Common Mistakes in Medical Personal Statements and How To Avoid These Pitfalls

To get into Harvard medical school, you must focus on medical entrance exam preparation. Writing your personal statement for the medical university entrance exam can be the difference between an interview offer and a rejection. As such, it’s crucial to avoid common errors that many students will make. Here, we will focus on common mistakes across each of the different sections of the personal statement in the medical university entrance exam.

Medicine Personal Statement Introduction: Common Errors

Typical errors made here include: 

– Lack of clarity or being overly verbose. A good introduction should be concise. It should not waste words – it should set the scene for the rest of the statement through clear evidence. As such, set out your value proposition and unique characteristics as efficiently as possible. 

– Poor grammar or spelling. There is no excuse for errors in the first section of the personal statement. Any flaws here will likely bias the admissions tutor reading the statement and could lead them to effectively consign your work to the ‘rejection’ pile before they have read the entire piece.

– Over-utilisation of personal anecdotes. The introduction is your chance to set yourself apart as an exceptional student and candidate – not a chance to tell a personal childhood story that, in reality, doesn’t show how you are exceptional today. 

– Not using a formal tone. The personal statement is formal work; you should avoid being too conversational or informal in your writing. 

– Being Too General. Your introduction should give the reader a sense of who you are and what makes you unique. However, many applicants make the mistake of being too general and using clichéd language. Instead of saying, “I have always wanted to be a doctor because I want to help people,” try to be more specific about your motivations and experiences.

– Focusing on the negatives. Some applicants make the mistake of starting their personal statement by focusing on the negative aspects of their application, such as low grades or test scores. While addressing any weaknesses in your application is essential, it is better to do so positively and constructively later in your essay. Starting with a negative tone can turn off the reader and make it harder for them to see your strengths.

– Telling Instead of Showing. Many applicants make the mistake of using their introduction to tell the reader what they plan to talk about in their essays. For example, saying, “In this essay, I will discuss my passion for medicine and my qualifications for medical school”, is not as effective as showing the reader your passion and qualifications through a compelling experience.

Medicine Personal Statement Work Experience: Common Errors

The work experience section is your chance to show that you have thoroughly researched the career. Common errors include: 

You do not include enough detail. One of the biggest mistakes applicants make in the work experience section is not providing enough details about their experiences. Simply listing the organisation’s name or who you shadowed is not enough. You should provide specific examples of what you saw and reflections on the experiences. 

Not linking experiences to Medicine – for volunteering experiences or even other work roles, you must highlight skills such as empathy, problem-solving, and leadership that are important for success in the medical field. 

Students will often also fail to highlight the diversity of their experiences – remember that medical schools are looking for applicants with diverse experiences and perspectives. If your work experience section only includes experiences in one field or setting, you may not be showcasing your full potential. Make sure to highlight any experiences demonstrating your ability to adapt to new environments and work with diverse people.

Students may only focus on the positives – remember that Medicine is complex, and therefore show an awareness of how challenging the practice of Medicine is – this should be demonstrated through what you saw during your shadowing. 

Medicine Personal Statement Research: Common Errors

The most common errors made in the research section of the personal statement include focusing too much on unexceptional research or not providing reflections on specific further research. Remember that further research will set you apart – and ideally, this should be something that has been published, which you can reflect on and use to show your true passion for research. 

Medicine Personal Statement Extracurricular Activities: Common Errors

The first mistake many students make is simply listing too many activities. While showcasing a range of activities is essential, listing too many can come across as unfocused and, thus, a little scattered or inefficient. Admissions committees are looking for applicants passionate about a few specific activities and have demonstrated a significant commitment to them. Instead of listing every activity you have ever participated in, focus on the most important to you and have had the most significant impact on your personal growth. Ensure that you evidence your achievement in each.

The next mistake many students make is not demonstrating leadership or teamwork through their extracurriculars – remember that admissions committees are looking for applicants who have taken on leadership roles and shown initiative in their extracurricular activities. If you have only participated in activities without taking on any leadership roles or initiating new projects, it may be challenging to demonstrate your potential as a future physician. Make sure to highlight any instances where you have taken the lead in organising events or projects – but balance this with an apparent ability to work as part of a team. 

Lastly, students might either not connect their experience to Medicine or not show any diversity of experience. While showcasing a range of activities is essential, it is even more important to show how those activities have prepared you for a career in Medicine. You should highlight any activities that demonstrate skills such as empathy, problem-solving, and leadership that are important for success in the medical field. You must also avoid only highlighting one type of activity – e.g. only highlighting chess or only highlighting debating could paint you as something of an intellectual who perhaps doesn’t engage too well in traditional team sports. 

Medicine Personal Statement Conclusion: Common Errors

A good personal statement should be brief and leave a lasting impression on the reader. Therefore, you should: 

– Avoid repeating information. One of the biggest mistakes applicants make in conclusion is repeating information already stated in the personal statement. The conclusion should tie together the personal statement’s main points and leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee. It is not an opportunity to restate information that has already been provided.

– Being generic. The conclusion should be specific and memorable. It should demonstrate your passion and commitment to the medical field by highlighting your core, unique or individual elements and attributes that demonstrate that you are fit for medical school – and Medicine in general.