to further subspecialize in cardiology. As a future cardiologist, I aim to provide patient-centered care, conduct research, continue my community engagement, and act as a role model to future generation.

Get inspired with these Cardiology Personal Statement Examples !

Watch this to learn what red flags to avoid in your residency personal statement!

Residency Personal Statement Examples #7: Psychiatry

I grew up in a tight knit military family in a community struck with the stigma of mental illness. Throughout my childhood we lost friends to the complications of untreated mental illness including overdose and suicide. I knew at that point that I wanted to pursue mental illness and completed a psychology degree and then a nursing degree. In University, I volunteered in a distress service for 6 years, providing individual sessions to students on issues including suicidality, interpersonal violence and addiction. As a registered nurse, I honed my skills in mental status examinations and cared for their comorbid psychiatric illness with medical disease utilizing communication and building rapport. I saw the impact of life altering conditions and procedures on their mental health. As a medical student, I continued to explore psychiatry through City X summer studentship and appreciated the breadth of psychiatric practice. As a clerk, I completed a range of psychiatric electives, caring for patients in multiple care settings and across various socioeconomic and age ranges. I enrolled in the integrated community clerkship, in X town, a community 900 km North of X city. The socioeconomic disparities and lack of access to mental health services had a negative impact on community, with suicidality and addictions. I followed my patients across practice domains assessing their functioning, medication regimen and continued to build a collaborative relationship. This proved crucial to uncover their health status across domains and helped me identify areas to support their challenges. 

I value the ability to understand my patients from a biopsychosocial framework and addressing negative thought processes in support of their wellness. I view our duty in psychiatry is to support their strengths on a trajectory to wellness and provide guidance and resources utilizing pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. Psychiatry is a newer field of medicine, allowing for ongoing innovations in treatment and practice. This is exciting to explore novel approaches to treatments as we continue to uncover the physiological, neurological and pharmacological dimensions of mental health. It is also important to recognize the challenges of psychiatry. The history of mental illness creates access to care barriers from both a structural viewpoint with longer wait times and on a personal level due to their concern about the social and occupational implications of stigma. As our population ages, this threatens to overwhelm the current psychiatric infrastructure and will require more complex approaches due to medical comorbidities and medication contraindications. We will require ongoing research focused on medical comorbidities of neuropsychiatric illness and treatment modalities to improve quality of care. 

I am drawn to the University of X psychiatry program due to its resident focused approach. I appreciate the ongoing mentorship and supervision and the preparatory endeavors including the mock examinations. From a clinical perspective, the program has a strong psychotherapy curriculum and offers unique elective opportunities including electroconvulsive therapy. The ability to continue serving rural communities solidifies my interests in this well-known program. 

Check out these Psychiatry Personal Statement Examples !

Want help with your residency personal statement? Hear what our students have to say:

Residency Personal Statement Examples #8: Internal Medicine

“People are drawn to medicine in one of two ways: the humanity or the science.” My mentor, [name of doctor], staff medical oncologist at the [name of hospital], once told me this. As a volunteer during my premedical studies, I assisted him with his impromptu lunchtime clinics while others were on break and was able to catch a glimpse of his patients’ unshakable trust in him. Those moments sparked my interest in Internal Medicine. Internists are entrusted with the most complex patients in any hospital. Therefore, Internists take on the responsibility of a patient’s trust in their lowest, most disoriented moments. Accordingly, when I finally started clinical rotations, I saw it as my responsibility to fully understand each patient’s motivations and fears to advocate for their goals. One patient I had gotten to know still stands out in my mind. She was 95, witty, and self-assured but was found to have bone metastasis causing excruciating pain during her hospital stay. She knew she did not want aggressive life-prolonging treatment and declined further workup, but how could we help her? I suggested palliative radiotherapy to my team because I remember her telling me “I had a good life. I am not scared of death, but if I have to be around for a while, can’t I be more comfortable?” Therefore, my team entrusted me to talk to her and her family about a referral to Radiation Oncology. She responded to me with “I don’t think there’s anyone who knows what I’d want better than you. You’ve listened to me so much. I trust you.” I spent the next half hour explaining the rationale behind the referral to both her and her family. She received urgent Radiotherapy two weeks later. Her narcotic requirement decreased by more than half. After that moment, I envisioned that one day, I could also look into the eyes of someone at their most vulnerable moment and give them confidence to trust me and my team with their care.

Although my interest in Internal Medicine is rooted in the human connection, my attention to detail, work ethic, and natural curiosity, also makes me especially well-suited for the challenges of Internal Medicine. Indeed, beyond the human connection, Internal Medicine’s challenges of complex problem solving, and large ever-growing breadth of knowledge is also what makes each day so satisfying. When I was on the Nephrology Consult service, I was following a patient with a kidney transplant who was admitted for Line Sepsis. I noticed a mild Non-Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis and a persistent mild Hyperkalemia. I presented my findings to my staff as a possible Type 4 RTA. He complimented me on my attention to detail and warned that a Type 4 RTA in a kidney transplant patient could be a sign of rejection. We restarted his anti-rejection medication that had been held due to his infection, his electrolyte abnormalities corrected in less than two days. My attention to detail is a particular asset for Internal Medicine because more than any other specialty, the tiniest details like a mildly abnormal lab work, when pieced together in the correct way, could solve the most difficult clinical problem. That is also what makes problem-solving in Internal Medicine so satisfying. My mentors have always complimented me on my work ethic. However, I enjoy staying late for admissions and additional learning or reading hours around my patients at home because learning Internal Medicine is so interesting.

On the other hand, Internists are also tasked with the very large, working with multiple professionals and navigate system issues to keep patients healthy and out of hospital such as when [name of doctor] entrusted me with planning the discharge of a homeless patient during my Medicine CTU elective at [name of hospital]. The patient had Schizophrenia and Grave’s Disease and had been admitted to hospital multiple times that year with thyrotoxicosis due to medication non-adherence. During his admission, I had elicited the help of two homeless outreach coordinators to ensure proper follow-up. Therefore, by the time of discharge, he had a new family doctor, timely appointments with the family doctor and endocrinologist, maps with directions to each appointment, his prescription medications ready to go, as well as a new apartment application.

Ultimately, I am fortunate to be drawn to Internal Medicine for both its humanity and science. I believe that I have the qualities that will help me excel in its smallest details and its largest responsibilities. In residency, I aim to explore and learn as much Internal Medicine as possible before becoming an expert in one area so I can make an informed choice and be a well-rounded physician. Therefore, the fact that [name of city] has so many leading experts especially suits my learning goals. Indeed, during my electives in [name of city], I’ve already learned knowledge that I’ve not encountered elsewhere like the Bernese method of Buprenorphine induction. The availability of resources such as the DKA management simulation and the use of presentations of cutting-edge knowledge as part of evaluation also suits my self-directed learning style. Furthermore, my research has focused on the PMCC Gastro-Esophageal Cancer Database where we were able to discover various new details in the clinical behavior of Gastro-Esophageal cancer due to the large volume of patients are PMCC and its world-class expertise. This line of research would not work as well anywhere else in [name of country]. Indeed, our database is currently the second-largest in the world. Therefore, the second reason [name of city] is my ideal place for training is for its unique research opportunities, so I can continue to contribute to further medical knowledge. Lastly, [name of city] is the most diverse city in [name of country]. Growing up as an immigrant, I had experienced how cultural backgrounds can become a barrier to receiving good medical care. Therefore, the diverse patient population and strong allied health support in [name of city] could also allow me to hone the skills required to assist me in providing good quality care to all patients, regardless of background.

Here are more Internal Medicine Personal Statement Examples !

My first exposure to Family Medicine occurred during my time as a Medical Officer working in a small clinic in Nigeria in fulfilment of the [name of service]. There, I recognized that a career in this specialty would offer me the opportunity to not only experience the aspects I cherished most about other specialties, but fulfill my personal interests in advancing community health.

My many encounters with patients during my days in the clinic reaffirmed my view of Primary care physicians as being on the frontline of diagnosis and preventive medicine. There was the middle-aged diabetic patient who had first presented to the emergency with diabetic ketoacidosis, the hypertensive man whose initial complaint of a persistent headache prompted the discovery of his soaring blood pressure, and the adolescent with a family history of allergies who was diagnosed with asthma. These encounters highlighted that as the first point of contact, the general practitioner is not only responsible for diagnosis, but often in ensuring patients are set on the path of healthy habits to prevent disease complications. This unique opportunity to significantly advance the well-being of a patient, and by extension, the community renewed my interest in the field.

An especially appealing feature of Family Medicine is that it provides an opportunity for patient care without limitations of age, sex, disease or organ system. From treating colds and routine checkups to referral for a suspected malignancy, I enjoyed that every day in the clinic was a learning experience and no day was routine. In addition, having a diverse population of patients and cases requires an abundance of clinical knowledge and I cherish the chance to learn and expand my skills every day.

I also value that an essential part of Primary care is in the enduring relationships the practitioners develop with patients. I recall several moments during my clinical experiences when I recognized that some of the bonds formed during ongoing patient interactions had evolved into lasting friendships. Being a practice of continual care, I appreciate that this specialty provides many opportunities to follow patients through different stages of their lives ensuring a deepening of relationship and compliance with care. I was inspired during my clinical rotation here in the United States when I saw how my preceptorís long-term relationships with patients enabled their compliance and often extended to different generations within one family.

Ultimately, I am confident that my experiences have prepared me for a career in this specialty. An agreeable, attentive and compassionate nature has aided me in gaining trust as well as building meaningful interpersonal relationships which are crucial components of this field. Furthermore, my interaction with an extensive array of patients during my clinical and volunteer experiences has equipped me with the ability to communicate and relate to patients across different age groups and backgrounds. In addition, I enjoy working to coordinate patient care with colleagues and other specialties and value that the wellness of the patient is a result of hard work, dedication, and teamwork.

Thus, I hope to find a residency program dedicated to providing in-depth clinical training with a diverse patient population and an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention through patient education and community service. Moreover, I look forward to being part of a program that will encourage my pursuit of intellectual development and advancement to enable my transition into a well-rounded, competent and skilled physician committed to serving people with needs in all areas of medicine. With a career in this specialty, I know that every day will bring a new opportunity to influence health behaviors, and while there will be challenges, fulfilling them will always be satisfying.

Here I am, yet again. Last year, I also applied for a position as a dermatology resident. Though I was not selected, I return with the same diligence and perseverance, as well as additional skills and knowledge. My continued dedication to pursue a career in dermatology reminds me that no good thing comes easily and pushes me to stay motivated and work hard toward my goals. 

I am drawn to dermatology for a host of reasons, one of which is the opportunity to work with my hands. In my current residency program, I have had the opportunity to assist in various surgical procedures. I recall the subdued exhilaration I felt when removing my first lipoma and the satisfaction of observing the surgeon completed the procedure with precision and care. My excitement for surgery continued to be reinforced in the many subsequent procedures I assisted with and I look forward to honing my surgical skills further as I complete my training in dermatology. 

However, to me, “hands-on” is defined as more than just its literal meaning. The opportunity to build relationships with patients steers me more towards a career in outpatient medicine. During my dermatology outpatient rotation, I was involved in the care of a patient who presented initially complaining of a heliotrope rash and gottron’s papules. When she expressed a deep sense of shame about this rash, I became acutely aware of how patient’s external disease can influence their internal emotions. I thus responded empathetically, simultaneously validating her concerns and providing her with much-needed assurance. When she was later diagnosed with dermatomyositis secondary to underlying breast cancer, this patient requested to speak to me specifically, recalling the positive interaction we had shared before. Again, I was able to explain the diagnosis and treatment plan with patience and regard for her every concern. Developing a trusted physician-patient relationship is crucial in the field of dermatology because most patients exhibit strong internal emotions from their visually external disease. Also important is the ability to deliver difficult news and be considerate of patients’ feelings in these delicate moments. I plan to continue to use these skills during my career as a dermatologist.  

To me, dermatology is also a field that is thought-provoking and stimulating due to its constant evolution and advancements. Thus, during my internship, I committed to educating myself in the field of dermatology through multiple research projects. My research thus far has been focused on whether UV light lamps used in gel manicures increases the risk of skin cancers as well as the outcomes of using intralesional 5-fluorouracil for squamous cell carcinoma and keratoacanthomas. While my research was focused in the field of dermatology, I did not hesitate to take on additional projects, pursuing assignments in both breast cancer and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. I strongly believe the best doctors have a thorough understanding of the practice of medicine in totality as our ability to incorporate this knowledge in our diagnosis and treatment of our patients directly impacts their wellbeing. For these reasons, I strive to continually educate myself in not only dermatology, but other fields that might have implications on my practice. 

My ideal dermatology program would allow me to manage a variety of complex medical dermatological conditions and engage in research, both of which will continue to challenge me intellectually and push me to exercise creativity to develop innovative solutions to dermatological treatments. As someone who enjoys working with my hands and the instant gratification of the surgical approach as a treatment option, I would also value the opportunity to perform surgeries and improve my surgical skills. Furthermore, I have found that beyond medicine, the people in each program make or break an experience. Positive attitudes, expressed dedication, and mentorship are vital characteristics in any program of my interest.

