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Neuroscience Personal Statement Examples

• Personal Statements
• Neuroscience personal statement

Neuroscience Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

Studying Neuroscience means you’ll be on the frontline of new scientific discoveries and could lead to a highly rewarding career. However, you might find that writing your personal statement is the biggest hurdle.

To give you a push in the right direction here is an example personal statement of someone applying to study Neuroscience:

From an early age I was interested in science and thoroughly enjoyed creating “experiments” with home science kits and other household items. As I grew older I understood just how many ground breaking discoveries are made in the world of science every day and I know that a career where I can be a part of that is right for me.

At school I excelled in science subjects and relished the chance to study Biology and Chemistry at A Level. By studying these subjects alongside Psychology and Sociology gave me a chance to develop more in-depth knowledge of how the human mind works and how we form relationships with each other and the world around us.

During my time at college I worked part time as a carer in a nursing home specialising in elderly dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. This gave me first-hand experience of how fragile and complex the human brain is.

Outside of school I fit volunteering at my local charity shop around my studies and part time employment. This gives me the chance to build on my personal, teamwork, and communication skills that I have gained as a result of working in the care home.

I look forward to my time at university taking me to a new area where I can volunteer for another charity and continue to develop my skills and make new connections with local people.

My time at the care home has inspired me to want to help people who suffer with degenerative brain disorders and to strive to discover better forms of treatment, or even a prevention or cure.

I hope that a career in Neuroscience will allow me to improve the lives of others, if only in a small way.

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Neuroscience Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Career Opportunities
• 3 UK Admission Requirements
• 4 UK Earnings Potential For Neuroscientists
• 5 Similar Courses in UK
• 6 UK Curriculum
• 7 Alumni Network

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• Personal Statement Example 9

Are you considering a degree in neuroscience?

A career as a neuroscientist offers an exciting and challenging path for those interested in understanding the workings of the human brain and nervous system.

As a neuroscientist, you will study the complex interactions between neurons, synapses, and brain regions, and investigate how these processes contribute to behaviour, cognition, and disease.

You may conduct experiments in the lab, use brain imaging techniques, or study clinical cases to identify patterns and insights into brain function.

To become a neuroscientist, you will typically need to complete a Bachelor’s degree with fairly high A level entry requirements (AAB in Manchester for example).

During your studies, you will gain knowledge in areas such as neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and neuropharmacology.

A career in neuroscience offers many exciting opportunities, including academic research, biotech industry, pharmaceuticals, and government agencies.

With advances in technology and growing interest in brain-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, the demand for skilled neuroscientists is expected to grow in the coming years.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Career Opportunities

Careers and professions that someone with a degree in neuroscience can pursue include:

1. Neuroscientist: Neuroscientists study the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, and the behavior and mental processes associated with it. They use a variety of techniques to investigate the structure and function of the nervous system, and to understand how it works in health and disease.

2. Neuropsychologist: Neuropsychologists specialize in the study of how the brain and nervous system affect behavior and mental processes. They use a variety of techniques, including cognitive testing, to assess and diagnose neurological disorders.

3. Neurologist: Neurologists are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. This requires a medical degree – you can do this after a Neuro undergrad degree or intercalate i.e. do the whole degree in one year during medical school .

4. Neurosurgeon: Neurosurgeons are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of diseases and disorders of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Again, this requires a medical degree – you can do this after a Neuro undergrad degree or intercalate i.e. do the whole degree in one year during medical school.

5. Neuropharmacologist: Neuropharmacologists study the effects of drugs on the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. They use a variety of techniques to assess the safety and efficacy of drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders.

6. Neuroethologist: Neuroethologists study the behavior of animals in their natural environment, with a particular focus on the nervous system. They use a variety of techniques to investigate the structure and function of the nervous system and its role in behaviour, such as recording neural activity in animals while they are engaging in specific behaviors, examining the effect of lesions or stimulation of specific brain regions, or studying the evolutionary development of the nervous system across different species.

Their work can help us understand not just animal behavior, but also the basic principles of neural function that apply to all animals, including humans.

UK Admission Requirements

In order to be accepted into the Neuroscience course at a UK university, applicants must meet the following entry criteria:

Grades: Applicants must have achieved a minimum of three A-Levels, or equivalent, at grades AAB or higher.

Prerequisites: Applicants must have achieved a minimum grade of B in Maths and/or Science, and a minimum grade of C in English Language.

Other Entry Criteria: Applicants must be able to demonstrate a strong interest in Neuroscience, and may be required to attend an interview prior to acceptance.

This entry criteria is similar to that of other courses in the field of Natural Sciences. However, the Neuroscience course may require higher grades than other courses, due to the complexity of the subject matter.

UK Earnings Potential For Neuroscientists

The average earnings for someone with a degree in Neuroscience will vary depending on the type of job they pursue. Generally, those with a degree in Neuroscience can expect to earn between £40,000 and £80,000 per year. Those who pursue higher level positions, such as research scientists or medical professionals, may earn more.

Recent trends in the job market have seen a rise in the demand for professionals with a degree in Neuroscience.

This is due to the growing number of medical and research facilities that are looking for qualified professionals to help them understand and treat neurological disorders. As a result, salaries for those with a degree in Neuroscience are likely to continue to rise in the coming years.

Similar Courses in UK

Other university courses related to Neuroscience include Cognitive Science, Psychology, and Neuropsychology.

Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary field that examines the nature of the mind and its processes. It looks at how the brain works, how people think, and how they interact with their environment. It is a combination of several disciplines, including psychology, computer science, linguistics, philosophy, and neuroscience. Cognitive Science focuses on understanding the mental processes involved in learning, memory, perception, decision-making, and problem-solving.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It looks at how people think, feel, and act. It examines the biological, social, and environmental influences on behavior. It also looks at the development of mental processes such as memory, language, and problem-solving.

Neuropsychology is a branch of psychology that studies the relationship between the brain and behavior. It looks at how the brain and nervous system affect behavior, emotions, and cognition. It examines how the brain is affected by injury, disease, or other conditions, and how these changes affect behavior. Neuropsychology also studies how the brain is organized and how it works.

