The Medfools Personal Statement Library was developed to put some examples out there for applicants for the NRMP Residency Match who have writer's block. We have posted the following announcement prominently on the site:

Even with this large banner on the main library page, Medfools was surprised and shocked to find the sheer number of copied statements used in people's personal statments which were submitted for review at the Ask the Fool page. If we are seeing this huge number of plagiarized statements, we wonder, just how many more out there are there?? In fact we had a recent inquiry from a top East Coast Ob/Gyn residency coordinator! Just to help deter those out there who would misuse the personal statement library, and to post a repository of the most overused statements for program directors to use and search for. It was especially amusing to see the font change in a MS word document exactly when the copied statements appeared or if the entire essay was written with poor grammar, except for a few key sentences. Without further delay, here they are in no specific order:
(These have appeared at least 5 times EACH in personal statements we have reviewed in one season.)

"Often, I would arrive early in the mornings to pre-round on my patients and elicit an accurate history and perform thorough clinical examinations. It amazed me how small changes in clinical signs and symptoms could lead to different interpretations from one patient to another. The wide variety of physiological systems encompassed by Internal Medicine broadened my intellectual ability of making a differential diagnosis."

"My diverse life experiences have helped strengthen the determination, resilience, mental focus, and compassion required to succeed as a valuable asset within a medical team."

"After enjoying every clinical rotation during my final year ,I knew (insert specialty) was just right for me.The variety of clinical encounters,procedures,and degrees of illness makes (insert specialty) extremely appealing to me.Being a (insert specialty) Physician ,assessing the patient's needs,providing treatment and recommending a next step for continued treatment is both challenging and gratifying.Each new patient presents something different and each will provide a learning opportunity at all phases of my career."

"Medicine appeals to me as a humanistic, challenging field that offers an opportunity to help people in the most vital aspect of their lives and their health."

"Establishing good rapport with patients, colleagues and support staff has been my goal throughout medical school and will remain so throughout my medical career."

"Balancing professional and private interests provides stability to my life."

"Considering the strong health care system, numerous opportunities for research, and advanced technology in America, this is where I see my dream coming true."

"In(insert specialty name here), I have found a niche for myself that supports my goals of life-long learning and providing direct patient care."

Stay out of trouble! - Medfool