Tell us a bit about yourself.
Residency programs consider many great medical school students for their program each year. Most come with letters of recommendation, clinical experiences, and medical knowledge. When it comes time to match, sometimes tough decisions are broken by determining which students are deemed a good fit for the team of residents, faculty, and culture of the program. Giving you the open floor to talk about yourself will provide the residency program with some insight into who you are as an individual.
"I graduated from college with a degree in biology, and medical school has always been my top priority. I have wanted to become a doctor since I was little, and it is exciting to see this dream become a reality. I am a driven, personable, hard-working, and loyal person. I study hard and take my schooling seriously, but I also value maintaining relationships with friends and family. Downtime with the people I love helps me stay grounded and relieves stress. In my free time, I like to stay active by finding new hiking trails in the area. I am excited for all the learning I have left to do and the next step in my journey to becoming a doctor."
Take advantage of this opportunity by talking a bit about what started you on the path toward medical school and this residency training path while giving some unique insight into who you are and what you enjoy. The residency program leaders will be able to see your genuineness as you speak from the heart here. Remember that this is also an excellent opportunity to describe yourself by discussing the strengths and qualities you would bring as a new resident.
"I loved and succeeded in the life sciences since junior high, and my interest in medicine evolved from that. I studied biology in college and did research culminating in a master's degree in biology. Medical school is the next frontier was the next frontier on this journey, which ultimately guided me toward this career path as a physician and a future resident with your program. Internal medicine is so appealing to me because of the wide breadth of experience I will get over the next three years and the fact that I want to pursue a future practice in gastroenterology. I enjoy spending time with family and friends in my spare time. I also like exercising and reading. Baking cookies always helps me relax."
"I am dedicated, compassionate, and eager to help patients. My dream to pursue a full scope family practice is solely based off of the relationships that I will build and the lives that I will impact. I love learning and try to expose myself to new topics to expand my horizons, which I know are vital to a practice in family medicine. If I'm fortunate enough to match into your program, you'll quickly find that I'm compassionate, personable and always inquisitive to help me expand my knowledge."
"I am from a rural northeast town and love the outdoors. I often find myself immersed in nature when I am not studying or performing clinical duties. I also love mechanics and physics - growing up, I loved dirt biking, working on automobiles, and going for long drives. My passions and interests in mechanics and physics made radiology just a natural fit for me, because I'm very adept in the tech side of a radiology practice and will always be striving to learn and grow in this area. As well, my overall medical curiosity lends itself well to a practice where I can go from simple breast imaging to interventional procedures for a heart disease patient."
"I grew up in Canada and have three younger siblings - two brothers and one sister. I attended McGill University, where I studied immunology, and subsequently went to the University of Toronto for medical school. During my studies, I developed an interest in dermatology and skin cancer and undertook a research fellowship to investigate new therapies for skin cancers. I enjoy spending time with my family and playing with my dog in my spare time! My respectful and compassionate nature make becoming a dermatologist such a natural fit for me and I'm excited about this opportunity to match."
"I have a non-traditional background as someone who majored in International Relations and who has worked outside of the United States extensively, but I think that allows me to bring a non-traditional approach to patient interactions and patient care. I am a flexible and hard working individual, which lends itself well to a future practice in the emergency setting. In my free time, I enjoy anything outdoors regardless of season or weather, exploring new cities and foods, and spending quality time with my friends and family."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I graduated from UCLA with a neuroscience degree, and I love neuroscience - and a lot of my undergraduate activities revolved around neurological research and afflictions of the brain.. and that's where my passions lie. I am a strong advocate of the patient-doctor relationship and the physician's role in reducing social determinants of health.
On a less academic note, I play the flute, and I practice yoga, taking care of one's health is both physical and mental.
Now I'm here and ready to begin the next chapter of my journey as a family physician.
Rachelle's Feedback
Perfection! You take your educational background, your personal interests, and tie them perfectly into how this will all a successful journey for yourself. Bravo!