UK Curriculum

The key topics and modules covered in a Neuroscience course typically include:

• Neuroanatomy: This module covers the structure and function of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. It also covers the anatomy of the peripheral nervous system, including the autonomic, somatic, and enteric nervous systems.
• Neurophysiology: This module covers the electrical and chemical processes that occur in neurons and in the nervous system as a whole. It also covers the physiology of the senses, including vision, hearing, and taste.
• Neurochemistry: This module covers the biochemistry of the nervous system, including the synthesis, release, and reuptake of neurotransmitters, as well as the effects of drugs on the nervous system.
• Neuropsychology: This module covers the study of the relationship between the brain and behavior. It also covers topics such as memory, attention, language, and emotion.
• Neurodevelopment: This module covers the development of the nervous system from conception to adulthood. It also covers the effects of environmental and genetic factors on the development of the nervous system.
• Neuropathology: This module covers the study of diseases and disorders of the nervous system. It also covers the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders.
• Neuroimaging: This module covers the use of imaging techniques such as MRI, CT, and PET scans to study the structure and function of the brain. Students learn how to interpret these images, understand the underlying technology, and appreciate their use in diagnosing and studying neurological disorders.

Alumni Network

Notable alumni from the Neuroscience course include Nobel Laureate Dr. Eric Kandel, who is a professor at Columbia University and is widely known for his work on memory and learning. He has contributed greatly to the field of neuroscience through his research and discoveries, and has written several books on the topic.

Other notable alumni include Dr. Robert Sapolsky, a professor at Stanford University who is known for his research on stress and the effects of stress on the body. He has written several books on the topic and has been featured in numerous documentaries.

Alumni events and networking opportunities are available through the Neuroscience Alumni Network. The network offers a variety of events, including seminars, symposiums, and conferences, as well as networking opportunities for alumni to meet and connect with one another. Additionally, the network provides a platform for alumni to share their experiences and knowledge with current students.

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• CAREER FEATURE
• 23 April 2021

Sell yourself and your science in a compelling personal statement

Andy Tay is a science writer in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Personal statements — essays highlighting personal circumstances, qualities and achievements — are used extensively in science to evaluate candidates for jobs, awards and promotions. Five researchers offer tips for making yours stand out in a crowded and competitive market.

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Nature 593 , 153-155 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01101-z

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

K. B. Clancy et al. Neuron 109 , 677–689 (2021).

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• v.16(2); Spring 2018

Clinical Neuroscience in Practice: An Experiential Learning Course for Undergraduates Offered by Neurosurgeons and Neuroscientists

G. r. simonds.

1 School of Medicine and Research Institute, Virginia Tech. Roanoke, VA

2 Virginia Tech. School of Neuroscience

3 Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA.

E. A. Marvin

L. s. apfel, g. a. howes, m. r. witcher, e. n. weaver, j. c. fraser, j. j. synkowski, j. t. prickett, c. m. rogers, c. m. busch, m. j. benko, m. j. churning, d. c. summers, h. sontheimer.

Many pre-health students pursue extracurricular shadowing opportunities to gain clinical experience. The Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience introduced a formal course that provides a clinical experience superior to that received by many medical students. This course is composed of weekly 75-minute seminars that cover diseases affecting the nervous system, their diagnosis and treatment, complemented by weekly half-day intensive clinical experiences with unprecedented access to a team of neurosurgeons (in hospital operating rooms, Intensive Care Units, emergency room, angiographic suites, and wards). In the operating rooms, students routinely “scrub-in” for complex surgeries. On hospital rounds, students experience direct patient care and receive in-depth exposure to modern nervous system imaging. Students participate in two 24-hour “on-call” experiences with team providers. After call, students participate in cognitive and psychological studies to assess physiological and psychological effects of call-related sleep deprivation. Students prepare weekly essays on challenging socioeconomic and ethical questions, exploring subjects such as the cost of medicine and inequalities in access to health care. Towards the end of the course, students meet with the admission dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion medical school; they prepare a personal statement for medical school/graduate school applications, and attend a half-day block of mock medical school/graduate school interviews delivered by experienced clinicians. In lieu of a final exam, each student presents to the entire neurosurgery department, an in-depth clinical analysis of a case in which they participated. We provide details on implementation, challenges and outcomes based on experiences from three semesters with a total enrollment of approximately 60 students.

INTRODUCTION

The reader of this Journal is familiar with the increasing interest that undergraduates express in attaining a degree in Neuroscience ( Ramos et al., 2011 ). To address student demand, about 150 U. S. colleges and universities, and particularly smaller liberal arts colleges have created interdisciplinary majors drawing expertise from disciplines like Psychology, Biology, Physics and Chemistry ( Ramos et al., 2016 ). Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University also known as Virginia Tech (VT) is a large public land grant university in Southwestern Virginia, a largely rural part of the state. VT introduced a Neuroscience major in 2014 and launched the School for Neuroscience in 2015 as the disciplinary home for the degree. Within only two years, enrollment grew to approximately 180 students annually with over 550 students enrolled as of this writing (9/2017). To better serve the diverse interests of students, VT Neuroscience divided the Neuroscience (NS) degree into four distinct majors: Clinical NS, Experimental NS, Behavioral & Cognitive NS and Computational & Systems NS. Students in all four NS majors share a common introductory curriculum that includes a freshman orientation course, and two semesters of introduction to NS with a required two semester introductory laboratory. Major-specific specializations occur in the students’ junior and senior years of study where they take major specific electives. Of note, in their freshman year, well over 50% of students consider themselves “pre-health” students, although career paths for neuroscientists are considerably more varied, and could include at a minimum Research, Business, Finance, Law, Industry, Marketing, Policy and Politics ( Price, 2011 ). In our experience, very few students articulate their pre-health interest based on actual familiarity with a clinical profession, and students are often somewhat naïve regarding the required course of study and selectivity of the career path. We muse over the effect that TV shows such as “House” may have had on the increasing interest in careers in healthcare.

Students in all four NS majors are expected to do hands-on research beyond the required two-semester research course. At a minimum, students spend one semester in a laboratory but can obtain up to 12 laboratory credits, equivalent to four semesters of study. Opportunities for research are relatively straightforward to implement through undergraduate research credit earned by students working alongside graduate students or postdocs and presenting an abstract or co-authoring a paper. Such research experience is often a requirement for future admission to graduate school and is desirable, albeit not required for students pursuing a medical career. Obtaining clinically relevant experience that can inform a students’ career path and admissibility into medical or physician assistant (PA) school is often more challenging and typically not part of a college curriculum.

Upon establishing a distinct major in clinical NS, we felt a need to address this gap by implementing a formal experience learning activity that would enhance the student experience in a clinical setting and their success in achieving their career goal. Hence, we developed an experiential learning course that caters specifically to pre-health students in NS. This course, now in its third iteration, is entitled “Clinical Neuroscience in Practice (NEUR 4594)” and has been a tremendous success. This article describes the course, its objectives, implementation, outcomes and our observation and recommendations with the hope that we can stimulate other colleges and universities to implement a similar course or generate their own version.

Course Description

The overarching objective of this course was to provide a meaningful experiential learning opportunity for students to observe the clinical care provided to individuals suffering from injury or diseases affecting the nervous system. It was not intended to be merely a shadowing experience, but an intensive immersion that provides in depth understanding of the disease process that includes coverage of underlying pathology, approved treatments, treatment outcomes, as well as discussions of ethical, socioeconomic, and provider well-being issues related to the current state of health care delivery.

Specific objectives included:

• - To experience neurological illnesses in a clinical setting.
• - Exposing students to currently available techniques and approaches to medical and surgical management of brain and spinal cord injury and neurological illnesses.
• - Engaging students in discussion on current issues in health care and society.
• - Exposing students to the emotional and psychological stressors of high-level tertiary care.
• - Providing a deep and reflective experience to soul search whether their desire to pursue Medicine is genuine.
• - Providing an “on-ramp” to medical school/dental school/PA School admission.

Prior generations of pre-health students who shadowed physicians reported that exposure to neurological illnesses were difficult to attain, with most students shadowing primary care physicians. We deliberately chose to focus on Neurosurgery for this course since all patients undergoing a neurosurgical procedure have a known illness affecting the nervous system. This illness is most often well defined with stroke, tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson disease, herniated disks, and aneurysms being excellent examples. Also, strategies for surgical treatment are well advanced and, in most instances, extensive literature is available regarding current standard of care. Most disorders also have a wealth of related ongoing experimental trials that can be examined and discussed.

While at first glance this setting may seem to be far too specialized to provide undergraduates with a broader and more balanced experience in Medicine, nothing could be further from the truth. Neurosurgery is a complex team effort that involves a variety of clinical specialties and multiple professions that students can witness and interact within the care setting. For example, all patients are sedated by an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist; many procedures, for example deep brain stimulator implants (DBI), involve Neurology prior to or during surgery. All patients undergo imaging by a radiologist prior to or during surgery, and many minimally invasive procedures such as coiling of aneurysm are done by interventional radiologists. Many patients arrive through the emergency room having suffered trauma, and are initially cared for by emergency room physicians. Some procedures, such as pituitary surgery, involve Otolaryngology. Furthermore, well over half of the medical personnel are not physicians but rather medical technologists or advanced care providers (ACPs) that include nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Students also receive experience in post-surgical follow-up that often includes conversations with the patients and family members. Given the nature of the conditions witnessed, such conversations frequently involve social workers and palliative care specialists. Hence, during this course, students are exposed to and witness the work of a comprehensive list of physicians and non-physician health care professionals. One-on-one interactions with each of these providers allow students to gauge their interest in any of these professions. Most importantly, however, students will reliably experience neurological illness cases every time they attend this class. There is no idle time in a level 1 trauma center!

Course Implementation

The course is offered as a 3- credit hour class and currently has a capacity limit of 20 students. The class meets twice weekly following a regular schedule ( Table 1 ). Each week a 75-minute classroom lecture/discussion session presents a new disease problem led by one of the clinicians. This session is divided into five 15-minute segments. During the first 15 minutes the clinician presents the clinical case in the format of a “grand rounds” presentation ( Rigby et al., 2012 ), a ritual of medical education, consisting of presenting the medical problems and treatment of a particular patient to an audience consisting of doctors, residents and medical students. During the next 15-minute segment students devise and discuss a treatment strategy for the patient. In the third 15 minutes, the actual treatment approach taken is presented along with a discussion of why and how this is considered the standard of care. In the fourth 15-minute block, two students will present the clinical evidence for the most effective treatment approach that justifies this as the “standard of care” using an important clinical trial paper as the source. The final 15 minutes are devoted to discussing the ethical and socioeconomic issues the particular case or disease may present.

A typical one-semester for the class.

The experience learning component of the course happens in the hospital. For logistical reasons, we divide students into two groups of 10 who either attend on Wednesday or Friday morning typically from 8–12pm. Roanoke Memorial Hospital is a regional level 1 trauma center that has nine attending neurosurgeons, 11 ACPs and seven Neurosurgery residents on staff. Six Neurosurgery operating suites remain busy throughout the week with a combination of elective and emergency surgeries. Typically, we divide students into groups of two to three to attend one of the ongoing surgical cases ( Fig. 1 , Table 2 ) or round with a clinician on pre- or postsurgical consults. From time to time, we allow more students in the same operating room to witness particularly educational procedures, for example, the placement of a DBI in an awake procedure to treat Parkinson’s disease. Given the volume of surgical cases, we can ensure that students can sample a comprehensive list of illnesses. Table 2 contains examples based on diaries that were maintained by students over the course.

The operating room experience. Students are up-close with the surgery team.

Examples of clinical cases observed by the students.

All students were required to obtain HIPPA training and to have up to date vaccinations as well as a recent negative TB test. Patient privacy, interactions with patients, professional conduct and dress code were discussed prior to the first clinical session. Moreover, students are required to have advanced NS knowledge and have taken at a minimum six credit hours of Introduction to NS with laboratory, 3 credits hours Cellular & Molecular NS, and 3 credit hours of Diseases of the Nervous System. Students that attend the course have an average GPA of >3.5 and are destined to apply to medical, dental or PA schools.

To enhance the operating room experience, all our students also receive four hours of “scrub training” and periodically “scrub in” to enter the sterile surgical field next to the surgeon ( Fig. 1 ). Those students who witness the surgery outside the surgical field typically find outstanding visual vantage points from the head side of the table where the anesthesiologist sits, or by following the procedure on the monitor above the surgery table projecting images from an operating microscope. Students are prompted to ask questions throughout most procedures with the obvious exception of awake craniotomies. Students are also encouraged to spend time with the electrophysiology technicians who continuously monitor nerve function. This is a particularly exciting opportunity for students to see the very EEG and EMG recordings that they obtained on each other during their introduction to NS laboratories, being applied in a patient care setting.

Each student attends at least two “rounding” experiences with an attending physician. Here the morning is spent moving from patient room to patient room, where students witness the physician’s interaction with the patient and family, as well as see physical exams being performed. The rounding physician explains routine mental status and motor exams and reflexes. These include tests of language, pupillary reflex, pursuit eye movement, tone in arm or legs, pronator drift, finger to nose, and reflexes involving biceps, triceps, knee, ankle and plantar responses (i.e., Babinski). Typically, the mobile computer systems are used to view patient records, and most importantly brain images if available. The rounding physician reviews the patient treatment in the context of his or her medical history. Through this experience students become quite familiar with interpreting a number of imaging modalities that include CT and MRI of the brain and spine, angiography, CTA, MRA, and more. By the end of the course, students know how to interpret hyper- and hypodensities on CT versus MRI scans, understand the differential intensity of water versus tissue on T1 and T2 weighted MRIs, and should understand the utility of diffusion and perfusion images in evaluating the penumbra in a stroke patient.

On Call Experience

To enhance the clinical experience, we require each student to spend one 12-hr. night shift on call. Early in the semester they pick suitable times, which could be any day of the week including the weekend. Students check in with a resident at 7pm and stay awake until 7am the following morning. The intensity of the experience obviously depends on the case load and has ranged from a relatively eventless night to one that they would describe as organized chaos - where middle of the night emergency surgeries were required on trauma, stroke, or gunshot victims. Many of our students elected to add additional on-call experiences throughout the semester. To gain some insight into the effect that staying awake for 24 hrs. has on a person’s ability to perform their duties, we paired this student experience with a motor and cognitive performance assessment. This entailed a battery of quantitative fine motor/dexterity tests, cognitive tests and mood assays (analyzing strain on resilience). The findings of these assessments will eventually be analyzed across a larger participant group with the objective of comparing the performance data between naïve student volunteers and experienced surgeons. However, even in their preliminary self-assessment, it is eye opening for students to see a notable decrease in performance in all cognitive measures.

Professional Development Activities

Since many of the enrolled students (>80%) are striving for admission to medical school, we include three activities that educate and inform them along this career path. Firstly, we devote one classroom session to discuss medical training and the medical school application process. This session is led by the Dean of Admission of the Virginia Tech Carillion Medical School. The feedback for this 75-minute session has been universally positive even among those students who assumed that they already knew the process. The second activity is preparation, review and revision of an actual personal statement to be included with the application to medical school. This is a graded assignment. Finally, each student participates in a mock medical school interview that is modeled after the “multiple mini interview” schema adopted by many medical schools. Each student has eight interviews and receives both feedback and a numerical grade for each.

Assignments and Evaluation

We elected to grade students on homework assignments that are informed by their clinical experience. Specifically, students have to answer the “question of the week,” examples of which are listed in Table 3 . Some of these questions appear trivial at first glance, yet most require thoughtful deliberation. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss their answers with the physicians or residents. In total, these account for 40% of the final grade.

Examples for the “Question of the week.”

Ten % of the grade is given to the personal statement and another 10% to their final grand rounds presentation. For this activity, described as terrifying by some, each student has to present an actual clinical case they experienced to the entire clinical staff in their regular weekly grand rounds forum. Students are mentored by a resident and provided with de-identified biological and imaging data. As would be the case for a resident doing the same, the students are questioned throughout the presentation. Indeed, the students will have practiced and extensively rehearsed the case with one of the residents. The attending physicians assigns a grade for each student’s performance.

While 10% each are devoted to participation in class and in the clinical setting, 20% of the grade is devoted to a diary maintained by the student throughout the course in which they detail the de-identified patient cases, with diagnosis, treatment approach, successes and failures, and their own thought about each case.

Table 2 shows a listing of the various cases that students had the opportunity to observe close-up.

Example Cases

The first clinical case that was presented in last year’s grand-rounds was of a 45-year-old woman, who presented with new onset seizures and was found to have a contrast-enhancing mass on MRI of the brain ( Fig. 2A ). She suffered from breast cancer two years earlier that was treated with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, and the patient was thought to be in remission. This patient’s history, when paired with the MRI, was highly suspicious of a brain metastasis, which would indicate that remnants from the primary cancer had spread microscopically to the brain. This tumor would have then grown to a size that would make it symptomatic. It would require surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy and nonetheless would portend a poor prognosis. Six students observed the surgery start to finish, literally from anesthesia induction, to positioning, to scalp incision and craniotomy, to tumor removal ( Fig. 2B ) and closure, and to the patient’s transfer to the recovery unit.

Removal of meningioma from patient with prior history of breast cancer. (A) Preoperative MRI scan shows an enhancing lesion in the tight occipital lobe. (B) Image with exposed brain during the operation. An access pathway has been created to extract the tumor as a single mass. (C) Tumor mass after extraction. (D) Image taken through the eye-piece of the pathology microscope showing distinct cellular details of the extracted and sectioned tumor tissue.

They also witnessed the surprise of the surgeon when the mass that was removed lacked the typical consistency of a metastatic tumor but rather had a rubbery consistency with clearly defined margins ( Fig. 2C ). The subsequent “frozen section” histology, also observed under a microscope by the students, revealed features common in meningioma, a benign primary brain tumor of the coverings of the brain. These features included a swirling cellular pattern of the neoplastic meningeal cells ( Fig. 2D ). These tumors are entirely unrelated to metastatic cancer, and are considered surgically curable. This was a happy outcome as this patient had developed a benign and curable tumor completely unrelated to her breast cancer, suggesting that the breast cancer indeed remained in remission. This case triggered hours of discussion among the students as to how a prior health condition, the breast cancer in this case, can strongly bias a suspected diagnosis. It also illustrated one of the best-case scenarios where surgical intervention alone can prove to be curative, somewhat of a rarity in Neurosurgery.

