anesthesia residency personal statement example

• Residency Personal Statement and Residency Match Articles

Anesthesiology Residency Personal Statement & Match: BEAT more than 2,400 Applicants

Become an anesthesia rank day all-star with these valuable tips.

Introduction

Matching into an anesthesiology program has become increasingly more competitive over the most recent year. This year, the situation might be even more competitive because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With many away rotations cancelled, program directors will be even more reliant on your anesthesiology residency personal statement, MSPE and letters of recommendation. Find out what you can do to increase your competitiveness and match well!

Table of Contents

Learning about Anesthesiology

Since anesthesiology is a specialty many students don’t have direct exposure to until the fourth year of medical school, it is important to learn about this specialty early in your medical education if you think it might interest you. This means trying to plan some shadowing with an anesthesiologist or within the anesthesiology department at your medical school during your first and/or second years. Some students will have a two week anesthesiology block of the surgical core rotation during the third year, however.  The American Society of Anesthesiologists  is a great resource for students who want to learn more about the field. However, nothing can replace actual exposure to the field and meeting a variety of anesthesiologists who work in different settings to know if the specialty is a good fit for your interests and strengths.

Anesthesiology Residency Length

The total length for anesthesiology residency is four years. This includes one year of training in a transitional or preliminary year and then three years of anesthesiology training. 

What criteria are most important to match in anesthesiology?

Understanding what is most important to anesthesiology program directors and admissions committees will allow you to position yourself as well as possible to match in the specialty. It is also important to know how competitive you are for anesthesiology. By reviewing data published by the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) including the 2018 Program Director’s Surveys and Charting Outcomes in the Match, together with our own knowledge of what makes a successful applicant, we will outline what is most important to match!

RELATED:   Beat 43,157 Match Registrants: Important ERAS Residency Personal Statement Tips

Is Anesthesiology Residency Competitive? (2020)

Anesthesiology is a residency that has two entry points. Some programs start in the PGY1 year while some start in the PGY2 year.

In 2020, there were a total 1,370 PGY 1 positions and 398 PGY2 positions offered. US MD seniors filled 68.3% of PGY 1 positions and 66.6% of PGY2 positions. A total of 1,201 US MD seniors matched into anesthesiology making it the fifth most popular specialty among US MD seniors.

For US seniors who chose anesthesiology as their only specialty choice, 4.8% of US MD seniors did not match and 13.6% of DO US seniors did not match.

US DO seniors filled 19.1% of PGY-1 positions and 16.3% of PGY-2 positions.

A total of 91 US IMGs and 95 non-US IMGs matched in to anesthesiology.

There were also 116 positions reserved for physicians with previous training in the 2019 match. 

Allopathic US Senior Medical Students

This data is from the most recent program directors’ survey in 2018.

Cumulatively, 2,004 applicants applied for 1,840 anesthesiology (PGY1 and PGY2) residency positions in 2018. Of those 2,004 applicants, 1,129 were US senior medical students. Only 45 US seniors did not match in to anesthesiology last year (four percent). Therefore, 96% of allopathic US senior anesthesiology applicants matched in anesthesiology.

This is the data for those US senior medical students who matched successfully:

• Mean number of contiguous ranks: 14.6 (444 applicants ranked 16 more more programs)
• Mean number of distinct specialties ranked: 1.3
• Mean USMLE Step 1 score: 232
• Mean USMLE Step 2 score: 244
• Mean number of research experiences: 2.9
• Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications: 4.5
• Mean number of work experiences: 3.1
• Mean number of volunteer experiences: 6.4
• Percentage who are AOA members: 10.5
• Percentage who graduated from one of the 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding: 30.6
• Percentage who have Ph.D. degree: 2.5
• Percentage who have another graduate degree: 15

Osteopathic Medical Students

Cumulatively, 2,004 applicants applied for 1,840 anesthesiology (PGY1 and PGY2) residency positions in 2018. There were 296 osteopathic applicants. Of those, 267 matched. Therefore, 90.2% of osteopathic medical student anesthesiology applicants matched in anesthesiology

The data for those osteopathic students who matched successfully:

• Mean number of contiguous ranks: 11.2
• Mean COMLEX-USA Level 1 score: 571
• Mean COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE score: 602
• Mean USMLE Step 1 score: 227
• Mean USMLE Step 2 CK score: 239
• Mean number of research experiences: 1.8
• Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications: 2.5
• Mean number of work experiences: 3.2
• Mean number of volunteer experiences: 6.2
• Percentage who have a Ph.D. degree: 0.9
• Percentage who have another graduate degree: 25

United States International Medical Student/Graduate (IMG) Data

Cumulatively, 2,004 applicants applied for 1,840 anesthesiology (PGY1 and PGY2) residency positions in 2018. There were 192 US IMGs who applied for anesthesiology. A total of 122 matched. Therefore, 63.5 percent of US IMGs anesthesiology applicants matched in anesthesiology.

Below is the data for those US IMG applicants who matched successfully:

• Mean number of contiguous ranks: 10.2
• Mean number of distinct specialties ranked: 2.0
• Mean USMLE Step 1 score: 231
• Mean USMLE Step 2 score: 237
• Mean number of research experiences: 1.5
• Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications: 2.1
• Mean number of volunteer experiences: 4.2
• Percentage who have a Ph.D. degree: 1.8
• Percentage who have another graduate degree: 21.6

Non-US International Medical Student/Graduate (IMG) Data

Cumulatively, 2,004 applicants applied for 1,840 anesthesiology (PGY1 and PGY2) residency positions in 2018. A total of 199 non-US IMGs applied and 120 matched. Therefore, a total of 60% of non-US IMGs anesthesiology applicants matched in anesthesiology.

Below is the data for those non-US IMG applicants who matched successfully:

• Mean number of contiguous ranks: 6.9
• Mean number of distinct specialties ranked: 1.9
• Mean USMLE Step 1 score: 240
• Mean number of research experiences: 2.3
• Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications: 7.0
• Mean number of work experiences: 5.4
• Mean number of volunteer experiences: 3.9
• Percentage who have a Ph.D. degree: 3.6
• Percentage who have another graduate degree: 36

Looking for the raw residency match data?  Be sure you click below:

• 2018 NRMP Match Results
• Charting Outcomes in the Match 2018
• Charting Outcomes in the Match for U.S Osteopathic Medical Students and Graduates 2018   
• Charting Outcomes in the Match for International Medical Graduates 2018       
• 2018 NRMP Program Director Survey

Need further inspiration?

• Reddit residency personal statement  
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• Reddit Residency Match 2019
• SDN Residency
• SDN Internal Medicine

Who gets an Anesthesiology Residency Interview?

Based on the 2018 Program Director’s Survey published by the NRMP, the following factors were most important in deciding who to invite for an anesthesiology residency interview:

• Any failed attempt in USMLE/COMLEX

There is no question that a USMLE/COMLEX failure is a deal breaker for many programs. However, in our experience, this is “easier” to overcome if you are a US allopathic student. The 2018 Program Director’s Survey indicated that 66% of programs rarely consider an applicant with a Step failure and 35% never consider an applicant with a Step failure.

• USMLE Step 1/COMLEX Level 1 score

It is a fact of life that your performance on Step 1 or COMLEX 1 will impact the likelihood that your application is “screened in” and that you are invited for an interview. Many programs automatically screen out applications if the Step/COMLEX 1 score falls below a certain threshold. The 2018 Program Director’s Survey indicated that 88% of programs have a “target score” they like to see applicants earn. That cut off from most programs is between 210-220. By the same token, some programs automatically grant interviews for students with scores above a certain threshold. That threshold varies but is usually between 225 – 240 depending on the program. If you don’t do as well on Step 1 as you would have liked, take Step 2 CK early and do as well as you can!  The mean Step 2 CK score for US seniors who matched was 246.

• Evidence of Professionalism and Ethics

You might ask how your professionalism and ethics might be assessed based on your written application. Program directors glean information about your personal characteristics and traits from your anesthesiology personal statement , ERAS written application, and letters of reference. This is why it is important to compose your personal statement and ERAS work, research, and volunteer experience entries thoughtfully. It is empowering to know that the outcome of your application season is, in part, within your control at this stage of the process.

• Perceived commitment to specialty, personal prior knowledge of the applicant, grades in clerkship in desired specialty, audition elective/rotation within your department, letters of recommendation in the specialty.

Anesthesiology program directors want to understand your commitment to the specialty and that you have adequately demonstrated that interest by doing as much as possible to learn about the practice of anesthesiology and gain exposure. You can express this commitment though your anesthesiology personal statement and ERAS experience entries. Of course, if you are known and well liked by a program to which you are applying, this is a real plus which is why away electives and audition rotations can be beneficial in the residency admissions process. This is especially important if you are less competitive applicant or you hope to train in a geographically competitive area. Letters of recommendation from anesthesiologists who know you well is also of the utmost importance. Ideally, applicants should have two letters of reference written by academic anesthesiologists. Additional letters from intensivists, internists and surgeons are also valuable.

Anesthesiology Residency Personal Statement

To demonstrate you possess the qualities, characteristics, background, and interest in anesthesiology that program directors are seeking, it is essential to write the strongest anesthesiology personal statement possible. You want to express why you are interested in the specialty, what you have done to purse that interest, and who you are as a person. Ensure that your personal statement has broad appeal for the wide variety of people who will use it to decide whether or not to interview you.

