personal statement for surgical fellowship

Surgery Residency Personal Statement Examples

To learn how to write a great surgery personal statement in 2024 start by reviewingsurgery personal statement examples. Along with taking time to review possible surgery residency interview questions that may come your way, and practicing your answers, you should learn what makes a strong personal statement and write one that reflects your suitability for this specialty. A great personal statement will increase your chance of being offered an interview, and being considered for residency.

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Article Contents 11 min read

Surgery is a moderately competitive field, and is a common specialty choice for many future MDs. Throughout a surgery residency, you will learn to master the basics of patient interaction and care, tend to patients’ needs (especially when the attending physician isn’t on duty), and most importantly, learn all of the essentials about general surgery and hone a wide set of skills that will ultimately lead you down a path to becoming a skilled and talented surgeon yourself.

Whether you’re Canadian and applying through CaRMS , or American/International and using ERAS , your personal statement is a very important portion of your surgery residency application. Your personal statement should highlight several aspects of your experiences, including your personal ties to the field, academic career, goals, values, and professional experience in this speciality that, when all considered in combination, will ultimately make you stand out in the field.

While your personal statement is a personal piece of writing, it must still adhere to any word limits (normally this is 750-800 words) and should maintain a concise and organized structure.

Consider including the following details in your surgery personal statement:

Optional: a brief explanation of any gaps or unfavorable grades "}]">

No matter what field you’re applying for residency, your residency personal statement must only be a few concise paragraphs that clearly communicate why you are interested in pursuing a particular residency/field.

Here are some things that your surgery personal statement should not include:

Any negative remarks. This is especially crucial if you do choose to address gaps in your timeline or poor grades. Always utilize the opportunity to address how you made improvements and grew from negative experiences instead! "}]">

Example One

Looking down at my little sister’s wound on her head after she’d plummeted from the top of the slide was the first time I knew I had to act fast in order to tend to her injury, as well as her emotional well-being. When somebody would fall and become injured, most children would freeze or watch the situation unfold from afar…but not me. I would often be found consoling injured classmates on the playground. I’d utter words of inspiration and keep their spirits high—not because anybody taught me to—but because I reacted calmly to humans in distress. I’d watch curiously as their wounds were bandaged, but that action quickly morphed into me having the urge to be the one to dress the wound and offer insight and opinions about the injury. Of course, many people don’t take the word of a 10-year-old seriously, but it never discouraged me. Rather, it fueled my desire to be in a position where I would be taken seriously when I tried to help.

Through my surgical clerkship in year 3 of my MD program, I was able to make the confident decision that surgery was the field I was meant to train in, and I feel I’ll make an outstanding surgeon.

Throughout my various rotations, clerkships and volunteer opportunities over the past five years, I’ve met many patients whose lives had been altered and improved—and many saved—by their surgeons. I learned that while some surgeries are certainly more ‘general’, others are lifesaving, and all require quick thinking and organized action. Accident victims, victims of a ruptured appendix or inflamed gallbladder, and those suffering from a fracture (and more)! Every time I interacted with them, or heard of their case, patients of all ages inspired me in their own unique ways to continue to learn how to best correct and fix such problems through surgery. In my general surgery clerkship, I was often asked to address pre-op questions that patients had, comfort them and put their mind at ease before wheeling them into the OR, and report to the patient in recovery with the attending physician. During surgery, I would observe and have the opportunity to ask questions afterward about specific tools and approaches used in the OR to better understand what was being done, and why. Through this experience, I gained a broad knowledge of general surgery terminology an practices, and grew to understand the importance of communication between patients, doctors, nurses, residents, and even shadowing students, collaboration, and focus during the entire surgical process.

In the tenth grade, my class entered the Body Words exhibition at X City Science Centre. Most of my classmates joked uncomfortably and cringed throughout the exhibit, but I remember being utterly captivated and intrigued—I wanted to know more. That was the first time I remember being stunned by the intricacy of the human body and the world that exists within the CNS and every bone, muscle and vein within us all. From the tenth grade onward, I knew I wanted to study medicine, but I now wholeheartedly believe that the surgical field is where my skills and interests lie, and where I can best utilize my passion. I have been continually fascinated by the human body and have been a strong observer of its functions and dysfunctions throughout my past four years in medical school, as well as throughout my undergraduate and adolescent years. I am eager to learn as much as I can about how the body works, how it fails, and how surgical interventions can help people achieve optimal function and health.

I also believe that surgical residency is where I can best utilize my communication skills and interpersonal abilities, whether communicating with colleagues or patients. During my clerkships, in general surgery, emergency medicine, and my rotations and volunteer experience in pediatrics, I learned to communicate thoroughly, calmly, and clearly with various patients, even in tough situations in the ER trauma unit; my ability to remain collected and communicative is innate, and I feel this would be an asset as a future surgeon. I have always felt a strong sense of empathy for others, which has helped me connect with patients and their families. I also believe that my years as an athlete and team captain have given me incredible discipline, leadership skills, and a competitive edge in the operating room, where every second counts and no one wants to lose. Just like on the hockey rink during AAA finals, everybody has a job to do, and communication and teamwork is key, especially when quick decisions must be made.

I have a personal connection to surgery, and this experience further drove my passion to become an expert in the field and pursue medicine. My father had a heart attack when he was 41 years old. The doctors told him that he needed open-heart surgery, but they could not perform the procedure due to his poor condition. They said that if they were able to operate on him, he would have only a 25% chance of survival. However, his skilled surgeon assured us that he would take a risk do everything he could to help my father...and he did just that. During my undergraduate years, I volunteered at the same hospital that saved my father’s life, and I attribute the volunteer experience to my ability to remain calm and level-headed in traumatic, upsetting and intense situations. In particular, I volunteered in the pediatric oncology unit for six months, met dozens of inspiring patients and had the pleasure of reading to them, assisting them with meals, as well as shadowing physician’s during scheduled appointments and post-op visits, and tense conversations with patient’s families.

