To evaluate personal statements submitted to a major academic anesthesiology program to determine the prevalence of common features and overall subjective quality, and to survey anesthesiology program directors as to how they utilized these statements during the resident selection process.
Structured analysis of de-identified personal statements and Internet-based survey of program directors.
Large academic anesthesiology training program.
670 applicant personal statements and academic anesthesiology program directors.
Prevalence of 13 specific essay features and 8 quality ratings were calculated for the essays and correlated with other aspects of the residency application, as abstracted from the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) files. A 6-question survey regarding use of personal statements was collected from program directors.
70 of 131 program directors queried responded to our survey. Interest in physiology and pharmacology, enjoyment of a hands-on specialty, and desire to comfort anxious patients were each mentioned in more than half of the essays. Candidates invited for an interview had essays that received higher quality ratings than essays of those not invited (P = 0.02 to P