NRMP RESIDENCY PERSONAL STATEMENT

I did my PGY-1 in General Surgery at State University Science Center, from Dec 1999-Nov 00. After that I joined residency (PGY-2) in Anesthesia Medical College at from Dec 00- Jun 01. My performance at Medical College was satisfactory and I received credit for six months. I resigned from Anesthesia Medical College & got transferred to Anesthesia program at Big University in Big City in Jul 01 due to family reasons. Unfortunately I was not treated fairly at Big University. [This Chronology is confusing, and really isn't a strong way to start a personal statement. How about starting off instead with why you chose anesthesia?]

Some attendings are very malignant in the program at Big. It is not uncommon for them to scrutinize the residents and write negative evaluations. Due to some negative evaluations, my chairman informed me that I would not be able to continue in the program at Big Univ. after Dec 02. However, despite few, the majority of the attendings at Big gave me evaluations of satisfactory or better. I never committed any serious mistake. I never harmed any patient. In Aug. 02, I was told that I will not be given credit for previous 6 months (Jan 02 – jul.02). However I did not even work for 3 months in that period as I took time off for my vacation and Maternity leave. Then I was not given credit for the remaining period, which was unfair. [Ouch! Complaining about your prior program is probably not going to give you big points with your future program. Try to explain any problems in a more diplomatic fashion.]

I want to give you some insight of anesthesia program at Big Univ. Five residents (total fifteen) are out of the program in the middle of their residency training in period from July 2001- April 2003. Few residents were out of the program before, in preceding years. One CA-3 resident had filed for grievance against an anesthesiology attending before leaving the program.

I have gained good experience in anesthetics involved in Gen surgery, Ambulatory surgery, Orthopedics, ENT, Gynecology, Urology, Obstetrics, Vascular, thoracic, Neurosurgery. I am able to perform these cases with nominal supervision. I have done rotations in ICU and pain clinic successfully with satisfactory evaluations [I would not highlight "satisfactory" evaluations, since programs are looking for the best] from those rotations. I will not take any credit from previous programs and will restart as a CA-1 resident.

I love Anesthesia with great passion I am determined to be a very successful anesthesiologist and I will work very hard to achieve this success. I want to assure you that I will be fully committed and dedicated to your program and will be a very valuable asset to your program. I am sure my 24 months of experience in Anesthesia will only make me a better resident. [OK, now we are starting to see some stuff that should have been included and highlighted throughout. Build upon and grow from any negative experiences you may have had.]