I remember the first time I won a mathematics competition; people congratulated me and often spoke of my future as being one in academia. While it didn’t seem far-fetched, I, even as a teen, had visualized myself working in a hands-on field and helping people directly, despite my talent for solving complex equations.

I have loved science and math since I was in elementary school and won various awards and scholarships throughout my life, including seven state math competitions in high school, and being awarded the X University Grant (for ‘Mathematic Excellence’) in my third year of undergraduate study. But, ultimately, I knew I wanted to work hands-on, and in the medical field. I first became interested in science when my father began to take me outside to show me plants in our yard and explain their biology to me, as he is an accomplished, passionate Botanist. The knowledge he imparted on me about these plants inspired me to learn more about all kinds of organisms—not just plants— but humans. I was about ten years old when I figured that because I loved biology, anatomy, science and math, a career in medicine was the clear choice for me. And, I was in high school when I realized that working hands-on in surgery was my calling.

This interest in biology led me to pursue a combined degree in Mathematics and Biology at X University, where I began to take more speciality- focused courses to explore all of my areas of interest, like immunology. From there, I went on to medical school at XYZ College of Medicine. During my recent years in medical school I took advanced courses and completed rotations in neurosurgery, orthopedics, sports medicine, general surgery, and emergency medicine—all while working toward earning my MD degree and trying to learn as much as I could, across various fields of medicine. At the end of each day, though, surgery was always at the forefront of my mind. I am an analytic thinker, an accomplished mathematician, a science-minded MD student, with the ability to act quickly and think of several ways to approach a scenario, which I feel is a vital quality for a surgeon to have. Sometimes, the solution to a problem is black-and-white, and other times, the solution can only be found if one thinks ‘outside-the-box’; I have proven, through my academic and professional experiences, that I understand how to do both.

Your personal statement is a vital component of your residency application! It is an opportunity for you to express your interest in a particular field, in this case, surgery, and explain why you are a great fit for residency in your respective field! Remember, ERAS and CaRMS do not include prompts, and this is why it’s important that you review samples of personal statements in order to understand how to write your own and make it as strong as possible to increase your chances of admission.

Surgery is considered to be ‘medium’ or ‘average’ in terms of competitiveness, as it is in demand, a fairly popular choice, and moderately easy to match in. Remember, whether it’s the most competitive residency or the least competitive residency, your application must be stellar in order to match.

In order for any personal statement to stand out, you have to highlight what skills, experiences and accomplishments you’ve had that are relevant to the field of which you’re applying! For surgery, be sure to detail any volunteer, paid, and especially clinical clerkship experiences you’ve had that are related to surgery. You must also outline what steps you’ve taken to familiarize yourself with the field, for example, courses and clerkships, patient/rotation experiences, research, or even personal experiences that enhanced your passion for surgery.

Your CV exists to list and highlight your academic and professional achievements, and your personal statement is a story, so they are quite different. While you can certainly mention any relevant points included on your CV, such as an award or publication, in your surgery personal statement, you should ensure that it ties into the overall story you are trying to tell with your personal statement.

Your personal statement should include a very strong opening sentence/paragraph that captivates the reader (the admissions team!) and brief details that highlight why you’re a perfect fit for surgery, what specific accomplishments and experiences you’ve had that make you a strong candidate, and examples of skills you’ve acquired/experiences that taught you these vital skills.

Generally speaking, aim for 750-800 words, unless otherwise specified by the program! Personal statements are meant to be a brief, personal piece of writing that highlights your relevant skills and experiences that would make you an exceptional surgery resident.

First of all, you don’t have to address these things if you feel you shouldn’t! However, a personal statement can serve as a way for you to clarify any details and share information about what you’ve learned/how you’ve recovered from a bad grade or experience in your program. If you choose to do so, you should describe the scenario briefly and explain what you’ve learned, or, how you’ve changed as a result. Avoid any negative statements and excuses and stick to the facts!

Your personal statement is an independent story! So, we would advise against directly referring to components of your application, and encourage you to focus on creating a brief narrative that highlights the skills, experiences and qualities you possess that make you a great candidate for surgery residency.

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Personal Statement Don'ts and Do's

Hi everyone:

Every year, I read hundreds of personal statements, mostly for residency, but my labor of love is to review the statements you write for fellowship applications. Residency personal statements are straightforward: we don’t expect applicants to have sophisticated career plans; we just want to know a student has a spark, can write well, and would fit into our community. In contrast, fellowship directors want mature applicants with a more advanced career trajectory.

For those of you getting ready to write your personal statements (and those who plan to write one someday), here are some don'ts and do's:

1.Don't dwell too long on why you chose your specialty: Beyond a sentence or two explaining why you chose your field, don't waste space extoling your specialty. All nephrology applicants love the kidney and you obviously love your organ too or you wouldn’t be applying. If you really have a special story—for example, your uncle had cancer and that motivated you to spend two years studying cancer genetics—then tell that story. But if your personal epiphany isn't unique, move on.

2.Don't trash other specialties: You don’t accomplish anything by saying other specialties bore you. Do you really think rheumatology is the only specialty that requires clinical reasoning? What if the cardiology chief’s wife is a gastroenterologist?

