I’m a non-trad with a circuitous route to becoming a physician. There are a bunch of things that I think are important to telling this story and also tell about me as a person. Is that second part important–in other words, if there’s something that I do/love that doesn’t have to do with my path to medicine, should I leave it out of the personal statement? I don’t want my personal statement to be scattered but I feel like I have a lot to talk about. What would you include/exclude from the following? Are there important topics I’m missing?
Want to include:
My mom’s disease and death and why/how that was the final trigger for my interest in becoming a physician
My shadowing, reading, and interactions with neurologists and patients that is driving my continued interest.
Why I want to be a physician
What I want to do as a physician
Maybe include (maybe some of these belong in extracurricular essays?):
My MS/PhD in environmental engineering and water treatment that signaled my initial passion for health
My ongoing efforts to help myself, family, and friends with health issues through nutrition and skincare
My love of racing sailboats–to demonstrate being able to think fast, integrate lots of information, and work with a team to solve problems
Thanks for your help