I am confident my aspirations will be fulfilled in the field of dermatology, but more importantly, I know I will be a good contribution to this field and your program – my work ethic, motivation, and commitment unwavering. I am determined, impassioned, and excited to embark on this next phase of my journey. 

Check out even more Dermatology Personal Statement Examples !

10 more residency personal statement examples, residency personal statement example #11, residency personal statement example #12, residency personal statement example #13, residency personal statement example #14, residency personal statement example #15, residency personal statement example #16, residency personal statement example #17, residency personal statement example #18, residency personal statement example #19, residency personal statement example #20.

Want some more residency personal statement tips?

How To Address Areas of Concern

There are some things that are out of our control. Sometimes we have to take time off to deal with personal issues, or sometimes we have to retake tests. If you have something you feel like you need to explain in your application, the personal statement is the area to address it. If you had a leave of absence or failed an exam, you should offer a clear, unemotional explanation of the situation. Use positive language. Whatever the area of concern, try and phrase it in the most favorable light. Take accountable for what has happened, but do not place blame or make an excuse. Here are some phrases you can try and use in your personal statement.

Sometimes we have to interact with people who we don't see eye to eye with. When I worked with (you can choose to say the person's name or just use their title) I learned how to (insert a lesson here). Even though it was a challenge, I have gained skills that will better my future practice. ","label":"Unfavorable Evaluation by an Attending","title":"Unfavorable Evaluation by an Attending"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Keep in mind that these are suggestions. If you are concerned about an area of your application that might be a red flag, it may be in your best interest to address it head-on. The choice to write about them is your own individual opinion. Your personal statement should highlight the best side of you. If you think that an area of weakness might hurt your chances, it may be beneficial to take ownership of the problem and write it in a way that will show what you learned and how it made you better.

For the most part, your residency personal statement should be within a one-page limit or approximately 750-850 words. Be sure to check your specific program requirements to verify before you begin writing.

It's entirely up to you if you want to address unfavorable grades or gaps in your studies. However, if you feel something in your application will be seen as a red flag, it's best to address issues head-on instead of having admissions committees dwell on possible areas of concern.

If you're going to address a gap, just ensure that you have a clear narrative for why you took these breaks, what you did on break and what this break means for your ability to function at a very high academic level for many years to come.

If you're addressing a poor evaluation, ensure that you take responsibility for your grade, discuss what you learned and how your performance will be improved in the future - then move on. It's important that you don't play the victim and you must always reflect on what lessons you've learned moving forward.

Absolutely. While it's not necessary to discuss your personal connection to a program location, showing program directors that you have ties to their program's location can give you a competitive edge over other applicants. The reason being is that it's a way to show program directors that you are invested in practicing medicine locally.

That's not to say that you have to apply to programs that are within your home state or province, but if one of the reasons you love a particular program is because of its location in your hometown, don't be afraid to mention this. Whether you enjoy the outdoor activities in the program's location, have family and friends in the area, or even grew up in the area at some point, these can all be great aspects to mention.

Firstly, it's important to check the program's specific requirements for your statement because some programs have a specific prompt or multiple prompts that you'll need to address. If you are not given a prompt, in general, your statement needs to answer “why this specialty?” and “why this program?”. Your responses must be supported with your personal experiences and your statement should incorporate your future career goals.

No, instead you'll be preparing one personal statement for each specialty. For example, if you're applying to emergency medicine and family medicine, you'll need to prepare one statement for emergency medicine and one statement for family medicine.

As long as it's during the application season, you can edit and review your personal statement. However, keep in mind that if you edit your personal statement, there is no guarantee that programs will review the most up to date version. For this reason, it's best to only assign your personal statement to programs once you've 100% happy with the final version.

No, there is no limit on how many personal statements you can create. 

Your personal statement should have three major structural elements: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Your thesis statement will appear in your introduction in the first paragraph. The body is for you to discuss major experiences relevant to your chosen specialty, and the conclusion is generally the place to summarize and highlight some of the item you mentioned in the body or introduction.

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

it is comprehensive and precise

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Shiva! Thank you very much for your comment! Glad you found these helpful.

Get Started Now

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webinar: 

How to make your residency application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 reasons most applicants don't match their top choice program).

Time Sensitive. Limited Spots Available:

We guarantee you'll match a residency program or you don't pay.

Swipe up to see a great offer!

The Residency Personal Statement (2023/2024): The Insider’s Guide (with Examples)

A physician and former residency program director explains how to write your residency personal statement to match in to your top-choice residency program in 2024.

Read example residency personal statements and suggested outlines..

Introduction

The residency personal statement allows residency program directors and associate directors the chance to get a sense of who you are and your commitment to your chosen specialty. 

As a former program director who understands how residency personal statements are reviewed, what “stands out,” and, most importantly, what will earn you interview invitations, the information below will help you write a residency personal statement to match!

It is imperative to make sure you get the most accurate guidance possible with regards to your residency personal statement content and optimal residency personal statement length (up to 5300 characters with spaces).

Want more personalized suggestions? Sign up for a FREE residency personal statement consultation .

Table of Contents

Goals for Writing Your 2024 Residency Personal Statement

Above all else, your residency personal statement offers the opportunity to show your interest in your chosen specialty when applying to residency to illustrate you are a good fit.

The more details you offer about why you are interested in the specialty and how your med school rotations, accomplishments and experiences have reinforced this interest, the stronger your personal statement will be, the more it will appeal to selection committees and the better you will do in the match process .

I encourage applicants to offer as much “evidence” as possible to “show” rather than “tell” what qualities, characteristics and interests they have. “Telling” a reader, for example, that you are compassionate and hard working means nothing. Instead, you must “show” that you embody these qualities based on your experiences in health care and the patients for whom you have cared.

The residency personal statement also offers the opportunity to write about who you are as a person to convey some details about your background, influences, and interests outside of your given specialty.

The Importance of a Balanced Residency Personal Statement

The key when writing your residency personal statement is to ensure that it is well-balanced so it appeals to a large group of people who might read your ERAS residency application.

However, it is important to understand that every program director and faculty member has his or her own idea of what he would like to read in a personal statement. As an applicant, you must go into this process understanding that you cannot please everyone, or a specific program, and your personal statement should therefore have the broadest appeal possible.

For example, some program directors would rather hear about your personal interests and curiosities and get to know who you are rather than have you focus on the specialty in which you are interested.

At MedEdits, we suggest taking a “middle of the road” approach; include some details about who you are but also focus on the specialty itself. In this way, you will make more traditional reviewers who want to hear about your interest in the specialty happy while also satisfying those who would rather learn about you as a person.

Above all, be authentic and true to yourself when writing your statement. This always leads to the best results! Read on to learn more about how to write a winning personal statement.

About MedEdits

Getting into a residency has never been more competitive. Founded by a former associate program director, the experts at MedEdits will make your residency personal statement shine. We’ve worked with more than 5,000 students and 94% have been matched to one of their top-choice programs.

Need Help With Your Residency Personal Statement?

Schedule a Free 15 Minute Consultation with a MedEdits expert.

Residency Personal Statement Outline & Structure

Residency applicants often do well when given outlines or templates to follow, so, we will offer that, but, it is important to realize that many applicants deviate from these rigid rules. One very typical outline that serves applicants quite well in the residency admissions process is:

• Compose a catchy introduction. Your intro can be related to your interest in the specialty to which you are applying, about a hobby or personal experience, or about your background. Regardless of the topic you choose, you want to tell a story and start with something that will interest your reader and engage him.
• The next two to four paragraphs comprise the body of your personal statement. We encourage applicants to write about any significant experiences they have had related to their desired specialty and/or future goals. This would include information about rotations, electives, and sub internships related to the specialty, volunteer and research experiences and even significant outside interests.
• Finally, you want to conclude your essay. In your conclusion, write about what you seek in a residency program, what you will bring to a residency program, and, if you have any idea of your future career goals, write about those as well. Your conclusion is also where you can tailor a personal statement to a specific geographic area of interest or type of program (rural, urban, community).

Residency Personal Statement Length & Residency Personal Statement Word Limit

Residency Personal Statement Length: Our recommendation is that your residency personal statement be between 4000 – 5300 characters with spaces or up to 900 words in length. 

The allowed ERAS residency personal statement length is 28,000 characters which equates to about five pages!

We have been hearing from more and more applicants that the personal statement should not exceed one page when typed in to the ERAS application . Because of this overwhelming trend, we are supporting this guidance unless you have extenuating circumstances that require your personal statement be longer.

Our recommendation is that your residency personal statement be a maximum of 5300 characters with spaces.

ERAS Residency Personal Statement Checklist

• Ensure your personal statement flows well

The best personal statements are easy to read, don’t make the reader think too much, and make your path and interests seem logical. Rarely does a personal statement have a theme. Also try to have each paragraph transition to the next seamlessly. 

2. Your personal statement should be about you!

Your personal statement should be about you and no one else. Focus on your interests, your accomplishments and your path. This is your opportunity to be forthcoming about your achievements – by writing in detail about what you have done.

3. Be sure your personal statement clearly outlines your interest in the specialty.

Since the reader wants to be convinced of your understanding of, experience in, and curiosity about the specialty to which you are applying, be sure you highlight what you have done to explore your interest as well as your insights and observations about the specialty to show your understanding of it.

4. Make it human.

Again, your personal statement should be about you! The reader wants to know who you are, where you are from, what your interests are and who you are outside of medicine. Therefore, try to include those details about your background that are intriguing or important to you.

5. Express your interest in the specialty.

The reader fundamentally wants to know why you are pursuing the specialty. The more details you offer the more convincing you are about your commitment and your understanding of the specialty. Be sure to include details that might seem obvious. For example, in emergency medicine you must like acute care, but try to include more nuanced details about your interest, too. What do you enjoy about the diagnoses and pathologies involved? What do you value about the actual work you will do? What do you enjoy about the patients for whom you will care? How about the setting in which you will practice?

6. The start and evolution of your interest.

Readers want to know how and when you became interested in your specialty. Was this before medical school? During medical school? What have you done to pursue and nurture your interest in the specialty?

7. What you have done to learn more about the specialty.

You should explain what you have done to pursue your interest. What rotations have you done or have planned? What research, scholarly work or community service activities have you pursued to further your interest?

8. Where you see yourself in the future – if you know!

Without going into too much detail, write about the type of setting in which you see yourself in the future. Do you hope to also participate in research, teaching, public health work or community outreach as a part of your career? What are your future goals? Since many programs typically train a certain type of physician, it is important that your goals are aligned with the programs to which you are applying.

9. What do you bring to the specialty?

You should try to identify what you can bring to the program and the specialty to which you are applying as a whole. For example, are you applying to family medicine and have a distinct interest in public health? Are you applying for internal medicine and do you have demonstrated expertise in information technology and hope to improve electronic medical records? Do you have extensive research or teaching experience, and do you hope to continue to pursue these interests in the future? Have you developed a commitment to global health, and do you hope to continue making contributions abroad? Programs have a societal obligation to select residents who will make valuable contributions in the future, so the more ambitions you have the more desirable a candidate you will be.

10. What type of program you hope to join?

Do you hope to be part of a community or university-based program? What are you seeking in a residency program? Programs are looking for residents who will be the right “fit” so offering an idea of what you are seeking in a program will help them determine if your values and goals mesh with those of the program.

11. Who you are outside of the hospital?

Try to bring in some personal elements about who you are. You can do this in a few ways. If you have any outside interests or accomplishments that complement your interest in your specialty, such as extracurricular work, global work, teaching or volunteer efforts, write about them in detail, and, in doing so, show the reader a different dimension of your personality. Or, consider opening your statement by writing about an experience related to your hobbies or outside interests. Write about this in the form of an introductory vignette. I suggest taking this nontraditional approach only if you are a talented writer and can somehow relate your outside interest to the specialty you are pursuing, however. An interest in the arts can lend itself to dermatology, plastic surgery or ophthalmology, for example. Or, an interest in technology could relate to radiology .

12. Any personal challenges?

Also explain any obstacles you have overcome: Were you the first in your family to graduate from college? Were you an immigrant? Did you have limited financial resources and work through college? Many applicants tend to shy away from the very things that make them impressive because they are afraid of appearing to be looking for sympathy. As long as you explain how you have overcome adversity in a positive or creative way, your experience will be viewed as the tremendous accomplishment that it is. The personal statement should explain any unusual or distinctive aspects of your background.

• Residency Match: How It Works & How To Get Matched

Common ERAS Residency Personal Statement Mistakes

Do not tell your entire life story or write a statement focused on your childhood or undergraduate career. 

Do not write about why you wanted to be a doctor. This is old news. From the reviewers perspective, you already are a doctor!

Do not write a personal statement focused on one hobby or begin with your birth. Some background information might be useful if it offers context to your choices and path, but your residency personal statement should be focused on the present and what you have done to pursue your interest in the specialty to which you are applying.

