Premed of Color is a site dedicated to premed students of color. The site is an online resource for minority students, with articles about applying to medical school and excelling as future physicians. The blog provides updates on the different topics of interest for premed students. These include Grad School Fairs, conferences, and scholarship news.
The strengths
The site says it is a “A resource for those who are and once were Premeds of Color.” This is a very excellent way to encourage premeds of colors to explore the site. This phrase gives a colored reader a sense of belonging. What I like most about the site is the variety of content. The blog seems to be about everything that could be of interest to colored premed students. Despite the variety of the topics, the entries are united by the goal of becoming very informative and useful resources for premed students. Another thing I like about the site is that it provides the readers with various options. When I first visited the blog, my first impression is that, I could do a lot of things in the site because the options seem to be plentiful. The “Top Post” and “Recent Post” also add to the ease of navigating the site for more entries.
The weaknesses
I don’t really like the theme used for the site. I understand why Da Vinci’s Vitruve Luc Viatour was chosen as the theme. It is probably for the obvious reason that it is related to medicine. But I think the effect is not that appealing. The site appears a bit boring. It even makes the blog a bit daunting, because it seems like almost everything you see is text. There should be a balance between the text and the design of the blog.
Med School Rehab contains articles about medical school and other medical school-related topics. The site has entries on how to survive medical school. The purpose of this blog is to help medical school students cope with the difficulties and problems commonly encountered in medical school.
What’s to like about this blog
One of the strengths of this blog is the content. The choice of topics, such as the Pre-Emptive All Nighter is intuitive and truly helpful. Topics such as this would really interest a lot of medical school students. The content itself is great. The entries are informative and excellently written. The points are made clear for all readers. I see no problem with the way the writer communicates ideas to the audience. It is also obvious that all the entries are written by a single person. The light tone and the obvious wit are found in all the entries.
What’s not to like about this blog
One of the things I don’t like about this blog is its very simple layout. It does not encourage readers to navigate further. It is actually bare. After reading a single article, I don’t know what to do next. There are no appealing buttons to click on. Remember that content alone is not enough to achieve blog success. Design-wise, this site is not interesting. The colors are boring, and it seems like there’s nothing much you can do when you visit the site.
Another major drawback is the number of posts in the site. The entries are very limited. Overall, the site does not really give the audience much options. In order for it to generate traffic, it should encourage readers to come back for more. And readers will be encouraged if this site is navigable and if they are left with lots of options. I believe this blog still has to go a long way.
MedHopeful is a blog dedicated to high school and college students interested in attending med school. The blog contains articles on scholarships and undergraduate study advice. Aside from articles, there are also videos to support in-depth discussions and advice regarding med school application. The site also provides a tool that aid Canadian students in choosing a Canadian med school.
Why is Medhopeful.com a good site to explore?
What I like about this site is that it is very informative, yet it still maintains a very personal and intimate approach to readers. I say this because some very informative blogs I’ve visited have a very formal tone when communicating with the audience. The fact that the writers are med students themselves add to the blog’s appeal. This gives an impression that the things written in the posts are gathered through first-hand experiences of the writers. Unlike other blogs, this one is more than just articles. Medhopeful also contains videos and a Med tool that makes learning through this site more effective.
Another thing I consider valuable in this site is the informative and reflective nature of the posts. The entries are interesting to read because the supposedly boring details are wrapped in the writers’ interesting realizations and experiences. An example is the post When Should I Take the MCAT?
What’s the weak point of this blog?
I think the area that needs improvement in this site is the design. The theme is not bad, but I guess, there is still a room for improvement. The design is not really that attractive and communicative. A good design should give the audience an idea of what the site is all about even with just a glance. Overall, there’s not much weak points that will deter readers for exploring the site further.
Get Medical Training is a blog created by students and educators for people like them. The site contains articles and news updates on the different topics concerning education. Aside from useful information, there are also tips on how you can deal with school-related problems such as how to strike balance between work and school.
The site’s good points
The design is good. It is simple and very professional-looking. I like the colors because they’re attractive, but at the same time, they lend formality to the site. I don’t see any problem regarding the content. The articles are actually reader-friendly. The sentences are clear and the words and phrases are easy to understand. Students would love to explore this site because of the inviting colors and, of course, friendly-looking people in the photos. Even at first glance, the site will make you feel comfortable to start exploring. It’s as if the site promises you a very personal approach in helping you with your school concerns. Another thing I like about this blog is the monthly featured program. This is very informative for those who haven’t yet decided the programs they want.
