Resources to Assist Students with Writing a Persuasive Personal Statement

  1. Campus Resources
  2. Miller Writing Center (http://wp.auburn.edu/writing/writing-center/)
  3. Office of University Writing (http://wp.auburn.edu/writing/)
  4. Auburn University Career Center (http://www.auburn.edu/career/)
  5. Online Resources (received 4,240,000 results via Google for the query “writing a health professions personal statement,” including tips and sample personal statements
  6. Carnegie Mellon University: (www.cmu.edu)
  7. Purdue: (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resources/642/01/)
  8. University of Florida: (http://users.clas.ufl.edu/msscha/WHP/personal_statement.html)
  9. Columbia University: (https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/preprofessional/health/application/workshop.php
  10. Yale University (http://ocs.yale.edu/content/writing-personal-statement-medical-school)
  11. Print Resources
    a. Jackson, E.W. & Bardo, H.R. (2014). Write for success: Preparing a successful professional school application. (4th ed.). Champaign, IL: National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions, Inc.

b. Lang, Heidi. Writing the Personal Statement for Health Professional Schools – Alpha Epsilon Delta Convention, March 2012.

Sample Essay Prompts (copied from the actual applications)

1. AMCAS (allopathic medicine): Explain why you want to go to medical school. Word Count: 5300 characters
Questions to consider include:

a. Why have you selected the field of medicine?
b. What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
c. What do you want medical schools to know about you that hasn’t been discussed in another section of the application?

2. AACOMAS (osteopathic medicine): Write a brief statement expressing your motivation/desire to become a DO. Your essay should be limited to 4,500 characters, which includes spaces, carriage returns, and other formatting.
3. AADSAS (dental school): The personal statement explains why the applicant wants to pursue a dental career. The statement should not exceed 4,500 characters (including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.).

4. OptomCAS (optometry school): Please describe what inspires your decision to become an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career goals. Word Count: 4500 characters

Additional Notes

1. Keep your personal statement general and do NOT refer to a particular school. The same statement is sent to all schools to which you apply.

2. Once you submit the actual application, you CANNOT change the personal statement in any way.