Boiling yourself down to one page may seem impossible, or maybe even a little depressing. It doesn’t have to be that way--in fact, it shouldn’t be that way.

The personal statement is a chance to connect all of the dots. It’s an opportunity to explain your interest in medicine--and your value to it--better than a Step 1 score.

Medical schools typically offer some guidance on developing your personal statement, at least in the form of a few examples or templates. As much as you like, though, it doesn’t really boil down to a step-by-step, paint-by-numbers guide. Dr. Daniel Gouger says your personal statement is the product of your unique experiences and what you’ve internalized from those experiences.

To that end, we won’t tell you what to do in your personal statement. But here are some don’ts.