3.Don't exceed one page: No matter how fascinating you think you are, no one wants to read a long statement. Program directors have to examine hundreds of statements, often in long, exhausting sessions. Get to the point.

4.Don't pretend you're someone you're not: Be realistic about your trajectory. If you haven't done much research, don't claim you can't wait to return to the lab. And don't try to please everyone- almost no one has a career with one third clinical work, one third teaching, and one third research. Focus.

5.Don't make spelling and grammar errors: Pay attention to details. Read your statement out loud to find mistakes.

Take your time, make yourself shine, craft a masterpiece.

1.Do show how you plan to contribute: Fellowship Directors don't care what their program will do for you; they want to know what you will do for their program. And they really don’t want to hear about how you can’t wait to begin a new chapter or start your journey.

2.Do show sophistication: What are the big opportunities and new directions in your field? How will you contribute?

3.Do show where your career is headed: What do you expect to do after fellowship? How will you spend your time? If you can be specific—“I want to do cardiac transplant”—then be specific. If you don’t know, that's fine, but show you’re thinking ahead because fellowship directors need to know if they can give you the skills you need. And remember, not all fellowships offer the same training; if you want to do interventional pulmonology, you’re not going to excite programs that don't offer that.

4.Do be exciting: Use active voice. Don’t say “Directing a MICU would be a rewarding career pathway.” What a snore! Say “I hope to direct a MICU one day." And think big- fellowship directors like applicants with ambition.

5.Do show your draft to others: Show it to friends and family. I want to read all your personal statements, often if necessary, to make sure they're great.

So remember your personal statement is your last opportunity to boost your candidacy. Once you’ve applied, your clinical performance, board scores, research accomplishments, and extracurricular contributions are pretty much set. A fantastic personal statement will elevate you from a crowd of talented applicants. Take your time, make yourself shine, craft a masterpiece.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone. I'm on my way to the MICU,

Featured in this article

• Mark David Siegel, MD Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary); Program Director, Internal Medicine Traditional Residency Program

General Surgery Residency Personal Statement #1

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“Strangulated? Are you sure?” The surgeon’s voice rang at the other end of the line. Through the four year-old’s kicks, tears and screams, I had found a right red inguinal mass. A prompt reduction was essential. “How sure are you?” he repeatedFully aware of the weight of my answer, I heard myself say “Very” in a clear, confident voice. Later in the OR, I marveled as we methodically dissected each inflamed layer of tissue. At the first glimpse of the strangulated hernia, exhilaration and a sense of achievement filled me. There it was, the proof that I had made my very first correct surgical decision. That night was life-altering. I realized how much I thrive in cases that put me to the test, challenge my clinical opinion and require unconditional courage and responsibility on behalf of my patients. [ad#bannermain]

My first encounter with surgery occurred years ago while completing a research project on Langerhans Islets encapsulation, I proceeded to my very first pancreatectomy on an unusual patient: a dead mouse. Although performing over forty “operations” that summer, the task was fascinating as each cut, each suture provided an opportunity to improve my newly acquired operative skills. I soon realized that I could incorporate science, dexterity and my love of arts and crafts in a successful career in surgery.

With every surgical rotation, my commitment to this specialty only strengthened. Each procedure I participated in, from a simple cyst extraction to hepatic transplant, had an instant positive impact on the patient’s well-being. The variety of pathologies encountered constantly called on my analytical skills in forming an accurate diagnosis as one can never know what hides behind an abdominal pain consult. Critically ill and prone to complications, patients offered a perpetual challenge in preventing, detecting and managing complications. Above all, being in the OR provided me with a perpetual sense of exhilaration, responsibility and satisfaction. I became fully aware that my every move has an impact on the patient’s well-being. This became evident during my elective in Trauma at the MGH. Being part of a cohesive, tenacious and result-oriented team enabled me to see how crucial everyone’s role is in fast-paced, critical and unpredictable situations.

Surgery is one of the most rapidly evolving fields in medicine and my goal is to be part of such a dynamic evolution through clinical research. The rigors of fundamental research I encountered while completing projects on Langerhans encapsulation helped me develop critical thinking and the ability to tackle multidimensional concepts. With perseverance and hard-work I successfully completed the projects and made my own modest contribution to science. A surgical career will nurture my scientific curiosity and I look forward to have an impact not only on my patients but on those all around. [ad#main-300×250] The surgeons I worked with have been role models in showing me the kind of doctor I strive to become. I look forward to the privileged contact with patients only this specialty can provide as surgeons exert a complete role in their complex treatment. It will allow me to put to great use my communication skills and my cultural diversity in providing clearer understanding of their conditions and procedures to my patients. Being an active volunteer in the Romanian community and a dedicated representative of my class have helped hone my leadership and resourcefulness, central assets of a great resident in surgery.

My ideal residency program is one that will train me to become the best surgeon I can possibly be, developing my full potential while greatly contributing to my community. I plan on a career as a general surgeon but an academic career in Oncological or Hepatobiliary Surgery are areas I would enjoy exploring as a fellow. My goals are to excel as a student, a researcher, a team member and a teacher, devoting myself to inspire students and patients just as I was. I bring to the field my passion, optimism and thirst of knowledge. It is my conviction I will succeed in such a challenging, demanding but rewarding specialty.

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Choosing a Residency

The residency selection process.

This section provides information about selecting, interviewing, and writing personal statements for residency positions.

Choosing a residency program, writing personal statements for residency program applications, and interviewing for residency positions will take up much of the third and fourth years of medical school. This section provides information about selecting, interviewing, and writing personal statements for residency positions, and gives links to information about the application and match processes.

