<p>Role reversal here — I’m asking for guidance.</p>
<p>I’m helping a high school senior with applications, and Brown PLME is one of the choices. I’ve never had to deal with the PLME essays, and I don’t know that much about the PLME program.</p>
<p>Essay asks: “indicate your rationale on how the PLME is a “good fit” for your personal, academic, and future professional goals.”</p>
<p>I’ve roamed around the PLME website looking for statements that describe its philosophy, what makes this program unique/different other than it being an 8-year program. Couldn’t find anything quickly. It’s hard to write an essay about “fit” when it’s not clear what one is “fitting” into. The next essay asks about how the student will take advantage of the liberal arts curriculum, so this first essay has to deal with other aspects of the program. The only thing I do know is that PLME stresses leadership, and that it hopes to train doctors who will turn into leaders.</p>
<p>So, I’m doing the shortcut that I criticize other applicants of, and instead of spending more time on the website, asking here — in what ways can PLME be a “good fit” for someone? </p>
<p>Thanks! </p>
<p>Well, as a person on the medical school side of the fence, I will toss in my 2 cents.
I would predict that they are looking to see how an applicant would use the 8 year program and guaranteed medical school acceptance to broaden their college education. In other words, this program is designed to let a person study art/philosophy/linguistics etc (generally not a standard pre-med biology or similar) and commit wholeheartedly to those alternative pursuits without being distracted by the “pre-med” stressors.
I would have the student explore how they would use the liberal arts education to be a better doctor someday. If the student has ideas about potential majors, that may be a good jumping off point. e.g. “i want to study anthropology and understand different cultures so I can bridge gaps between health care providers and patients of diverse points of view” (great book suggestion…“the spirit catches you and you fall down” about how a Hmong family interpreted medical providers attempts to treat a child w/ epilepsy) or “i want to study architecture so I can design more efficient hospitals” or “i want to study literature and understand the art of medicine”, etc. etc. etc.</p>
<p>Thanks, VSG. Problem is, the second question kinda deals with that issue (“Since the Program in Liberal Medical Education espouses a broad-based liberal education, please describe your fields of interest in both the sciences and the liberal arts. Be specific about what courses and aspects of the program will be woven into a potential educational plan.”) This person does have a vision of combining medicine with other disciplines, and so Question 2 seemed the place for that. </p>
<p>But I like the idea of “using liberal arts to become a better doctor someday” point, and will definitely pass that along.</p>
<p>I don’t have much experience with PLME so might be off base here. Question 2 could focus more on why the student has those particular interests whereas 1 could focus on why an 8 year BA/MD is ideal for the student vs studying those interests and then applying to medical school?</p>
<p>Does the student have any exposure to Providence or an interest that providence is known for? The way PLME separates itself from other 8 year programs is it’s at Brown - so not only write about why BA/MD but specifically why BA/MD at Brown/in Providence?</p>
<p>I just went back to October 2009 and looked at my PLME application essay - I can at least tell you how I answered the two:</p>
<p>First essay: I talked about why I wanted to go into medicine in general, and how a BS/MD program would help that.
Second essay: specifics on what areas of “liberal education” I was interested in, etc.</p>