Welcome!
If you're getting ready to apply to health professional schools like medical schools, pharmacy schools, dentistry schools, or physician assistant programs, you've probably started thinking about your personal statement.
This online guide breaks down personal statement writing into five stages, and was designed to walk you through the process step-by-step. Use the arrows at the bottom of each page to navigate from one stage to the next. You can also access each section from the menu on the left-hand side of this landing page.
What is the Personal Statement?
The personal statement is a critical component of your application. This essay conveys your motivation and how you have discovered your fit for the profession. In addition, it offers a vision of the type of impact on patients, a community, or a profession. Overall, an effective personal statement will show the admissions committee why you want to pursue your health profession.
Before You Begin
You will need to do some research on your health professional program and its application process before you start writing:
- Does your program utilize a Centralized Application Service?
- What is the personal statement prompt for the health profession you are pursuing?
- What is the length restriction for your personal statement? (typically listed as
a character/word count limit) - What is the application timeline? (we recommend having your personal statement finished by the time the application cycle opens)
Additional Support
Proceed to: Anatomy of a Personal Statement