How to select a residency program by Tom Gadacz, MD, FACS

How to interview for a residency position by L.D. Britt, MD, FACS

Preparing Your Personal Statement

In addition, preparing an effective personal statement is a vital part of the process of getting into the residency program that is best for you. Following are tips that you should keep in mind when considering the direction of your personal statement.

Medical students worry, sweat, and fret over their personal statements. What should I say? Where should I start? You should first consider your audience. The first challenge of the personal statement is that the audience who is reading your personal statement is varied. Some program directors and others who review candidate files read the personal statement word for word. Others totally ignore it. Some essential points to remember:

• Spelling errors are a big glaring error. Especially these days in light of electronic spell-check options. Most spelling errors are immediately visible to even the most superficial reviewer. A spelling error indicates a lack of compulsivity on your part, and most readers consider these oversights to be inexcusable.
• Grammatical errors are almost as big a problem as spelling errors, although they are not usually detectable by a superficial look. Please, ask someone else with a strong editorial eye to read your statement before you submit it.
• Tomes are not acceptable. Remember your audience: busy surgeons. We do not have the time nor the patience to read two to three pages of your life story. Keep it short.
• Humor is good. We don't want a stand-up comedy act, but a subtle use of humor (once) can provide a welcome relief to the tedium.
• Be original. A "your dog had surgery when you were four" is an old story and one tale that many directors probably are not interested in reading about again.

Your advisor can be a big help in contributing suggestions for your personal statement, as can best friends. Mothers, in general, although a great resource for many things, are not the best contributors when seeking suggestions for your personal statement.

Finding and Applying to Residency Programs

Using these links, you can access Web sites providing information about the match program, finding residency positions, and applying for those positions.

• National Resident Matching Program (NRMP/ AAMC)
• Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access FREIDA (AMA)
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
• Electronic Residency Application

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The personal statement is one of the most important parts of many fellowship applications. These awards are competetive, so a strong personal statement will help you stand out. It is also a peculiar kind of essay. It involves a narrative style of writing that some people aren't used to. Others find it awkward to talk about themselves in such an open and forward way. The following resources can give you the know-how and confidence to produce an authentic and compelling personal statement.

A personal statement is an intellectual autobiography that illustrates the experiences, interests, and ambitions that define who you are. It introduces the formative experiences that shaped your intellectual and professional development. Think about key moments in your life that influenced your direction, led you to this point, and set you on your future path. This can include personal history, family background, intellectual influences, opportunities (educational, professional, and cultural) or lack of them, and the ways in which these experiences have affected you and your personal growth. 

The personal statement should also be persuasive , making a compelling case for yourself as the ideal candidate for the particular fellowship. Always keep the specific award you are applying to in mind and make sure to tailor your statement accordingly. Are they looking for particular qualities or criteria? How do you meet (or surpass) these expectations? How will this fellowship impact your future goals?

The key to a successful personal statement is telling an authentic narrative that convinces the selection committee that you are what they are looking for. 

Consider the Context

Many fellowship applications include a number of application components. You will need to consider how the personal statement fits within the larger application package. If there are additional written essays you are asked to submit, think about how the content in the personal statement will complement, rather than replicate, these materials. What you include in your personal statement will depend on what is covered elsewhere.

Some awards include a specific prompt or ask a set of guiding questions. Make sure your personal statement is tailored accordingly.

Be aware of the distinction between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. These two essays are similar, but statements of purpose focus more on your academic plans and goals. In a statement of purpose, you would discuss research experiences and interests, which faculty members you hope to work with in the future, and/or possible topics for a thesis or dissertation.

Show, Don't Tell

Stories are a critical element of a good personal statement. They bring the narrative to life and help the reader see the real you.

Include anecdotes and examples that show evidence of your qualities, interests, and experiences. For instance, rather than just saying, "I am a leader," recount a time when you exhibited leadership in a real-world context. When discussing your interest in an issue or field of study, describe an experience or two that led to key insights or new perspectives.

Do's and Don'ts

• Research the fellowship and/or program you are applying to.
• Write a coherent, well-structured essay. Frame it with a unifying metaphor or analogy. Start with an interesting lead--a story, anecdote, or description of a scene--and end it with a conclusion that refers back to the lead or completes the metaphor. 
• Be concise and to the point. Sometimes a short sentence is more effective than a long one.
• Revise the personal statement multiple times with the help of your advisors, mentors, friends, and the University Writing Center . Of course, the Office of Fellowships and Awards should also be one of your first stops if your personal statement is for a competitive fellowship.
• Read it out loud to yourself. If it doesn't sound like your natural voice, make some edits.
• Adhere to the expected page layout, format, and length. Unless otherwise indicated, default to Times New Roman font, 12-pt., 1-inch margins. Page limits vary. When in doubt, consult your fellowship advisors.
• Thoroughly proofread your personal statement. The easiest way to sink a fellowship application is to send a personal statement with spelling and grammatical errors.
• Don't list everything on your resume. 
• Avoid phrases like "I've always wanted to be," "The world we live in today," "My biggest passion," and other clichés. 
• Don't try to be funny. You might get the joke, but the selection committee might not.
• Don't sell yourself short. Avoid negative qualifiers such as, "Although I've only taken two years of French," or "Despite not having as many leadership opportunities as I would like." If you frame your experiences negatively, so will the selection committee.
• Avoid overly flowery prose and discipline-specific jargon. Keep it simple.