Do not preach. The reader understands what it means to practice his specialty and does not need you to tell him. Don’t write, for example: Internal medicine requires that a physician be knowledgeable, kind and compassionate. The reader wants to know about you!

Do not put down other specialties. You don’t need to convince anyone of your interest by writing something negative about other specialties. Doing so just makes you look bad. If you switched residencies or interests, you can explain what else you were seeking and what you found in the specialty of your choice that interests you.

Do not embellish. Program directors are pretty good at sniffing out inconsistencies and dishonesty. Always tell the truth and be honest and authentic. 

Do not plagiarize. While this seems obvious to most people, every year people copy personal statements they find online or hire companies that use stock phrases and statement to compose statements for applicants. Don’t do it!

Do not write about sensitive topics. Even if you were in a relationship that ended and resulted in a poor USMLE score , this is not a topic for a personal statement. In general, it is best to avoid discussing relationships, politics, ethical issues and religion.

Do not boast. Any hint of arrogance or self-righteousness may result in getting rejected. There is a fine line between confidence and self promotion. Some people make the mistake of over-selling themselves or writing about all of their fantastic qualities and characteristics. Rarely do readers view such personal statements favorably.

Do not write an overly creative piece. A residency personal statement should be professional. This work is equivalent to a job application. Don’t get too creative; stay focused.

Writing ERAS Residency Personal Statements For Multiple Specialties

An increasing number of applicants are applying to more than one specialty in medicine especially if the first choice specialty is very competitive. If you are applying to more than one specialty, even if there is disciplinary overlap between the two (for example family medicine and pediatrics ), we advise you write a distinct specialty for each. Remember that a physician who practices the specialty you hope to join will most likely be reviewing your statement. He or she will definitely be able to determine if the personal statement illustrates a true understanding of the specialty. If you try to recycle an entire personal statement or parts of a personal statement for two specialties, there is a high likelihood the personal statement will communicate that you aren’t sincerely interested in that specialty or that you don’t really understand what the specialty is about.

Writing About Red Flags in your ERAS Personal Statement

The personal statement is also the place to explain any red flags in your application, such as gaps in time or a leave of absence. When addressing any red flags, explain what happened succinctly. Be honest, don’t make excuses, and don’t dwell on the topic. Whenever possible, write about how you have matured or grown from the adversity or what you may have learned and how this benefits you.

If you have left a program or had a break in your medical education, you will also have the chance to explain this in your ERAS application . You should also write about this topic in your personal statement only if you have more to explain, however. 

If you have failed a Step exam or one course in medical school, this likely isn’t something to address in the personal statement. However, you should be prepared to discuss any failure during an interview. By the same token, it is best not to address one low grade or poor attending evaluation in your statement. 

Have you taken a circuitous path to medicine? If so you might address why you made these choices and what you found so interesting about medicine that was lacking in your former career.

Residency Personal Statement Example

Below are two great examples of residency personal statements that earned the applicants who wrote them numerous interviews and first choice matches. As you will see, these two applicants took very different approaches when writing the personal statement yet wrote equally persuasive and “successful” personal statements.

Residency Personal Statement Example, Analysis, and Outline: The Traditional Approach

The most common approach to the personal statement is what I will call the traditional approach, in which the applicant conveys her interest in the specialty, when that interest began and what she has done to pursue the particular specialty.

Suggested outline:

• Introduction: Catchy Story
• Paragraph 2: Background Information and how Interest Started
• Paragraph 3: Write about what you did to explore your interest
• Paragraph 4: Second paragraph about your experiences related to your specialty
• Conclusion: Wrap it up. Write something about your future goals.

Below is an example of the traditional approach:

I looked into her eyes and saw terror. She knew the life of her unborn baby was in jeopardy. As tears streamed down her face, she looked to the attending physician. In desperation, she pleaded, “Please save our baby.” She and her husband had been trying to conceive for more than two years, and they knew this could be their only chance to have a healthy child. She went into labor at home and because of a horrible snowstorm was not able to reach the hospital for several hours. When she arrived in labor and delivery, she was crowning. But, the baby was having late decelerations. Because of the sweat on my attending’s forehead I knew the situation was serious. Yet we all tried to remain calm and to keep the patient and her husband calm as well. 

I entered medical school with an open mind as everyone suggested. Even as a first year medical student, however, I was fascinated with embryology. I entered my third year still unsure of what I would pursue. I knew I wanted a career that would be challenging and interesting. Because of my background in drawing and painting, I always loved working with my hands. Yet I also enjoyed working with people. Thankfully, my obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) rotation was the first of my third year and I was immediately hooked.

I quickly sought out opportunities for research and became involved in a clinical study investigating the impact of a vegan diet on birth outcomes. I have always had an interest in wellness and nutrition, and this seemed like a perfect fit for me. My research is still in process, but through this experience I have learned how to analyze data, stay objective and critically evaluate the literature. So far, our findings suggest better than normal outcomes for babies born to vegan mothers. This reinforces my goal to educate my patients about the important of diet and nutrition, which I hope to make a part of my future practice. 

Early in my fourth year, I completed an elective rotation at Inner City Medical Center. There I cared for a diverse group of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. I realized how much I enjoy labor and delivery, but I also value the operative aspects of ob/gyn. I appreciate the importance of understanding the female anatomy so I can operate with precision.  I also value the diversity of practice in ob/gyn. Whether caring for a woman about to give birth, helping a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer navigate her treatment options, or caring for a perimenopausal woman who is coping with symptoms of hormone fluctuations, I enjoy caring for patients with knowledge and compassion. The outpatient aspect of ob/gyn brings satisfaction as well. I look forward to building relationships with my patients, helping them to lead the healthiest lives possible. I have also realized how much I want to care for those who lack access to care. The work I have done at Medical School Free Clinic has helped me realize the gaps that exist in access to care and education. As a future practicing ob/gyn, I hope to work in such a setting at least on a part time basis.

On that snowy night, when we realized the baby was having difficulty being born because of shoulder dystocia, a simple maneuver eased the situation. The baby’s first cry brought such joy and relief to everyone in the room and, at that moment, I knew I had to be part of this specialty. I hope to join a program where I will have the clinical exposure that will give me the skills and experience to care for a wide range of patients. I do not yet know if I will subspecialize, and I will seek out mentors and experiences as a resident to make an informed decision. I would be honored to interview at your program and thank you for your consideration.

Why It’s Great

This is a great personal statement because it clearly conveys the applicant’s interest in, and understanding of, obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and what the applicant has done to pursue that interest. Not only does this applicant have a long-standing interest in OB/GYN, but, she conveys that she has experienced the specialty in different settings and understands the diverse nature of the specialty. She also includes information about her hobbies and interests and writes about her exploration of OB/GYN outside of the clinical arena. An added bonus is that the applicant writes well and uses descriptive language making her statement interesting and fun to read.

Residency Personal Statement Example, Analysis, and Outline: The Outside Interests Approach

Many mentors advise applicants to tell the reader something about them that is unrelated to medicine or the specialty they are pursuing. This is a fine idea, but be sure your personal statement also includes some details about your interest in your specialty if you decide to move in this direction.

Suggested Outline:

• Introduction: Write a Catchy Introduction. Be creative! Think outside the box.
• Paragraph 2:Elaborate on your introduction offering more details
• Paragraph 3: Write about your specialty choice and what appeals to you.
• Paragraph 4: Write more about your explorations in medical school.
• Concluding paragraph(s): Write about your future goals, the type of program you hope to join and consider looping back to your introduction.

Below is an example of the outside interests approach:

The landscape before me was lush and magical. We had been hiking for hours and had found a great spot to set up camp. As I was unloading my backpack and helping to pitch the tent, I saw a scene I knew I had to capture. I quickly grabbed my carefully packed Leica before the magnificent sunset disappeared. Trying to get the perfect exposure, I somehow managed to capture this image so accurately that it reflected the beauty of what was before us high in the mountains of Utah, so far away from the hustle and bustle of New York City where we attended medical school.

Throughout my life, I have pursued my interests and curiosities with focus and creativity. One of those interests is photography. Even as a small child, I wanted my own camera, and I started snapping interesting scenes and images at the age of 6. As I grew older, this hobby took on more significance. I took a college level course in photography as a high school student, worked as a photographer’s assistant and even considered a career in photography. Paralleling my interest, however, was a desire to travel and experience new places, foods, and cultures.

I have been fortunate to travel all over the world. Rather than stopping in a city or place for a couple of days and seeing the sights, I prefer to immerse myself in my surroundings, eating the food, meeting the people, and staying for as long as I can. My fluency in Spanish and Italian has made it easier to “fit in” naturally. My most recent trip to Costa Rica allowed me to visit sugar cane fields and rain forests. I also volunteered in a clinic that helps the most desperate citizens. Of course, because I never travel without my camera, I also captured the beauty of this country; those pictures can be found on my blog.

Surgery seemed like a natural choice for me. It is a very tactile and visual field that requires patience, attention to detail and creativity—just like photography. The operating room setting is invigorating. I love to be a member of a team, and in surgery team work is an essential part of practice. The ability to deal with anatomical variations also satisfies my creative side; I have always been fond of puzzles, and the field of surgery represents a real-world puzzle to me. I also appreciate the intensity of surgery and believe I have the personality and demeanor for the field. I have always enjoyed solving problems quickly, something the field of surgery requires. My rotations in surgery – in addition to my core surgery rotation I have done trauma and cardiothoracic surgery – have helped me to understand the tremendous opportunities and diversity of the field. I have heard some residents lament that the only reason they went into surgery is to operate. However, I really enjoy seeing patients postoperatively. It is only at that time that a surgeon can really appreciate the impact of his or her work.

Finally, my trip to Honduras with a surgical team from my hospital and medical school made me realize that I can make a great contribution globally in the field of surgery. There we saw patients who had no resources or access to care. The facilities in which we worked were bare-bones. Yet the impact we made was tremendous, given that this was a group of people who otherwise would have no surgical care. In this way, I hope to combine my interests in travel and surgery as a resident, if I have time, and certainly as a practicing physician. My ultimate goal is to use my training to help populations globally and domestically.

To gain the most clinical exposure possible, I hope to train in a busy urban hospital. I believe that such a setting will give me the operative experience I need to be able to navigate many situations in the future. Such a setting will also give me the outpatient experience to understand how to manage patients once the surgery is completed.

I look forward to the day when I can be snapping my camera intraoperatively, documenting what I am doing and seeking to help other surgeons. For some, such pictures may not represent the art of those pictures I take in the wilderness, but for me they reflect the beauty of surgery and the great opportunity to make a lasting impression on another human being’s life.

This is a really intriguing personal statement because the author writes about his outside interests in a compelling way that makes him instinctively likable. He then goes on to explain what he enjoys about surgery and what he has done to pursue that interest. As you can see, this applicant writes less about his specialty (surgery) than the applicant in statement #1 did, but, he still convinces the reader of his understanding of, and commitment to, surgery. In this statement, the reader gains a much broader understanding of who the applicant is as a person and what he likes to do in his free time.

Final Thoughts

Writing your residency personal statement should be about telling your story in your own voice and style. You want to highlight your interest in the specialty for which you are applying while also conveying some ideas about who you are as a person to keep your reader engaged in learning about you as a person.

Residency Personal Statement Consulting Services

MedEdits Medical Admissions offers comprehensive guidance and document review services for residency applicants to every specialty in medicine. With more than twenty years of experience in residency admissions and founded by a former residency admissions officer and physician, MedEdits understands what program directors want to read and can help you decide what aspects of your background to focus on in your residency personal statement to earn the most interviews possible.

Getting into a residency has never been more competitive. Let the experts at MedEdits help you with your ERAS personal statement. We’ve worked with more than 5,000 students and 94% have been matched to one of their top-choice programs.

Sample Residency Personal Statements

Residency Related Articles and Guidance

• Residency Match Statistics
• Residency Personal Statement
• How to write a residency interview thank you letter.
• What Outfit To Wear To Your Residency Interview
• Medical Residency Timeline & Length
• Medical Residency Salary By Specialty
• How To Master MyERAS, The Medical Residency Interview, and Common Residency Interview Questions
• Master the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) & ERAS Timeline
• Residency Letters Of Recommendation (with ERAS Samples)
• Residency Letter of Intent
• How to Write a Residency Letter of Intent
• Residency Love Letters
• Residency Match Success: Lessons Learned

Residency Specialty Articles

• Family Medicine Residency Match: Beat more than 4400 Applications
• Pediatrics Residency Match: Beat more than 3000 Applicaitons
• Internal Medicine Residency Match: Beat more than 10,000 Applications
• General Surgery Residency Match: BEAT more than 1900 Applications
• Emergency Medicine Residency Match: BEAT more than 2600 Applications
• Anesthesiology Residency Match: BEAT more than 2,000 Applicants

• Website Disclaimer
• Terms and Conditions
• MedEdits Privacy Policy

• [email protected]
• +91 90618 64583

• Graduate School
• Medical School

January 19th, 2023

Pediatrics Residency Personal Statement Examples  – With Writing Guide 2023

Have you completed your medicinal degree and want to specialize in Pediatrics?

