<p>well, I havn't really started on my actual essay yet. My school has this self reflection form that they give out where we have to answer some questions. Some of them are difficult to answer for me. </p>
<p>For instance, one of the questions ask: What, if any, do you see as weaknesses or obstacles to being admitted to professional school this year? What are you doing/have you done to address this/these weaknesses?</p>
<p>and other: What is the most difficult personal problem youve encountered? Describe how you handled it.
which appear to be similar questions to me. Anyways, how would I go about answering these questions? The honest approach would be to tell them that i'm not exactly confident with my interpersonal communication skills such as speaking to patients (and adcoms if i'm lucky). I mean, I wouldn't exactly know how to confort a patient whose in pain. Doctors need to have good bed side manners, be able confident and assuring, qualities I don't think I have yet. But these are important skills doctors need to have. Will admitting that I might not have those skills hurt my chances for medical school? Or should I take the safe approach and say that my weakness is im a workaholic and a perfectionist and a (insert BS here)?</p>
<p>Pre-Health</a> Professions Advising Office - University of Maryland</p>
<p>(under Student Information Inventory if your curious to see it)</p>
<p>There’s also a question that asks:
What is the most difficult personal problem you’ve encountered? Describe how you handled it.
I’m tempted to say “filling out this form and writing the essay.”
Seriously though, some of these questions are so ambigious, especially since some of them are so similar.</p>
<p>Dunno. I’d do whatever you are more comfortable with.</p>
<p>I really think the important part of the question(s) is the “how you handled / how you improved” . </p>
<p>If you list that you think that your weakness is interpersonal communication, you need to be able to include things that you are doing now to help improve that weakness (i.e. volunteering with patient interaction, or something similar). You shouldn’t just flat out list a weakness, imo.</p>
<p>I think more or less the gist of them giving you the questions is at least having you think about them. There is a chance that these types of questions will show up in an interview and it’s better to have some type of formulated idea than to not have a clue.</p>
<p>on the AMCAS application where it asks you to list your activities and describe them, are we suppose to be straight forward and just describe what we did or do we explain how that experience has helped shaped who we are and why we want to become doctors?</p>
<p>Also has anyone used ivyessays or essay edge or any other editing services? Which ones the best? It is a waste of money to use those services?
Thanks</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I was straight forward. I feel that during the interview is where you’ll get the time to explain how certain activities have affected your career choices, made you a better person, etc.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Personally, I think they are a waste. For the most part, I don’t think anyone truly likes their PS, lol.</p>
<p>I would just get friends and family to read it. Maybe have a professor look over it. And if you are venturous, there are PS readers (aka mostly pre-meds with a sprinkling of newly accepted pre-meds) on SDN’s forum who will offer either grammar editing or content suggestions or both.</p>
<p>My school says that the AMCAS application becomes avaliable mid-may. I’m applying for the 2011 school year, does this mean i’m filling out the old 2010 AMCAS application? If so does it save it for 2011 and have the same questions?
Thanks</p>
<p>No it doesn’t save. Yes, it will/should have the same questions.</p>
<p>Well, its New Years and I just completed a rough draft of my essay. I tried to make it a little more personal. I wrote mostly on my experiences volunteering, leaving out stuff that could be found else where. Anyways…would any one care to read it and give me feedback? I’d really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Happy new years everybody</p>
<p>woah i went to sdn and they have this whole forum for essay writing. thats pretty cool, thanks for telling me about sdn (first i’ve heard of it, i mostly look at the CC forums)</p>