Read more about the residency personal statement and sign up for a FREE 15 minute consultation to find out how we can help you.

When should you apply?

The bulk of anesthesiology interviews are extended annually in October. Therefore, it is important to send your ERAS application in early!

Now, assuming you are selected for an interview, what factors influence how (and if) you are ranked?

Here’s the list:

• Interactions with faculty during interview and visit
• Interpersonal skills
• Interactions with housestaff during interview and visit
• Feedback from current residents

As you can see, after the interview, it is your “interview performance,” interpersonal qualities, and how you are perceived by anyone and everyone you meet that will influence how you are ranked (and even if you are ranked) the most. This is why, no matter how strong an applicant you are, it is important to be comfortable with the interview process. It is also valuable to know yourself; are you an introvert or more of an extrovert? What types of social situations make you comfortable or uncomfortable? During residency interviews you will be meeting many new people and having numerous conversations with strangers. Be prepared! While your USMLE/COMLEX scores, grades, letters of reference and written application will still be considered after you interview, it is how you do on your interview day itself that will most greatly influence your rank position at any program where you interview.

What if you don’t match or you feel you need personalized help?

Applicants often feel lost, confused and overwhelmed by the residency application process. This is where MedEdits can help. We have helped hundreds of applicants match successfully. Whether you need a fourth year planing strategy, help with your personal statement, interview help, or any other guidance related to the residency match, we will make sure you are positioned as well as possible to match well!

Looking for an anesthesia residency program?

Check out our state by state list below..

University of Alabama Medical Center Program

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Program

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Arizona) Program University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson Program

Washington, DC

Indiana University School of Medicine Program

Massachusetts

Maine Medical Center Program

Mississippi

University of Mississippi Medical Center Program

North Carolina

University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine Program

New Hampshire

Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Program

University of New Mexico School of Medicine Program

Sunrise Health GME Consortium Program

Oregon Health & Science University Program

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

University of Puerto Rico Program

Rhode Island

Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital-Lifespan Programa

South Carolina

Medical University of South Carolina Program

University of Utah Program

Vermont University of Vermont Medical Center Program Washington

West Virginia

West Virginia University Program

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Family Medicine Residency Match: Beat more than 4400 Applications

Pediatrics Residency Match: Beat more than 3000 Applicaitons

Emergency Medicine Personal Statement & Residency Match (2020-2021): BEAT 3,300 Applicants

Which Medical Residency Specialities Matched the Most Applicants?

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Ten Steps for Writing an Exceptional Personal Statement

Danielle jones.

All authors are with Emory University School of Medicine

Danielle Jones, MD, is Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Section Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine Grady Section, and Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency

J. Richard Pittman, Jr

J. Richard Pittman Jr, MD, is Associate Professor of Medicine, and Program Director, Fourth Year Internal Medicine Sub-Internship

Kimberly D. Manning

Kimberly D. Manning, MD, FACP, FAAP, is Professor of Medicine, and Associate Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Department of Medicine

The personal statement is an important requirement for residency and fellowship applications that many applicants find daunting. Beyond the cognitive challenge of writing an essay, time limitations for busy senior residents on clinical rotations present added pressure. Objective measures such as scores and evaluations paint only a partial picture of clinical and academic performance, leaving gaps in a candidate's full portrait. 1 , 2 Applicants, seemingly similar on paper, may have striking differences in experiences and distances traveled that would not be captured without a personal narrative. 2 , 3 We recommend, therefore, reframing personal statements as the way to best highlight applicants' greatest strengths and accomplishments. A well-written personal statement may be the tipping point for a residency or fellowship interview invitation, 4 , 5 which is particularly important given the heightened competition for slots due to increased participation on virtual platforms. Data show that 74% to 78% of residency programs use personal statements in their interview selection process, and 48% to 54% use them in the final rank. 6 , 7 With our combined 50 years of experience as clerkship and residency program directors (PDs) we value the personal statement and strongly encourage our trainees to seize the opportunity to feature themselves in their words.

Our residency and medical school leadership roles position us to edit and review numerous resident and student personal statements annually. This collective experience has helped us identify patterns of struggle for trainees: trouble starting, difficulty organizing a cogent narrative, losing the “personal” in the statement, and failing to display unique or notable attributes. While a bland personal statement may not hurt an applicant, it is a missed opportunity. 4 , 8 We also have distinguished helpful personal statement elements that allow PDs to establish candidates' “fit” with their desired residency or fellowship. A recent study supports that PDs find unique applicant information from personal statements helpful to determine fit. 4 Personal statement information also helps programs curate individualized interview days (eg, pair interviewers, guide conversations, highlight desirable curricula). Through our work with learners, we developed the structured approach presented here ( Figure 1 ). Applicants can use our approach to minimize typical struggles and efficiently craft personal statements that help them stand out. Busy residents, particularly, have minimal time to complete fellowship applications. We acknowledge there is no gold standard or objective measures for effective personal statement preparation. 9 Our approach, however, combined with a practical tool ( Figure 2 ), has streamlined the process for many of our mentees. Moreover, faculty advisors and program leaders, already challenged by time constraints, can use this tool to enhance their coaching and save time, effort, and cognitive energy.

Structured Approach to Writing a Personal Statement

Ten Steps for Writing an Exceptional Personal Statement: Digital Tool

Note: Use the QR code to download the digital tool and follow the 10 steps highlighted in Figure 1.

Given word count and space limitations, deciding what to include in a personal statement can be challenging. An initial brainstorm helps applicants recall personal attributes and experiences that best underscore key strengths (Step 1). 10 Writing explicit self-affirmations is challenging, so we recommend pairing with a near peer who may offer insight. Useful prompts include:

• ▪ What 3 words best encapsulate me?
• ▪ What accomplishments make me proud?
• ▪ What should every program know about me?

Reflecting on these questions (Step 2) helps elucidate the foundations of the narrative, 10 including strengths, accomplishments, and unique elements to be included. Additionally, the preparation steps help uncover the “thread” that connects the story sequentially. While not all agree that personal or patient stories are necessary, they are commonly included. 5 One genre analysis showed that 97% of applicants to residency programs in internal medicine, family medicine, and surgery used an opening that included either a personal narrative (66%) and/or a decision to enter medicine (54%) or the specialty of choice (72%). 9 Radiology PDs ranked personal attributes as the second most important component in personal statements behind choice of specialty. 9 Further, a descriptive study of anesthesia applicants' personal statements ranked those that included elements such as discussion of a family's or friend's illness or a patient case as more original. 3 We feel that personal and patient stories often provide an interesting hook to engage readers, as well as a mechanism to highlight (1) personal characteristics, (2) journey to and/or enthusiasm for desired discipline, and (3) professional growth, all without giving the impression of being boastful. Sketching these Step 2 fundamentals prepares applicants to begin writing with intention.

Writing and Structuring

Once key elements are identified, the next steps assist with the actual writing. Utilizing information gleaned from the “Preparing” steps, start with a freewriting exercise (Step 3), an unrestricted association of ideas aimed at answering, “What experiences have cultivated my strong interest in pursuing [______]?” At this stage, ignore spelling and grammar. Just write, even if the product is the roughest, rough draft imaginable. 10 Setting a timer for 10 to 15 minutes establishes a less intimidating window to start. Freewriting generates the essential initial content that typically will require multiple revisions. 10

Next, we recommend structuring the freewriting content into suggested paragraphs (Step 4), using the following framework to configure the first draft:

• ▪ Introductory paragraph: A compelling story, experience, or something that introduces the applicant and makes the reader want to know more (the hook). If related to a patient or other person, it should underscore the writer's qualities.
• ▪ Paragraph 2: Essential details that a program must know about the applicant and their proudest accomplishments.
• ▪ Paragraph(s) 3-4: Specific strengths related to the specialty of choice and leadership experiences.
• ▪ Closing paragraph: What the applicant values in a training program and what they believe they can contribute.

Evaluate what has been written and ensure that, after the engaging hook, the body incorporates the best pieces identified during the preparation steps (Step 5). A final paragraph affords ample space for a solid conclusion to the thread. Occasionally the narrative flows better with separate strengths and leadership paragraphs for a total of 5, but we strongly recommend the final statement not exceed 1 single-spaced page to reduce cognitive load on the reader.

This part of the process involves revising the piece into a final polished personal statement. Before an early draft is shared with others, it should be evaluated for several important factors by returning to the initial questions and then asking (Step 6):

“Does this personal statement…”

• Amplify my strengths, highlight my proudest accomplishments, and emphasize what a program must know about me?
• Have a logical flow?
• Accurately attribute content and avoid plagiarism?
• Use proper grammar and avoid slang or profanity?

While not as challenging as the other steps, optimization takes time. 10 At this stage, “resting” the draft for 1 week minimum (Step 7) puts a helpful distance between the writer and their work before returning, reading, and editing. 10 Writers can edit their own work to a point, but they often benefit by enlisting a trusted peer or advisor for critiques. Hearing their draft read aloud by a peer or advisor allows the applicant to evaluate the work from another perspective while noting how well it meets the criteria from the tool (provided as online supplementary data).

