Medical residency personal statement writing coaching, editing, and proofreading are special niche services I provide. With the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) going live for programs in mid September, we are rapidly approaching the point where application materials need to be ready to upload.
As is the case every year, there are usually quite a few fourth year medical students and medical school graduates still working on their personal statements at this time. Some applicants are comfortable writing their own statements. Others prefer or need to get help from a professional to ensure their essay is as strong as it can be and devoid of glaring typos, grammatical errors, or inadvertent red flags. Some applicants struggle to get started and need coaching on how to get the first draft on the page; there is no shame in this, as writing does not come naturally to many.
If you’re looking to hire a freelancer, here are some tips to help you get the best personal statement possible without having to go through excessive revisions or paying for wasted time.
- If you are working with a writing coach, good interview skills are essential – they will start by helping you gather the essential details together so you can identify your story or narrative flow
- A coach or editor will need information from you to revise your essay
- Whether or not you know exactly what you want, be upfront on your vision, an editor or coach can help you refine this
- Don’t assume the freelancer will know the specifics about every residency*
- Avoid unclear language when discussing the project to avoid costly mistakes
- Answer freelancer questions thoroughly; too much information is better than not enough
- Ask questions if you don’t understand what the freelancer tells you
- Expect first drafts to be messy, possibly missing a conclusion or transitions
- Writing and editing take time; try to be patient
As I return to work with my own personal statement clients this morning, I wish all residency applicants a successful interviewing season and a good Match.
*According to the ACGME and the National Residency Matching Program’s Results and Data Report for 2025, there were 47,208 active residency applicants competing for 43,237 positions in 13,393 programs across all specialties in the US.
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