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Please select from the
following common medical school topics: Note: The below essays were
not edited by EssayEdge Editors. They appear as they were initially reviewed
by admissions officers. Theme 1: Why I Want to
Be a Doctor
Many people look back in time
to find the moment of their initial inspiration. Some people have wanted to
be a doctor so long they do not even know what originally inspired them. To
incorporate this theme, look back to the material you gathered in the last
chapter, specifically in response to “The Chronological Method,” “Note
Major Influences,” and “Identify Your Goals.” Ask yourself these
questions: How old was I when I first wanted to become a doctor? Was there a
defining moment? Was there ever any ambivalence? Was I inspired by a
specific person? What kind of doctor do I want to be and how does that tie
into my motivation? Here are a few of the common
ways that students incorporate this theme: “I’ve Always Wanted to Be a
Doctor” AKA: “I’ve Wanted to Be a
Doctor Since I Was…” and “Everyone Has Always Said I’d Be a
Doctor” This is perhaps the most common
approach of all. The secret to doing it well is to show, not just tell, why
you want to be a doctor. You cannot just say it and expect it to stand on
its own. Take the advice of one admissions officer: “The “I’ve always
wanted to be a doctor” essay has been done to death. I think
candidates need to be careful to show that their decision was not only a
pre-adolescent one and has been tested over the years and approached in
a mature manner.” Supply believable details from
your life to make your desire real to the reader. One secret to avoiding the
“here we go again” reaction is to be particularly careful with your
first line. Starting with “I’ve wanted to be a doctor since…” makes
the reader cringe. It’s an easy line to fall back on, but admissions
officers have read this sentence more times than they care to count; don’t
add to the statistic. “My Parents are Doctors” This approach to the “why I
want to be a doctor” theme is dangerous for a different reason. Says one
officer: “It’s a prejudice of
mine, but the legacy essay, the one that reads, “My dad and my grandpa
and my great-grandpa were all doctors so I should be too,” makes me
suspect immaturity. I envision young people who can’t think for
themselves or make up their own minds.” This is not the opinion of
every officer, though. The point is not to avoid admitting that your parent
is an M.D., it is to avoid depending on that as the sole reason for you
wanting to go to medical school. If a parent truly was your inspiration,
then describe exactly why you were inspired. “My Doctor Changed My
Life!” AKA: “Being a Patient Made Me
Want to Become a Doctor” Some people claim to be
motivated to become doctors because they have had personal experience of
illness or disability. Notes an admissions officer: “I had a student who grew
up with a chronic illness. She spent much time with physicians and other
health care providers throughout her young life. In her essay she wrote
about this continuing experience and how the medical professionals
treated her. She wrote of her admiration of them as well as her
understanding that they couldn’t yet cure her. Her essay literally
jumped off the page as being unique to her and a compelling
understanding of and testament to her desire to join the people who had
been so important to her life.” If your personal experience
with the medical profession sincerely is your motivation for attending
medical school, then do write about it. The problem is that many students
fall back on this topic even when it does not particularly hold true for
them. We cannot stress enough that you do not have to have a life-defining
ability or a dramatic experience to have an exciting statement. Admissions
committees receive piles of accident- and illness-related essays and the
ones that seem insincere stick out like sore thumbs (pun intended!) and do
not reflect well on you as a candidate. Says another officer: “My orthodontist changed
my life!” “My dentist gave me my smile back!” These types of
themes are certainly valid, but go beyond that to what particular aspect
of the profession intrigues you. Do you understand how many years of
study your orthodontist had to have in order to reach his level of
practice? Have you observed your dentist for any significant amount of
time? Do you know that the profession now is much different than it was
when he or she was starting out? Have you given any thought to the
danger of infectious diseases to all health-care professionals? Present
a well-organized, complete essay dealing with these points.” You may just want to mention
your own experience only briefly toward the end of the essay. Use it as a
confirmation of your decision to be a doctor (instead of as his primary
motivation) and demonstrate that because of the experience you will become a
better doctor. Try not to dwell on the experience and provide plenty of
further evidence of your sincere motivation. “My Mom Had Cancer” This theme is really just a
variation of “I was a patient myself” and the same advice applies: If a
loved one’s battle with illness, trauma, or disability is truly what
inspired your wish to become a doctor, then by all means mention it. But
don’t dwell on it, don’t overdramatize, and don’t let it stand as your
sole motivation-show that you’ve done your research and you understand the
life of a doctor and you chose it for a variety of reasons. The Hard-Luck Tale Some truly outstanding essays
are about strong emotional experiences such as a childhood struggle with
disease or the death of a loved one. Some of these are done so effectively
that they are held up as role models for all essays. Says one officer: “I had a student who was
considered a weak candidate because of poor grades and low test scores.