1. As you start to formulate your personal statement, answer these guiding questions : 

• Who are you? What defines you?
• What are the character traits that help to qualify you?
• Why did you choose your major or field of study? How have you nurtured and developed this interest?
• Who or what motivates you? Who or what do you care about?
• What is unique or different about you?
• What are your future goals?
• What have you accomplished that you are proud of?
• What do you hope to accomplish through this fellowship? What knowledge or skills do you hope to acquire?

2. Write down some stories :

• What are some key life moments that changed your perspective or led you in a certain direction?
• What experiences convey something interesting or unusual about you?
• Who has influenced you and how?
• When have you experienced disappointment and how did you handle it?
• When have you experienced success and what did you learn from it?

3. Once you've answered these questions and drafted some stories, make an appointment with a fellowships advisor to discuss how to craft an excellent personal statement!

• Personal Statements, JMU Writing Center
• Writing the Personal Statement, Purdue University
• Five Strategies for Writing More Clearly, City University of New York
• Clichés, UNC Chapel Hill
• Writing a Winning Personal Statement for Grad School, gograd.org

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Orthopedic Surgery Residency Personal Statement Examples

The Medfools Orthopedic Surgery Sample Residency Personal Statement Library is now open!

These example Orthopedic Surgery residency personal statement samples are here for your viewing pleasure (fully anonymous). We’re hoping to add more in the future, including Pre-Med personal statements. If you’ve got one to add to the free library, don’t forget to  contribute yours .

ORTHOPEDICS RESIDENCY PERSONAL STATEMENT

“I did it! I did it!” she exclaimed as she ran across the exam room. After years of being told that she would only be able to walk with crutches if she wasn’t confined to a wheelchair, a 10-year old patient with cerebral palsy ran for the first time in her life. I met her one of my first days in Pediatric Orthopaedic clinic. Less than two months after surgery, this 10-year old girl was given an entirely new life. She looked up at me with a huge smile on her face. Orthopaedics was the specialty I had been looking for. 

The first two years of medical school introduced me to countless specialties that I could imagine myself entering into. I had a taste of several specialties through volunteering, work, and research, but I needed more “hands on” experience. During this time, I began working nights and weekends for State Organ/Tissue Procurement as a tissue procurement technician. We would remove from tissue donors everything from long bones, ribs and the iliac crest to lower limb veins, tendons, and even the heart en bloc for valves. It was the perfect job for a medical student. I was able to learn sterile technique, use of surgical instruments, and gain actual surgical experience without the fear of inflicting further injury to the patient. I loved the fast pace and feel of surgery. Then, during my first 3rd year rotation, I tore my ACL playing football and underwent autograft replacement one week before starting my surgical rotation. Standing on a swollen leg all day and icing it all night proved taxing and made me question my love for the OR. I enjoyed clinic during most of my rotations, but it also proved taxing without the variety of procedures. 

My first day of 4th year in Pediatric Orthopaedics, I felt this was what I had been looking for. First of all, I could empathize with many of the patients in clinic having broken multiple bones myself: everything from a both bone forearm fracture skiing, to my nose in basketball practice, to a partial achilles tendon tear and then my ACL playing football, not to mention all the hand, finger, and toe fractures. Second, it brought back all of the excitement I felt in my job as a Tissue Procurement Tech with the additional adrenaline rush of working on a dynamic, living person. I was thrilled to see the opposite end of the work I had done in tissue recovery. Witnessing firsthand the results of allograft tendons, bone blocks, and fracture sites packed with bone powder further increased the pride I had in working with donors. Third, I valued being able to have an immediate impact on the patient’s quality of life. I saw an 8-year-old boy in the ER who had been hit by a car and sustained multiple displaced fractures with nerve impingement at his right elbow. The tears of concern and fear in the eyes of his parents were only matched by tears of relief when the cast was removed and full range of motion was reestablished. 

Through Orthopaedics I could provide a good life for my family.. Knowing from experience that I would be prepared to take care of them in the event of an accident would also bring peace to my soul. My family is the most important aspect of my life and the highlight of my day is when I can give my wife and 8 week old daughter a hug and a kiss. My time to spend with them is extremely valuable to me. Also, a good physician should be well rounded and I value my occasional free time to pursue interests such as: football, scuba diving, skiing, hiking , hunting, community volunteer work, church activities, and the occasional nap. With good time management I feel I will be able to occasionally enjoy these aspects of my life. 

I always hoped that I would be excited to go to work and that I would find people as passionate about their jobs as I was. I have yet to meet an Orthopaedic Surgeon who didn’t have a smile while telling me about their job. I could not be more excited about what my future holds.

uld answer the question, “Will I be able to see better after you remove my cataract?”  To learn the skills necessary to begin to answer this type of question, I have decided to pursue an accelerated M.P.H. with a focus on Effectiveness and Outcomes Research over the upcoming year at The School of Public Health of Big University. To apply my interest in clinical research to ophthalmology, I became involved with a study on glaucoma medication adherence with Dr. Janet Serle.  We are developing a strategy to identify which patients are non-adherent and why they are non-adherent in a way that is minimally time-intensive for busy practitioners.  In addition to planning the design and implementation of this project, I have helped procure funding for the study.  This experience demonstrated my desire to develop the skills to identify clinical problems, investigate possible resolutions, and ultimately improve health care for patients. Thus, my experiences in basic science and clinical research, my patient encounters in ophthalmology, and my advanced training in public health have all prepared me for a career in academic ophthalmology. As an eye physician and surgeon, I will maintain my broad range of interests from providing medical and surgical care to a diverse group of patients, to designing and running clinical trials, and to advocating for change in health policy. Finally, my strong work ethic, attention to detail, and profound respect for the importance of vision to a patient’s quality of life will all be valuable assets in both succeeding in a residency program and administering compassionate care for my patients.