The site’s bad points
The theme of the site is inviting, but I later realized that it does not really have a user-friendly interface. The site is not really very easy to navigate. The buttons are lacking. When I got lost in last month’s articles, I don’t know how I can get back to the home page, because I couldn’t see any button leading to “home.” I still have to hit the “newer posts” in order to get back to the recent articles. The categories are also not very clear. Of course, it’s easy to understand the meaning of each, but it’s not clear what each category contains.
There is no room for careless mistakes when writing your personal statement medical school. Yes, connecting to readers in an effective manner may really be a difficult task for some. However, there are various ways of dealing with them. Just bear in mind that there are DOs and DON?Ts in writing your essay. Stick to these writing rules, and you are surely on your way to the med school of your dreams.
Importance of submitting a well-written essay
Your personal statement is said to be the face of your application. Therefore, you must investm on it. The way you write your essay will greatly affect the way your readers will perceive you. So, make sure that before you submit the essay, you have proofread and edited it many times over. An essay cleared from imperfections will be your ticket to the med school of your choice.
How to deal with basic errors in your personal statement
The very first thing you should do to
deal with basic mistakes in your essay is to simply avoid overused and already meaningless cliches. Second, check your essay for minor details that might forfeit your chance to get into med school. Show your dynamic personality and not just say it in paper. Elaborate on your teamwork principles and not just brag about them. You see, these are the common imperfections of a student?s personal statement. Dealing with them will surely land you a slot on the med school you are aspiring for.
Other tips when proofreading your essay
When proofreading your essay, the ultimate thing you should look for is whether you were able to inject a great deal of depth into your essay or not. This is because an essay without depth is meaningless and is surely headed for the waste bin. Check for irrelevant details that would make your essay long-winded. Scrutinize for points repeated in the essay. And lastly, do away with using big words. Using simpler language is preferred by the admissions panel as it showcases your aptitude to think and articulate yourself more clearly.
Related links:
Medical specializations – About the most competitive medical specializations
Interpersonal skills – Why interpersonal skills are important in med practice
Admission essay topic – About choosing the right topic for your admission essay
Connecting to readers – About how to connect to your readers
Proofreading tips – All about the techniques in proofreading
When writing your personal statement medical school, it is very crucial that you are able to connect with your readers. Otherwise, you will be completely inaccessible to the minds and hearts of the admissions panel who will be reading your essay and judging your eligibility.
So, if you really want to achieve your goals and ambitions, first, make sure to write your medical school personal statement effectively. Connect to your readers and capture their interest with your writing. Remember, a successful writer means habitually connecting to his or her readers.
Impact of a poorly written essay
Since the admissions committee puts great value on your essay, make it a point to NOT be another faceless applicant submitting an empty sheet of paper. Your personal statement is the face of your application. Therefore, if you submit a poorly written personal statement, you are instantly throwing away the admission officers? chance to care about what you have to say.
Three effective tips in connecting to your readers
Tip #1
The first and most powerful strategy to connecting to your readers is to make sure that you make them feel like they already know you even in just reading your essay. This will lead to a liking, which will work for you despite having a little weakness in some areas of your application.
Tip # 2
Understand your own essay and know what you are supposed to write. Your acceptance to med school will greatly depend on how much effort and time you exert in writing your essay.
Tip # 3
Write in a very relaxed manner. Your readers do not always mean old, strict, and traditional admission officers. Most of the time, the college?s recent graduate students are the ones who have the first read on your essay. If your essay conforms to their standards and liking, then your essay shall be passed on to the associate directors who will finally give the final decision. The key here is to just be you.
Other tips to make your essay more memorable
If you really want to make your personal statements memorable and stand out among the piles of submissions at the admissions office, make sure you focus your writing on the essentials of you. Talk about your goals and ambitions, your thoughts and principles, as well as your sources of motivation and determination. But on top of all these, make the essay fun and exciting to immediately develop a liking from the admission officers.
Related links:
Interpersonal skills – Why interpersonal skills are important in med practice
Medical specializations – About the most competitive medical specializations
Ivy league applications – About getting into ivy league schools
Personal statements – All about writing personal statements
Becoming a doctor – About the journey of becoming a doctor
When writing your personal statements for med school admission, better be organized with your ideas. Make sure that you are able to show the admissions officers who you really are. Simply direct your essay around the theme rather than merely listing down all your accomplishments. Strive to stand out than get lost in the thousands of other essays they have to read.
Past events, experiences, or goals as inspiration for essay ideas
Make use of past events in your life as a topic for your personal statement. This will be helpful in convincing the admissions panel as to why they should accept you. Just make sure you highlight your experiences effectively and emphasize your determination to achieve your goals and ambitions.