When you are applying for pediatrics, you need a personal statement to show your passion and dedication to the course.

But how can I write one?

In this blog, we are going to analyze all about the pediatric personal statement for you.

We will learn:

• The details to be included
•  Format of pediatrics personal statement
• How to write your lower grades
• Professional tips for writing a pediatrics personal statement

What is Pediatrics Residency?

Pediatrics Residency is a postgraduate programme with a focus on children’s health.

The person defined as a pediatric resident is a doctor who has already completed medical school and is presently undergoing extra training in pediatrics.

What is Pediatrics Residency Personal Statement? Why Do You Need One?

Pediatrics residency personal statement is an essay that discusses your enthusiasm and skill sets for the field.

Why does a candidate need one?

• To express your skills & experience
• Reasons for your desire in pediatrics
• To impress the reviewers
• To explain who you are

GET YOUR PEDIATRICS RESIDENCY PERSONAL STATEMENT CRAFTED BY EXPERTS NOW!

When Should You Start to Write

• Attest a month before applying
• Research everything
• You should have an idea of how to present your pediatrics personal statement
• Keep a note of the points you want to include.
• Read the guidelines
• Write a rough first draft and analyse it

What to Include

Give yourself enough time to go through the elements that will be included in your pediatrics residency personal statement before you begin to write it.

5 Questions You Must Answer

The following questions should be answered in your pediatrics personal statement.

What makes you a good candidate for pediatrics?

Write about your history, interests, and experience in both your personal and professional life.

What led you to choose pediatrics?

Describe the moment you realized pediatrics was the field for you.

What goals do you have for your pediatrics career?

Your ideas and goals for your career.

Do you have any important contributions or accomplishments in the area?

Your scholarly work, accomplishments, etc. in pediatrics.

Any gaps or poor grades?

Give a brief explanation of it (if any).

What level of exposure and expertise do you have in the field?

Describe your experiences.

Shouldn’t Include

You should be aware of the elements that should not be included in your pediatrics personal statement before you start writing.

• Irrelevant details
• The same information that is in a CV or resume
• Avoid using quotations
• Excessive information about everything

Negative narrations

How Long Should a Personal Statement be?

The length of your pediatrics personal statement depends on the universities you apply to, but in most scenarios, it is between 750- 800 words.

No of pages –

Word count –, no. of characters –, best fonts –, font size –, how should you write about your poor grades or unfavourable details.

Well,  first of all, if you don’t feel that you should include it, then don’t.

If you decide to write about it, you should give a brief description of the event or grades and then discuss what you learned from it or how it affected you.

Remain factual and avoid making any negative remarks or explanations.

Sample 1 – Pediatrics Residency Personal Statement

Being a mother of three young children myself, I have a special bond with kids. Following my completion of my medical education, I focused all of my attention on children. But I truly think that I should continue and focus on a future in pediatric medicine. I consider myself to have a great amount of affection for children, and I really love working for and with them. I am positive that I am fully familiar with the needs of sick children and how they must be looked after. Additionally, I am quite conscious of what parents think when their kids are ill as well as the warmth and support they deserve under hard moments. The needs of a child must be understood by pediatrician. I will be able to effectively care for and calm the children as a mother and a pediatrician.

In addition to that, I remain committed to adhering to rules of medical discipline and establishing healthy professional connections with my colleagues. My commitment to pediatric medicine is not an emotional whim; instead, it is a reflection of my desire to be a profoundly proficient and effective physician and to function at the finest level in an organization. Pursuing a pediatric residency programme at your prestigious university is the initial step in that direction. I suppose that the younger generation needs more attention and patience than the majority of adults. The best way to ensure that children have a healthy and happy future is to start at the beginning. In light of this, I decided to pursue a career in pediatrics. Through this pediatric residency programme, I hope to acquire the expertise and skills that are required for physical assessment of a child, the formation of an evaluation and treatment plan, the effectiveness of general pediatric diagnosis, the detailed treatment applications, and ways to improve parent communication. I would like to research pediatric sub disciplines like critical care and others during my residency.

My professional expertise has provided me with an in-depth understanding of various specialties. For two years, I was a general physician in a private hospital in Kerala. My duties included attending to a variety of patients, diagnosing them, and giving them the proper care, among other things. I had a fascinating and incredibly informative experience gathering their histories, performing check ups, and reviewing treatment suggestions with my senior doctor. After I had children, I started assisting a senior physician at a non-governmental organization close to my house. I help him by doing physical examinations, running patient histories, and other tasks. The organization supports elderly and orphaned children. I had the opportunity to interact with kids, which made me more aware of how I could support them more effectively. Since it is an NGO and non-profit endeavour, most of the physicians are interested in working here. That thought crossed my head, and I made the decision to treat innocent children as a pediatrician. This exposure to the medical field, in my opinion, has improved my abilities and influenced my decision to concentrate on pediatrics as a specialty.

I speak three languages well, including my native Malayalam, Hindi, and English, which will likely become a more valuable skill as time goes on. Apart from work, I spend most of my time caring for my children and supporting my husband. I especially enjoy assisting the recently appointed physicians at our local public clinic. I consider myself to be a strong, tenacious person with a lot of energy. One of the most important traits for a clinician is exceptional interpersonal skills, which I possess. I am good at explaining things to people, especially if they are challenging. I led free educational sessions for children in our neighbourhood nurseries and NGO. My reputation as a solid team member was earned through my strong professional connections. I have the skills required to lead, and I have demonstrated this through planning programmes and activities for my college as well as for our community. Furthermore, I can operate well under pressure and stress. Moreover, I already possess the base of knowledge and skill sets needed for my career choice, and I am absolutely committed to it.

After I complete this degree, I want to start my own clinic so I can work freely with underprivileged and homeless children. I want to help India to have a healthier future by organizing many free medical camps and distributing free medicines. Children are our country’s greatest resource, and I am obligated to do all in my power to safeguard them.

Sample 2 – Pediatrics Residency Personal Statement

In a few years, I want to reflect back and feel gratified that I made a difference in many people’s lives. I can achieve that objective by choosing the right path, which is pediatrics. Since I was a little child, I have always been familiar with pediatrics and its activities. I became aware of the significance of having a pediatrician in a child’s life when I saw that I have two cousins with down syndrome. While one of my cousins resides abroad, and the other is from Madhya Pradesh. The pediatric treatment and resources were scarce for the person who lives in India. As a result of inadequate training and care, he was totally reliant on his family for all aspects of everyday life. While the cousin who resides overseas had a completely different circumstance. With the help of a pediatrician, my cousin was capable of handling his condition and performing his own independent activities. From that point on, I understood how crucial it is for children to have access to pediatricians if they are to have a brighter future. They can shape the future, and I aspire to have that kind of influence after completing the pediatric residency programme.

I was very certain of my goals before I ever started medical school. I spend considerable time caring for my siblings and my cousin. And I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process. My desire to work with children was further fueled by my medical school experience, which also made me realise that pediatrics is more than just caring for a child’s welfare. I realised that the goal of pediatrics is to comprehend a child’s demands, adapt to those needs, attend to their concerns, and offer comfort. In addition to significantly strengthening parent-child communication, my studies gave me the chance to make children’s lives joyful and healthy.

Throughout my clinical rotations, I saw children who had a variety of conditions. But their incredible persistence caught my attention. Despite the agony and suffering, an 11-year-old kid with spinal TB showed a high spirit and excitement for everything. I was content being among them, so I frequently went to the wards to spend time with them. My desire to pursue pediatrics as a career was made stronger by my interactions and experiences with children during the clinical rotations.

What I want is to succeed in pediatrics. It is not merely due to a passing mood. This is due to my personal experience with the plight of Indian children. Many kids were battling illness and health issues, as I witnessed. Particularly, the less fortunate and financially strapped kids lacked the care and consideration they require. Reaching out and providing all-encompassing support for children who healthcare needs has evolved into a primary concern. Being a straightforward individual with a practical mindset, I take matters pretty seriously. The traits of a doctor go beyond what is written in textbooks. My ability to be patient as well as my strong, vivacious personality will help me become a successful pediatrician in the future. Furthermore, I was able to build trusting relationships with patients, family, and peers due to my ability to listen to people. Pediatrics places a lot of emphasis on providing the right kind of emotional and practical assistance to patients and family members. My experiences have offered me the assurance that I should be capable of accomplishing that.

Therefore, I’m seeking for a programme that can prepare me for work in healthcare disadvantaged areas while addressing the needs of culturally diverse communities. I want to embrace the concept where doctors can share knowledge and support to one another.

What to Learn From These Samples?

Most of your worries regarding writing a  pediatric personal statement can be answered by reading the sample pediatric personal statement above. Right?

Yet, how you should use the sample?

• Read the sample thoroughly
• Understand how you want to write it
• Know the details
• Arrange your ideas
• Proofread your first draft

Structure of a Pediatric Personal Statement

Introduction.

Your pediatrics personal statement should have an interesting and appealing opening.

To draw readers in, you need a strong opening.

 One example is

“I haven’t known that I want to become a doctor since I was a child, unlike so many people who have completed medical school. I knew I desired to assist people since I am a positive person who is passionate about uplifting the lives of others “.

While writing the introduction, add:

What is your motivation?

Explain what motivated you to choose pediatrics as a career. Write it in an inspiring and engaging way.

Why are you so passionate about pediatrics?

Showing your passion and enthusiasm is very important in the personal statement.

What do you intend to do in the future?

You shouldn’t write a long explanation for this. Write briefly about what you plan to do in the future. Because it can be explained in another section of your statement.

You should use a storytelling style when writing the main body of your personal statement.

What is your expertise?

Describe your experiences and the lessons you learned.

Which skills do you have?

Talk about your pediatrician abilities and skills.

Bring everything together in the conclusion. To make an impression, a conclusion needs to be firm and resolute. Include the following in your conclusion:

• Your career goals- short & long term
• Your contributions (in the future)
• How a pediatrics program can help you achieve your goals

Pediatrics Residency Personal Statement Guidelines

When writing a pediatric personal statement, it’s important to follow the requirements of the university.

If there are no specific rules, you can follow the general personal statement guidelines.

Have a look at them.

• Don’t exceed the limits
• You should use active voice
• Divide your personal statement into different paragraphs
• Highlight your passion with enough events and stories
• Write about challenges, obstacles and how you have overcome them related to pediatrics
• A strong opening and conclusion
• Find your own way to present things in your personal statement

Common Mistakes

You have a vast amount of information to cover in a limited amount of time, so you cannot afford to waste your time on mistakes that really can ruin your credibility in the eyes of an admissions committee.

The common mistakes you can find in your pediatrics personal statement are:

• Negative approach ( complaining / blaming others)
• Errors in the format and structure of your personal statement
• Grammatical mistakes
• Lack of proofreading
• Using slang or informal language
• Unorganized ideas

Tips for Writing

Following some tips for writing a pediatric personal statement can have a strong effect on the outcome you want to get.

Good introduction and conclusion

A compelling story narrative is a great place to start. It will undoubtedly improve your chances.

Be straightforward

Keep in mind that your writing should be both formal and concise. The content must be simple to read.

Establish the connection

Establish a connection between paragraphs. Summarizing the key ideas will enable you to connect the personal statement’s beginning and conclusion.

Be sure to spell check

You shouldn’t be satisfied with your personal statement’s grammar until you have checked it several times.

Begin early

Early planning is key when writing. You can use the time to consider the information you should include in your statement.

Create several drafts

You can better understand how you want your personal statement to be written by writing several drafts of it.

Leading Pediatrics Residency Programs

You should enrol in the top pediatrics programme if you want the best educational experience.

• Harvard University
• John Hopkins University
• University of California- San Francisco
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
• Baylor College of Medicine
• University of Colorado Hospital
• Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

When Should I Apply?

In either your third or final year of medical school, you can apply.

The majority of medical residency programmes process residency applications using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Through their deans’ offices, candidates take part in ERAS.

From year to year, the deadlines are changed.

How to Apply?

Applications for residency programmes are submitted online through the ERAS service.

Only those submitting through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) will be considered.

The ERAS application portal has four major sections:

• MyERAS – Using MyERAS, you will submit the centralised application, upload the necessary documents and personal statements, and select the program you want to apply to. It’s the only part of the ERAS that is required to be filled out by you.
• DWS – The person appointed in your Dean’s office will submit whatever needs to be submitted on your behalf at the Dean’s Office WorkStation. Your academic records and performance evaluations are included.
• LoRP- You can upload the letters of recommendation using the portal or direct those who have agreed to write you LOR to this page.
• PDWS- Programme Director’s Workstation will evaluate your application and the program you’ve applied for.

All you have to do is prove that you’re passionate about pediatrics and that you will contribute to the community.

You now understand what to do. Right?

If we were able to help you , please share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

Mrs Jizah M

Mrs Jizah M has always enjoyed writing down her thoughts since school days. What just started as a hobby slowly transformed into a passion. Her writing skills were first acknowledged by few of her professors when she wrote content for the college website; this was a turing. Slowly she started getting freelance works and later on, a series of events led her to specialize in academic and higher education related documentations. In additional to personal statements, she along with her team writes LORs, SOPs, college application essays, admission essays and all similar types of documents.

