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The way to prove your
qualification is not to list attributes you believe you
possess but to discuss concrete experiences that show
your abilities and qualities. Details about the
process are paramount. What we mean by the "process"
is the path to achievement. The rest of your application
has already summarized your accomplishments and your
activities. Show the reader what you did in concrete
terms, and again, highlight your active roles.
The experiences that
demonstrate your qualification are not necessarily
distinct from those that explain your motivation. You
shouldn't plan on dividing the essay into two separate
sections for each, but rather organize the structure by
topic and extrapolate insights as they develop. We will
cover structure in greater depth in its own section, but
it's important that you begin thinking in terms of an
integrated essay.
Hospital Experience
Some degree of hospital
experience is usually expected, though it's more
essential to the "testing your interest" aspect we
discussed in the last section of the course than to your
qualifications. The main point you're trying to convey
here is that you will work well with patients and in a
clinical setting.
This applicant
showcases strengths in sensitivity and communication
skills by describing a specific encounter. You may feel
reluctant to devote an entire paragraph to one anecdote,
but a concrete, detailed story can tell your reader more
about your abilities than a paragraph that lists common
qualities and generic lessons. Another mistake that
people tend to make is to name a specific patient but
then resort back to cliched, vague lines, such as "I was
able to ease his pain by providing emotional support."
In contrast, this applicant offers vivid images of his
patient and actually shows us what he did to provide
comfort.
If you have had
opportunities to engage in more hands-on work, then you
should by all means include it, particularly if you are
pursuing dentistry or are interested in surgery as a
specialty.
This applicant
describes her work as a research technician and some of
the specific procedures in which she has been involved.
Shadowing Experience
Your shadowing experience
might overlap with the previous section's material, but
the emphasis here is on what you learned through
observation. There is less potential here for forceful
points because observation is a passive activity, but it
can be useful for proving your in-depth understanding of
the profession.
This applicant makes
precisely that point: "Working with the surgeon has been
an exceptional experience for me because he has allowed
me to observe him in every phase of his activities, from
his initial consultations with patients to the various
surgeries themselves." He goes on to give details about
the range of surgeries he has observed. It's important
to note, however, that even here a specific episode
could have been useful. Instead of trying to cram
details about everything to which you were exposed, you
might focus on one memorable incident that epitomizes
the field as you view it.
Research
A strong research background
helps your case, because the laboratory is such an
integral part of the medical school experience. It's not
possible to prove your intellectual capability through a
short description of your projects, so that's not the
real goal here. Instead, you should try to convey such
intangible qualities as creativity, initiative, and
original thinking. Note: You should limit technical
details to only what is necessary to establish context.
This applicant
describes his work in language that the average reader
can understand, but with enough detail for us to
appreciate the depth of his responsibilities. He
demonstrates a strong understanding of the work that
research requires and an ability to execute a project
independently. The essay does not, however, provide
evidence of the skills we mentioned above.
The way to convey such
qualities as creativity and original thinking is to
focus on your contribution rather than your research
topic. For example, you could describe a situation where
you recognized a flaw in a procedure and had the
initiative to show your supervisor how efficiency could
be improved. No matter how minor your contribution
seems, it's better to focus on some tangible input that
you had than to describe the project as a whole. As
always, the key is to delineate your active role.
Of course, we recognize that
many undergraduates simply do not have the level of
responsibility that would put them in position to make
significant contributions. Nevertheless, you should
examine your experiences carefully to search for any
tangible impact you might have had beyond carrying out
the instructions of your superiors.
Working With Others
It's very possible to
demonstrate the relevant qualities you possess for
medicine in non-medical experiences. In most cases your
goal will be to demonstrate an ability to work and
interact effectively with people.
This applicant spends
substantial time discussing his position as a camp
counselor. He showcases an ability to lead others as
well as an inner strength that enabled him to overcome
personal challenges. Thus, he does an effective job of
describing both the external situation and his personal
response. He then makes a strong transition to medicine
by pinpointing similarities between his previous
experiences and the challenges he expects to face. |
