Once upon a time: The use of narrative story in the selection process

Purpose: In the application to residency programs, the personal statement is the best way for medical students to identify themselves uniquely to residency program directors prior to the interview. However, students often do not take full advantage of this opportunity to connect with potential interviewers. Summary: Of the many approaches to the personal statement, one technique works best: the narrative story. This forges an immediate connection with the reviewer and reveals something about the students that would not otherwise show in their writing. This technique requires students to reflect on their backgrounds, challenges, personality preferences, and career goals and to concentrate on expressing that clearly in a story format. The reviewer responses have been so positive that students find the technique well worth the effort. Conclusion: Incorporating this approach as part of the students' career planning is an effective way to help students find appropriate matches with residency programs of their choice. Copyright (C) 1998 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.