personal statements

For the most part personal statements won't get you an interview...it MAY help you once you're at the interview and beyond.
I found that a lot of times, my interviewer had not even reviewed my file prior to my interview...you walk in with the file that you're given and you hand them your life story in a folder. Many times they don't have time to read them.

But, some may pay attention to them so you better make sure it's a good personal statement.

My statement was never even a conversation starter! I doubt anyone read it because none of it was ever mentioned.

Getting interviews is a numbers game for the most part...residency coordinator separates the piles based on a cutoff board score...
this varies with different programs.

Hi,

It might have just been me, but my personal statement was brought up at least once at each of my interviews. I believe it was a conversation starter because I had written about my orthopedic experience in another country. Usually good things came from that beginning and they would ask me how orthopedics was practiced there, what types of different cases I had seen, and that they had thought about visiting there before. But like I said, this could just be my isolated experience. It wouldn't hurt to have some sort of "hook" in your statement though that people can talk about . . . i.e. don't make it bland and cookie-cutter.

However, that was just at the interview . . . like everyone else says, its going to be numbers that get you past that first hurdle of being invited to interview.

I got virtually no questions, comments, or cheap shots about my personal statement. I took the advice of a resident at one of my away rotations who said, "make your personal statement as benign as possible." The personal statement is not the time to do the following:
1. lash out in anger at some perceived injustice of society
2. brag about your rampant sexual exploits
3. begin your dabbling in poetry
or..
4. make yourself look like an absolute tool

Keep it simple.,
:pimp:

I was told by one of the Ortho guys at my school that personal statements are "fodder for the interview". I think it is important to have a solid one, but by no means should you delay putting in your apps because you are trying to buff it up. My PS was brought up only once in the 16 interviews I had - as long as you have other stuff to talk about (i.e. your letter writers, your research, etc.) your PS will remain unread.

Only time my PS was mentioned was at my home program by one of the chiefs. He brought it up just to get a laugh. Just like everything else, your PS is a tool you can take advantage of. By itself it should not make or break your chances.

Don't break your neck trying to write something profound. It took me about a week to write my PS. I submitted it to our Ortho advisor at home, he sharpened it up a little and that's what i went with. In general, no one ever really commented on my statement on the 12 interviews that I went on. Unlike the med skool ps, you don't want to try too hard to have a hook. I mean, you don't want to come off as a weirdo or oddball. As a safe bet, talk about things that got you interested in Ortho or some obstacles that you have overcome in life. No one really cares if you can write hieroglyphics with your non-dominant big toe. A personal statement WILL NOT make you, but it could potentially break you if it's really off the wall or the grammer and spelling is p@#$ poor or something.

I thought I would bring this topic back up since most of us current applicants are beginning to at least think about writing our PS and to see if any additional comments could be added. Thus far, it seems pretty complete!

I was pretty much finished with my personal statement by this time last year. Don't hurt yourself trying to put it together. I did mine so early because one of the attendings here offered to read it and critique it. Plus I wanted it done and out the way before i went on my away rotations. So I do recommend that you have one of the attendings (IN ORTHO), or at least one of the residents read it and give you feed back on it. it really helped me.