Get in touch

Fill in the form below, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

Related posts

How to Write a Perfect Residency Personal Statement in 2023 | A Complete Guide

WE ALSO OFFER:

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Refund and Cancellation Policy

Copyright © 2022 Best Personal Statement Writer | All Rights Reserved

Code + Design by CreativeLeaves.com

Writing a Personal Statement for Residency Application

Personal statements are an essential, required part of applying to residency. Residency programs screen thousands of applications every cycle and read many hundreds of these statements in the process. You should aim to write an interesting statement that showcases your personality as well as your achievements. Perhaps most importantly, you will need to skillfully articulate the reasons for your interest in family medicine and the particular program you're applying to.

How to Write a Great Personal Statement

A great personal statement sets itself apart from a good personal statement in several ways.

• First, it includes a level of specificity that shows your motivations and interests are authentic. For example, when conveying why you want to match into family medicine, show awareness of the exciting developments in the specialty, or describe your experience with or knowledge of topics like population health management, care coordination, and the social determinants of health.
• Feel free to highlight items in your CV if they help remind your reader of the experiences you’ve had that prepared you for the position. This is your opportunity to expand upon activities that are just listed in the CV but deserve to be described so your reader can appreciate the breadth and depth of your involvement in them. It should not be another comprehensive list of your activities, but rather should refer to activities that are listed in detail on the CV.
• The personal statement is also an appropriate place to address anything that may be ambiguous on your CV. In particular, you should address any nontraditional path you’ve taken through medical school, such as time off or an altered curricular journey. It is better to address these than to leave a program wondering. If you write about academic or personal challenges that you faced during medical school, make a positive impression by focusing on what you've learned from those experiences and how they brought you to where you are now. 

You may choose to relate significant personal experiences, but do so only if they are relevant to your candidacy for the position.

Sharpen Your Writing Skills 

The importance of good writing in a personal statement cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately, not only are good writing skills allowed to deteriorate during medical school, but in some sense, they also are deliberately undermined in the interest of learning to write concise histories and physicals. For the moment, forget everything you know about writing histories and physicals. While preparing your personal statement:

• Avoid abbreviations.
• Avoid repetitive sentence structure.
• Avoid using jargon. If there is a shorter, simpler, less pretentious way of putting it, use it.
• Don't assume your reader knows the acronyms you use. As a courtesy, spell everything out.
• Use a dictionary and spell check. 
• Use a thesaurus. Variety in the written language can add interest, but don't get carried away.
• Write in complete sentences.

If you need a crash course in good writing, read  The Elements of Style ,  Fourth Edition  by Strunk and White. If you have friends or relatives with writing or editing skills, enlist their help. Student organizations at your school may host personal statement clinics, or your school may offer review services. Many student, medical, and specialty societies, local and national, may offer personal statement reviews or workshops.

Even if you're a great writer and feel confident about your application, you should ask trusted advisors, mentors, and friends to critique your personal statement (and your CV! ). They can help you make your statement as flawless as possible by giving you feedback about areas that might have been unclear or things that should be added.

Don't cross the line

Your personal statement should remain an original composition, even as you seek input and advice. Retain your voice as you refine your writing and don't ever plagiarize. Be aware of other ethical lines you shouldn't cross as well, for example, don't use vague references that would allow for the reader to misinterpret the nature of your experience, and don't take full credit for a project if others worked on it with you.

Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

• See us on instagram
• See us on twitter

Categorical Pediatrics: How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in our program. We welcome applications from all interested candidates from across the country and from diverse backgrounds. We use holistic review of applicant files and do not have a specific board score cut-off for consideration.

Application materials MUST be submitted through ERAS . Application Deadline: by 8:00 a.m. PST, September 27, 2023 Interview decisions will be made after a review of your complete application. In order for your application to be considered complete,  all required materials must be received no later than 8:00 am PST, September 27 th .

Required Materials

• Completed ERAS application form
• MSPE ("Dean's Letter" from your school)
• Minimum: 3 letters of recommendation with at least 2 that must be clinical letters from faculty that can describe your  clinical skills including medical knowledge, clinical reasoning, communication, professionalism
• 1 Clinical letter from Pediatrics faculty member
• 1-2 Clinical letter(s) from any Pediatrics or Non-Pediatrics faculty member
• Optional: 1 Letter from significant extracurricular activity, research, etc.
• Personal statement
• Medical School Transcript
• USMLE Score Transcript
• NRMP Number

Special Materials:

• If you are currently in a residency training program, a letter is also required from the program director.
• If you also hold a PhD, please also include a letter from your PhD advisor.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

• Additional letters of reference are accepted – Email letter
• We require that you have passing USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores and do not have a minimum score cut-off. We do not require Step 2 completion by the time applications open but will require it by the time we rank applicants in February.
• DO Applicants: We will accept either USMLE or COMLEX scores. Pediatric inpatient experience is required with letter from this inpatient experience highly preferred.
• IMGs: Must have clinical experience in the US with at least 2 letters from faculty in the US you worked with in the clinical setting. J-1 visas are sponsored through the  Graduate Medical Education Office . H-1B visas may be considered.

Internet Explorer Alert

It appears you are using Internet Explorer as your web browser. Please note, Internet Explorer is no longer up-to-date and can cause problems in how this website functions This site functions best using the latest versions of any of the following browsers: Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, or Safari . You can find the latest versions of these browsers at https://browsehappy.com

• Publications
• HealthyChildren.org

Shopping cart

Order Subtotal

Your cart is empty.

Looks like you haven't added anything to your cart.

• Career Resources
• Philanthropy
• About the AAP
• Safe Administration of Medication in School: Policy Statement
• Policy Outlines Steps to Take When Students Need Medicine at School
• When Your Child Needs to Take Medication at School
• American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Guidance on Medication Administration In School
• News Releases
• Policy Collections
• The State of Children in 2020
• Healthy Children
• Secure Families
• Strong Communities
• A Leading Nation for Youth
• Transition Plan: Advancing Child Health in the Biden-Harris Administration
• Health Care Access & Coverage
• Immigrant Child Health
• Gun Violence Prevention
• Tobacco & E-Cigarettes
• Child Nutrition
• Assault Weapons Bans
• Childhood Immunizations
• E-Cigarette and Tobacco Products
• Children’s Health Care Coverage Fact Sheets
• Opioid Fact Sheets
• Advocacy Training Modules
• Subspecialty Advocacy Report
• AAP Washington Office Internship
• Online Courses
• Live and Virtual Activities
• National Conference and Exhibition
• Prep®- Pediatric Review and Education Programs
• Journals and Publications
• NRP LMS Login
• Patient Care
• Practice Management
• AAP Committees
• AAP Councils
• AAP Sections
• Volunteer Network
• Join a Chapter
• Chapter Websites
• Chapter Executive Directors
• District Map
• Create Account
• News from the AAP
• Latest Studies in Pediatrics
• Pediatrics OnCall Podcast
• AAP Voices Blog
• Campaigns and Toolkits
• Spokesperson Resources
• Join the AAP
• Exclusive for Members
• Membership FAQs
• AAP Membership Directory
• Member Advantage Programs
• Red Book Member Benefit
• My Membership
• Join a Council
• Join a Section
• National Election Center
• Medical Students
• Pediatric Residents
• Fellowship Trainees
• Planning Your Career
• Conducting Your Job Search
• Making Career Transitions
• COVID-19 State-Level Data Reports
• Children and COVID-19 Vaccination Trends
• Practice Research in the Office Setting (PROS)
• Pediatrician Life and Career Experience Study (PLACES)
• Periodic Survey
• Annual Survey of Graduating Residents
• Child Population Characteristics Trends
• Child Health Trends
• Child Health Care Trends
• Friends of Children Fund
• Tomorrow’s Children Endowment
• Disaster Recovery Fund
• Monthly Giving Plans
• Honor a Person You Care About
• Donor-Advised Funds
• AAP in Your Will
• Become a Corporate Partner
• Employment Opportunities
• Equity and Inclusion Efforts
• RFP Opportunities
• Board of Directors
• Senior Leadership Team
• Constitution & By-Laws
• Strategic Plan

The Residency Application Process and Timeline

Residency applications are submitted electronically. A curriculum vitae (resume), personal statement, letters of recommendation from the dean and others, medical school transcripts, USMLE and/or COMLEX scores, and other credentials are included in the application.  

Most allopathic   and osteopathic  medical residency programs use the   Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®)  to process residency applications. ERAS® is a service that transmits applications to residency programs over the Internet. Candidates participate in ERAS® through their deans' offices.  

 The deadline dates change from year to year, but the template for successful pursuit of residency training in pediatrics is relatively stable. Check the ERAS® website for yearly deadlines.

Prepare a program list that has breadth and depth of programs in terms of experiences and competitiveness and apply to all programs in which you are interested.

Important Note About the Military Match  

If you are a military scholarship student, you are encouraged to communicate with your branch to find out when applications are due and to check in early with your student affairs office to ensure that all requirements are met on time. The military match begins and ends sooner than the ERAS®/NRMP® Match, and the results are released in mid-December. For information on military residency programs, the AAP Section on Uniform Services annually updates the Guide to Military Pediatric Residencies .

​ Letters of Recommendation  

Letters are an important part of the residency application and give program directors the opportunity to see how you are regarded by faculty members that have worked with you. Try to request your letters from core faculty members who have observed your direct clinical work with patients. Most pediatric residency training programs require three letters of recommendation from faculty members. At least one letter should be from a pediatric faculty; other letters may come from pediatric faculty members or faculty from any other clinical departments. For students who have done additional community work or research, a fourth letter documenting those activities enhances the application.

Asking for a Letter  

It may feel intimidating to r equest letters from faculty. Here are a few suggestions when asking for a letter:  

• Compile a list of potential letter writers 3-4 months in advance.
• When possible, make the request in person and at least 3 months ahead of the deadline to allow authors enough time to draft the letter.
• It is important to ask the faculty member if they can write you a strong letter based on your clinical skills. If the faculty member says that he or she can only write a somewhat strong letter, ask someone else. Of course, if that is still your best evaluation, stay with that person.
• You must provide your letter writer with all the necessary information, e.g. ERAS® face sheet (which has an alphanumeric code that must be used to upload your letter to ERAS®), your CV, and your personal statement, even if they are still in draft form.
• Plan for some faculty members to want to sit down with you to learn about your interests, short- and long-term goals.
• The ERAS® "face sheet" has a selection marked "waived" or "did not waive" the right to read the letter before submission. Persons reading that letter who see that a candidate did not waive access may put less faith in the letter. Some faculty members may share a copy or discuss the details even if you have waived access.

The Personal Statement  

A well written personal statement takes time. Start writing yours at least 3-4 months ahead of the deadline. It should present a clear, honest, and concise summary of your innate qualities and lend insight into your personality, experiences, and passions. Your statement enables you to add a new dimension to the application, persuade those who read it that you will be a desirable house officer and an asset to the program, and distinguishes you from your peers. Ask for honest feedback from friends, advisors, and at least one person who has strong editing skills.

To save time and improve the quality of the piece, consider starting with an outline. The statement should flow well and be organized -- with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Typically, if possible, try to limit your statement to one page. This article , written by Turi McNamee, MD, provides insight into drafting an original personal statement.

A few suggestions to be considered while compiling your personal statement:

• Include interests outside of medicine that lend insight into your personality
• Highlight experiences that demonstrate distinguishing traits that you bring to the field of pediatrics (e.g. motivation, leadership, reliability, integrity)
• Detail narratives relating experiences or attitudinal shifts that reflect personal growth during medical school
• Focus on why you are interested in the field of pediatrics, especially if you had a unique experience in medical school (or in pediatrics) that cemented your desire to pursue the field
• Mention your professional plans after residency
• Concentrate on information that cannot be attained from your CV

Additional Resources and Articles on Preparing for the Application Process  

• AAP Career Center – Career Learning Center  
• Pediatric Residency Application Process FAQ  ( member login required to access )
• Timeline & Tips for Medical Students Applying to Pediatrics ( member login required to access )
• AAP Mentorship Program –  PedsConnect Resources   (member login and mentorship profile required to access)  

Start early, stay on track with deadlines, work closely and consistently with your advisors, seek out constructive criticism about your applications and personal statements, and prepare for interviews . Y ou’ll do well in the Match.  

Last Updated

American Academy of Pediatrics

The Residency Personal Statement Guide w/Prompts & Examples

Intro- Writing a Great Residency Personal Statement

When you get ready to apply for residency, which could happen as early as your third year of med school, there are really  two main components  to the application process: submitting your application packet to various programs and completing the required interviews for the programs interested in you. But how exactly do you make sure you get that call for an interview? One way is by including an original, memorable residency personal statement as part of your application packet.

Residency Prerequisites

Before we get to the personal statement, though, let’s look at the steps required for you to be eligible for residency.