She was African-American and although she had pursued all the right
avenues (classes, MCAT, volunteer experiences) to prepare herself for
medical school, she remained undistinguished as a candidate- until, that
is, she wrote her essay. The essay revealed her tremendous and sincere
drive. She was from a crime-riddled area of New York City and several of
her siblings had been violently killed. She wrote about her experience
and her desire to practice medicine in the city and improve the
neighborhood where she was raised. It was compelling, believable, and
truly inspiring.” While it is true that these
poignant tales can provide very strong evidence of motivation for medical
school, they are difficult to do well and need to be handled with extreme
care and sensitivity. And, as we have said before, do not rely on the tale
itself to carry you through; you always need to clearly show your
motivation. Notes another admissions officer: “This is going to sound
harsh, but I don’t like the tales of woe such as the ones that begin
with the mother’s death from cancer. Frankly, I feel manipulated and I
don’t think that the personal statement is the proper mode of
expression for that kind of emotion.” The Medical Dichotomy One of the major draws of the
medical field is its dualistic nature combining hard-core science with the
softer side of helping people. This is described by people in many ways;
some describe it as a dichotomy of science to art; to others it is
intellectualism to humanism, theory to application, research to creativity,
or qualitative to social skills. No matter how you choose to phrase it, if
you mention the dichotomy, then be sure to touch on your qualifications and
experience in both areas. Theme 2: Why I Am an
Exceptional Person This theme is often tied in
closely with “why I am a qualified person.” Be very clear on the
difference, though; the latter focuses specifically on your experience
(medical or otherwise) that qualifies you to be a better medical student,
while the former focuses strictly on you as a person. Committees are always
on the lookout for well-rounded candidates. They want to see that you are
interesting, involved, and tied to the community around you. To help you think about how to
support this theme, look at your answers to the exercises from the last
chapter and ask yourself: What makes me different? Do I have any special
talents or abilities that might make me more interesting? How will my skills
and personality traits add diversity to the class? What makes me stand out
from the crowd? How will this help me to be a better physician and student? If you are creative, you’ll
be able to take whatever makes you different-even a flaw-and turn it to your
advantage. “One student wrote about
her experience as a childhood “klutz” and how her many accidents
kept her continually seeking medical care. The care she received was the
impetus to her desire to become a doctor and made her essay
entertaining, sincere, and eminently credible.” Note that the candidate in this
example tied her experience to her desire to become a doctor. It is
imperative that this be done with practically every point you make in your
essay. The Talented Among Us If you are one of a lucky few
who have an outstanding talent or ability, now is no time to hide it.
