Pre-Health Personal Statement Guide
The personal statement is a way for pre-health students to tell their story. Applicants may expand on their, ‘distance traveled”, or in other words, real-life experiences or challenges that influenced a student to pursue healthcare. It is an opportunity for students to provide personal insights beyond their metrics.
The UF Career Connections Center is here to support you on this journey!
The Three Pillars of Pre-Health Personal Statements
We can look at writing the personal statement as a “Journey, Purpose, and Impact” statement! Focus on these three pillars:
What was your journey to the profession? This can include:
- Personal and professional experiences
- Reflective stories with a professional tone
- Who you are as a person and/or professional
- Accomplishments
What is your why? Your why can be influenced by:
- Purpose for your life and career goals. Think beyond more than just wanting to help people!
- Challenges you have encountered or overcome
What impact do you want to have on others? What legacy do you want to leave on healthcare?
- This is an opportunity to differentiate yourself from other applicants
Things to Keep In Mind As You Write Your Personal Statement
- Follow a theme or a thesis statement. Establish it early – ideally in the first paragraph!
- Connect your personal story to your goals and fit for the profession
- Use an active, authentic voice
- Write in first-person
- Including drama and trauma!
- Personal and family illness and injury is not off limits, but it needs to be intentionally worded on how it influenced your “why”.
- Expanding on your resume
- It is important to highlight key experiences that shaped your journey, but this is not the place to list all of your experiences out.
- Being negative towards the profession
- Example: ““Dentists nowadays lack empathy, and I want to be the person to change it”
- Make this a creative writing experience
- Boast or embellishing
Final Recommendations
- Have several people read the essay
- Is it your own voice? Grammar and spelling errors?
- Do not try to impress with vocabulary
- Write about something you are passionate about
- Refrain from emphasizing accomplishments
- Help the readers understand you as a person
- Reader should always walk away with a sense of why the student will be good in this profession
Prompts
Visit the corresponding centralized application services website for the professional school you are applying to (AMCAS, AADSAS, etc.) or view the applicant guide. Prompts tend to change frequently on the cycle, so ensure you are finding the most up to date information.