Real Essays From Stanford Medical Students
Comments Regarding Plagiarism
The essays contained within this document were written by current Stanford medical
students and have been carefully read and reviewed by file reviewers, interviewers, and
admissions staff and officers at Stanford Medical School as well as dozens of other
medical schools across the country. We must emphasize that you need to be honest in
writing your personal statements. If you borrow material or use quotes from other
sources, make sure to credit them appropriately. Not giving credit where it is due is not
only disastrous to your essay, but it is also illegal. Admissions officers read hundreds,
and even thousands of personal statements each year, and have developed a fine tune
sense for detecting plagiarism as well as remembering the essays they’ve read. You
owe it to yourself to be hones, open, and sincere in writing your personal essay as it is a
reflection of yourself and what is important in your life and your decision to pursue a
career in medicine.
Stanford Essays
The following essays were written by real Stanford medical students in preparing their
applications. We suggest that you read through all of the essays to get a diverse view of
the types of themes and styles which have been successfully used for personal
statements. Each personal statement is exactly that, personal. No one format or style
will work for everyone. However, there are structures and themes which are common
throughout. These essays are meant to give you an in depth look inside previous
applicants’ writing and what has gone into their decisions to enter the field of medicine.
All essays are presented in their original format, unaltered. In certain cases, personal
identifiers have been removed to protect the privacy of the essay writer. These essays
are meant to be a learning tool for you as well as a source of inspiration, not a source for
copying or imitation. Plagiarism from these or any essays is illegal. We hope you enjoy
the following essays, and we wish you the best of luck throughout your writing and
application process.
Personal Statement #1:
The classroom and the 400-meter oval track, although very different venues, have
taught me complementary and interwoven lessons. Concepts in physiology,
biochemistry, and nutrition can be applied to elements of running, such as developing
more effective training methods and learning how to optimize substrate utilization in
order to achieve peak physical performance. The methodology developed through
research has enhanced my development as an athlete. For instance, I can investigate a
training method and evaluate its effectiveness in increasing my physical performance to
better individualize my preparation. On the other hand, running has taught me lessons
in teamwork and cooperation that improve my ability to interact in academic and
professional settings. Running also teaches lessons in self-discipline, perseverance, and
endurance which contribute to my success as a scientist. I have applied these character
traits fostered from running to becoming a better scientist. In turn, to me running has
evolved into a science. The application of science to health is medicine and is a natural
evolution of my interests that I would love to pursue.
As in science, I had to learn the basics of running. My initial awkward form disappeared
through a few years of training and dedication, and I evolved into an athlete. I was