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Personal Statement

Personal statements may be used to customize the application to a specific program or to different specialties. 

In This Section:

Creating the personal statement, formatting the personal statement, previewing the personal statement, reviewing/editing the personal statement, assigning the personal statement.

You create your own personal statements in the MyERAS portal from the Personal Statements section listed under Documents. 

• Each personal statement must contain a Personal Statement Title and the Personal Statement Content. The title will be visible only to you to help you correctly assign it to programs, and the content will be visible to both you and the programs it is assigned to. 
• The personal statement is limited to 28,000 characters, which include letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation marks. 
• There is not a limit to how many personal statements applicants can create. 
• Personal statements created outside the MyERAS application should be done in a plain text word processing application such as Notepad (for Windows users) or SimpleText (for Mac users). The statement should reflect your personal perspective and experiences accurately and must be your own work and not the work of another author or the product of artificial intelligence. 
• Personal statements created in word processing applications not using plain text may contain hidden and invalid formatting. 
• Note: A number of websites provide examples of personal statements. Do not copy any information from these sites and use it in your personal statements without giving credit to the author. Such use is considered plagiarism. 
• The ERAS program will investigate any suspected acts of plagiarism. 
• Any substantiated findings of plagiarism may result in the reporting of such findings to the programs to which you apply now and in subsequent ERAS seasons. 

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When creating a personal statement in the MyERAS application, the following formatting options will be available: 

• Bold. 
• Italic. 
• Underline. 
• Strikethrough. 
• Bullets. 
• Numbering. 
• Align left. 
• Center. 
• Align right. 
• Increase indent. 
• Decrease indent. 
• Insert hyperlink. 

After entering the personal statement title and content, you will have the opportunity to preview your personal statement before saving it. This preview allows you to view your personal statement just as the programs will view it, including the number of pages.  

You are responsible for reviewing your personal statements before assigning them to programs. 

The Preview/Print option under the Actions column will allow you to view and/or print your personal statement. 

Personal statements can be edited at any point during the application season — even when assigned to programs that have been applied to. 

Personal statements that have been edited will be reflected on the programs’ side by an updated status containing the date of the updated version, but programs are not guaranteed to view or review updated versions of personal statements. 

You may designate the assignment of one personal statement for each program. 

• Personal statements can be assigned to any saved or applied to programs from the Personal Statements page by selecting “Assign” under the Actions column of the intended personal statement. 
• When assigning by personal statement, programs listed with a disabled checkbox already have the selected personal statement currently assigned. 
• When assigning by personal statement, you should review any personal statements that are listed under the Assigned Personal Statement column before making selections or changes. 
• Personal statements can be assigned by program using the Assign option under the Actions column on both the Saved Programs and Programs Applied To pages. 
• Changes to personal statement assignments can be made throughout the application season, but programs are not guaranteed to view or review newly assigned personal statements. 
• A personal statement cannot be assigned to programs that are closed. 
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Personal Statements in General Surgery: An Unrecognized Role in the Ranking Process

Affiliations.

• 1 Department of General Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio; Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Electronic address: [email protected].
• 2 Department of General Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio; Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
• 3 Department of General Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
• 4 Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Cleveland Clinic Learner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
• 5 Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland.
• PMID: 32305336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.03.021

Objective: Personal statements are a requirement of general surgery residency applications. Yet, their role in an applicant's final rank within a program remains unclear. This study explores the language used in personal statements to differentiate applicants in the general surgery residency ranking process.

Design: A textual analysis of general surgery residency applicant personal statements was performed. Using inductive coding and grounded theory, 3 main themes from personal statements were identified: my story, my future, my goals. These themes were utilized to build a dictionary consisting of over 400 descriptive terms in multiple categories. Data was extracted using the Linguistics Inquiry and Word Count program, which can linguistically determine basic characteristics from text. The data was stratified according to final rank and gender for analysis, using correlation and descriptive statistics.

Setting: Large, urban, academic general surgery residency program.

Participants: One hundred nineteen personal statements during the 2018 to 2019 application cycle were analyzed. All applicants were interviewed and considered for inclusion on our final rank list.

Results: There were 68 (57%) females on the final rank list with no difference in the distribution of gender between those in the top and bottom halves (p = 0.11). Overall, personal statements for the top applicants scored higher in grit than those in the bottom half (median 0.42% vs 0.35%, p = 0.03). Males ranked in the top half had less use of agentic (p = 0.04) and efficient/organized (p = 0.03) words when compared with males ranked in the bottom half. In contrast, females ranked in the top half used more grit words compared to those in the bottom half (median 0.45% vs 0.35%, p = 0.004).

Conclusions: Linguistic differences existed in the personal statements of top- and bottom-ranked applicants to a general surgery residency program. These findings provide an adjunctive tool for differentiating applicants based on this underutilized component of the ranking process.

Keywords: General surgery; Linguistic analysis; Personal statement; Ranking process; Residency application; Residency selection.

Copyright © 2020 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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How to Prepare the Best Cardiothoracic Surgery Personal Statement

Cardiology Personal Statement – Another Crucial Step Toward Your Goal

A cardiology fellowship program is nothing but a chance for passionate applicants to move to the next level and become better specialists. However, a cardiology personal statement is a major obstacle between candidates and their place in a desired institution. It’s an essential document, showcasing personality from the best angles and explaining why this person is the best candidate for the program.

Composing such a document, especially if you need it to delve into cardiothoracic surgery, is a non-trivial task, so preparing to write it is essential. It means you should consider all the details about content structuring, formatting, and grammar to ensure your surgery personal statement will be outstanding.