A virtual or in-person meeting between applicant and mentor ultimately saves time and advances the writer to a final product more quickly than an email exchange. Sending the personal statement in advance helps facilitate the meeting. Invite the advisor to candidly comment on the tool's criteria to yield the most useful feedback (Step 8). When done effectively, edits can be made in real time with the mentor's input.

We bring closure to the process by focusing on spelling and grammar checks (Step 9). Clarity, conciseness, and the use of proper English were rated as extremely important by PDs. 3 , 9 Grammatical errors distract readers, highlight inattention to detail, and detract from the personal statement. 3 , 9 Once more, we recommend resting the draft before calling it final (Step 10). If the piece required starting over or significant rewriting based on feedback received, we also suggest seeking additional feedback on this draft, ideally from someone in the desired residency or fellowship discipline. If only minor edits (eg, flow, language) were incorporated, the personal statement can be considered complete at this time.

Writing a personal statement represents a unique opportunity for residency and fellowship applicants to amplify their ERAS application beyond the confines of its objective components. 3 Using this stepwise approach encourages each personal statement to be truly personal and streamlines the process for applicants and reviewers alike. All stakeholders benefit: applicants, regardless of their scores and academic metrics, can arm themselves with powerful means for self-advocacy; PDs gain a clearer idea of individual applicants, allowing them to augment the selection process and curate the individual interview day; and faculty mentors can offer concrete direction to every mentee seeking their help.

Residency Sample Personal Statements

These are real personal statements from successful residency applicants (some are from students who have used our services or from  our advisors ). These sample personal statements are for reference purposes only and should absolutely not be used to copy or plagiarize in any capacity. Plagiarism detection software is used when evaluating personal statements. Plagiarism is grounds for disqualification of an applicant.

Disclaimer: While these essays ultimately proved effective and led to successful residency matches, there are multiple components that comprise an effective residency applicant. These essays are not perfect, and the strengths and weaknesses have been listed where relevant.

Sample Personal Statements

Encouraged by the idea of becoming well rounded, I collected many hobbies and passions as I grew up from snowboarding and cooking to playing board games and practicing meditation. Despite the increasing demands on my time, however, I never learned how to get more than 24 hours out of a day. Since I entered medical school, I have been searching for ways to continue pursuing my one my most influential hobbies, playing the violin. While my violin may be gathering more dust than I would like to admit, I discovered that the same motivations that gave me an affinity for my favorite pastime are still fulfilled in the practice of anesthesia.

Learning to play the violin was challenging; for the first few years, everything that came out of my violin sounded as if it had been scratched out on a chalkboard. Through daily practice and enormous amount of patience from my parents whose ears were being tortured, playing violin slowly came to be effortless. My violin teacher went beyond teaching me how to play but also challenged me to envision my future and write down my aspirations. While achieving my milestones gave me a jolt of confidence, I learned that setting goals are part of a broader journey of constant improvement. Developed from years of practicing violin, my discipline to work tirelessly towards my goals provides the framework that will help me to master anesthesiology.

I found violin to be most rewarding when I had the opportunity to share my music with others. Through the simple act of pulling my bow across a string, I was able to convey my emotions to my audience. The desire to directly and physically affect change is a large part of my motivation to pursue anesthesiology where problems are identified and immediately met with a potential solution. Drawn to science because of my desire to understand the world around me, I enjoy creating a hypothesis and executing a plan in order to test it. While I was at [UNIVERSITY], I identified areas in which the school could improve the student experience and then implement projects that could address these areas. As the Academics and Research Committee chair, I planned as a summer math course for incoming freshmen to prepare them proof writing, which was a topic that many were to which they were not previously exposed. I derive satisfaction from the ability to take an idea and carrying it through to completion. As a life long learner, I take pleasure in finding ways to grow and expand my mind. My love of learning started from a young age where my favorite use of my computer was to browse my CD-ROM “the way things worked.” My golf team nicknamed me ‘Encyclopedia’ because of my tendency to share interesting facts with them as we drove to tournaments around [STATE]. To this day, it is difficult for me to have dinner with my friends without bringing up an interesting fact I learned from a podcast.

When playing violin became second nature, practicing became a sort of therapy where the world around me disappeared and my mind became quiet and focused. Throughout my life, I have been drawn to tasks that require intense concentration to transform thoughts into physical action from rehearsing a swing to hit a perfect drive to carefully executing a protocol for an experiment. The direct and focused care that takes place in the OR actually turned out to be tranquil and relaxing for me. Monitoring the patient, forming differentials, testing my hypothesis, and planning ahead, I found my mind completely immersed while I was assisting in cases. Able to use my own hands to care for a patient, I left the OR feel satisfied that my efforts were wholeheartedly directed towards providing the best possible care for my patient.

I first discovered chamber music at violin camp and immediately fell in love with beautiful harmonies and intricate counter melodies. One of the most shocking things about chamber music was how foreign the music sounded when I practiced at home because the individual parts frequently do not capture the beauty of piece. It isn’t until rehearsal as a group that the true form of the song emerges. Chamber music, similar to the operating room, involves a small group of people working together toward a single goal. Everyone from the surgeon to the nurses has his or her own role, which is needs to be executed appropriately in order to provide the best care for the patient. The teamwork required in the OR reminds me of seemingly impossible feats humans are able to accomplish through coordinated efforts. This collaboration is an essential characteristic of the type of environment in which I would like to work. In addition, I hope that the anesthesia residency I attend values the spirit of self-reflection and constant improvement. I am excited to pursue a career in anesthesiology where I will continue to build on my interests and strengths that were honed through years of practicing the violin.

The author did a masterful job of integrating one of his/her main outside passions (violin) into an interesting and engaging narrative as to why the applicant was fit for anesthesia.

Compared to the common “writing your CV” mistake that many applicants make, this personal statement is a breath of fresh air. The theme of violin is not irrelevant, as the author relates seemingly unrelated aspects of its practice or performance to key elements of anesthesia, medicine, or being part of a team in the operating room. 

The author allows his/her personality and voice to come through. Reading this, it is easy to imagine a quirky and intellectual applicant who is genuinely curious and excited to pursue the career of anesthesia, along with some interesting hobbies. It is no surprise, then, that this applicant interviewed at top programs across the nation and multiple residency admissions committee members cited the applicant’s personal statement during the interview.

As I stand on stage in front of 500 audience members, they are all eagerly awaiting my next line. In order to start the scene, I need a suggestion from the audience. “What am I holding?” I raise my empty hand in the air. One brave soul replies “Bacon!” My fellow improvisers and I proceed to perform a scene set around a bacon dinner party. We deliver our lines punctuated by laughter until the scene comes to a close. I recall this scene during my first night in the emergency department (ED). I am struck by how much improvisation has taught me. Emergency Medicine (EM) and improv have very similar motifs. Every scene in improvisation is different, as is every ED patient. Scenes are fast paced and force you to draw from life experiences while working in a team setting, similar to the controlled chaos often encountered during an ED shift. Ultimately, ingenuity, communication and resourcefulness are the main draws I have to EM which are traits that have been instilled into my character by my experience with improvisation.

During my third year of medical school, an elderly woman presented to the ED with acute vision loss. Reassessing the patient was difficult because I had no way of documenting the improvement of her vision. Improvisation had prepared me to use creativity and whatever tools available to find a solution for any given situation. I created a system where she could mark an ‘X’ wherever she could see on a grid drawn on paper. Each hour she would add more X’s to the grid as she received corticosteroid treatment. Helping patients with improvised solutions gives me the feeling of being an artist which can complement the logic and criteria needed in EM.

New and imaginative ideas in improvisation are born from constant communication between improvisers. Emergency physicians are constantly communicated information which changes their management of a patient. A growing discipline in EM is the idea of shared decision-making (SDM). My research aims to improve the communication between the emergency doctor and the patient using SDM which is when the patient relies on their life experiences, values, and preferences while the EM physician contributes his/her medical knowledge to improve decision-making. I have been involved in several projects to help identify barriers to SDM in the emergency department, and I am currently leading a research project on the implementation of SDM in oral anticoagulation therapy for patients with new onset atrial fibrillation. Through this novel concept, I learned how to effectively communicate with patients about their illnesses and the benefit of giving them an active role in choosing their care plan.

Entering medical school, I developed an original research project incorporating my life experiences. Five years ago, my grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. In medical school, I learned of the benefits of various alternative treatments of neurodegenerative diseases. Combining my experience with Alzheimer’s and improvisation, I developed a study where elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment were enrolled in an eight-week improvisation class. My efforts to improve the participants’ verbal fluency, level of depression and cognition using a treatment that had not yet been explored gave me the ability to administer care with the tools given to me by past experiences. Approaching the undifferentiated ED patient similarly requires resourcefulness and problem-solving which can stem from past life experiences. I believe I will be able to pull from these experiences salient information applicable to the situation because improvisation has helped me nurture this characteristic.

In my future career, I see myself working with underserved populations and performing research. There I can lift those who are in need as well as continue to research improvements in patient engagement through SDM. I know if I am given the chance to practice medicine in an environment that fosters ingenuity, communication and resourcefulness I can continue to be strong advocate for my patients and become a great EM physician.

Building from a unique background, the author of this residency personal statement brings a unique element to the table – improvisation. Similar to the personal statement above, the author uses their passion and interests outside of medicine to illustrate how the skills they have developed in that area will translate to their being an effective physician. 