Step 1: Receive Your Degree

Although you’ll possibly start applying for residency during the fall semester of your third year at medical school, before you can be accepted, you must have your degree. It doesn’t matter if your application looks great and your interview blows the minds of the residency selection committee; if you don’t receive your M.D. or D.O., you won’t be eligible for residency.

Step 2: Pass the Examinations

In the U.S., you’re required to pass an exam before you can become licensed to practice medicine. Traditionally, students have taken the  USMLE  (United States Medical Licensing Examination), but some schools now require you to take the  COMLEX  (Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination) either instead of the USMLE  or  in addition to it.

For Foreign Students

If you’re a foreign student hoping to be placed in a residency within the U.S., there are a few  additional requirements  you’ll have to meet.

These include, but aren’t limited to, being certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), obtaining a legal VISA that gives you the right to work in the United States, procuring additional letters of recommendation from U.S.-based providers and more.

Applying for a Residency

What you’ll need.

As you’re putting together your residency application packet, you’ll be responsible for gathering:

• Your completed application
• Your residency personal statement
• Your letters of recommendation

There are a few other things that must be included in your application packet, but your medical school will handle those items. They include:

• Your complete and sealed transcripts
• A copy of your MSPE (Medical School Performance Evaluation)
• Your licensing exam transcript

Once you’ve gotten your half of the documents ready to submit, your medical school should take care of the rest. It’s important to fill out your application completely and accurately, as every bit of information included in the packet will be verified by multiple agencies.

The ERAS: What It Is and How to Apply

To apply for residency with almost all programs in the United States, you’ll be required to fill out an application through the  Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) . The ERAS was created and is maintained by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

It makes applying for residency much easier because you only have to fill out one application at a centralized location. That application then gets sent to all the different programs you’re interested in becoming a part of during your residency.

If you used the Common App as an undergraduate, you already have an idea of what the ERAS is like. Unlike the Common App, though, there’s one really great thing about the ERAS that many other centralized applications don’t include: the ability to submit multiple personal statements.

Why Submit Multiple Personal Statements

You may be wondering why you’d want to write more than one personal statement when writing one is stressful enough.

The simple answer is that writing multiple personal statements gives you the opportunity to personalize your statements for the specific program to which you’re applying. For example, if you’re applying for a pediatric residency in Brooklyn, you can write your personal statement specifically about why you chose that specialty and that geographic location. Additionally, if you also apply for an internal medicine residency in Washington D.C., you can write a second personal statement outlining your reasons for that choice as well.

ERAS Portal

There are  four main sections  of the ERAS application portal.

Section 1: MyERAS

This is the part of the ERAS that’s your responsibility. Using MyERAS, you’ll complete the centralized application, submit your required documentation and personal statements and select the programs to which you’re applying. When it comes to filling out the ERAS, this is the only section you’ll personally have to complete.

Section 2: DWS

The DWS, or Dean’s Office WorkStation, is where the designated person in your Dean’s office will submit what s/he is required to submit on your behalf. This will include your transcripts and performance evaluations.

Section 3: LoRP

The LoRP is the Letters of Recommendation Portal. You’ll direct people who’ve agreed to provide you with letters of recommendation to this location and have them submit their recommendation letters through the portal.

Section 4: PDWS

The PDWS, short for Program Director’s WorkStation, is where the programs you’ve applied to will receive and review their incoming applications.

Help with the ERAS

In addition to having everything you need for all your prospective programs in one place, another great thing about the ERAS is that the website provides you with  a lot of great resources  to help ensure you get everything done correctly and submitted in a timely manner.

There’s an  Applicant Worksheet  that allows you to see everything the application asks before you even start working on it. There’s also a  User Guide , an  Applicant Checklist , a  FAQ Section  and an  Application Timeline  to keep you on track.

Writing Your Residency Personal Statement

Although each residency personal statement you write should be different depending on the program to which you’re applying, there are some things that’ll remain similar or even the same in each statement, most notably the length and overall format of the statement.

Standard Residency Personal Statement Length

The ERAS allows you to use 28,000 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks) to complete your residency personal statement. This generally translates to about five to seven pages in length.  Don’t  use all 28,000 characters for your statements. That is entirely too long.

You have to be considerate of the time of the person reading your statement. S/he likely has thousands of personal statements to read through, and s/he doesn’t want to spend too much time on any one statement. If possible, you should keep your personal statements to about 3,500 to 5,000 characters. This translates to about a page to a page and a half for your statement. That’s a good length that should give you enough room to say everything you need to say without rambling on about non-essential information.

Standard Residency Personal Statement Format

The format of your statements will also be quite similar. You don’t have to worry about choosing your font, font size, or anything like that. With the ERAS, you’ll be using an embedded plain text box to type your personal statement. The only formatting options available to you will be:

• Italics, Bold, Strikethrough and Underline
• Center, Left or Right Alignment
• Bullet Points
• Numbered Lists
• Add Embedded Hyperlink
• Increase or Decrease Indent

Beyond those items, you won’t be able to change anything in the formatting, but your  content  format is important. You should have a short introduction of three to five sentences, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion of about three to six sentences. The information you put into these paragraphs will depend largely on what exactly you’re writing in your personal statement.

Red Flags of Residency Personal Statement to Avoid

There are definitely some things you want to avoid while writing your personal statement for your residency application. Let’s call them the “Don’t List.”

Don’t Use All 28,000 Characters

We’ve already discussed this, but it warrants being said twice. No one wants to read seven pages worth of a personal statement. Absolutely  do not  use all the provided characters for your personal statement.

Don’t Send the Same Statement to Every Program

This is another one that we’ve touched on already, but it, too, is worth repeating. The reasons you’re applying for various programs are bound to be different for each particular program. If you try to write one single personal statement that gets sent to every program, it’s going to end up sounding generic and unauthentic.

Different programs want to know that you chose them for a reason. They want to know what it is about their program that drew your interest. If you don’t give them actual reasons for your interest, they’re going to assume you’re just desperately applying everywhere you can in hopes of getting an acceptance. That doesn’t look good in a prospective residency candidate.

Don’t Spend a Lot of Time Talking About Why You Want to Be a Doctor

By the time you get to the residency portion of your career, you’re already a doctor. Why you decided to become one is kind of a moot point. This is one place where people often get tripped up. Your residency application is  not  a med school application. By this point, you’ve already proven you want to be a doctor by putting in all the work to become one. Why you did it doesn’t matter. You were obviously motivated to succeed. Don’t waste precious characters rehashing your reasons for going into medicine.

Don’t Be Generic

Be specific about why you’ve chosen pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery or whatever program you’ve chosen to pursue in your residency. The person reading your statement doesn’t want to hear that you’ve chosen pediatrics because you “just love babies!” You’re an adult with a medical degree. Use all those years of education and be specific about why you’ve made the choices you’ve made.

Don’t Be Overly Dramatic

You want your personal statement to be interesting and memorable, but you  don’t  want it to sound like the first page of a movie script. You don’t have to set the scene dramatically with overused and cliched stories about “Patient X lying on the bed, blood rushing down his head and barely conscious as I walked up and took his hand, looked into his eyes and told him I would save his life.” Just don’t do this.

Don’t Include Anything Considered Too Controversial

Your personal statement isn’t the place for activism. Don’t get into topics such as pro-life vs. pro-choice or why you think cloning is a sin against God. It’s okay to mention that you’re a regular church member; you don’t have to shy away from religion altogether, but you don’t want to include a strong stance you hold on something that’s known to be polarizing.

The person reading your personal statement might feel just as strongly as you do about an issue, but s/he might be on the other side of that issue. That could get your application discarded quickly.

Don’t Submit Unedited Statements

Never, never, never, never send in your first draft. Don’t ever send in a statement that hasn’t been proofread, edited, and then edited some more. Bring in a second pair of eyes to look it over ( hey! see our personal statement editing packages here ) if you need a fresh perspective, but never send in something that hasn’t been thoroughly edited for grammar, spelling, organization, and content errors.

Don’t Plagiarize!

Last but certainly not least: Don’t plagiarize your personal statement! We can’t overemphasize this point. If you aren’t a strong writer, it’s okay to reach out and have a friend, mentor or former professor help you organize your thoughts and edit the statement at the end, but no matter how much you may be tempted,  do not plagiarize  your personal statement.

First and foremost, you’ll get caught.

There are just way too many plagiarism checkers ( we recommend you use Grammarly plagiarism checker ) on the market today for you to get away with stealing someone else’s work – even if you only take a small part of it. Then, once you’ve been caught, you lose all professional respectability.

If you’ve plagiarized your personal statement, odds are you’ve cheated before now. No one trusts a doctor who cheats, and the person/people who caught you cheating have to wonder if you’re even a good doctor. Perhaps you just cheated your way through med school and really don’t know an obstetrician from an ophthalmologist.

Put simply, just don’t cheat. It isn’t worth it.

Residency Personal Statement Prompts

Although the ERAS doesn’t give you a specific prompt to follow while writing your residency personal statement, there are a few programs that do ask specific questions. If a program does ask a specific question on its website, you should strongly consider that question when writing your personal statement. Try to answer it as honestly and completely as possible.

Most programs don’t provide you with specific prompts, but there are still some questions to ask yourself to help guide your writing.

Below are some of the most commonly asked prompts and questions.

1. What are your professional goals?

This is a commonly covered question in many residency personal statements. Remember, at the residency stage of your career, you’re already a doctor, so this personal statement is no longer why you want to be a doctor; it’s about what you want to do now that you’ve become one.

Don’t be afraid to go into detail here. Talk about both your short-term (during residency and immediately after completing residency) and your long-term goals (15+ years from now).

Do you want to open your own practice? Do you plan to stay within the U.S., or would you prefer to take your expertise elsewhere through Doctors Without Borders or some other organization? What specific skills are you hoping to gain from the residency that’ll help you further your career goals?

2. What types of patients do you enjoy working with?

This question really concerns the specialty you’re interested in pursuing. For example, if you’re interested in working in pediatrics, the obvious answer here would be that you like to work with children. You shouldn’t leave it at that though.

Are there certain types of children you like to work with best? For example, would you prefer to work with special needs children as opposed to healthy children just coming in for check-ups? Perhaps you have a passion for women’s health or simply prefer to work with women.

If this is the case, an OBGYN specialty might make more sense for you. Do you want to work with the elderly? Would you prefer to work in neighborhoods full of predominantly low-income or minority households? If you hope to pursue plastic surgery, are you doing so because you want to work with amputees in order to build them new limbs?

All of these questions can be taken into account when talking about the types of patients with whom you most prefer to work.

3. What contributions can I make to the specialty and the residency program?

Chances are, the program you’re applying to knows why you want to be accepted for a residency position by them, but why should  they  want to accept  you ? When answering this prompt, talk about what makes you a good fit for the specialty you’ve chosen. If you have any particular skills or strengths that would fit well with what you’re hoping to achieve during residency, mention those.

Something else to discuss is anything you’ve done in your history that would prepare you for working with the population you’re likely to encounter in that particular residency spot. If you have an undergraduate degree in psychology, that could be hugely beneficial if your residency serves a large veteran population.

If you grew up in a low-income, first-generation neighborhood or have teaching experience at a Title I school, that could prepare you for working at a hospital in a similar neighborhood.

4. What are your strong points?

This question is really just another way of asking what benefits you’d bring to the residency if you were accepted. Many of the same things you’d write about if answering the above-listed prompt are the same things you’d write about here. You could discuss the characteristics you have that make for a good doctor.

You could also list any strengths you have academically. For instance, if you excelled at one or two particular subjects, it’s a good idea to mention those. Receiving superior performance evaluations is also something worth noting.

Residency Personal Statement Examples

The following are some of the best examples of what to do and what not to do when writing your residency personal statements. Note that these are just examples; don’t use them in your own statements.

Example Personal Statement 1

“During my third year, I rediscovered my reasons for pursing [sic] a career in Pediatrics. […] I enjoy teaching young patients and their parents about their disease and how they can conquer hardships. Also, I am excited about taking care of patients from birth to adulthood. Working with young people is rewarding because of the chance to be involved in a growing relationship with patients as they mature and learn. […] Pediatrics gives me the determination to think through problems, the curiosity to learn, and the energy to stay awake at three in the morning. When you love your patients it becomes easy to work hard for them.”

– Read the rest  here

This is a very well-written personal statement. The writer clearly has a passion for working with children, but she doesn’t just come out and say that with no detail. She talks about the specific things she enjoys about working with children.

Furthermore, she talks about how she believes pediatric medicine to go beyond just treating kids. She talks about “a growing relationship” with the patients she treats and her desire to treat them as they grow and mature into adulthood.

In addition to being a moving example of a personal statement, it also shows that the writer plans to be in the medical field for the long haul. You don’t build relationships and treat patients from infancy into adulthood unless you plan to stick with the career.

This is her way of saying, “I plan to do this for the rest of my life” without having to come out directly and say those words.