Start With the Top Cardiology Fellowship Personal Statement Examples

Before preparing a document to apply for a specific program, you should figure out what this document is. A cardiology fellowship personal statement is usually described as a small writing piece needed for a candidate’s self-presentation. It reveals the applicant’s hard & soft skills, professional & research interests, as well as experiences helping shape them as a specialist. The personal statement is also a good place to share your ambitions and aspirations within the cardiothoracic surgery program’s opportunities.

But before we look at some of the features of cardiothoracic surgery application documents, we would recommend that you have some ready-made cardiology fellowship personal statement examples by your hand, like this one. This will help visualize tips for better perception and get a lot of valuable insights about the structure of a personal statement and how to place and manage information.

Having an appropriate personal statement fellowship cardiology sample may help a lot. However, ensure it suits your purposes and the program’s traits. For instance, it also focuses on research, addressing the program’s research opportunities and emphasizing an applicant’s research aspirations.

Before Writing Your Cardiology Fellowship Personal Statement

When it comes to a task people have never done before, they want to find the easiest approach to do it. However, this case is different – you must take your cardiothoracic surgery training personal statement seriously, wisely managing its features and requirements. Keep it personal but formal. Writing in your own style but with a strict structure. Mentioning all achievements and traits but without content overloading. So it’ll be a good decision to prepare for writing well.

Carefully Examine the Requirements

Different cardiothoracic surgery programs set additional requirements for application documents. Everything, including formatting, size (word count or even character count), and other criteria, may change depending on your chosen program. Sometimes, institutions use settled prompts as applicants must answer the question in their cardiology fellowship personal statement.

Remember About the Context

The first thing to remember about the cardiology personal statement context is that all information you include should be relevant and valid. There should be no exaggerations or attempts to cover up gaps or shortcomings. Also, do not use facts about you that are irrelevant to your cardiothoracic surgery program application.

Also, ensure that information from the cardiothoracic surgery personal statement is not duplicated in other application documents – CV, recommendation letter, etc.

Launch Brainstorm and Choose What to Add to the Text

Due to limited space (up to 700-900 words), you should only choose the most valuable facts and add them to your cardiology fellowship personal statement. Remember that the essential information concerns your professional experience, skills, and knowledge correlating with your admission goals. Forget about exciting stories from your childhood or your relationship with school teachers. Focus only on the valuable information, prioritize it, and add to the text.

Best Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship Programs to Apply

Today, many options exist for individuals who want to join the cardiology programs. So you have a great chance to familiarize yourself with their best opportunities and delve into their advantages in detail before writing a personal statement. Below are just some of the best cardiothoracic surgery fellowship programs to consider when choosing where to continue your career path.

• The University of Pittsburgh provides a wide range of residency & fellowship cardiology programs where you can gain high-quality knowledge and cardiothoracic surgery practice.
• The Stanford University School of Medicine is another popular option among applicants seeking cardiothoracic surgery fellowships. The pediatric cardiac surgery program occupies a special place among their opportunities.
• With its cardiothoracic surgery programs, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is no less famous. It pays special attention to clinical training & exposure, as well as research experience in cardiology.

In addition, you can consider cardiothoracic surgery fellowship programs at Cleveland Clinic, Boston University School of Medicine, and Harvard Medical School. Each cardiothoracic surgery program has a different duration and offers different practices, allowing fellows to do interdisciplinary modules and go through multiple career preparation activities.

Instead of Conclusion

Unlike documents you prepared when pursuing previous levels, a cardiothoracic surgery personal statement is more demanding. It presents you as a mature specialist who knows well their goals and ways to achieve them. The personal statement is your chance to convince the committee that you must be accepted, the program suits you, and you’re the best.

So waiting until the last moment and composing the cardiology personal statement in a hurry is not an option. This is the most vital application document, and your future in the program mostly depends on it. That’s why it’s essential to take time and start working on it as early as possible.

Another great solution is to have a professional assist with writing a cardiothoracic surgery personal statement. With hundreds of completed documents behind their backs, our experts understand how to correctly place accents and treat you with a well-personalized text that will stand out. Moreover, all your wishes will be considered, and all the committee’s requirements will be addressed.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help because the best specialists will work on your order!

Top-Tier Pediatric Residency Programs You May Consider for Application

What Are the Best Pediatric Nurse Residency Programs? After graduating from medical school, students specializing in pediatrics have a big question to answer: “Where do I need to move next?” To help with this decision, we have compiled a list of the best pediatric residency programs to make the decision easier. But first, what is […]

How to Write a Fellowship Personal Statement to Get a Great Assessment

Tips on How to Write a Personal Statement for Medical Fellowship A fellowship program is an opportunity to conduct an incredible project in the specialization, or it can be a chance to receive a beneficial job offer after completing studies. To apply to this course, you need to write an eye-grabbing fellowship application personal statement to […]

Sample Personal Statement: Plastic Surgery

Every finger of the little boy's hand was adhered to his palm except for the extended third digit. I examined the severe burn injury as the plastic surgery attending discussed how we were going to fix the damage. Several contracture releases, K-wires, and skin grafts later, I excitedly realized he would eventually regain function of his little hand. I didn't know what I wanted to be at the start of my third year, but after patients and cases like this one, I was energized by learning what I found in no other rotation. Plastic surgery emphasizes the highest of expectations and skilled precision in an amazing field that can't be matched - I have found my place in medicine.

