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Check the AAMC Core Competencies to see what traits are valued as a medical student  \n Discuss your journey into medicine and how you developed this interested  \n Show, Don't Tell: Use a series of stories to demonstrate these characteristics.  \n Discuss the significance of your stories:  \n What did you learn?  \n Why are these lessons important?  \n How will you apply these lessons in medical school and/or in your career as a physician?  \nS ho u ld I ta l k a bo ut acade m ic st r ugg les?  \n Yes, it is advised to discuss any unusually low grades or MCAT scores. Discuss if there were any life events that attributed to your academically struggles. Some examples include:  \n Mental health  \n Severe health issues in you or your family  \n Working full time  \n More importantly, discuss what you did to overcome these struggles, and how you will prevent them from recurring in medical school.  \nWho s ho u ld rev ise my pe rso n a l state me nt?  \n Professional editor (like our Moon Prep essay coaches!)  \n Mentors  \n Trusted friends and family  \n Carefully select who you want to review your application, as multiple people can have differing opinions on how to change your personal statement  \nM o o n  \np r e p  \nMedical School Application Guide  \nACTIVITIES LIST  \nHow m a ny act iv it ies ca n I l ist?  \n AMCAS: 15 total activities, although you don't need to fill all 15 activities  \n AACOMAS and TMDSAS: Unlimited  \n Be sure to include 1-2 hobbies at the end  \nHow lo ng s ho u ld t he desc r i ptio n be?  \n AMCAS: 700 characters each, including spaces  \n AACOMAS: 600 characters each, including spaces  \n TMDSAS: 300 characters  \nW hat s ho u ld I i nc l ude i n t he desc r i pt io n?  \n Think of these as mini essays. Most students will write about what they did in each activity. To help your application stand out, include a story and discuss the significance of the activity  \nWhat a re most mea n i ngfu l essays?  \n In addition to your activity description, you will be allowed to further discuss 3 most meaning activities. Highlight why these activities have contributed to your personal growth. These do not all have to be medically related.  \n AMCAS: 1325 characters, including spaces  \n AACOMAS: No most meaningful designations  \n TMDSAS: 500 characters, including spaces  \nDo I need a s u pe rv iso rs co ntact i nfo r m at io n?  \n Yes, you will need to submit either a phone number or email address. Don't worry, medical schools usually are too busy to confirm them!  \nHow do I co m bi ne my ex pe r ie nces?  \n Shadowing: Most shadowing experiences are pretty similar. It is generally recommended to combine these experiences together  \n Publications: For multiple publications, list a link to your Google Scholar profile with all of your publications.  \nM o o n  \np r e p  \nMedical School Application Guide  \nIMPACT FUL EXPERIENCES ESSAY  \nW hat is t he I m pact fu l Ex pe r ie nces essay?  \n Beginning with the 2023-2024 cycle, AMCAS changed their Disadvantaged Essay to the Other Impact Experiences essays. This change is intended to capture lived experiences that align with the schools' missions and served communities.  \n This change is only pertinent to the AMCAS application.  \nHow lo ng s ho u ld is t h is essay?  \n AMCAS: 1325 characters  \nI do n ' t co ns ide r myse lf d isadva n","cbCaiaP9tpEaWfRn","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiaP9tpEaWfRn","pdf",347268,"English","# Personal Statement\n## When to start and length requirements\n## What to include\n## Discussing academic struggles\n## Who should revise\n# Activities List\n## Number of activities and character limits\n## What to include in descriptions\n## Most meaningful activities\n# Impactful Experiences Essay\n## What it is and who it applies to\n## Length and how to write\n# Secondary Essays\n## Cost considerations\n## When to start\n## Submission timing and expectations","[{\"question\":\"When should applicants start writing their personal statement?\",\"answer\":\"Start at least 6 months before the application cycle so there is enough time to write and revise drafts.\"},{\"question\":\"What character limits apply to personal statements on AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS?\",\"answer\":\"AMCAS and AACOMAS allow 5300 and TMDSAS allows 5000 characters, respectively, including spaces.\"},{\"question\":\"How should applicants approach secondary essay timing and submission?\",\"answer\":\"Submit secondaries under 1 week when possible; faster submissions within a short timeframe signal interest in the program.\"}]","Mastering Medical School Essays - Personal Statements, Secondaries, and More - Medical School Application Guide | PDF",1790089345]