Our Verdict:

Example Personal Statement 2

“I have many attributes to contribute to internal medicine. My experiences as a secondary education school teacher, Special Olympics swim coach, and elected class officer attest to my ability to lead and educate others. I am also analytical and detail-oriented. […] After my first year of medical school, I was awarded a scholarship to conduct research in the field of trauma surgery, an experience which enhanced my problem solving skills. These qualities include a never-ending quest for personal improvement, pride in my work or training, and the ability to focus on several tasks while balancing personal and professional obligations.”

– Read the rest  here

This is another good example, written in response to  prompt number three above . The writer tells about all the things he brings to the team, but he doesn’t focus specifically on medicine.

If you’re applying for residency as this author is, you’ve obviously achieved what you needed to achieve in order to become a doctor. You’ll bring all kinds of medical knowledge to the team. The problem is that every other applicant has also received his or her doctoral degree and also brings medical knowledge to the table.

The writer knows that and goes beyond medicine when talking about his strengths and what he has to offer. He talks about being a teacher and helping with the Special Olympics. This shows that he already has experience working with children – both healthy children and children with special needs.

He brings up being an elected class officer to show he has leadership potential and that he’s well-liked and well-respected by others (otherwise they wouldn’t have elected him). Only after listing all those extra strengths does he bring up med school. This is a very impressive list of accomplishments.

Example Personal Statement 3

“Every finger of the little boy’s hand was adhered to his palm except for the extended third digit. I examined the severe burn injury as the plastic surgery attending discussed how we were going to fix the damage. Several contracture releases, K-wires, and skin grafts later, I excitedly realized he would eventually regain function of his little hand. I didn’t know what I wanted to be at the start of my third year, but after patients and cases like this one, I was energized by learning what I found in no other rotation. […] I have found my place in medicine.”

While this personal statement is well-written grammatically, it breaks rule number five on the “Don’t List.”  Don’t be overly dramatic.  This is supposed to be his personal statement, not the opening scene to  The Resident  on Fox. The writer wastes an entire paragraph – his entire introduction – on a dramatic scene that ends with one single sentence telling us this is why he wants to work as a plastic surgeon.

First of all, an introduction should be more well-rounded and introduce the reader more fully to who you are. It shouldn’t set a scene that thousands of other prospective residents have told some version of already.

Secondly, one has to hope that one single child’s broken hand is not the sole basis for this person’s decision to become a plastic surgeon. I want a doctor who has thought carefully about his/her chosen profession and decided to pursue medicine because of numerous different reasons, not just because he saw a child’s hand being fixed once.

While these types of stories may seem like an easy, interesting way to catch the reader’s attention quickly, they’re best avoided. Trust us when we say that the person reading your personal statement has read  countless  other “war stories” about prospective residents’ experiences in ERs and other situations. As amazing as your story may seem to you, it isn’t likely to impress them.

Example Personal Statement 4

“Then disaster struck. I applied to Medical School and I didn’t get in. I was heartbroken. It never occurred to me that I might not get accepted. I felt completely lost. The only dream I ever had, the one that I had spent so many hours working on, was now dead. A part of me just died. It was one of the few times I ever cried. I know [sic] had to live with a void that could never filled [sic].

Looking back, not getting accepted to Medical School in 1985 was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. It fueled a desire in me to find something else. Fortunately, I found an area where I have become more financially successful than I deserve. […] Years later, I decided to give Medical School one last try. This time I was accepted. The void began to fill. I would like the opportunity to learn more and complete the process.”

This is absolutely, 100% what you should  not  do in your personal statements. If you visit the original statement, you’ll see we only removed about two total lines from this personal statement. That means it was about ten lines long altogether, which translates to about 1,200 characters.

That is  much  too short for a personal statement. You don’t want to use the entire 28,000 characters, but you don’t want to write something less than a page long either. There’s almost no usable information here.

The writer doesn’t mention what specialty she’s hoping to pursue, nor does she mention a single strength that would make her a good candidate for the position. Beyond not mentioning any strengths, though, she highlights her failures!

If there’s something negative on your transcripts or application, it’s fine to touch on it and give a brief explanation for it and how you corrected it, but it certainly shouldn’t make up the bulk of your personal statement.

This one is just bad from beginning to end.

Example Personal Statement 5

“While medical school can teach a student the science behind medicine, I truly believe it’s a doctor’s personality and character that ultimately determines his or her success with patients. One of my greatest qualities […] is my ability to quickly connect with people. At an orientation lecture […] a speaker discussed how […] anesthesiologists are among the best at making great first impressions. […] Patients always seem to fear going to sleep more than [surgery]. Yet, an anesthesiologist may have but just a few moments […] to instill confidence in their patients. […] Since that orientation, I’ve prided myself on mastering how quickly I can earn a patient’s trust. Enjoying the challenge of making a great first impression in the shortest amount of time is among the most important reasons that have guided me into the specialty of anesthesiology.”

Let’s end on a strong note. This is another exceptional example of what your personal statements should look like. This writer has a good grasp of number three on the “Don’t List.”  Don’t waste a lot of time talking about why you want to be a doctor.  

The writer touches on med school by saying, “ While medical school can teach a student the science behind medicine. ” Then she immediately goes beyond school into the real world.

In doing so, she also showcases a very important characteristic she’s developed – putting people at ease – and tells us the specialization she’s chosen. She also explains why her ability to put people at ease is so important for her chosen specialization.

She ends by saying that this skill was challenging for her, but the way it’s written shows that she was not only up for the challenge but legitimately  loved  it.

This whole statement is well-written, well-organized, and covers all the important aspects of what the residency selection committee wants to know about a person.

In Conclusion

The most important things to remember when writing your residency personal statement are, to be honest, authentic, specific, and grammatically correct. You’ve already earned your degree; that alone shows the selection committee that you have what it takes to be a doctor because you already are one.

You just have to show that you have a passion for medicine and that you’ll bring something unique and important to their team. If you can do those things, you should be well on your way to the interview process.

Related Readings:

The Best Laptop for Medical School Guide Here

5 Best MCAT Prep Books, According to Med Students

5 Best MCAT Prep Courses, According to Med Students

The Ultimate Medical School Personal Statement Guide: (w/ Common Prompts & Examples Analyzed by Our Admissions Experts)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Advertise With Us

Advertising Disclosure

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

As an Amazon Associate (and a participant of other affiliate programs), this site earns from qualifying purchases.

© 2024 TheCollegeApplication.com, a Delicto Holdings Company | All Rights Reserved

Get the Reddit app

All things regarding pediatrics, for those who practice it. Please do not post any personal/general medical questions or ask for medical advice on this forum. We would suggest /r/AskDocs.

Peds Personal Statement

Hi friends! I'm an OMS-4 getting ready to apply for peds residency in the US and it's that time where I have to write a personal statement. Any tips on do's and don'ts? Any and all help is appreciated.

• Our features
• Our Services
• How We Work
• Testimonials

Pediatrics Personal Statement Writing

Taking no care of quality is the most effective strategy to lose.

Submit a 100% authentic admission doc written in accordance with your specific requirements. Order a text that is different from your opponents’ docs and can capture the committee’s attention and keep them dazzled for the entire week!

To ensure compliance with the residency program requirements, our specialists will precisely review each doc. Besides, we’ll consider your major and underline the main course-related characteristics!

Receive a document that is prepared in conformity with all the admission standards. Be 100% certain that we will ensure adherence to the committee’s criteria with regard to the most crucial aspects. Make your documents live up to their expectations!

Taking into account the tremendous experience our authors are equipped with, the availability of high degrees in nearly all medicine-related spheres, and their passion for writing, masterful usage of medical terminology is indubitable.

Our writing gurus hold appropriate diplomas within a variety of medical fields. Each and every order will be handled by practiced medical experts in due time. We have a professional for any admission doc!

Writing the text is just the first stage of the entire process. Aside from this, our meticulous editors and proofreaders work extra hard to make certain that your order is free of errors and properly formatted.

Letter of Recommendation

Application Resume

MSPE, AND MORE!

Statement of Purpose

Personal Statement

ERAS Application Form Completion

Henceforth, it’s on us to deal with the annoying process of gathering a pack of documents!

Regardless of what issue, clarification, comment, suggestion, remark, or advice you have got, our writers will always listen to you. What is even more, messages can be sent to the assigned author absolutely free of charge for all of our customers, with no exceptions.

In the event that our client is unsatisfied with at least one order – they have the right to get the money they’ve spent back. Our service guarantees that in case an author fails to content you, we will return your funds.

All our clients are provided with the opportunity to have their orders reworked by our editors, and they’ll do this for nothing! Just a single point to bear in mind – such a feature is only available for two weeks from the moment your order deadline expires.

Whether you have plenty of time at your disposal or the deadline is close, our talented medical authors will complete the order as soon as possible. Not only do we avoid missing deadlines, but also our strategy is to astonish customers by sending final application docs beforehand!

Breathe a sigh of relief because, with our modern & smart software mechanisms, you will not have to worry about the safety of your payments. All of your transactions will be protected by our payment system, which keeps card details, personal data, and money inaccessible at all times.

By visiting our website, you submerge yourself in complete anonymity. As our customer, you’ll be able to steer your fears away since all our users’ private data, order info, and any other personal details, as well as our client database in general, are 100% secured!

Count on our capable, adroit, and exceedingly erudite medical experts who are acquainted with any medical field. Ease your mind since every single prospective author is obliged to take a tough test before getting employed!

Lyndsey is a professional when it comes to internal medicine subspecialties such as oncology, gastroenterology, nephrology, hematology, and a bunch of other fields. There is no need to ask her to pay special attention to details, instructions, and remarks – this habit is in her blood! Request a residency admission doc, and she will prepare it perfectly.

Chest/nuclear/emergency/interventional/cardiovascular radiology and breast imaging are just a tiny range of areas Carlos will handle with ease. Keen on apt transitions, proper order structure, and immaculate grammar/punctuation/syntax, he’ll craft a promising application doc for you in no time.

Gina is our praiseworthy doctor of podiatric medicine. Writing a residency PS connected with her field of expertise is a pleasure for her. Not a single point of your instructions list, requirements, comments, and general standards will be missed when this author is in charge of your order. Rely on her without a second thought.

Require a masterfully written text in dentistry on any subject-related topic? Patrick Burks is just a professional you search for. This guy is immensely experienced in writing, competent in this area, and just highly intelligent. Rest assured, it’s worth counting on Patrick!

Joe willingly gets down to work on the most complex admission orders that touch upon chemical/clinical/forensic/molecular/pediatric/genetic pathology. Nevertheless, he is also qualified in a bunch of other pathology-related subspecialties. Short deadlines, large quantities of data, and even holidays are no obstacles to Joe. Being a favorite author of many clients, Joe is our pride!

Whether it’s general, plastic, ophthalmic, thoracic, or even vascular surgery, Angela copes with all assignments in a heartbeat. Get her acquainted with your order expectations, and she will meet those, leaving you more than satisfied. She’s crazy about her specialization, and nothing can keep her from assisting others in achieving their goals!

There is nothing more valuable to Jessica than kids and their health. The second thing that captures her heart is lending a helping hand to those seeking expert assistance with their residency application docs. Put your hesitations aside, Jessica is nearly the most reliable author you can find online.

Rafael is an extremely talented specialist. He knows adolescent/geriatric/pain/sleep/sports medicine like the palm of his hand. Rafael Crane would be your best pick!

One of the main personal qualities that this expert possesses is that Conrad handles orders as if he is the person who is applying for the residency. He puts himself in customers’ shoes, trying to identify what the committee would like to see in admission documents. Aside from this, Conrad’s writing pace can be envied. He hasn’t yet missed a single deadline for all of the five years of working with us.

Need a perfectly polished text on any psychiatry-related topic? Be our guest and have Vikki assigned to this task. Addiction, community, military, consultative, administrative, and some other branches of psychiatry are the strong suits of this medical specialist. Request the application doc you require and let Vikki deserve to become your preferred author!

It was a very pleasant experience to work with you and get your support. Terrell was very helpful. Communication between us was efficacious, and all the data I needed was received on time. Hope to be in contact with you for future projects as well!

Awesome! I just finished reading the personal statement, and I really like it. Thank you for doing this for me. I will come back to you if I have any questions or inputs. God bless you!

Thank you so much! I am so happy. It’s really impressive. Well done!

I have reviewed the document. I am happy with the revised document and like the logical flow of ideas. You have nicely summarized my thoughts and made the necessary amendments here and there. I have made small changes towards the end, and I think the doc is ready for submission. Thank you, Alex!

Thank you so much for your work. I really appreciate it. I am more than satisfied with the personal statements. I think I do not need a third one. With these two that I already have, I can put together the application. I bought an extra just because I was so worried and anxious about this process that I wanted to have a variety to choose from, but the material you prepare for me is more than enough. This application is so stressful! But thank you again for being fast and helpful. I will contact the customer service to see how to proceed. Thanks again!

Thank you very much for writing a strong and concise personal statement for me. I have gone through the paper, and everything seems to be perfect. I am grateful to you for your help and support.

I am very, very, very happy with the edited CV. Thank you!

The experience was great! It’s my second time here and both times were efficient, quick yet high quality.

