The Role of Patient Anecdotes in the Personal Statement

by Michelle A. Finkel MD, Insider Medical Admissions


Here's another good one by guest-blogger David Presser, MD, MPH:

The temptation is great to include patient anecdotes in the personal statement. When written well, these stories can capture a sense of common human experience that transcends economic and cultural barriers and demonstrates the empathy of the author-applicant and her sincere motives for pursuing a medical career. This can only help the applicant, right? The answer (as with most situations in life) is: it depends.

The vast majority of applicants have anecdotes to share. Writing too extensively about moving patient experiences can be an opportunity cost. You are given a page to make the case for your entry into a medical training program. Does the anecdote distinguish you in some way from the masses? For example, a story that highlights your specific language abilities as an interpreter at a free clinic may be a wiser use of space than a story simply showing your general devotion to the needy. Does the vignette highlight specific strengths in your application? The experience working with Mother Theresa is more powerful when it transitions naturally into the public health degree you pursued and the parasitology research you published.

The key to judicious use of patient anecdotes in the personal statement is that they must be very concise (every excess sentence is a missed opportunity to make the case for why you are a good candidate), distinguish you from others, and concretely illustrate your attributes. If your patient anecdotes do not make the case that you are a uniquely talented applicant whom programs don't want to pass up, they may better serve you as fodder for your future novel than components of your personal statement.