Organizing your ideas
Organizing your thoughts and ideas before finally jotting them down into your personal statement is very important. While some students have the ability to write well without having to give much thought about structure, it is still best to organize your thoughts first before laying out that draft. You should at least have an outline of the main ideas and subtopics to write about.
When you write your essay, make sure that you write all your information to be seamless, transitioning well between points and making their comments relevant to a theme. Most people, however, need to work at it a little more.
Letting others read your work
Let your friends read your work. You are not going to ask them to edit it for you but simply proofread your essay. Proofreading is a much more straightforward activity than editing. You may ask your friends to find errors in your personal statement and correct some mistakes for you. Letting others read your work before finally submitting it may prevent grammatical and spelling errors that will be scrutinized by the admissions panel.
Related links:
Proofreading tips – Basic proofreading tips
Personal statements -Tips on writing personal statements
Interpersonal skills – Why interpersonal skills are important in med practice
Admission essay topic – About choosing the right topic for your admission essay
Writing about experiences – Including school journal experience in your essay for med school
While some may hire the services of a consulting firm that provide writing solutions to students in need of a well crafted personal statement for med school, others still trust their own writing proficiency and write their own personal essays.
When applying to a specific med school, expect that not only will the admissions panel read your personal statements for coherence and impact, but they will also scrutinize your essay for grammatical and spelling errors. Aside from that, they will check if everything they need to see on your essay is there. Therefore, it makes sense for others to just pay the services of a professional firm who can ensure that they will get admission they long for.
Typical services offered by a professional essay editing/consulting company
There is a wide range of professional essay editing and consulting companies you can check should you really want to employ their services. These firms usually offer the students comprehensive admission tips and advice through, first, conducting one-on-one consultations. This way, they can devise a plan as to how they can strategically align your credentials and personal details to the academic programs and standards of the school you are applying for. In other words, they will exhaust all possibilities of you getting accepted to your chosen med school.
Pros and cons of hiring the services of a professional editing company
You have to consider the cost. Some editing firms charge as much as hundreds of dollars, depending on the client?s requirements. The expense you have to shed might be too much, considering you have the skills to do it as well but just that you lack time. You can never be sure if they have the right person working for you. They may be experts in editing and proofreading, but it is important that you will work with editors who complement your personality as a writer.
On the other hand, if you doubt yourself when it comes to writing an exceptional piece, then you might as well hire the services of these editing firms. A freelance editor might have more to share with you in terms of conciseness and coherence. Hiring an editor is not an issue about how good you are or not, so don?t feel about it.
Should you really feel that computer spell-checkers often make correction mistakes, it might be better if you do your spelling and grammar check by yourself.
Making the right decision
You may decide to go and seek outside help from a professional editor when you have found someone who is aligned with your principles and thoughts as a writer. Find your match with a professional editor. However, remember that grammar error-free essays are no guarantee for admission to med school.
Related links:
Proofreading and editing – About the difference between editing and proofreading
Personal statements -Tips on writing personal statements
Ethos and mythos – Tips on writing a medical school personal statement
Medical specializations – About the most competitive medical specializations
Qualities of doctors – About the qualities of a good doctor
Applying for admission into a medical school could be one of the biggest factors that could change your life forever. It is important to be prepared holistically as a person. This is one essay you shouldn?t start thinking about hours or a couple of days before. This will be an easy topic as you will be the main character in this essay. Introduce yourself in the first line but don?t make this essay too personal. The first thing you should tell the admission officers are your interests, be detailed about this and show them how eager and excited you are in your area of expertise. The essay should contain a biography of you as a contributor in your chosen field. You should narrate your experiences in a precisely detailed manner. Carefully choose the events that led you to take this profession and what you?ve done so far to contribute further in your career, you can?t have them all in one extensive essay.
How to write your essay
The topic should be easy as it is about you but the right way to write it could have you thinking. The essay should be easy to read, use simple words. Choose the words found in everyday vocabulary, you need the admission officers to have a smooth reading of your essay. Like all individuals, your essay must be unique only to you and able to catch a scholar?s eye and maintain their interest reading it. Don?t use jargon words, us formal words to sound professional and as much as possible write in the active voice. Keep the essay at the required length as much as possible, remember admission officers read a lot of essays and you don?t want to take a lot of their time.
