4 Easy Steps:
Outline Episodes, Freewrite, Edit, and Peer Edits

Hello friends! In this video, I talk about the medical school personal statement, including the AMCAS primary prompt, the thesis and structure of the personal statement, and also a recommended approach that you can follow when you begin writing. The AMCAS prompt is vague, but I believe your essay should show 1) your characteristics that would make you a good future physician and 2) your knowledge of the realities of being a physician and your dedication to a career in medicine. If you're applying MD/PhD, treat this essay as a way to address the MD admissions committee--so talk about your desire to be a clinician. You will have plenty of space to describe your love for science and your research projects in the additional MD/PhD essays in your AMCAS primary.

The personal statement should consist of 3-4 episodes. An episode is an anecdote from an undergrad experience of yours. For example, an episode in your personal statement might be a specific patient encounter you had while volunteering at a hospital. The key here is to be as concrete as possible in your writing. Your introduction is just another episode, except with an additional function of catching the reader's attention. The conclusion essentially summarizes your 3-4 episodes and can talk more abstractly and explicitly.

You should approach the personal statement by 1) outlining the 3-4 episodes, 2) freewriting, 3) editing and cutting down your essay to fit the 5300 character word limit, and 4) sharing with others for peer editing.

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🩺🔬 ABOUT ME:
My name is Royce, and I'm a first year MD/PhD medical student at the University of Pennsylvania (PhD in Bioengineering). I make videos about medicine, productivity, and lifestyle.

🎬 OTHER VIDEOS:
Reading My Accepted Personal Statement -    • Reading My (ACCEPTED) Medical School ...  
AMCAS Med School Application Timeline -    • AMCAS Med School Application Timeline...  

💌 BUSINESS INQUIRIES:
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⏰ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00​​ Introduction
0:31​​ AMCAS prompt and how to respond
1:37​​ Personal statement structure
3:19 4-step approach
4:51 Common misconceptions

🎵 MUSIC:
Music by Grace Chiang - sunbathing in the dark - https://thmatc.co/?l=4D7B021B