Essay

The personal essay follows the same format as is required for the AMCAS/AACOMAS or AADSAS application. 

• AMCAS: 5300 characters with spaces, which is approximately one page.
• AACOMAS: 5300 characters with spaces
• AADSAS: 4500 characters with spaces

For many applicants, the personal essay is the most difficult part of the application. This may be challenging for you to articulate at first, and you should avoid the obvious cliche “I want to help people.” Your message can be conveyed through your personal story, which is rooted in your real experiences and reflections on those experiences. But you also need to be careful of getting carried away by storytelling and overly dramatic and emotionally overwrought text. Keep your writing professional and succinct. Start early, give yourself plenty of time for some self-exploration, write often, and share your essay with your peers and/or advisors.

How to prepare over your four years:

• Throughout college, keep a record and deeply reflect on memorable interactions with patients, mentees, research, leadership, and volunteering experiences. You will use some of these stories later in your essay(s).
• Reflect on the impact your family, friends, and early life experiences had on your desire to pursue a career in the health profession.
• Attend and/or review the workshop Powerpoint on the personal statement.
• Receive feedback on your essay from the Pre-Health Advising office in the spring before the application cycle opens. Please note that all requests to review personal statements must be submitted by March 15th. We cannot guarantee your essay will be reviewed if you submit it after March 15.
• Ask for feedback from peers, mentors, family, and the Writing Center.