Planning it all out: Have it step-by-step
You can?t just apply at a medical school and write your essay on the spot. It takes a lot of your time and a lot of thinking process to be done. You should use an organized and systematic process and take it step-by-step as planned. Start out by having a simple reflection about the past years in your career that made you to become what you are now. Have your experiences, the events related to your career, reasons for choosing your profession and why you chose this school. Have them all written and organized to use as an outline for your essay. Think hard and selectively the thoughts you are going to write down. After writing your draft, have others take a look at them and check them out. Critically review your essays and it would help if others would criticize it too. Write and rewrite your essay as many times as needed and if necessary, write a whole new essay. Take a lot of your time in reviewing your essay for grammatical errors. Medical students should be free or should have these errors rarely on their writings.
Doing it one step at a time
Having done all the planning and knowing what to do, you should now have an easy and smooth way to completing your essay. Always keep in mind the process you used and as much as possible abide to them. Your essay could be as topsy-turvy as your thoughts if they are not organized. Use your plan well and make it a habit to think first before writing. Start from the top of your plan and try not to omit a step as not to get lost and have your thoughts scrambled.
Drafting and redrafting: Do it as much as needed
You should draft and redraft your essay as much as possible. It will take a lot of your time but this will ensure that your essay is error free and the contents are highly intellectual which can you help you get accepted in the school. You can?t pass the first essay that you write; it?s your first draft. Even your third draft won?t qualify either. What you need is a final draft, drafted for as many times as needed. It pays to read your essay over and over again until new thoughts come up which can be incorporated further into the essay. Aside from grammatical errors, the most important thing to analyze is the content of your essay. The content will show how intellectual you are and may just be your edge against others.
Ask for advice
It?s a good idea to have your work read by others and it will help much further if experts criticize your essay for you. Have others check your work out. Ask them to not only look at grammatical errors but rather what they think the essay would tell about you. Does the essay show you as an interested, enthusiastic and intellectual person or does it show them a boring and dull person. Have them ask you questions to widen your thoughts and give you additional content for your essay. Always be open to constructive criticisms and apply them to your work. Read your final draft a lot of times before submitting your essay. Always remember, think first before writing.
Related links:
Effective Medical School Essays – Medical school essay tips
Application essay: your personality – Application essay tipsHow to write your medical school application essay – Medical school essay tips: more examplesWinning medical school essay – Medical school essay tips for a winning essay
Excellent medical school essay – Medical school essay tips
Medical school essay tips – Medical school essay tips from the professionals
Personal approach in writing medical school essay – Medical school essay tips on employing the personal approach in your essay
Medical school admission essay – Medical school essay tips on employing the personal approach in your essay
Law school essay – Essay writing tips for higher educationEssay writing tips – Medical school essay tips
Writing experts say that your personal statement can be likened to a marketing strategy. You basically have to convince your readers that you have something good to offer and are definitely worth a try. But compared to copywriting, admission essays cannot be based solely on claims. You have to provide clear evidence of your skills and capabilities that will make you suitable to a medical career.
You can easily present facts and figures regarding your academic standing and accomplishments. But when using this style of evidence, your essay may seem like a mere summary of your TOR (transcript of records) and resume. You need to offer details that are not seen in your other application requirements. In which case, you can always use ethos and mythos as types of evidence in your essay.
What are ethos and mythos as types of evidence in an essay?
Ethos is all about building credibility in your admission essay. Readers should perceive you as competent and as someone who possess good character traits. Likeability is key to persuading the admissions panel that you’re one of the best candidates for med school.
Mythos, on the other hand, is about the beliefs and perceived values of your audience. When used as evidence for persuasive essay writing, you see yourself using metaphor, narratives, and sayings. This is a stylistic approach to stressing important points in your argument or discussion.
Benefits of using ethos and mythos
Why med school? Are you suited for the medical professional? Basically, these are the questions you need to answer in your personal statement medical school. You may have the heart-felt desire to help others or best intentions to become a doctor, but without stylish presentation of facts and arguments, you’ll have trouble getting this message across to your audience.
You can then use ethos and mythos to make your personal statement for med school more compelling and interesting. These types of evidence will best illustrate your suitability for a medical career. Rather than enumerating all your positive qualities, use personal experiences, thoughts, and inspirations to express yourself better.
Through your examples, your readers will know what type of person you are, if you are patient enough to get through med school or passionate about the profession.
How to effectively use ethos and mythos in your essay
Your admission essay should not sound like a term paper. It should feel like you’re directly speaking to your audience. A positive ethos can make you a favorable candidate. Focus on your positive qualities, but still be honest with your self-assessment.
Mythos as evidence is used to make your reader understand you better. You can use methaphors and analogies to best explain yourself and appeal to them. Through this technique, you must exhibit rhetorical control.