Notably, the author also describes his novel research project incorporating improvisation into research and the backstory of how this idea was derived from Alzheimer’s dementia effecting his own family members. This simple anecdote reinforces the applicant’s passion for improvisation, their interest in furthering the scientific literature through research, and the personal connection to a condition. 

The applicant comes across as interesting. However, to further improve the impact of the essay, the author may consider tightening up the conclusion with a reference back to improvisation or other parting words that are more unique.

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Category: Anesthesiology

Personal Statements for Anesthesia Residency

• Anesthesiology

 by · Published

Example Anesthesiology Residency Personal Statement #3

It felt strange coming out of the airport. The air was cold, less humid, and smelled different. I finally emerged from the labyrinth that is Dulles Airport, built on the outskirts of Washington D.C.....

Sample Anesthesiology Residency Personal Statement #2

Anesthesiology provides opportunities to display specialized skills by performing a wide range of procedures while having cognitive challenges as well. After medical school I was selected for a two year anesthesiology residency program at...

Anesthesiology Residency Personal Statement #1

It is often impossible to predict where life will take you. While a senior at the University of MidWest, I never expected my life to take me to a place where I’d learn the...

• * Residency Personal Statement Help
• * Residency Personal Statement Tips
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Personal Statements

Your CV is a beautiful, readable, error-free summary of your accomplishments. You are moving on to your personal statement. You are ready, in one page, to tell residency program directors why they should select you, everything that has led you to this moment, to this decision, to this specialty choice. No pressure at all!

This blank page can be intimidating to many students. You are not alone. Take your time, so you can write several drafts.

Your CV tells people what you have done. Your personal statement tells people who you are.

• Do not use space in your statement re-stating what is already in your CV or other parts of your residency application.
• Don't redo your personal statement from your medical school application. You don't need to convince someone to admit you. You are in! You will have a job at the end of your fourth year.
• Do use your personal statement to help you find the job that is the most ideal match for you and your goals. You are going to be a doctor in a few short months. This personal statement should be much more focused on your specialty selection, your professional traits and your accomplishments that will impact your work as a physician.

A well-written personal statement should accomplish the following goals:

• Help pull you out of the crowd of applicants – be sure to include unique experiences, background, and information.
• Give the reviewer a glimpse at the type of resident you will be – don't say you are hard working (all residency applicants are). Instead, include examples of how you have acquired the attributes you want to feature in your statement. (See more ideas below.)
• Make the case that this specialty is really the right match for you. No program director wants to select a student who, six months into the residency, realizes they are not a good fit. What have you done to be sure this is the right career path for you?
• Be specific about what you like about the specialty. Do you enjoy the procedures? Why? Do you like the environment of the OR? Why? What type of patients do you enjoy working with? What experiences led you to consider this specialty? And, ultimately, why did you select this specialty?
• What about you will contribute to the specialty and the program? Residency programs, and residents, want to select their future peers and colleagues. What do you bring to them? What can you offer? How will you enhance that area of medicine?

Students should select six to 10 characteristics to weave into their statements. Some possibilities you could consider including are:

• leadership skills
• future practice location
• team building skills
• organization
• ability to work under stress
• problem solving
• patient communication skills

Sample Personal Statements

Sample statements are from University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine graduates who matched into various specialties. Ideas can be used for any specialty choice. The Associate Dean and the Director of Student Services are available to give you feedback on your personal statement draft. You can email a draft to Cherie Singer .

• Anesthesiology
• Dermatology
• Internal Medicine
• Plastic Surgery

Online Resources

• Medical Blog – personal statement pos

Residency Personal Statement [Ultimate Guide]

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There’s no doubt that a strong application for a residency program will open new doors and bring in a lot of opportunities for you. Aside from your shiny USMLE or COMLEX scores and your GPA in medical school, residency program directors look for a specific reason to accept you – and a residency personal statement is what they need.

In this post, we’re going to shed some light on your residency personal statement – enabling you to learn how to write a phenomenal personal statement that will land you an interview so you can match into the specialty you desire!

Table Of Contents

What Is A Residency Personal Statement?

A residency personal statement is one of the requirements when applying to residency programs. This is a formal letter that you get to write and personalize yourself to further showcase your strengths as an individual and as a potential resident of the specialty you desire to match into.

It is a medium that enables you to improve your residency application by going beyond what’s written in your CV and letting the program directors see why you’re perfect for their residency.

How Important Is The Personal Statement For Residency?

The National Residency Matching Program’s (NRMP) Director Survey shows a chart on the percentage of programs citing each factor and mean importance rating for each factor in selecting applicants to interview.

Here are the top 10 cited factors that residency program directors consider when choosing which applicants will pass to the succeeding stages of the application process.

Figure 1. Top 10 Factors Residency Program Directors Consider When Selecting Qualified Applicants

As we can derive from the figure above, residency program directors prioritize USMLE Step 1 /COMLEX Level 1 scores, letters of recommendation , Medical Student Performance Evaluation, USMLE Step 2 CK /COMLEX Level 2 scores, and residency personal statements come in at fifth place with a 78% citing factor and an average rating of 3.7.

Residency program directors will always put those numbers in your residency application on top of their list of priorities. If there’s anything I learned about mathematics is that numbers are universal. Your scores are what it is and there’s no other way of trying to understand it.

No matter what kind of student you were in medical school, how you treat your colleagues, or your attitude towards work and rotations – the first thing people will ask you is how much you have scored on your Step 1.

However, residency program directors are not just interested in these numbers alone. Otherwise, letters of recommendation and residency personal statements wouldn’t even be in the top 5 factors in selecting applicants for residency programs.

See, chances are, the applicants you’ll be competing with would have the similar USMLE or COMLEX scores as you. Everyone is competent enough to be accepted – so how is this going to pan out?

The residency personal statement serves as the tiebreaker for such situations. Your scores as yours to keep but your residency personal statement sets you apart from the rest – helping them remember your residency application as something to consider.

This is the opportunity offered to you to voice out your goals and motivations why you’re diving into the specialty that you are applying for. Doing so will help the directors determine for themselves if you’re applying to become the future physician that they’re exactly looking for and not just because you need something to pay the bills for.

What Do You Write In A Residency Personal Statement?

Your residency personal statement should embody who you are as an individual and as an applicant.

While letters of recommendation provide qualitative information about an applicant from the eyes of the people around him, residency personal statements solely come from the words of the applicant.

Thus, it is a language understood only by the applicants and the program directors where they could know more about your personality and strengths and decide whether you would fit the environment and standards of their residency program.

Of course, for your residency personal statement to achieve its full capabilities – you must be able to write a coherent letter which includes some aspects that program directors expect to see.

You could ask for residents you know if you could have a glimpse of their residency personal statements for you to have an idea where you should start. There are also a ton of examples all over the Internet which I’ll be providing you later on.

Here are some of the common things to be written in a residency personal statement. Make sure that your residency personal statement answers the questions below. These are also a great place to start if you feel lost and have no idea what to write.

Motivations Behind Career and Specialty Choice

• What has drawn you to pursue this specialty among others?
• What are the instances in your life and in all your years of medical school that piqued your interest in this specialty?
• How and what led you to decide that medicine is what you want to pursue as a career?
• What medical cause do you feel should be addressed by you?

Qualities or Skills To Help You As A Resident

• What are your strengths that other applicants don’t have?
• How are your skills and qualities going to help you succeed as a medical practitioner?
• Could the residency directors expect more from you?
• Are you capable of learning and improving?
• How do you think these will enable you to excel in this specialty?

Plans For The Long Term

• What do you expect from this specialty in the long run?
• What do you hope to accomplish besides paying the bills and making the world a better place to live in for patients?
• Are you planning to become a partner or stay as employed?
• How do you see your career in this specialty progressing, 20 years in time?

Personal Attributes Relevant To Your Specialty

• If you’re applying for a pediatrics residency program, are you easily approachable by kids and their parents?
• Are you empathetic towards women and have respect for their decisions?
• Do you have the leadership skills that a surgeon needs?
• What are the instances wherein you have strongly demonstrated your personal attributes to a clinical setting?

Accomplishments You’re Proud Of

• Are there any extracurricular activities that are meaningful to you?
• What are the accomplishments you feel most proud of? If these are already mentioned in your CV but you feel like this one certain accomplishment is kind of ambiguous and worth expanding on, then go ahead.

How Long Should A Residency Personal Statement Be?

As tempting it may be to tell your whole story on how you have decided to become a physician, don’t be that kind of applicant. Keep your residency personal statement at about just 3500 characters or 500 words. Make sure that you don’t go over 1 page.

You just want to promote your strengths, qualities, and skills at a personal level since your USMLE or COMLEX scores don’t really provide an insight as to what kind of person you are and how you approach your work. That’s all there is to it.

What Makes A Great Residency Personal Statement?

A Unique Take Behind Your Medical Journey

Every aspiring medical practitioner has a story to tell. Think of a unique story coming from a very particular point in your life that had led you to realize that you want to pursue a career in the field of medicine.

The introduction should tell the story of the exact moment of your transition to be an aspiring physician . If you are one of the applicants who was dead set on a particular specialty before experiencing rotations and had a change of heart as you were going through with it – explain why and how you felt in this transition.

