Personal Statement

Overview

Use this section to write a brief statement explaining why you want to be considered for the specialty you're applying to. You'll submit one personal statement per specialty, and it will be shared with all programs in that specialty.

Note that you cannot personalize this statement for individual programs. Focus groups and experience have shown that customizing personal statements for individual programs is not worth the time and effort. Personal statements should reflect your personal stories, values, and aspirations, rather than catering to specific programs. By authentically expressing yourself, you are more likely to find the right fit. Additionally, while you cannot submit a custom personal statement to a program, you can show your interest in a particular program using the Signals feature in the Program Materials section. 

Requirements

  • Do not exceed the maximum length: You can see both the word and character count below the field in the application. The left-hand number shows the maximum number of characters that you can use in your essay. As you type, you can see how many characters are still available and the associated word count. Characters include spaces, carriage returns, and punctuation. You cannot save your essay if it exceeds the specified character limit.
  • Use your own words: Plagiarizing any part of your essay is a violation of the code of conduct and may subject you to sanctions.
  • Use simple formatting: Formatting such as tabs, italics, multiple spaces, etc., will not be saved. To delineate paragraphs, type a double return between each paragraph.

Proofreading

Be sure to read over your essay several times to catch any spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc., errors before submitting. Once you submit your application, you cannot edit your essay. If you find an error after submission that you believe could have major effects on your application, we recommend sending a corrected copy directly to the programs you applied to.