Whether you are a star athlete, an opera singer, or a violin virtuoso, by
all means make it a focus of your essay. “These people can be some
of the strongest of candidates. Assuming, always, that they’ve
excelled in the required preparatory coursework, the other strengths can
take them over the top. Athletes, musicians, and others can make the
compelling case of excellence, achievement, discipline, mastering a
subject/talent and leveraging their abilities. Medical schools are full
of these types; they thrive by bringing high achievers who possess
intellectual ability into their realm.” If you do plan to focus on a
strength outside the field of medicine, your challenge becomes one of how to
tie the experience of that ability into your motivation for becoming a
doctor. Students of Diversity If you are diverse in any sense
of the word-an older applicant, a minority, a foreign applicant, or
disabled-use it to your advantage by showing what your unique background
will bring to the school and to the practice of medicine. Some admissions
officers, however, warn against using minority status as a qualification
instead of a quality. If you fall into this trap, your diversity will work
against you. “If you are a “student
of diversity,” then of course, use it. But don’t harp on it for
it’s own sake or think that being diverse by itself is enough to get
you in; that will only make us feel manipulated and it will show that
you didn’t know how to take advantage of a good opportunity.” So just be sure you tie it in
with either your motivation or your argument for why your diversity makes
you a better candidate. Latecomers and Career Switchers You need not be a member of a
minority, a foreign applicant, disabled, or an athlete or musician to be
considered diverse. There are, for example, those who have had experience in
or prepared themselves for totally different fields. If you fall into these
categories, give succinct reasons for wanting to go into medicine and show
evidence of sincere and intensive preparation for your new chosen field. English Majors and Theater
People Not everyone who is accepted to
medical school has a hard-core science background. If you’re one of these
applicants, you must turn your potential weaknesses into strengths. Point
out that communication is an integral part of being a doctor, and discuss
the advantages of your well-rounded backgrounds. Be very careful to
demonstrate your motivation and qualifications in detail and with solid
evidence to offset worries that your non-science backgrounds may have given
you an unrealistic view of a doctor’s life or that you might be unable to
cope with the science courses at medical school. Can I Be Too Well Rounded? Some people have talents,
abilities, or experience in so many different areas that they risk coming
across as unfocused or undedicated. When handled deftly, though, your many
sides can be brought together, and what could have hurt you becomes instead
your greatest vehicle for setting you apart from the crowd. Taking Advantage of
International Experience Many applicants have
international experience. So, while it may not set you apart in a completely
unique way, it is always worthwhile to demonstrate your cross-cultural
experience and sensitivity. To be successful, you must go beyond simply
writing about your experiences to relating them either to your motivation or
qualifications. Do not expect the committee to make these leaps for you; you
need to put it in your own words and make the connections clear. Religion Some admissions counselors
advise against the mention of religion altogether. Others say that it can be
used to applicants’ advantage by setting them apart and by stressing
values and commitment. This is a sensitive subject area and is best left to
individual choice. Theme 3: Why I Am a
Qualified Person The last major theme deals with
your experience and qualifications both for attending medical school and for
becoming a good doctor. Having direct hospital or research experience is
always the best evidence you can give. If you have none, then consider what
other experience you have that is related. Have you been a volunteer? Have
you tutored English as a Second Language? Were you a teaching assistant? The
rule to follow here is: If you have done it, use it. Hospital/Clinical Experience Direct experience with patients
is probably the best kind to have in your essay. But the important thing to
remember here is that any type or amount of experience you have had should
be mentioned, no matter how insignificant you feel it is. Research Experience A word of caution: Do not focus
solely on your research topic; your essay will become impersonal at best and
positively dull at worst. Watch out for overuse of what non-science types
refer to as “medical garble.” If it is necessary for the description of
your project, then, of course, you have no choice. But including medical
terms in your essay just because you are able to will not impress anyone. Unusual Medical Experience Even if you have not
volunteered X number of hours a week at a clinic or spent a term on a
research project, you might still have medical experience that counts: the
time you cared for your sick grandmother or the day you saved the man at the
next table from choking in a restaurant. It does not even matter if you were
unsuccessful (maybe, despite all your valiant efforts, the man at the next
table did not survive), if it was meaningful to you then it is relevant; in
fact, these failed efforts might be even more compelling. Nonmedical Experience Your experience does not even
have to be medically related to be relevant. Many successful applicants cite
non-medical volunteer experience as evidence of their willingness to help
and heal the human race. For tips on answering general
application questions, click
here. Move
on to Lesson Two: Brainstorming a Topic
Copyright 1998 by Dan Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
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