It’s important for you to write everything in detail . Writing the introduction with detail delivers the story vividly and clearly to the reader of your residency personal statement. Make them feel like they were with you on that day.

You want this story to be powerful but not too emotional, substantial but brief, specific but not too revealing, and something that only you can write . Make it memorable and something to remember. Give the program directors a chance to ask more about you on the day of the interview.

Personalizing Personal Statements

Everyone’s journey in the field of medicine is personal . A residency personal statement is not a place for enumerating every single achievement in your life and selling yourself like hot pancakes.

Your CV, USMLE or COMLEX scores, and letters of recommendation , are already enough quantitative and qualitative information to determine your competency.

A residency personal statement is one of the requirements for residency programs because they want to be able to connect with you on a personal level. They want to understand you as a person and as a potential resident.

Also, because they need something to talk about in your interview.

You must be able to describe how medicine is integral to you as an individual . How has it become something that can describe you as who you are, without wearing that white coat and a stethoscope wrapped around your neck?

Describe how your personality, interests, and the course of your life relate to the specialty you want to match into. Connect the dots from personal to professional.

An Unexpected Turn of Events

As a fan of movies, I fancy characters who display change and growth throughout the story. There’s nothing more boring than a one-trick pony kind of character. A movie with a character like that is not worth watching. Never watching it again for the rest of my life.

You could think of these residency program directors as an audience of the story of your medical journey. Provide them with a timeline that exemplary showcases why and how your points of view, opinions, and perspectives of yourself have changed throughout your journey before and during medical school.

Did you also have failures that had dramatically impacted the course of your life? Don’t be insecure about these failures and use them to your advantage. Sometimes your failures could even be seen as strengths.

Failures are a part of the things that make you who you are now. Program directors would most likely be interested in how you have overcome these failures and how you have used it as a pedestal to become wiser and stronger as a person and as a medical practitioner.

The Kind of Doctor You Want to Become

Do you picture yourself as a doctor who only cares about the politics inside the hospital? Do you see yourself as the kind of doctor who prioritizes the health and safety of your patients and staff above everything else? Are you going to be a doctor for yourself or the patients?

Promoting the current version of yourself in your residency personal statement gives the program directors an image of how you’re going to approach your work as a resident. However, you must also give them a visualization of the kind of doctor you want to be in the long run . This gives them something to look forward to.

What Should You Not Write In A Residency Personal Statement

Avoid Being Dramatic

You need to keep the tone of your statement to be as formal as possible even if you’re talking about yourself. You may be a bit carried away which could push you into writing a statement that’s kind of dramatic in a sense.

In other words – don’t make your residency personal statement a screenplay for a medical drama . You want to hook your reader by providing them interesting substances, not by adding too much flare. Keep your choice of words formal but personal, as well.

No Need For Rehashing

Don’t try to reiterate what’s already on your CV. Doing so is only a waste of paper, ink, and you’re only throwing this opportunity into the trash. You’re not helping anyone else . This is only acceptable if certain things seem ambiguous but deserves to be discussed more.

Don’t Be Too Declarative

Many applicants feel the need to advocate themselves in a sense that they deserve to be accepted to the residency program they are applying for. While I appreciate the confidence and credit the applicant gives himself – this is not unique. Anyone can write something like that.

Remember, your residency personal statement should be something that could only be written by you, no one else.

You Don’t Have To Promote The Specialty

What’s a promotion of the specialty doing in your personal statement? Program directors know what they’re doing and for what cause. Don’t waste your time and some paper on promoting the specialty you are applying for.

While I understand that applicants do this because they feel like they should come off as knowledgeable in the field, program directors are confident that you know plentiful enough about the specialty. Otherwise, why are you even writing that residency personal statement in the first place?

Don’t promote the specialty. Instead, promote yourself.

Residency Personal Statement Examples

Below are some exemplary samples of residency personal statements that bring out the personality, strengths, and qualities of the applicant that sufficiently and efficiently provides an image as to why he is a perfect fit for the program.

For An Anesthesiology Residency Program Applicant

“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 several 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 excited about my 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 me to reflect on my 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 allows 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.”

For A Dermatology Residency Program Applicant

“So many disconnected pieces, yet no clear starting point.” I think as I stare at the 1,000 puzzle pieces in front of me. I instantly rewire my brain to consider all of them but also how they fit in the big picture. Working for hours on puzzles with my terminally ill grandfather taught me there is something mesmerizing about simultaneously losing and centering yourself in a disarray of colors and shapes. Dermatology is a jigsaw puzzle in which the pieces sit in front of our eyes, waiting to be assembled into a diagnosis. Solving this intricate puzzle, which encompasses a wide variety of intriguing diseases, fascinated me early in my medical career.

During my first contact with patients as a research assistant at [name of center], I developed a genuine interest in this specialty. Witnessing the effects of severe and refractory dermatological diseases on their quality of life sparked my empathy and a desire to strengthen my knowledge in order to help them. This empathy grew over the course of my rotations, as I observed the distress brought on by a melanoma diagnosis, the debilitating pruritus associated with atopic dermatitis, and the emotional scars left by acne.

Driven by this experience, I founded the [name of race] with my devoted and inspiring team. Together, we raised close to $18,000, which was donated to the [name of society] for the advancement of malignant melanoma research and prevention strategies. This project allowed me to serve as a leader and a strong team player. I was also granted the hands-on opportunity to take concrete steps towards promoting prevention and advocating for patient health – competencies that will serve me as a devoted dermatologist.

As a result of my scientific rigors and dedication, I have had the opportunity to publish my work on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and speak at international conferences. I recently submitted a case study to the [name of journal] and an abstract to next year’s [ name of conference]. I hope to further my contribution to the advancement of dermatology both scientifically and academically. Besides my interest in skin malignancy, I am also very passionate about immunodermatology, skin manifestations of IBD, and vascular anomalies, to name a few. Committed to a lifelong learning experience, I strive to expand my knowledge through academic research. My constant desire to improve, in addition to an insatiable curiosity, was valued during my rotations regardless of the specialty.

During my residency, I look forward to being challenged and surrounded by new ideas and perspectives. I wish to pursue my training in [name of city]’s multicultural epicenter, where I will be exposed to a wide range of unique cases. [Name of school]’s prestige for research and mentorship is second to none. During my elective at the [name of hospital], your commitment to patient care, your dedication to knowledge, and your pedagogical approach instilled a sense of belonging in me. It is with you that I hope to set the final puzzle pieces of my medical training into place.”

For A Family Medicine Residency Program Applicant

“My first exposure to Family Medicine occurred during my time as a Medical Officer working in a small clinic in Nigeria in fulfillment 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 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.”

For A Surgery Residency Program Applicant

“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 for 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.”

_______________________________________________________

All residency personal statement examples shown in this article are provided by Bemo Academic Consulting. Check it out for more samples for different specialties.

We also give credit to Shemmassian Academic Consulting , Thalamus , and Peterson’s as they have served as sources in writing this article on residency personal statements.

P.S. Did you know that you can seek assistance from AI in crafting your personal statement? Check out this article: 5 Crazy Ways AI Can Improve Your Life As A Med Student

I hope this article has provided you useful insights on how to write your residency personal statement that would leave an impression on the residency program directors. Go ahead – jot down your thoughts, pour every ounce of your writing skills, and land that interview spot!

If you have enjoyed this post, check out some of our other blog posts!

• Medical School Personal Statement Examples And Tips
• Medical School Zanki: Should You Use It?
• 25 Questions For Medical School Interviewers You Should Ask
• PA vs MD: Which Should You Pursue?
• How Much Do Residents Make?
• Best Pre-Med Majors For Med School [Full Guide]
• What Is A Transitional Year Residency?
• How To Prepare Yourself For Residency [Step-By-Step]
• How To Write A Thank You Note After A Residency Interview
• ERAS Photo Requirements And Tips

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Improve Anesthesiology Education and the Specialty by sharing the Personal Statements of Residency Applicants

By robert e johnstone 1* , daniel c sizemore 2 , trey vanek 3.

1 Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University, USA

2 Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University, USA

3 Chief Resident, Department of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University, USA

* Corresponding author: Robert E Johnstone, Department of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University, PO Box 8255, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA

Received Date: 03 March, 2024

Accepted Date: March 07, 2024

Published Date: 11 March, 2024

Citation: Johnstone RE, Sizemore DC, Vanek T (2024) Improve Anesthesiology Education and the Specialty by sharing the Personal Statements of Residency Applicants. Anesth Med Pract J 7: 147. https://doi.org/10.29011/2637-9953.100147

Most applicants for United States anesthesiology residency training programs include a personal statement in their application. In these statements, residents describe their interests, strengths, and plans. Program faculty and specialty leaders do not generally have access to these statements and no public repository of personal statements or description of their current contents exists. After studying the personal statements of anesthesiology applicants accepted for an interview at our residency training program and characterizing their contents, we recommend wider availability of these statements. Nearly all applicants reported events that guided their philosophies and plans. Most describe how their unique backgrounds and skills should qualify them for successful practice. If resident personal statements were available to all program faculty, they could better understand the diverse backgrounds of residents, find suitable mentors, leverage their unique skills, help them with life stresses, and improve recruitment. When asked, residents willingly shared their statements. If resident personal statements were published anonymously, they could educate the public about the specialty.

