If you’re like me, you’ve decided to continue your education past dental school. Maybe an introductory course became an interest, which sparked a passion, and now you’ve decided to specialize. How can you transfer your unique passions onto your residency application?
Now that Dec. 1 and Phase I/II Match Days have passed, it’s time for the next round of prospective dental school and residency applicants to start thinking about that personal statement. Many of us remember struggling as predental students to convey our passion for dentistry – all without using the word ‘passion’ – in only 4,500 characters. Yet, whether you’re a predental student or a residency hopeful, writing that personal statement rarely comes easy. After all, the personal statement is often considered the most important part of your application. When thousands of equally qualified candidates are applying to the same program with a similar GPA, test scores and extracurriculars, how can you make yourself stand out among the rest?
As May 18th approached, I began receiving the “don’t forget PASS opens” texts from my parents. Like I needed the reminder: I already had nightmares of the application process. One night, I actually herniated a disc in my neck from the stress and insomnia that came from applying. Thankfully, I can laugh at that now.
While my application process was atypical, I feel many of my experiences are relevant to those using the American Dental Education Association’s Postdoctoral Application Support Service (ADEA PASS) and even the Match system. There are plenty of things I wish I’d known or done better, and I’m happy to share them below:
