Sample Language for the Personal Statement

Sample Language for the Personal Statement for Faculty on the “at

CUMC” Track

These examples have been excerpted from Personal Statements of faculty in their promotion to

ranks of Associate Professor or Professor. Examples are provided for guidance in writing, such

as for formulating one’s ideas or encapsulating development, accomplishments and values.

Examples here are not intended as required language or to cover all issues or areas.

Introductory Statement:

Synthesize your guiding or driving forces or inspiration.

• Example: “...I was appointed as [Assistant Professor] of XXX Dept., effective July 1,

20xx, with primary area of focus of XXX (and 1-2 others, if applicable). Here I outline my

activities and achievements since that time in that area(s) in support of my promotion to

[Associate] Professor of XXX), as well as activities in [other areas of focus].”

• Example: “I have [Action: built, developed, focus] my academic career on a strong

foundation of [what overall area(s) of focus and/or theme(s)].”

• Example: “My expertise and accomplishments in the field(s) of [What specific area(s) or

applications?] have focused on my [Personal term?: e.g. commitment, conviction,

dedication, etc.] to high quality [or other descriptor] to [What?: underlying values, themes

or principles].”

Summary Impact on You:

(Academic development, area of focus, productivity, other.)

• Example: “These active efforts have helped to prepare me in bringing ([What did it do

for you?]. As a natural extension of my ongoing efforts to expand my knowledge and

skills, these [experiences, opportunities, other] have led to [What overall outcome?:

accomplishments, development or productivity] within my [Sphere(s)?: dept. field,

professional society, geographic impact].”

• Example: “After being recruited to CUIMC, I have been actively involved in [descriptor:

e.g. new innovative, multi-center] [What?: e.g. procedures, patient care, clinical trials,

leadership, educational or research themes or accomplishments] and expanded my

[What?: interest in something, type of skills, opportunities, research interests.]”

Accomplishments:

• Example: “These active efforts have helped to prepare me in bringing a [What type of]

approach into my [type of] roles. As a natural extension of my ongoing efforts to expand

my knowledge and skills, they have led to [What?: e.g. collaborations with someone(s),

opportunities, impact] [Where?: e.g. within home institution(s), hospital(s), regionally,

nationally, internationally].”

• Example: “[This program or clinical or other] became nationally recognized and has

served as a model for other programs nationwide. Outcomes [numeric measures of key

areas of impact] for the [Target?: e.g. population, condition] were exceptional and

sustained over the past x years (see publications #4 and #8). Last year, I secured

funding from [Source] to expand this program throughout the [Geographic or topical

range?: e.g. clinical network, dept., professional society, community]. This program has

become the model program for [Theme?], both locally and nationally (see [publications

#3-5).”

• Example: “These active efforts have helped to prepare me in bringing a scholarly

approach into my leadership roles. As a natural extension of my ongoing efforts to

expand my knowledge and skills, they have led to strong collaborations with colleagues

within [Domain(s)?: dept., theme, area, institutions, hospital, local, regional and/or

national domains].”

• Example: “I am committed to developing my [skills: e.g. leadership, analytic, procedural,

community, organizational] [What?: e.g. impact, opportunities]. I was recently appointed

as the [What?: e.g. title in dept., clinical or professional realm]. In this role, I have

actively [Done what?: e.g. established QA or QI program, clinical or educational service,

research tactic] for [With or for whom?: e.g. students, trainees, colleagues, collaborators,

other professional areas] by [What did you change?: e.g. initiate, develop, accomplish].

Success in this role resulted in my [Metric of your impact?: e.g. promotion to another

title, extension of area, role, academic unit].”

Impact:

Describe scholarly aspects of your research, education, patient care or service activities within

your communities of practice and/or with like-minded scholars at department, medical school,

hospital, national and/or international levels.

• Example: “In 2017, I was invited to be one of [X#] of [What?: national, expert, faculty] to

assist and advise [Group?: e.g. academic or hospital unit, professional society, review

committee, community board] on [Area(s): e.g. guidelines on clinical practice, areas of

educational or scientific interest]. Examples of my responsibilities included reviewing the

[What?: e.g. area, existing guidelines, staff, goals, themes]. The [Sponsor or leadership]

wanted to [Overall goal?: e.g. establish, define, enhance, build expertise, develop new

programs].“

• Example: I have developed collaborations across [What?: Local institution, region,

national and/or international] to improve the treatment of [a medical issue] in the future.

Through these collaborations, I have [What?: impacted practice, research, teaching

administrative, perspectives].

• Example: “Through my [Leadership, partnership, and/or collaboration], we have

developed [What?: better, larger, more effective, safer, etc. ] means to [What impact?].”

Advanced Training:

• Example: “During my [Academic title and year] I obtained my [What?: e.g. degree,

certificate, in what field and institution]. [Why did you seek that? What and how did it

allow you to do or develop?].”

Formative Experiences:

• Example: “I was fortunate to learn from and work with [Who or what?: group or type of

community] with [What?: ideas, passions, background, other] through the [Hosting

institution or society] in the [Formal title or theme] Program.”

Leadership Roles:

What role(s), what duties, what metric(s) of success?