Keywords: Personal statement; Anesthesiology attraction; Anesthesiology training; Anesthesiologist skill; Anesthesiologist background; Training goal; Residency application

Introduction

Most applicants for anesthesiology training in the United States submit through the Electronic Residency Application Service a Personal Statement (PS) of approximately 400 words that describes why anesthesiology interests them, their strengths, and their practice plans. Although Program Directors (PDs) and admission committee members evaluate these PSs when deciding which applicants to invite for an interview, program faculty and anesthesiology leaders know little about what they contain because no publicly available repository of PSs exists.

A review of publications covering residency application PSs reveals considerable guidance on how applicants should craft their statements [1-4], but limited information about what submitted ones contain or how faculty can use them [5-8]. Based on our educational experience and a detailed review of recent resident personal statements, we propose that broadly sharing personal statements could improve resident training and that residents will support this.

In 2022 our anesthesiology residency program admissions committee selected 115 applicants for interviews. We studied the PSs of these applicants to see what they contained, how they differed from those of prior years, and how understanding these personal statements could improve resident training. We used the principles of qualitative research and thematic analysis to review themand offer some recommendations for improving the application process and resident training [9] All residents contacted agreed to share their PSs. The West Virginia Institutional Review Board exempted this qualitative review from research protocols because no patients were involved, no applicants publicly identified, and PSs only quoted with permission. We have substituted a capital letter for names in quoted PSs to preserve anonymity. Two of the authors (RJ, DS) of this commentary are former residency PDs who have observed PS trends over two decades, and one (TV) is a chief resident. A primary reference for identifying new PS themes was our review in 2011 [8].

What personal statements reveal

Overall, personal statements reveal excellent writing skills, interests beyond science, heroic views of anesthesiologists, broad perceptions of anesthesia practice, new attractions to the specialty, and motivating philosophies and goals. Some common and new PS themes are described and illustrated below.

Life stories : Applicants generally offer short vignettes of pertinent, non-scientific life experiences. Two examples of compelling life vignettes that drive personal philosophies and plans:

(I was the) Crew Leader for my Boy Scout troop's Philmont Expedition….As we began our ascent to the peak late afternoon, a dense fog rolled in and water cascaded from the sky. Sheer perseverance got us to the summit. As we went down the mountain, the temperature dipped into the mid 30's. By the time we got back to camp, half the crew was showing symptoms of hypothermia. Unfortunately, my tentmate had not properly secured his sleeping bag and it was half-soaked through, so I provided first aid, gave him my sleeping bag liner, and shivered through the night. As we continued the next morning, I contemplated that success isn't dictated by chance, but by action and the determination to succeed.

The sniper’s bullet slammed into the ground, inches from my head…in the mountains of Afghanistan. My squad leader screamed at me to get my team behind cover, and I realized that we were under attack again…My team operated synergistically until our adversaries were defeated… I still stay in touch with some of those soldiers. Unfortunately, many of them are no longer living. A few were lost in subsequent battles or wars, but others lost their lives to PTSD-related alcohol abuse or suicide. This bothered me... I volunteered in hospice care and at a suicide hotline. I learned how to be a better listener and how to be there for others in their times of stress.

Some applicants use their life stories to describe difficulties overcome, such as parents divorcing, family poverty, or arriving alone in the United States. These non-scientific vignettes generally constitute a third of the PS and can help PDs and faculty understand resident stresses.

Anesthesia-like skills : Most applicants describe how their backgrounds, activities, and interests will help them succeed in anesthesiology. These 2022 applicants commonly cited as strengths their participation in sports and gourmet cooking.

My experiences with anesthesiology parallel my past experiences while playing tennis. Success on the court demanded hard work, resilience, and attention to detail while working with my hands – a process that I thoroughly enjoyed. Anesthesiology provides a similar opportunity to work with my hands in a high-intensity, fast-paced learning environment that requires attention to detail (and) problem-solving.

I found anesthesiology to be like the process of cooking. Besides the concept “mise en place”, another similarity is that one must always be thinking ahead in case something goes wrong. Many things can go wrong in the kitchen, but dishes can usually be salvaged if you know what to do. Knowing acidity can cut sweetness can be helpful if too much sugar is added…I found this mindset particularly helpful when intubating a patient with a difficult airway. I visualized the epiglottis but could not see the arytenoids or vocal cords…I switched the Macintosh blade to a Miller blade.

Applicants cited many other personal interests that they feel mimic or support the skills needed in anesthesiology. These are broader than the two most cited in 2011 - flying and research participation [8].They include such diverse activities as lifeguarding, backpacking, crocheting, watchmaking, equestrianism, statistical analysis, restaurant management, engineering, and architectural design. Three examples:

The more I learn about anesthesiology, the more it reminds me of watchmaking…a hobby of mine for years. What makes the two professions so similar is the detailed understanding of mechanisms—in one case physiologic, and in the other mechanical. While the human body is admittedly more complex, manual dexterity is integral to proficiency in both fields. Assembling a watch with screws the size of sesame seeds requires the deft hands also needed for successful central line placement or fiberoptic intubation.

I am interested in anesthesia, but what predominately draws me to the field is how it parallels one of my main passions, statistics. Much like how I tackle cleaning a data set, I enjoy the careful and thoughtful planning of an anesthetic…A parallel I have seen between anesthesia and data analysis is that both require a degree of adaptability.

Anesthesia … is an organic application of concepts that I learned in engineering, utilizing devices such as infusion pumps and gas analyzers which operate based on basic principles of engineering. ... As an engineer I also have extensive knowledge of kinetics, which relates to anesthesia in the elimination and distribution of drugs during an infusion.

Attraction to anesthesia : Previously most applicants described their primary attractions to anesthesiology as a personal or family anesthetic, applying physiologic and pharmacologic principles learned during their first two years of medical school, or enjoyment of performing procedures, such as endotracheal intubations. Applicants still mention these, but two new attractions are popular now – leading a multidisciplinary care team and relieving the pain of a laboring parturient. Approximately half of the applicants mentioned teamwork in their statements. Many applicants describe how a labor anesthetic they witnessed, often during an obstetric rotation, attracted them to anesthesiology. Four illustrative examples:

He bolused the epidural, reassured A that her pain will improve, and comforted her worried husband, all in a matter of seconds…Later, A was smiling, pain-free, and holding her healthy newborn son. These crucial moments made all the difference for A and her family and showed me the art behind the practice of an anesthesiologist.

I embrace and appreciate the value of teamwork….I have learned to appreciate the dynamic between leadership and followership, understand the importance of organizational structure and strategy, and most importantly, learned how to deal with crises in ways that are adaptive and sustainable.

I aspire to train in anesthesiology as it is a field that requires great procedural skill but also compassion and teamwork. A compelling aspect of the field is the opportunity to provide care to patients of all ages with a wide range of complex cases.

My training here in the US also reinforced the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach, patient safety and quality assessment in the operating room.

Positive descriptions of anesthesiologists : We note an evolution from applicants describing anesthesiologists as knowledgeable proceduralists to life-saving heroes.

“This is Ms. S; she is here for a pericardial window with Dr. C”, the circulating nurse announced. My attending leaned towards me and whispered, “Our plan is going to be general anesthesia, but given her hemodynamic instability, it’s best we insert an arterial line so we can monitor her blood pressure beat-by-beat.” … “Don’t worry, Ms. S, we’re going to take good care of you!” My attending began pushing ketamine, stimulating Ms. S’s cardiac function…I was in awe watching my attending; she was truly Ms. S’s lifeline. I had been considering a career in anesthesia. Still, this experience solidified my decision as I confirmed anesthesiology perfectly embodies everything I have wanted in my career as a physician.

During my surgical rotation…a patient (arrived) with a ruptured AAA…The patient survived the operation but in transit her status became tenuous. By the time she got to her ICU room her abdomen was distended, and her blood pressure and heart rate were falling. The anesthesiologist from the case remained at the bedside while the patient's family came to her room. It was the anesthesiologist who initiated the conversation with them that the patient was not doing well after surgery and would probably not survive…His compassion and candor gave the patient's family the space to allow her to pass with dignity. It was this day I learned anesthesia is not only treating and managing the critically ill patient, but also the ability to have difficult conversations with kindness and respect for the listener. This exemplifies how I want to practice medicine.

Goals: Many applicants hope to use their anesthesiology skills to help patients recover from illnesses, improve global healthcare, and serve communities.Many described their involvement with research and a desire for academic practice because they like discovery and learning. Many applicants are interested in anesthesia sub-specialties. Another common goal was learning how to lead a care team. Many mentioned promoting workforce diversity and inclusion. Some touted their uniqueness as strengths, and some international graduates their experience outside the United States. These comments were uncommon in previous years. Four examples:

I hope to match into a program that will encourage kindness, professionalism, and a team-centered approach to patient care between co-residents, nurse anesthetists and surgeons.

I hope to work as a trusted guide to patients, surgeons, and every perioperative team member….I strive to be a physician who vitalizes the team environment.

I will contribute a solid work ethic, a keen eye for detail, and a team-based approach in residency. I plan to promote a healthy, inclusive work environment while giving special attention to my colleagues’ well-being… I also intend to continue my efforts to increase access to healthcare for underserved populations, whether they are abroad or in rural areas.

