This section applies to emergency medicine applicants.
This optional statement provides an opportunity to describe unique life experiences you’ve encountered or overcome on your journey to residency that aren't captured elsewhere in your application. It’s designed to offer more perspective on you as a student and a person – unlike your personal statement, which should focus on what’s drawn you to and prepared you for EM.
The experiences you share here may have nothing to do with your interest in EM but can give reviewers a more complete picture of who you are and what it’s taken to get to this point in your training.
Note: this essay isn’t intended for common challenges faced by many applicants, such as academic struggles. Most applicants will leave this section blank, either because it doesn’t apply or they’d prefer not to share personal details. If you do choose to respond, you may be asked about it during your interview.
Examples of life experiences shared by past applicants:
- Family background: being an immigrant and the obstacles that came with it; being a first-generation college student.
- Financial background: coming from a low-income family or facing significant financial struggles.
- Community setting: growing up in an area with high poverty levels; dealing with food scarcity or housing insecurity.
- Other life circumstances: losing a family member; managing health issues (your own or a loved one’s); being a caregiver; starting a family.