Surgery was compelling to me as soon as I began my clerkship. The OR environment was exciting and fast-paced, requiring me to develop the dexterity of my hands Growing up I used to help my dad with everything from building houses to plumbing, from landscaping to auto-body work. Then I began taking up projects of my own, building and designing bookshelves, tables, and desks. Now as physician-in-training, Plastic Surgery is the culmination of my interests in medicine, artistry, and craftsmanship. During my rotations, I appreciated the healthy, competitive environment of people with whom I shared similar goals and interests, encouraging each other to improve. Additionally my need for attention to detail and precision was thoroughly satisfied through cleft lip and hand repairs, flap designs, soft tissue transplants, and aesthetic surgeries among others procedures.

My goal has always been simple: to exceed all expectations in what I choose to do. My parents overcame search dogs, machine guns, pirate attacks, and the loss of a brother at sea to reach this country - the land of opportunity. Growing up listening to their stories of survival embedded in me the strong value of humility and the overwhelming drive to excel. They taught me that hard work is its own reward. Now I am determined to focus my energy towards being a great plastic surgeon, like all the physicians I have met in the field thus far.

I seek a program with talented faculty and good exposure to the variety of topics in plastic surgery, and look forward to a well rounded education. Exposure to research in the field is also important to me because without it there can be no advancements. My prior research experiences have been in cancer and although fascinating scientifically, I realized during a summer internship at Children's Hospital Los Angeles that cancer was not the field for me. I need the ability to fix the problem at hand and the instant satisfaction that comes from alleviating pain and suffering. Research endeavors, however, are intellectually stimulating and I look forward to pursue it in my new chosen field as a plastic surgeon.

To my program I will bring my considerable energy and drive to excel, and will share it with my colleagues. My comfort in any role and preference to work as part of a team will also support my patients and colleagues. A strong leader is just as important as a reliable team member, and when selected and appropriate I thrive in leadership positions. My desire to learn, my calm and patient demeanor, and my teaching experience will be key traits I will contribute to my residency program.

Choosing a residency is choosing a partnership with lifelong impact. To my partners I offer my eagerness, reliability, and skills. In return, I ask for the opportunity to develop my talents and use them to discover and become the exceptional plastic surgeon I strive to become.

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Surgical Competency Assessment Using Entrustable Professional Activities

• 1 Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
• 2 University of Florida School of Medicine, Gainesville
• Original Investigation Decision-Making Confidence of Clinical Competency Committees for Entrustable Professional Activities Kelsey B. Montgomery, MD; John D. Mellinger, MD; M. Chandler McLeod, PhD; Andrew Jones, PhD; Polina Zmijewski, MD; George A. Sarosi Jr, MD; Karen J. Brasel, MD, MPH; Mary E. Klingensmith, MD; Rebecca M. Minter, MD; Jo Buyske, MD; Brenessa Lindeman, MD, MEHP JAMA Surgery

This year the American Board of Surgery (ABS) endorsed the use of entrustable professional activities (EPAs), a competency-based assessment tool, in all general surgery residencies. 1 This represents the next step in a visionary effort led by the ABS that engages all the major stakeholders in surgical education. A core group of dedicated educators developed individual EPAs and mapped them to specific behaviors linked to 5 levels of progressive entrustment of the individual resident. 2

Read More About

Nitzschke SL , Ashley SW , Upchurch GR. Surgical Competency Assessment Using Entrustable Professional Activities. JAMA Surg. Published online May 08, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2024.0815

Manage citations:

© 2024

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Shania Twain Addresses Her Bond With Jon Bon Jovi After Being Deemed His 'Spirit Sister'

Senior Culture Reporter, HuffPost

When it comes to professional admiration, Shania Twain is still the one for Jon Bon Jovi .

The Bon Jovi lead singer called Twain his “spirit sister” in an interview with People last month, referring to the country superstar’s support during his experience undergoing vocal cord surgery a couple of years ago.

Twain, who underwent the same procedure in 2018, told People in a separate interview published Monday that Bon Jovi’s praise “just warms my heart.”

“It is a very special bond because there are very few singers that have ever had this nerve damage,” she said. “It’s not a typical singer’s issue.”

The five-time Grammy winner also shared that she didn’t ask Bon Jovi how he’d come to experience vocal cord damage.

“I shared my experience with him, and before he took the plunge, I just shared the best I could without influencing him in any way,” she said. “I didn’t get deep like that. We got personal about it, but I didn’t ask for the real details.”

In February, Bon Jovi acknowledged he was still “in the process of healing” from vocal cord surgery, as he was gearing up for the release of his Hulu docuseries “ Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story .” He first experienced issues with his voice in 2015, but he didn’t have the procedure until 2022.

“I’ve sung with Pavarotti. I know how to sing. I’ve studied the craft for 40 years,” the musician said during a Television Critics Association panel in Los Angeles. “So when God was taking away my ability, and I couldn’t understand why, I jokingly have said the only thing that’s ever been up my nose is my finger — you know, so there’s no reason for any of this.”

As for Twain, her music career is once again in high gear. Last week, she kicked off her third Las Vegas residency , “Come on Over,” at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Next month, she’ll unveil “Honey, I’m Home,” a new vinyl compilation of her greatest hits.

While Twain feared losing her voice entirely before undergoing vocal cord surgery, she decided to come up with a backup plan.

“What I did was I said, ‘OK, if I’m never able to sing again, if I never find a solution. I will write for other singers who can sing,’” she told People . “And I was actually very excited about that.”

She went on to note: “I would spend more time writing and I would continue to be able to hear my songs recorded, and that didn’t make me sad. It made me very happy. So I say, look on the bright side and follow that. Just keep following the light. Don’t go anywhere dark. It’s not worth it.”

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