The second case was of a 24-year-old woman, who was admitted to the emergency room after a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was breathing independently but was in coma. Pupillary and corneal reflexes were initially present. The patient moved semi-purposefully to painful stimuli. An emergency CT scan revealed extensive cortical damage along the trajectory of the bullet, fragments of which were still present in the left parietal lobe ( Fig. 3 ). The brain was diffusely swollen and showed massive bleeds along the trajectory. The patient rapidly deteriorated with her pupils becoming dilated and unresponsive to light, indicating probable brain herniation. Given the extensive damage and location of the injury the surgical team elected not to intervene. The patient continued to decline and was declared dead two days later.

Gunshot victim. CT scans showing the trajectory with bullet entry on the right frontal lobe and fragments near the parietal skull. Left, axial; Right, Coronal section

The students learned that a young child who found a loaded assault rifle on the kitchen table and, in playing pulled the trigger, inflicted the gunshot. The gunshot accidentally hit the mother who was sitting on the couch watching TV in another room. Not surprisingly much discussion centered on the irresponsible use of guns in society and efforts that could be taken to prevent such tragic accidents. Safe-keeping of guns, and fingerprint readers on triggers were among the solutions offered, albeit some students went further in questioning the utility of the second amendment (the right to bear arms) in this day and age. Other discussions explored the culpability of the patient’s boyfriend who left the loaded rifle out in the open.

This was an elective procedure to reduce the tremors in a 62-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Parkinson disease. The students were able to witness an awake procedure in which a guide cannula was placed through a small hole drilled in the skull and into the brain, and an ultra-thin electrode was advanced deep into the brain to the subthalamic nucleus. The electrode placement followed a pre-determined path mapped out using a highly precise stereotactic targeting system affixed to the patient’s skull. Such a system allows for the selection of trajectories that avoid damage to major arteries and eloquent brain areas. Initially, this microelectrode was passed to test the target area for suitability. Electrical signals of individual cells indicated appropriate positioning. A larger electrode system embedded into a thin silicone-based tube was then passed down the same tract. Once the electrode system was placed in the vicinity of the target, it was stimulated in increasing increments and a neurologist monitored the patient for reduction in hand tremors. He also monitored for unwanted facial twitches and visual changes - implying the electrode was not in an ideal lie. On the first pass, only non-specific responses could be elicited with the patient complaining of visual field disturbances. A new approach angle was calculated, the electrode advanced to the target location, and the stimulation re-initiated. This time, the patient’s tremors quieted down to almost none. The patient broke out in tears of joy. For the first time in years, she was able to voluntarily control her hand. A remarkably emotional scene!

In this case we took full advantage of explaining the direct and indirect movement control pathways of the deep brain nuclei and how these predict that placement of a stimulation electrode downstream from the lesioned dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra could restore balanced activation. The case illustrated the potential promise of “functional” surgery. In this case the patient was in and out of hospital in a matter of hours and experienced long-term symptom relief. It also illustrated the power of a collaborative approach to complex neurological disorders between multiple medical specialists, technologists, medical equipment representatives and the treating surgeon.

Student Feedback

As of this writing, two cohorts of 20 students have completed this course, and 20 more are currently enrolled. Student demand has been overwhelming and the experience universally positive. Many students rated the course as the most valuable and insightful experience they had in their college career. Several students described this course as “life altering.” Examples of actual student testimonials are illustrated in Table 4 . Three students who had been pursuing careers in nursing or PA schools, and had already prepared application materials, changed their mind and took the MCATs instead in order to apply to Medical School. Two students who were unsure as to whether to attend graduate or medical school elected the former. We consider both positive outcomes, as there was no attempt to bias students’ perspective but rather to inform them through real world experience. A more comprehensive assessment analysis will be attempted once we have achieved a sufficient number of course completions.

Testimonials from participating students.

College education typically relies heavily on salaried faculty or instructors to deliver classroom lectures or laboratory experiences. This course moves the majority of learning out of the classroom and into the experiential world. Teaching is done on the fly and depends much on the inquisitiveness of the students. It also differs by the inclusion of medical professionals who volunteer their time. The neurosurgery team did so quite readily in this case. Such willing participation from busy clinicians may not be the norm, however. There is of course a financial disincentive to slowing down a bit to teach and not seeing a maximum amount of patients every day. The neurosurgery team, however, was quite tickled when they were rewarded for their efforts with adjunct academic titles at Virginia Tech. Such a gesture may act to incentivize more reluctant clinicians in similar situations.

All the participating physicians reported their involvement both in the classroom and in the clinical theater to be remarkably rewarding and energizing. For the residents it was a particularly welcome distraction from the daily grind. Furthermore, they valued being able to use their academic rank for their subsequent application to fellowship programs.

Critical to the success was the buy-in from the leadership of the Department of Neurosurgery and the hospital administration. In our instance, this was easy as the head of Neurosurgery co-developed the course and was the major brainchild of this endeavor (pun intended!). The hospital administration, too, was very supportive and considered this course as an important outreach component. They even created a documentary that is now used in advertisements ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4bh8bTOgbk ).

Ultimately, an attitude of good will and a willingness to “pay it forward” is essential to implement such a course. We view this as a common attribute among clinicians, and therefore, encourage other interested parties to reach out to their clinical colleagues.

The biggest challenge for the future of this program will be to meet increasing student demand. Even as a year-round offering, we currently can only accommodate 40–50 students annually. We feel that not just pre-healthcare students would greatly benefit from the course. With our School of Neuroscience enrollment growing to ~200 freshman annually, we expect more than 100 students showing interest in the course. This will require either a creative approach to expanding this opportunity, or an equitable and fair mechanism of student selection. With regards to scaling, we are experimenting with the inclusion of other clinical NS services such as Psychiatry, Neurology, Anesthesiology, Radiology and Pathology.

The reader who is a faculty member at a college or university not affiliated with a medical school may hesitate to consider offering a clinical experience course, making the assumption that such a relationship would be required. However, this collaboration was established completely separate from the auspices of our medical school. This effort grew from a direct relationship between a busy clinical surgical department outside academia and our School of Neuroscience. In such, there need not be any barriers for similar collaborations elsewhere. In fact, college programs pairing with departments at regional medical centers may be ideal. Physicians at these hospitals may find it difficult or too time-intensive to be affiliated with a medical school. Pairing with a local university program may offer a less structured and rigid path for intellectual stimulation and academic involvement. We should also point out that proximity might not be essential. Roanoke Memorial Hospital is 40 miles from the VT campus. Therefore, students had to travel 40 miles each way to obtain the clinical experience, and generally two of the clinicians had to travel the same distances for Tuesday didactic classes on the VT campus.