I now seek an anesthesiology residency where I will be trained to provide safe anesthesia and perioperative medicine. I want to help healthcare teams develop evidence-based treatment plans while providing accessible medical care for all patients.

We used the information and themes contained in our reviewed PSs to propose improvements to the application process, resident education, and entry into practice. See (Table 1) for a summary of recommendations.

Table 1: Recommendations to improve resident recruitment and training.

Use applicant personal statements to improve resident education and understanding

Making PSs more widely available after applicants are accepted into a training program should help all involved with resident education. We recommend asking applicants if they agree to make their statements available after the match to program faculty and published anonymously in a public repository. In our limited experience, applicants will approve both. Also, to evaluate PSs better, we recommend asking applicants what help they had in writing their statements, e.g. editing help from mentors, writing help from contractors, or composing with artificial intelligence. Broader use of these services and techniques could improve anesthesiologist communications.

Most applicants have rotated through surgical suites or shadowed anesthesiologists. During these exposures to anesthesia care, applicants are awed by the complexity of the specialty, the importance of details, the teamwork involved, and the need for contingency plans. These experiences inform their perceptions of needed anesthesia skills and are insightful to read. The American Society of Anesthesiologists advises applicants, “To be successful in anesthesiology… you must excel academically, (be) detailed-oriented, skillful at procedures, calm in stressful situations, and warm and caring to ease patient’s anxiety” [10]. Applicants commonly relate how their characteristics coincide with these requirements. Non-technical skills of anesthesiologists are known to improve anesthetic performance [11]. Faculty can learn the diverse skills of their residents from their PSs and use them to improve their performance. This could involve matching applicants with similarly interested faculty or residents sharing their non-anesthesia activities. Organizing a session at a national meeting where residents and junior faculty share their perceptions of similarities between anesthesiology care and a non-technical skill might prove enlightening.

Many applicants want to lead care teams, participate in research, and learn a sub-specialty. PDs can enhance recruitment and resident satisfaction by including these activities in their program descriptions and rotations. This might include opportunities to coordinate a complex surgical schedule or direct a care team that includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, technicians, and aides. Training programs can enhance their attraction for medical students by scheduling them in a labor suite because many students find obstetric anesthesia meaningful. Faculty anesthesiologists should remember that medical students are observing them even when on surgical and obstetric services, and to include students in care discussions, when possible.

To attract applicants PDs can add reports of extraordinary anesthetics to their program descriptions. Students like these reports. PDs can also forward interesting PSs to anesthesiology society leaders, who seek stories to share publicly. Applicants and residents may have the best observations to educate the public about anesthesiology. Finally, we recommend that faculty recognize the compassion and humanity of entering residents and find ways to support their altruism throughout their training.

• Arbelaez C, Ganguli I (2011) The personal statement for residency application: Review and guidance. J Natl Med Assoc 103: 439-442.
• Moulton M, Lappé K, Raaum SE, Milne CK, Chow CJ (2022) Making the personal statement "truly personal": Recommendations from a qualitative case study of internal medicine program and associate program directors. J Grad Med Educ 14: 210-217.
• Hartman ND, Lefebvre CW, Manthey DE (2019) A narrative review of the evidence supporting factors used by residency program directors to select applicants for interviews. J Grad Med Educ 11: 268-273.
• Jones D, Pittman JR Jr, Manning KD (2022) Ten steps for writing an exceptional personal statement. J Grad Med Educ 14: 522-525.
• Hinkle L, Carlos WG, Burkart KM, McCallister J, Bosslet G (2020) What do program directors value in personal statements? A qualitative analysis. ATS Sch 1: 44–54.
• Max BA, Gelfand B, Brooks MR, Beckerly R, Segal S (2010) Have personal statements become impersonal? An evaluation of personal statements in anesthesiology residency applications. J Clin Anesth 22: 346-351.
• Olazagasti J, Gorouhi F, Fazel N (2014) A critical review of personal statements submitted by dermatology residency applicants. Derm Rsch Pract 2014: 934874.
• Johnstone RE (2011) Describing oneself: What anesthesiology residency applicants write in their personal statements. Anesth Analg 113: 421-424.
• Sawatsky AP, Ratelle JT, Beckman TJ (2019) Qualitative research methods in medical education. Anesthesiology 131: 14–22.
• American Society of Anesthesiologists. Anesthesia Career FAQs.
• Vasilopoulos T, Fahy BG (2023) ANTS (Anesthetists' non-technical skills) and "ANT"icipation of their potential. J Clin Anesth 85: 111041.

© by the Authors & Gavin Publishers. This is an Open Access Journal Article Published Under Attribution-Share Alike CC BY-SA : Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License. With this license, readers can share, distribute, download, even commercially, as long as the original source is properly cited. Read More .

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The Mentor Winter '20 | Issue 2

Applications Now Open

Applications open for the 2020 Clinical Science, Technology and Medicine Summer Internship program. Program application deadline is February 14, 2020.

Making the right first impression

How to make a personal statement in a medical school application stand out

By SeventyFourImages via EnvatoElements

By Rachel B. Levin

For Rebecca Morris, MD, writing her personal statement for medical school was a particularly challenging part of the application process. Not only did she feel tentative about her writing skills, but she also considered herself shy and reserved. Tooting her own horn didn’t come naturally.

But Morris found a way to make her personal statement shine by portraying the unique journey that led her to pursue medicine. At the time, she was a master’s student in nutrition and conducting research on obesity. While counseling patients about weight loss, she realized how much she enjoyed one-on-one patient interactions and craved more knowledge about physiology. These insights spurred her to apply to medical school and ultimately unlocked the writing process for her. “I think that [training in nutrition] was something that made me stand out a little bit,” says Morris, who today is a resident in anesthesiology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Tell your personal and unique story

“Being able to tell your personal narrative and your motivation for medical training are really important [in medical school admissions],” says Larry Chu, MD, MS, program director for the Stanford Anesthesiology Summer Institute (SASI) and professor of anesthesiology, pain and perioperative medicine.

Once an applicant has met a school’s MCAT and GPA requirements, the medical school personal statement is what differentiates him or her from other applicants. Ideally, says Chu, the statement should communicate something personal from one’s life that has shaped their perspective, so that the school can really see who the applicant is and what they will bring in terms of diversity, talent and perspective to the incoming class.

Since the medical school personal statement plays such a central role in admissions decisions, selecting the right topic can be daunting. Chu advises applicants to think about their journey thus far through school and consider exploring challenges, hardships or obstacles that they faced along the way.

However, SASI Program Coordinator Nari Kim, who teaches a personal statement workshop at the summer institute, adds that one doesn’t need to have experienced something intensely difficult to develop an impactful narrative. She says topic of a medical school personal statement can be something that is rather mundane. “It’s how you tell your story that makes it influential,” Kim says.

Ideally, writing the medical school personal statement should be a self-discovery process, Kim says, one in which the applicants learn something new about themselves, conveying that epiphany in the personal statement.

Show, don’t tell

Show admissions committee members examples of what makes you a good choice. However, the medical school personal statement may not be something that can be accomplished in one sitting. “You have to rewrite it, come back, look at it again and revise,” notes Chu.

Kim advises that applicants begin their essays with a powerful hook that captures the reader’s attention, such as describing a specific moment in their lives in vivid detail. Show, don’t tell, is the rule of thumb, she explains. “Admissions committee members will read a lot of essays, and if [yours] sounds like one of the many thousands of applicants who are applying, then [you’ve] already lost the admission officer’s interest.”

Figuring out how to write in such a manner that gives an applicant an edge over the competition can be especially intimidating when they feel like their experiences are so similar to others. Yet, “so many times, we are not as ordinary as we think we are,” says Amy Price, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at Stanford. She recommends applicants get written feedback from people who believe in them. “It is an astounding way to lift you out of your own feeling of ordinariness,” Price explains.

Chu concurs. “Everyone is a unique person,” he says. “Your job in writing your personal statement is to find what is extraordinary about yourself and not be shy [in expressing it].

One way to overcome any shyness is to think about your personal statement as a conversation starter. “Sometimes when you’re on the quieter side, you’re afraid that people are going to overlook you,” says Morris. “But I think the personal statement is an important time to show something that you are interested in talking about on the interview trail.”

Indeed, opening up about oneself in the personal statement can open the door to the next step toward meeting the next goal.

The views expressed here are the authors and they do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Stanford University School of Medicine. External websites are shared as a courtesy. They are not endorsed by the Stanford University School of Medicine.

So many times, we are not as ordinary as we think we are...

Amy Price, DPhil (Oxon) Editor, The Mentor, SASI Newsletter

Surgery Residency Personal Statement Examples

To learn how to write a great surgery personal statement in 2024 start by reviewingsurgery personal statement examples. Along with taking time to review possible surgery residency interview questions that may come your way, and practicing your answers, you should learn what makes a strong personal statement and write one that reflects your suitability for this specialty. A great personal statement will increase your chance of being offered an interview, and being considered for residency.

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

Article Contents 11 min read

Surgery is a moderately competitive field, and is a common specialty choice for many future MDs. Throughout a surgery residency, you will learn to master the basics of patient interaction and care, tend to patients’ needs (especially when the attending physician isn’t on duty), and most importantly, learn all of the essentials about general surgery and hone a wide set of skills that will ultimately lead you down a path to becoming a skilled and talented surgeon yourself.

