A personal statement is normally 1 to 2 pages document that reveals who you are as a person to the selection committee. Your personal statement should demonstrate your personal attributes and passion for your field of study, even as your CV or resume highlights some of your achievements, extra-curricular activities, and work history.


Your targeted audience in this case is normally the selection committee comprising of students, faculty, and the community members.


It can be a daunting task to write a personal statement for a pharmacy residency program. Your personal statement is intended to offer additional personal information about you to the committee than they can discover exclusively by checking your qualifications and Curriculum Vitae.


When writing personal statement, it is important for you to check the program information to confirm what the committee is actually looking for.


The committee would want to know about the following in your pharmacy personal statement:


  • Why you are interested in pharmacy
  • How you have pursued your interests in this particular area of study
  • Those skills and traits that will qualify you as a good pharmacist
  • Your short and long term career plans
  • The reason for applying for the program

 

What to Avoid in Your Personal Statement for Pharmacy Residency

 

  • Avoid using personal statement to make excuses for issues pertaining to your application
  • Avoid covering those things you have already mentioned somewhere in your application
  • Avoid covering irrelevant things to your application
  • Do not use your personal statement to initiate complain concerning any issue

 


Indispensable Content of a Pharmacy Residency Personal Statement

The content of a pharmacy personal statement comprises of:

The Introduction


The main body


The conclusion

The components highlighted above are significant in pharmacy personal statement and all other types of writing.

In addition, you should discuss more concerning your professional skills in the selected field, such as your prior experience of part-time employment, how you became conversant with pharmacy as a subject as a result of a number of internship programs or clinical activities, and lots more.

In a nutshell, you are to exhibit your precious professional skills in order for the residency committee members to deem it fit that you are certainly worth to be considered for the pharmacy program.

The Expectation of the Selection Committee


1. Commitment and Motivation – Your audience who are the selection committee wants to know the reason you are applying to graduate school and your potential goals in the field.


2. Personal Attributes – In this case, your audience want to know the actual person you are. Therefore, highlight all your personal qualities and attributes. Ensure that you support your statements with clear examples. It is not enough to say that you are good with patients, but discuss about a particular period when you worked with a patient and what you actually accomplished including the effect of such a circumstance on you and the patient.


3. Honesty - Sincerity is the watchword when writing personal statement of this magnitude. You may probably be downgraded if you make false claims on your personal statement all because you want to impress the selection committee.


4. Writing Ability – The importance of written communication cannot be overemphasized in your future work environment and in the graduate school. As a result, your personal statement is an opportunity for you to express yourself concisely and clearly too. This is what your audience actually wants to confirm,  in order for them to feel confident you will succeed in the program.


How to Make Your Residency Personal Statement Stand Out

If you are looking forward to being invited for interview, then it is mandatory for you to make your pharmacy personal statement outstanding.

Here’s is how to make your statement the best that it can be.

1. make sure you review the website of the residency so that you can understand their requirements in a resident completely.

2. Make your opening line interesting, in other words, it must grab the full attention of the committee and make them want to read all you have written.

3. Remember to tell a story concerning you to keep the flow of your writing, instead of mere listing of unconnected facts.

4. Avoid using clichés and do not make any understandable statements that add no value.

5. Make sure you write in a positive way all the time, for the right format.

6. More importantly, proofread your writing carefully, as any minor issue could make you lose your position to another candidate.

Conclusion

For you to impress the residency committee and be invited for interview, your pharmacy statement must stand out. The statement is an opportunity for you to exhibit your writing skills. Therefore, it must be attention grabbing from the first sentence. This will encourage your audience to read from the beginning to the end. With the above tips and tricks, you should be able to write a pharmacy statement that will grab the attention of the committee.

Call to Action

Do you still need further information about writing pharmacy personal statement? Contact us today!