Finally, we ask the reader to consider the fact that nothing about this experience-learning course is uniquely restricted to NS or Neurosurgery. Indeed, we encourage college professors to partner with physicians in any number of clinical specialties. Many students are interested in cancer, diabetes or heart disease. Each of these diseases offers the richness of discussion that can be had when considering socioeconomics of health care, responsibility of the individual versus society, and the burden to society. For a student of the liberal arts, these types of discussions are of equal, or greater, importance as the medical experiences, but they are readily and vividly demonstrable in these clinical settings. We believe that through creative educational enterprises such as this, we will help students find their best paths, be they to careers in medicine or any other productive and fulfilling endeavor.

This work was supported by NIH grant R01-NS036692. The authors thank the students in Neuroscience 4594 for their notes, submissions and feedback on this course.

• Price M. Where are the neuroscience jobs? Science Magazine. 2011. ( http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2011/11/where-are-neuroscience-jobs )
• Ramos RL, Esposito AW, O’Malley S, Smith PT, Grisham W. Undergraduate neuroscience education in the U. S.: quantitative comparisons of programs and graduates in the broader context of undergraduate life sciences education. J Undergrad Neurosci Educ. 2016; 15 :A1–A4. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ramos RL, Fokas GJ, Bhambri A, Smith PT, Hallas BH, Brumberg JC. Undergraduate neuroscience education in the U. S.: an analysis using data from the National Center for Education Statistics. J Undergrad Neurosci Educ. 2011; 9 :A66–A70. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Rigby H, Schofield S, Mann K, Benstead T. Education research: an exploration of case-based learning in neuroscience grand rounds using the Delphi technique. Neurology. 2012; 79 :e19–26. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

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Creative Neuroscience Personal Statements for Opportunities

Table of Contents

Are you considering a career in neuroscience? You may wonder how to write an effective neuroscience personal statement.

An excellent personal statement can be the difference between acceptance and rejection regarding your application for a job or college program. To help you get started, here’s an overview of what makes strong neuroscience personal statements and tips on how to craft yours.

What Is Neuroscience?

Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system, which includes the brain and all its functions. Neuroscientists investigate how different parts of the nervous system work together to produce thought, emotion, behavior, and other mental processes. In addition to researching neuroscience topics, neuroscientists also design treatments for neurological disorders.

Neuroscience Programs to Research

The field of neuroscience includes many different areas to research;

• Brain anatomy and physiology
• neurochemistry
• neuroimaging
• Neuropsychology, and more.

Depending on your interests, you should emphasize specific research topics in your personal statement .

What to Include in Your Neuroscience Personal Statement

The first thing you want to do when composing a neuroscience personal statement is to demonstrate your knowledge of the field. You should explain why you are pursuing this career path and discuss your experience. Explain what has driven you to pursue science as a profession. List courses, internships, or research experience that have prepared you for a career in neuroscience.

It’s also vital to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field. Discuss any unique experiences or challenges that have helped shape who you are today. Talk about how these experiences have shaped your passion for science, what makes them relevant to neuroscience, and your future goals.

You should also highlight any awards or recognition you’ve received in the field, such as scholarships or research grants. This will demonstrate your commitment to the subject and show a track record of success .

Finally, include why you are a good fit for the program or job. Talk about how your experience and skills can contribute to their team and what unique value you can bring to them.

Tips on Writing a Neuroscience Personal Statement

Now that you know what to include in your neuroscience personal statement, here are some tips on how to write an effective one:

• Write clearly and concisely – avoid long-winded sentences and keep your language simple but direct.
• Proofread thoroughly before submitting – make sure there are no grammar or spelling mistakes;
• Be honest and reflective – make sure to be authentic in your writing and don’t exaggerate;
• Make it personal – avoid generic statements and focus on the things that make you unique;
• Tailor it for each application – customize your statement for each job or program you’re applying to.

Examples of Neuroscience Personal Statements

I have been fascinated by neuroscience’s complexities since I was a child. My interest in this field has only strengthened over time, and now I am determined to pursue a career in it. During college, I completed courses in neurophysiologist and neural networks. I also did a research project on the effects of food deprivation on cognitive performance. Additionally, I volunteered at my local hospital’s neurology department and gained invaluable hands-on experience. These experiences have fully prepared me for a career in neuroscience. It will help me contribute significantly to any team or organization I join.

My passion for neuroscience began when I was studying biology in high school. After enrolling in a neuroscience class, I realized that the complexity and breadth of the field genuinely intrigued me. Since then, I have completed a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience, and since graduating, I have researched at two renowned institutions. My work has earned me several awards and recognitions, including a scholarship from the National Science Foundation. In addition to my scientific experience, I have also worked as a mentor for science students. This has developed my leadership skills. My knowledge and experience make me an ideal candidate for any neuroscience-related position or program.

I have been passionate about neuroscience since I was in high school. After taking an advanced class on the subject, I knew this was the field for me. Since then, I’ve completed a degree in neuroscience and taken part in several research projects. This is where I worked to understand the functioning of the human brain better. My work has earned me awards from two universities and recognition from prestigious organizations such as the American Academy of Neurology. I have also volunteered at a local hospital’s neurology department to gain practical experience in my area of interest. With my knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm for neuroscience, I am confident I can excel in any role or program related to this field.

I have been interested in neuroscience since I was a child and this interest has only grown stronger over the years. During my undergraduate studies, I took courses on neural networks and neuropsychology. I completed an honors’ thesis project in which I studied the effects of food deprivation on cognitive performance. My research earned me recognition from a number of well-respected organizations in the field, including the Society for Neuroscience. Additionally, I also volunteered at a local hospital’s neurology department where I gained hands-on experience. With my knowledge, experience and passion for neuroscience, I am confident that I can make significant contributions to any team or organization I join.

Template to Try

My passion for neuroscience began when ___________. After completing my _(degree)_ in the field, I have gone on to work/research at _____ and received a number of awards and recognitions. Additionally, I have also volunteered/mentored at ____ where I developed valuable skills. With my knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm for neuroscience, I am confident that I can excel in any role or program related to this field.

Writing a solid neuroscience personal statement can be difficult, but careful thought and preparation can help set you apart from other applicants . Follow these tips to ensure your statement stands out and showcases why you’re the perfect candidate for the job or program! Good luck!

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Personal statement example psychology and neuroscience personal statement.

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Psychology and Neuroscience Personal Statement

Purpose for learning is a key difference between animal and human brains; whereas evidence suggests that animal brains have evolved to learn what is useful for their immediate needs, humans have a greater capacity to learn and store information even if it has no obvious us, which allows us to advance as a species. This distinction was my first encounter with Psychology and Neuroscience in an essay competition about animal and human thought. I concluded that the study of Psychology is both paramount to giving us an insight into the human mind and, unquestionably, the subject I wish to study at university.

I enjoyed ‘Incognito’, by Eagleman, addressing free will through the lens of Neuroscience; it supported a conclusion that I had arrived at via other reading, that if who we are is so dictated by our brain chemistry that a minute alteration in neurotransmitters can produce alarming changes to our behaviour, it is questionable whether we are truly free. Having previously only considered this question from a broader, philosophical standpoint, I was excited by the insights that scientific research can bring to issues; I feel that Psychology bridges Science and Philosophy perfectly.

It is fascinating how simple impulses and synapses can cause the complex mental life we experience. I read ‘The Brain’, by Wenk, which interested me as it allowed me to more fully understand the links between underlying neural mechanisms and behaviour. For example, Wenk addresses the neurological causes of psychological conditions, such as the link between serotonin and depression. The promise that psychological and neuroscientific research can bring us excites me both for intellectual curiosity but also from a compassionate point of view; it is my dearest ambition to contribute to such research in the future. To this end, I completed a research Gold CREST project in Chemistry that I extremely enjoyed; this also advanced my abilities in scientific method and experiment-design. Chemistry is especially interesting to me from a psychological angle, as the mind and consciousness are essentially simple molecular interactions.

Intrigued by consciousness I attended a panel debate at LSE, about what it is and if it is present in animals. I was curious as to where we could draw the line between conscious and unconscious beings. Although I think it simplistic to suggest that neural activity and consciousness are separate entities, it remains indisputable that some actions require more conscious thought than others. Thus Eagleman’s observation that the level of consciousness an animal has is ‘paralleled to their intellectual flexibility’ is a convincing one, and I am inclined to agree there is a spectrum of different degrees of consciousness. Enthused by what I learnt, I gave a presentation at my school about animal consciousness, language and morality; I was delighted with how many of my peers and teachers engaged with this and the ensuing discussion challenged some of my perspectives and allowed stimulating intellectual debate.

I am also interested in memory, both neurologically looking at dendritic spines, but also from a broader perspective with respect to the malleability of memory and the judicial implications of this. Interested by what I had learned, I gave an interactive talk on memory to children. This was also interesting from a psychological angle as the children reacted differently to the same stimuli and it is fascinating to be able to partly understand why that is the case; studying Psychology gives me a new understanding of the world. This was further demonstrated to me when I was volunteering in a primary school, as well as in my roles as Prefect and Head Chorister. I also enjoy leadership and responsibility as Head of Fair Trade and Head Editor of the history magazine. Furthermore I am doing Gold DofE.

To understand the mind is to understand our world and I am excited by the prospects of studying the mind to undergraduate level and beyond.

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• Residency Application

Neurosurgery Personal Statement Examples

It is sometimes helpful to contemplate the work of others when attempting to produce your own finely tuned work, and to that end, we have provided you with these neurosurgery residency personal statement examples. Tips and advice can assist in your writing, but some people find examples more useful.

Residency personal statement examples will show you how experts write their own statements. Personal statements are an essential aspect of applying to a residency, as any residency prep course will tell you. You can use a personal statement to introduce yourself, show why you are the perfect candidate, and connect you to the discipline and program that you are applying to. Seeing example essays will also let you avoid red flags in residency personal statements .

Read on for two samples specific to applying to a neurosurgery residency.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 8 min read

Neurosurgery residency personal statement examples, neurosurgery residency personal statement example #1.

In my high school days, I was involved with the theater program, and as everybody else talked about butterflies in their stomachs, I just felt a paradoxical relaxation and excitement. In university, I was a regular contributor to the school’s newspaper, but no matter the deadline, I never worried. Even at medical school, I always found myself stepping forward to volunteer to go first. Nerves are not a problem for me. They never have been, and as a result, I feel almost at home in the high pressure of chaos. When thinking about my residency, I naturally gravitated toward emergency medicine and surgery.

Wondering how to write a residency personal statement? Watch this video:

This dilemma – which residency to apply to – was solved for me while I was working as an assistant during medical school with Dr. Michaelson in his research into Alzheimer’s disease. This task quickly became my favorite aspect of my education. I enjoyed wrestling with complex problems, looking for solutions, and being given the freedom to explore exciting advancements in medicine using specialized equipment. The most exciting part of this research, however, was our work on the human brain. This organ that produces thoughts, mind, and consciousness itself via chemical and electric reactions is awe-inspiring and studying how our minds work fascinates and excites me. With a predilection for exploring the mind on top of my knack for handling pressure, surgery became my fits-like-a-glove choice.

My buddy Rod thought he wanted to become a surgeon, but one observation in the operating room change his mind and he abandoned the idea. My observations of surgeries while shadowing doctors have only made me more certain that this is my calling. The most memorable surgery I observed was to repair an aneurysm. The procedure was intense, taking hours, and required precision and focus for the entire time. Despite the harrowing circumstances, the surgeon and her team spoke with one another in an easy, friendly manner. I was impressed both by the work being done and the team-building respect and kindness shown in the OR. There is no space in an operating room for egos. The whole time, I wished I had the knowledge and training to help them – to join in at this crucial point in the patient’s struggle. 

My introduction to clinical rotations was at a family medicine clinic, which my supervising physician described as being on the quiet side. It was supposed to be a nice, smooth transfer to clinical work, but as I soon learned, there is really no such thing in medicine. By the end of a long, hard, first day, I was exhausted and shaken and wondering whether I should hang up my stethoscope for good.

On that first rotation, I had a family bring in their young daughter, who had very mild symptoms at first, but who rapidly progressed to what my supervising physician discovered to be a pediatric stroke. She had to be rushed to a hospital with more adequate facilities, but in the meantime, it was our job to do anything we could to stabilize the girl before the helicopter arrived. One shift in, and I was already up to my eyeballs in emergency trauma and helicopters.

But, of course, the rest of the clinic didn’t shut down, and other appointments had to be kept. It was all I could do to focus on my work while knowing that the family could do nothing but think of their little girl. I thought of them even after they were gone, and I didn’t fully relax until close to the end of my first day when my supervising physician told me, and the rest of our team, that she had received word that the girl had been treated successfully and the prognosis was very good.

She took me aside later and asked how I felt. “I don’t know if I can do this,” I told her, and she was surprised. She said she had rarely seen a person perform so well under stress. I had remained outwardly calm and professional while managing the rest of my tasks for the day. This was the first time I ever thought of myself as being calm under stress, but apparently, I am.

For more advice on writing residency personal statements, check this infographic:

In my surgery clinic, I began to appreciate what my previous supervising physician had said to me more. I noticed that no matter the pressure, my hands didn’t shake. I could always process instructions and carry out tasks. I never vomited after anything particularly intense, although I observed some very different reactions in a few of my peers. To be clear, I respect and admire my colleagues, and I would not excel at everything they are good at, either, but I discovered that I had a distinct knack for stress control. Moreover, I had success in the limited number of surgical procedures I was allowed to perform or assist with as a medical student.

At first, the brain was not my main interest. Had I simply been someone who handled stress well and enjoyed the surgery clinic, I might have picked any area of surgery – cardiac, for instance. But the nature of that little girl’s trauma – her brain needing help – made me think about the importance of the human mind. To save a mind is to save a person. We can survive anything else, can’t we? But not the loss of our minds. Perhaps it is my joint MD-PhD program that makes me philosophical about this, but there is so much to consciousness that we don’t understand – I am so intrigued by this area of medicine.

My MD-PhD research has been couched in personality discourse. Before I began my surgical rotations, I was contemplating psychology as a specialty. In my studies of personality, I was trying to learn more about how physical health affects mental health. I was involved with a sleep study, looking at how to optimize sleep habits for different demographics. We were exploring whether population subsets have different sleep requirements. I am currently involved in another study about how exercise affects mental health and personality. This connection between personality and the nervous system is what had the greatest impact on me while I considered different surgical disciplines. I recognized that I had a strong interest in how our bodies process information through the central processor of the nervous system. The related background reading and coursework in neurology, along with labs and the abovementioned research, all support my natural progression into neurosurgery. I believe that your program, with its state-of-the-art facilities and emphasis on research and development, will be ideal for making my dream a reality.

Any personal statement must have a connection to the residency you are applying to, and all personal statements will introduce you and your history as a medical student. Essentially, you are always aiming to show who you are and why you are perfect for the residency. But what should you focus on with a neurosurgery personal statement in particular?

Well, to start off with, you will want to keep in mind a list of traits that are specifically desirable for neurosurgeons.

This includes subjects such as neurology, basic neurosciences, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and neuropathology. "}]" code="timeline1">

Ask yourself what experiences or proof you have of those traits, and whether you have knowledge of those subjects. Demonstrate that – show, don’t tell – within your application.

Additionally, neurosurgeons will need good communication skills and excellent doctor–patient relatability to deliver high levels of information about treatments and recovery to patients and their families. They also need to be able to speak to patients and their families about very difficult subjects and be able to deliver bad news in a caring but straightforward manner.

Highlight any direct or indirect experiences you have with surgery of any sort, in addition to neurosurgery.

Finally, try to give a sense of your optimal career path. This doesn’t have to be too specific but try to relate this to your residency of choice. If the hospital you are going to is known for its teamwork and you plan on working in teams, for example, this will help match you up with your ideal residency.

You can see how expertly crafted residency personal statements read now, and with these sterling examples, you should be able to craft your own statement. Remember to focus on your own journey and the fact that the primary goal of the residency personal statement is to show your unique attributes that connect you to the specific program and residency you are applying to. You are showing why you are a perfect match. Take that knowledge, focus on your goal, and take the time to write your own future.

While the statement length might vary from program to program – and you should always check for any requirements – typically a residency personal statement will be between 750 and 900 words, based on the space provided in the ERAS application.

It could take from two to six weeks, with some time each day set aside to work on your statement. Take your time writing the statement because you want to make sure you have it perfect, and you need time to re-write, edit, get feedback, and proofread your spelling and grammar. You may also wish to consider whether you need a residency application consultant to help you edit your personal statement.

Neurosurgery requires precision, manual dexterity, calm under pressure, stress management, knowledge of the brain and nervous system – including neuroscience, neurology, and other disciplines – and stamina. Surgeons also need good communication skills to speak with their patients and patients’ families – including the ability to speak clearly but compassionately about extremely difficult subjects. Experiences should highlight any or all of these qualities.

Extremely careful, as any reader will assume you have put the maximum effort into your residency application, given its importance for your future and career. If your maximum effort doesn’t include a thorough spellcheck, that will reflect poorly on said reader’s opinion of you.

Generalization, repetition, arrogance, and a failure to explain gaps in your residency CV , low test scores, or a lack of certain experiences. Most “red flags” can be avoided or handled by curating the information you include, ensuring an appropriate tone, and giving a good explanation for any problems, including what you learned and why they will never happen again.

The best information includes specifics about why you are right for the program you are applying for, why you are perfect for the specialty you are applying to, and relevant experiences that you have for your specialization.

The best criteria to use for the residency you want is deciding what you are passionate about and where you will thrive. Don’t worry about ratings – like if the place you are applying to is the “best” according to some list – worry more about whether you will fit in perfectly according to your goals and temperament.

It’s rare to find no match at all – 5%, based on NRMP data – but it does happen. If that occurs, you will want to find out how to improve residency application after going unmatched . In a nutshell, you’re going to rebuild your application and try again. Don’t give up but get working harder than ever.

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