Whether you’re Canadian and applying through CaRMS , or American/International and using ERAS , your personal statement is a very important portion of your surgery residency application. Your personal statement should highlight several aspects of your experiences, including your personal ties to the field, academic career, goals, values, and professional experience in this speciality that, when all considered in combination, will ultimately make you stand out in the field.

While your personal statement is a personal piece of writing, it must still adhere to any word limits (normally this is 750-800 words) and should maintain a concise and organized structure.

Consider including the following details in your surgery personal statement:

Optional: a brief explanation of any gaps or unfavorable grades "}]">

No matter what field you’re applying for residency, your residency personal statement must only be a few concise paragraphs that clearly communicate why you are interested in pursuing a particular residency/field.

Here are some things that your surgery personal statement should not include:

Any negative remarks. This is especially crucial if you do choose to address gaps in your timeline or poor grades. Always utilize the opportunity to address how you made improvements and grew from negative experiences instead! "}]">

Example One

Looking down at my little sister’s wound on her head after she’d plummeted from the top of the slide was the first time I knew I had to act fast in order to tend to her injury, as well as her emotional well-being. When somebody would fall and become injured, most children would freeze or watch the situation unfold from afar…but not me. I would often be found consoling injured classmates on the playground. I’d utter words of inspiration and keep their spirits high—not because anybody taught me to—but because I reacted calmly to humans in distress. I’d watch curiously as their wounds were bandaged, but that action quickly morphed into me having the urge to be the one to dress the wound and offer insight and opinions about the injury. Of course, many people don’t take the word of a 10-year-old seriously, but it never discouraged me. Rather, it fueled my desire to be in a position where I would be taken seriously when I tried to help.

Through my surgical clerkship in year 3 of my MD program, I was able to make the confident decision that surgery was the field I was meant to train in, and I feel I’ll make an outstanding surgeon.

Throughout my various rotations, clerkships and volunteer opportunities over the past five years, I’ve met many patients whose lives had been altered and improved—and many saved—by their surgeons. I learned that while some surgeries are certainly more ‘general’, others are lifesaving, and all require quick thinking and organized action. Accident victims, victims of a ruptured appendix or inflamed gallbladder, and those suffering from a fracture (and more)! Every time I interacted with them, or heard of their case, patients of all ages inspired me in their own unique ways to continue to learn how to best correct and fix such problems through surgery. In my general surgery clerkship, I was often asked to address pre-op questions that patients had, comfort them and put their mind at ease before wheeling them into the OR, and report to the patient in recovery with the attending physician. During surgery, I would observe and have the opportunity to ask questions afterward about specific tools and approaches used in the OR to better understand what was being done, and why. Through this experience, I gained a broad knowledge of general surgery terminology an practices, and grew to understand the importance of communication between patients, doctors, nurses, residents, and even shadowing students, collaboration, and focus during the entire surgical process.

In the tenth grade, my class entered the Body Words exhibition at X City Science Centre. Most of my classmates joked uncomfortably and cringed throughout the exhibit, but I remember being utterly captivated and intrigued—I wanted to know more. That was the first time I remember being stunned by the intricacy of the human body and the world that exists within the CNS and every bone, muscle and vein within us all. From the tenth grade onward, I knew I wanted to study medicine, but I now wholeheartedly believe that the surgical field is where my skills and interests lie, and where I can best utilize my passion. I have been continually fascinated by the human body and have been a strong observer of its functions and dysfunctions throughout my past four years in medical school, as well as throughout my undergraduate and adolescent years. I am eager to learn as much as I can about how the body works, how it fails, and how surgical interventions can help people achieve optimal function and health.

I also believe that surgical residency is where I can best utilize my communication skills and interpersonal abilities, whether communicating with colleagues or patients. During my clerkships, in general surgery, emergency medicine, and my rotations and volunteer experience in pediatrics, I learned to communicate thoroughly, calmly, and clearly with various patients, even in tough situations in the ER trauma unit; my ability to remain collected and communicative is innate, and I feel this would be an asset as a future surgeon. I have always felt a strong sense of empathy for others, which has helped me connect with patients and their families. I also believe that my years as an athlete and team captain have given me incredible discipline, leadership skills, and a competitive edge in the operating room, where every second counts and no one wants to lose. Just like on the hockey rink during AAA finals, everybody has a job to do, and communication and teamwork is key, especially when quick decisions must be made.

I have a personal connection to surgery, and this experience further drove my passion to become an expert in the field and pursue medicine. My father had a heart attack when he was 41 years old. The doctors told him that he needed open-heart surgery, but they could not perform the procedure due to his poor condition. They said that if they were able to operate on him, he would have only a 25% chance of survival. However, his skilled surgeon assured us that he would take a risk do everything he could to help my father...and he did just that. During my undergraduate years, I volunteered at the same hospital that saved my father’s life, and I attribute the volunteer experience to my ability to remain calm and level-headed in traumatic, upsetting and intense situations. In particular, I volunteered in the pediatric oncology unit for six months, met dozens of inspiring patients and had the pleasure of reading to them, assisting them with meals, as well as shadowing physician’s during scheduled appointments and post-op visits, and tense conversations with patient’s families.

I remember the first time I won a mathematics competition; people congratulated me and often spoke of my future as being one in academia. While it didn’t seem far-fetched, I, even as a teen, had visualized myself working in a hands-on field and helping people directly, despite my talent for solving complex equations.

I have loved science and math since I was in elementary school and won various awards and scholarships throughout my life, including seven state math competitions in high school, and being awarded the X University Grant (for ‘Mathematic Excellence’) in my third year of undergraduate study. But, ultimately, I knew I wanted to work hands-on, and in the medical field. I first became interested in science when my father began to take me outside to show me plants in our yard and explain their biology to me, as he is an accomplished, passionate Botanist. The knowledge he imparted on me about these plants inspired me to learn more about all kinds of organisms—not just plants— but humans. I was about ten years old when I figured that because I loved biology, anatomy, science and math, a career in medicine was the clear choice for me. And, I was in high school when I realized that working hands-on in surgery was my calling.

This interest in biology led me to pursue a combined degree in Mathematics and Biology at X University, where I began to take more speciality- focused courses to explore all of my areas of interest, like immunology. From there, I went on to medical school at XYZ College of Medicine. During my recent years in medical school I took advanced courses and completed rotations in neurosurgery, orthopedics, sports medicine, general surgery, and emergency medicine—all while working toward earning my MD degree and trying to learn as much as I could, across various fields of medicine. At the end of each day, though, surgery was always at the forefront of my mind. I am an analytic thinker, an accomplished mathematician, a science-minded MD student, with the ability to act quickly and think of several ways to approach a scenario, which I feel is a vital quality for a surgeon to have. Sometimes, the solution to a problem is black-and-white, and other times, the solution can only be found if one thinks ‘outside-the-box’; I have proven, through my academic and professional experiences, that I understand how to do both.

Your personal statement is a vital component of your residency application! It is an opportunity for you to express your interest in a particular field, in this case, surgery, and explain why you are a great fit for residency in your respective field! Remember, ERAS and CaRMS do not include prompts, and this is why it’s important that you review samples of personal statements in order to understand how to write your own and make it as strong as possible to increase your chances of admission.

Surgery is considered to be ‘medium’ or ‘average’ in terms of competitiveness, as it is in demand, a fairly popular choice, and moderately easy to match in. Remember, whether it’s the most competitive residency or the least competitive residency, your application must be stellar in order to match.

In order for any personal statement to stand out, you have to highlight what skills, experiences and accomplishments you’ve had that are relevant to the field of which you’re applying! For surgery, be sure to detail any volunteer, paid, and especially clinical clerkship experiences you’ve had that are related to surgery. You must also outline what steps you’ve taken to familiarize yourself with the field, for example, courses and clerkships, patient/rotation experiences, research, or even personal experiences that enhanced your passion for surgery.

Your CV exists to list and highlight your academic and professional achievements, and your personal statement is a story, so they are quite different. While you can certainly mention any relevant points included on your CV, such as an award or publication, in your surgery personal statement, you should ensure that it ties into the overall story you are trying to tell with your personal statement.

Your personal statement should include a very strong opening sentence/paragraph that captivates the reader (the admissions team!) and brief details that highlight why you’re a perfect fit for surgery, what specific accomplishments and experiences you’ve had that make you a strong candidate, and examples of skills you’ve acquired/experiences that taught you these vital skills.

Generally speaking, aim for 750-800 words, unless otherwise specified by the program! Personal statements are meant to be a brief, personal piece of writing that highlights your relevant skills and experiences that would make you an exceptional surgery resident.

First of all, you don’t have to address these things if you feel you shouldn’t! However, a personal statement can serve as a way for you to clarify any details and share information about what you’ve learned/how you’ve recovered from a bad grade or experience in your program. If you choose to do so, you should describe the scenario briefly and explain what you’ve learned, or, how you’ve changed as a result. Avoid any negative statements and excuses and stick to the facts!

Your personal statement is an independent story! So, we would advise against directly referring to components of your application, and encourage you to focus on creating a brief narrative that highlights the skills, experiences and qualities you possess that make you a great candidate for surgery residency.

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