The goal of your written materials (and your interview) is to distinguish yourself from everyone else to demonstrate that you are worthy of a competitive medical school, residency, fellowship, or postbaccalaureate slot.
Therefore, it’s critical that you avoid flowery or trite language: Using it does the opposite of making you distinctive. When I’m editing, I often reference a piece by Lisa Miller called, “When Did Everything Become a ‘Journey’?” about the overuse of the word. Miller cites linguistics professor Jesse Egbert who notes that “journey,” as a noun, has almost doubled in American English since 1990.
In her piece, Miller also includes a wry quote from a Los Angeles clinical psychologist who describes the word “journey” as “eye-rollingly cheapened.” In editing personal statements, I see the word used frequently – maybe once in every four essays I revise.
Good writing takes a lot of time – brainstorming, outlining, and many drafts. Make sure your written materials are the best they can be by being diligent about your process (and by getting help).
