One of the most grueling aspects of applying to a physical therapy program is having to write about yourself, make yourself stand out, while trying not to compare yourself to the crowd. How do you do this? You don't need a sob story to get accepted.
When crafting your personal statement, it's critical that you take time to consider the prompt and think of a few significant experiences in your life that you can look at through different lenses and are comfortable talking about. Even though we tend to champion a hero's journey, a personal statement is no place to trauma-dump.
Think of experiences that can help answer the questions: Who am I today? What makes me...me? And if you are landing on a heavier experience, that's ok! As long as you know how to frame it to highlight elements that help bring out your strengths.
Most programs are looking for a few things when reading through personal statements.
Can this person write coherently and communicate their thoughts? Was this person able to answer the prompt succinctly?
Has this person gained skills in their past experiences that will help them as a student? As a future clinician?
Does this person understand the role of a physical therapist?
What does professionalism look like for this person? How does this person extend empathy to others? How do they handle themselves around people of different beliefs and backgrounds?
Has this person reflected on their life experiences? Have they grown from hardship?
If you have trouble getting started, leveraging technology (AI) is likely the biggest game-changer for this generation of applicants. I'm not saying use AI to write your statement. But, using AI to help you get an idea of the format for paragraphs can help. (Keep in mind that the people reading these are likely involved in the interview process or in your education after getting into the program. The PT world is small, so you don't want to start on the wrong foot.)
Last tips:
Leave out quotes. Leave out cliches. Don't make sweeping generalization statements. This essay is completely about you and how you feel your experiences and skill set will make you a great PT.
Weaknesses are never shortcomings. They are, instead, areas of improvement. If you have something "negative" on your application (i.e., bad grades, lapses in employment, negative experiences), focus on what you have gained from the experience.
Connect the dots for your reader. Let other people read and suggest edits. Most likely, you are acutely aware of how your experiences shape your strengths and relate to the profession, but it might not be communicated as clearly as you imagine.
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Written by:
Judith Wang
Founder, Project Green Beard
UCSC Banana Slug, SMU DPT '25
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