The stage under consideration is a breeze. Fill in the fields to get us informed of your instructions and click on the payment button! To reach the maximum personalization of your residency personal statement, our authors require specific data about your application, including your attainments, the preferred program, and the selection board’s formatting criteria.

• We’d truly like you to remember about our Questionnaire. Download this file, complete it, and add it to the order form. Note that any info customers share stays concealed from third parties. Besides, our company protects our clients’ individual records, keeping any data under strict privacy policy.

When your payment transaction is over, our medical expert will commence the process of the order execution. You have zero points to worry about since every single payment is protected. Furthermore, you will be sent a letter of payment confirmation.

When our company is notified of your successful payment, we will immediately provide you with details for you to enter your Customer Area. You can always edit your password for even better website experience. This area is particularly designed for your one-on-one contact with the medical expert & support agent. Plus, transferring the final doc to your computer, requests for corrections, and ordering other residency application docs are possible with this feature!

Access all the notifications via your email box. For an extra level of order monitoring, we offer SMS updates! The moment your order is completed, our Quality Department will launch the checking process to verify whether the order complies with each instruction. Once done, you will be allowed to save your file via the Customer Area. The final copy of your doc will be sent to you promptly or in advance! If any corrections are needed, contact us for 14 days.

Select the most convenient way to supervise the process of order fulfillment!

Reach out to your medical specialist, get the final doc, and register new orders with no bother.

Don’t second-guess but turn to our support crew if you have questions regarding your order!

Why Do You Need a Pediatric Residency Personal Statement?

If you are a recent graduate looking to apply for one of the many pediatrics residency programs, either:

• Categorical Pediatrics Residency
• Internal Medicine Pediatrics Residency
• Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program
• Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship
• Pediatrics Emergency Medicine Residency
• Pediatrics Anaesthesiology Residency

Then you know that you must apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and submit a wide variety of documents relevant to your medical career accomplishments, including a Curriculum Vitae, a personal statement and a minimum of 3 letters of recommendation!

After finishing med school you may be a qualified applicant, but you still need hands-on practical clinical experience and experience with patient care in order to become a fully licensed doctor of medicine. To do this you need to get accepted into a residency program that will define your future career!

A pediatric medicine residency personal statement is an essential part of the application package you need to submit to any residency program. It may also be one of the hardest documents to produce because it requires writing about yourself in an objective, persuasive, engaging and creative manner that will provide insight into your maturity, experience, personality and professional competence. Your grades, achievements, USMLE transcripts or medical school transcripts will definitely play a major role, but ultimately a decision-making body does not know who you are based on these figures. They want to gauge who you are as a person, as an individual, as a member of society and as a team member. Condensing your entire life into a single page or a few pages may not be easy – that is why we recommend you turn to a professional writing service to assist you.

When you apply for a pediatric residency program, you have to write a personal statement that expresses all of your goals and expectations with regards to becoming a pediatrician – all in the span of a single or a few pages all amounting to a very short essay . This personal statement will give you a chance to stand out as a committed, dedicated and persevering individual with a passion for working in pediatrics. Remember! Most other applicants will probably have similar qualifications, achievements and grades in med school as you! A personal statement can make the difference between getting a match or not! Our pediatric residency personal statement writing service is here to assist you in writing a professionally-sounding and engaging pediatric essay that will get you accepted into a residency program of your choice.

Why Our Pediatric Personal Statements?

A personal statement is your chance to impress committee decision makers. You have to stand out from all other applicants and make an impression upon the decision-making body so that you are remembered. Every other applicant and your peers will have studied similar courses, have similar grades and are likely to have similar USMLE test scores and letters of recommendation from the same professors. To make things easier for a decision-making body and to offer you a chance to compete with your peers, a personal statement is required upon application to the NRMP. A pediatric residency involves working with infants, children and adolescents. You need to describe why you are perfectly capable of this role and why this interests you! We can make your personal statement sell you in the most objective and engaging manner! We can help write a pediatric residency personal statement that will sound unique and avoid some of the most common cliches that decision-making bodies usually encounter.

Pediatric Residency Personal Statement Help!

A pediatric residency statement is not the same as a regular personal statement that you probably used to obtain a part-time job to help pay for your university studies. Nor is it similar to the one you used to apply into med school all those years ago. When applying for a medical residency program, your personal statement has to condense all that you learned in medical school and apply it to your future career goals. You have to show that you are mature, capable, able to work as a team player but also express your own individuality. We can help you show how dedicated and knowledgeable you have become in this specific field of study and want it to be your future career. Why is it that you want to work in pediatrics and what will make you the best candidate to work in this field? these are the main question we will address. We can outline the qualities that make you most suited to work as a pediatrician and why you are motivated to achieve this position. We can help produce a personal statement that will flow naturally and contain a common theme to bind it together, leaving the reader with no doubt as to your abilities and make them truly believe that you are the best candidate!

We Offer Guaranteed Support with Your Pediatric Personal Statement for Residency

You want to be able to confidently submit your pediatric residency personal statement secure in the knowledge that it will get you noticed by the admissions committee. Our specialists work directly with you through our services to achieve the best results and we also offer you a wide range of guarantees so that you can use our services with confidence:

• We guarantee to never deliver your statement late: we work in a prompt manner to deliver your support as quickly as possible and will meet any agreed deadline.
• Guaranteed original statement writing: we work directly to craft a highly personalized statement that is never copied in any way. We also provide you with a free plagiarism report for confirmation.
• Guaranteed free from writing mistakes: we provide you free proofreading so that you can be sure of submitting a statement that is going to be free of spelling and grammatical issues.
• Guaranteed satisfaction: we offer unlimited revisions to your statement but if we cannot provide you with what you are expecting then we will refund your money.

What Documents Can We Help You with for Your Pediatric Residency Application?

In addition to your pediatric surgery personal statement we can also help you with:

• Writing your resume: we will ensure that your CV or resume fully reflects the specific requirements of the residency in a way that anyone scanning it will see that you are qualified for the position. All writing is unique and tailored carefully to the program.
• Letters of recommendation: whether you are writing your own letter or have been asked to write one we can help you. We work directly with you to be able to define the best points to highlight in your effective LoR.
• Statement of purpose writing: we will be able to work with you to clearly state your reasons for wanting this specific residency and where your career is likely to take you. All writing is completely unique and targeted to the residency you are applying to.

Our Pediatric Personal Statement Writers

The main problem in writing a residency personal statement is that it needs to be a short essay and yet there is so much that you may be tempted to cover in the span of a single or a few pages. In addition, it has to perfectly convey years of training, hard work, dedication so that the decision-making body can see this on paper! We are always careful with regards to content, layout, and tone. Many individuals might stare at a blank sheet of paper wondering where to even begin. Others may write a personal statement without considering the weight assigned to it by decision-making bodies and fail to get a match. Still, others do not waste their valuable time and hire professionals to do the job! We are your solution!

Our service is guaranteed to help you stand out from the competition and increase your chances of being accepted into a medical residency of your choosing.

From Pre-Med to Med School to Residency

Successful Med/Peds Residency Personal Statement

The Medfools Med/Peds Sample Residency Personal Statement Library is now open!

These example IM/Peds residency med/peds personal statement samples are here for your viewing pleasure (fully anonymous). We’re hoping to add more in the future, including Pre-Med personal statements. If you’ve got one to add to the free library, don’t forget to  contribute yours .

MED PEDS RESIDENCY PERSONAL STATEMENT As a small child, I remember going to my pediatrician for my regular check ups and minor childhood illnesses. The bond I shared with him was one of trust and comfort. My doctor knew everything about me and understood my problems. Having to change physicians as an adult was very troubling for me. This experience has made me aware of the anxiety patients face while dealing with different doctors for their children, themselves, and their parents. It is indeed very comforting if the entire family can trust one doctor who can provide comprehensive health care for the entire family. In fact managing generations of the same family overwhelms me with a profound sense of integrity and responsibility. 

During my clinical rotations in my third year, I worked with a variety of patients, from different economic, social, and cultural backgrounds, featuring a wide range of conditions. While I mastered the techniques of taking patient histories and conducting thorough physical examinations, each patient taught me something new. Treating diseases like asthma and diabetes, their pathophysiology, varied presentation in children and adults, diagnostics and treatment protocols was not only interesting but also intellectually challenging. I actively involved myself in my ward duties and diagnostic procedures to gain hands-on experience, willingly stayed up late discussing cases and monitoring patients with my colleagues, and eagerly spent hours sitting in the wards, educating patients about their diseases. The smiling faces and enthusiasm of my young patients drove away my fatigue and made me long to return each day. Always interested in education and community outreach, I also participated in school health check-ups and polio camps organized by my institution. Meanwhile, at the HIV Counseling Center, my colleagues and I were involved in educating and helping pregnant women and children. 

After graduation, I provided primary healthcare to forty-two villages in rural India with a population of 33,000. Aside from my outpatient care and ward duties, I was also responsible for the fulfillment of national health programs established by the World Health Organization, such as the Pulse Polio, Maternal and Child Health, and Universal Immunization programs. While managing an outpatient clinic, antenatal and post-natal care, deliveries, and patient admissions, I matured as a physician and learned to apply my education in a clinical setting. Well aware of the sensitive and emotional problems faced by today’s youth, I also organized camps and lectures on sex education and sexually transmitted diseases. Helping people have a positive outlook on life and bringing smiles to their faces, during medical school and my time in India, has been extremely rewarding. Serving this underprivileged population helped me appreciate the quality and complexity of healthcare issues today and inspired me to study healthcare policy on a global level.

Presently, I am working with physicians at the Medical Center in Big City, USA. This twelve week long ‘Mini-Externship’ program is helping me to hone my skills in obtaining medical history and conduct physical examinations. It is also providing me an initial experience familiarizing me with the American health care system in general and residency expectations in particular.

My passion for knowledge and education has made me realize that I would like to be a unique blend of both healthcare provider and educator. Internal medicine and pediatrics hold a common approach to patient making them complementary and synergistic. As a pediatrician, I will guide parents through the developmental stages of childhood and at same time I can continue to provide comprehensive care to the elders of the family. In this way, I can bridge the two areas, which, in my perception, are well connected. I intend to take full advantage of the residency program in internal medicine/pediatrics and to use the knowledge I acquire there to heal patients and train others interested in the field. My diverse life experiences have helped me realize that I possess the determination, strength, and compassion to succeed as a valuable asset to a medical team. I want to be a resource for my patients and a source of continual medical care. Considering the strong healthcare system, numerous opportunities for research, and advanced technology available in America, this is where I see my dream coming true.

Post Author: fool

Related Posts

Residency Match Personal Statement Makeover Rewrite Anesthesiology Part 1

RESIDENCY PERSONAL STATEMENT SAMPLE HELPCODE BLUE! We take a residency personal statement from pulseless and cold to normal sinus...

Residency Match Personal Statement Makeover Rewrite Radiology Part 1

Residency match personal statement makeover rewrite emergency medicine part 1, residency match personal statement makeover rewrite dermatology part 1, residency match personal statement makeover rewrite – general surgery part 1.

Disclaimer » Advertising

• HealthyChildren.org

How Pediatric Hospitalists Can Support Breastfeeding Dyads Using a Helpful Mnemonic: “BREAST”

FUNDING: No external funding.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: The authors have indicated they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data
• Peer Review
• Get Permissions
• Cite Icon Cite
• Search Site

Heidi Szugye , Esha Ghosalkar , Sarah Leluga , Suet Kam Lam; How Pediatric Hospitalists Can Support Breastfeeding Dyads Using a Helpful Mnemonic: “BREAST”. Hosp Pediatr 2024; e2023007476. https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2023-007476

Download citation file:

• Ris (Zotero)
• Reference Manager

In 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated the “Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk Policy Statement” to recommend that newborns be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life and encouraged support for breastfeeding for 2 years or longer because of its long-term benefits. 1  Breastfed infants have lower rates of lower respiratory tract infections, otitis media, asthma, and infant mortality. 1  People who breastfeed are noted to have a decreased incidence of breast and ovarian cancer and chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes. 1 

Despite the Surgeon General’s call for increased breastfeeding education, pediatric residency programs do not highlight breastfeeding education as part of American College of Graduate Medical Education requirements, with a median of 9 hours spent on this topic over the 3-year training period. 2,3  Physicians have expressed a desire for more comprehensive training regarding breastfeeding with a particular emphasis on...

Advertising Disclaimer »

Citing articles via

Email alerts.

Affiliations

• Editorial Board
• Editorial Policies
• Pediatrics On Call
• Online ISSN 2154-1671
• Print ISSN 2154-1663
• Pediatrics Open Science
• Hospital Pediatrics
• Pediatrics in Review
• AAP Grand Rounds
• Latest News
• Pediatric Care Online
• Red Book Online
• Pediatric Patient Education
• AAP Toolkits
• AAP Pediatric Coding Newsletter

First 1,000 Days Knowledge Center

Institutions/librarians, group practices, licensing/permissions, integrations, advertising.

• Privacy Statement | Accessibility Statement | Terms of Use | Support Center | Contact Us
• © Copyright American Academy of Pediatrics

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account