Candidates who apply to certain fields – dermatology, ophthalmology, etc. – need a preliminary or transitional year of residency before initiating their specialty training. So does that mean those applicants need to toil over two personal statements?

No, thankfully. It’s very appropriate (and strategic) to use the same essay with minor modifications. Ensure you explicitly address why a prelim year will advance the rest of your career and how you will contribute to the prelim training program as a future specialist.

When you use a very similar essay, you can be honest about what your professional goals are. After all, the reader knows you’re applying for a one-year position.

Remember that many preliminary/transitional year programs are eager to match residents who are moving on to competitive fields. In general, those applicants will have strong USMLE scores, evaluations, and clinical skills.