Searching for Your Dumbledore: Finding a Mentor
Tips on how to meet and build relationships with people who can advance your education and career.
Megan Riddle
Updated June 27, 2022 by Megan Riddle
Essay
Essay refers to application essays, personal statements, and written responses for health professions admissions.
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Review this collection of 32 articles, then explore these SDN Review hubs to extend your knowledge:
A Call For Compassionate Doctors
Your actions as a physician have a tremendous impact on your patients.
Mary Calhoun
Updated March 15, 2019 by Mary Calhoun
Judgment in Medicine
While patients resist being “judged”, health care professionals must employ a certain level of judgment in order to properly evaluate the needs of each patient.
Edward Chang
Updated August 21, 2026 by Edward Chang
Personal Statement Fine Tuning
If you want to become a physician, you have a job to do even before ... Read more
Lee Burnett
Updated August 21, 2026 by Lee Burnett
Medical School Application Secondary Essays
What are medical school secondary essays? Why are they important? Dr. Jessica Freedman answers common questions about secondaries.
Jessica Freedman
Updated August 21, 2026 by Jessica Freedman
Personal Statement Myths
The personal statement is one of the most challenging parts of a health professional school application. Dr. Jessica Freedman talks about the myths surrounding the personal statement.
Jessica Freedman
Updated June 27, 2022 by Jessica Freedman
Essay Workshop 101: Lesson 1: The Audience
Admissions committees are usually made up of admissions staff, faculty, students, and clinicians. Their backgrounds ... Read more
Student Doctor Network
Updated May 2, 2026 by Student Doctor Network
Essay Workshop 101: Lesson 2: The Admissions Essay
On a first review, admissions committees are usually looking for three broad signals from you: ... Read more
Student Doctor Network
Updated May 2, 2026 by Student Doctor Network
Essay Workshop 101: Lesson 3: Brainstorming
Brainstorming is not about finding the most impressive topic. It is about finding the experiences ... Read more
Student Doctor Network
Updated May 2, 2026 by Student Doctor Network
Essay Workshop 101: Lesson 4: Common Essay Themes
Note: The examples and themes below are teaching tools. Use them to think about structure ... Read more
Student Doctor Network
Updated May 2, 2026 by Student Doctor Network
Essay Workshop 101: Lesson 5: Introductions
Your opening sentence matters because it sets the reader’s expectations. It does not need to ... Read more
Student Doctor Network
Updated May 2, 2026 by Student Doctor Network
Essay Workshop 101: Lesson 6: Editing Checklist
Substance Substance is the meaning of your essay: what the reader learns about you and ... Read more
Student Doctor Network
Updated May 2, 2026 by Student Doctor Network
Before You Write Your Personal Statement, Read This
Essays and personal statements are an anxiety-inducing part of the application process for many postgraduate ... Read more
Essay Edge
Updated June 27, 2022 by Essay Edge