• Example: “After completing the [Advanced training in X dates by year(s)], I felt well-

prepared to take on other leadership roles. I became the [Title and year: internal and/or

external to your academic area]. In this role, I have assisted in [What you have

accomplished?: e.g. develop skills, perform strategic planning, other].

Change of Direction, Focus or Level:

Note: be positive!

• Example: “Through the years my administrative skills have flourished alongside my

academic skills. Four years ago, I was offered the position of [What?: title and program].

I accepted this position since it afforded me the opportunity to [What you wanted to

accomplish?: e.g. create, develop, change direction, other]. The opportunity to impact

[What? e.g. clinical care, outcomes, trainee outcomes or experience, biomedical

research topic of focus] reflects my [What?: e.g. specific interests, ambition to contribute

something, responsibility for something].

• Example: “These active efforts have helped to prepare me in bringing a [Type?] of

approach into my [Type?] of roles. As a natural extension of my ongoing efforts to

expand my knowledge and skills, they have led to [What?: e.g. collaborations with

someone(s), opportunities, impact] [Where?: e.g. within home institution(s), regionally,

nationally, internationally].

• Example: “For [X] years I had worked with [mentor] in Y field. In [year], I transitioned to

focus on my [new area of focus] and joined the [internal program or group] that [does

what?]. I lead the section on [specific diagnostic or therapeutic area]. [Why?: e.g. new

opportunities, available therapies, research, other.] To date, we have treated [How

many?] patients….”

• Example: “In 2009, because of [Funding: e.g. grant or other funds] from [Cite source], I

was able step down from my position as [Title and program] to increase my efforts to

focus on [new topic].”

• Example: “While not having taken a direct academic path to my current position, I have

consistently fostered rigorous academic standards and output for myself, my colleagues

and trainees, and have integrated [What?] themes into my research.”

Specific Area(s) of Focus:

Educational Pedagogy

• Example: My major educational focus has been to [What?: concepts and themes?]

[where? e.g. locally, other institutional groups, nationally]. I have focused on [What?: e.g.

concepts, metrics]: to [What?: accomplish for your trainees] to enable them to [learn or

do what?]. My goal(s) or accomplishment(s) as led to [Other?: e.g. adoption, mandatory

use, scalability, sustainability, expansion].”

• Example: “I have been able to create a [type of] curriculum and practice that [unique

general attributes: e.g. evolves with new uses or technologies, adaptive, creative, unique

in other ways]. One my early applications in education have been to use the [Name(s)

model(s)]. As I gained [progress: e.g. expertise, I have been able to also [expansion;

e.g. promote the same methods [Where?: e.g. CUIMC, other institution(s)] and at the

[Where?: local, regional, and/or national] level. As I approach programmatic change, I

have tried to be [Approach to themes, issues, challenges] by using [what principles or

approaches].

• Example: “... With Dr. XX, [title], I designed and serve as the Co-director of the [program

for the 4-week [training or teaching] Module. I participated in the [name] Task Force,

core group of medical, radiology and pathology faculty to provide comprehensive

instruction on ... This program serves as a valuable tool for preparing residents towards

a career in [something]…”

Allied Healthcare/Public Health Interventions:

• Example: “... I continue to develop my practice in [area or field] by collaborating with

faculty in [name other fields] to integrate X, Y, Z approaches to increase clinical impact

[What?: volume, approach, safety, efficiency, etc.] . To provide the latest treatment to

patients with [area, disease or other]disease, I attended a course that has certified me to

incorporate [coursework]. Evolution of my clinical expertise in [something(s) specific] has

blended well with my recent academic activity including publications, Editorial

membership, and membership to The American Society of [professional group] as

outlined below…”

• Example: “I am board-certified in [field], trained at [institution(s). As an attending

physician in [Division or department?] at NYP Hospital, I serve as the in-patient service

attending for [X#] weeks per year, plus clinic at X days per week], including overseeing

and mentoring the [What division or service?] residents or fellows.

Investigation:

• Example: “My research focuses on [What issue or problem?: disease, population,

technology development, etc.], specifically towards understanding and maximizing [what

primary theme(s)]. Our team utilizes approaches that [briefly summarize]. A unique focus

of my work on [target focus, collaborators] is [What?: e.g. broad understanding,

intervening, developing] in the [area]. To date, our research has resulted in [What?: e.g.

milestones, metrics of accomplishment].”

Synergy Between Multiple Areas of Focus

e.g. applied health and education

• Example: “Currently I am involved in integrating the [multiple disciplines or units or

training] programs, developing a curriculum for [Who?: medical students, residents,

fellow, NPs or other] based on our [what origin], in addition to expanding [opportunities

or activities].”

• Example: “Educating [Who? students, residents and/or fellows] is a [statement of

importance to you and to the field]. I instituted a [What was your new, developed or

expanded program?] so that fellows from these areas [name] could meet, learn from

each other and [other: e.g. share some of their strong educational foundation. We

continue this theme [expand] with [Regularity: e.g. monthly] multidisciplinary

conferences focusing on topics in [What themes or disciplines?].

Short and Long-Term Priorities

Overall:

• Provide a brief sketch of your short and longer-term trajectories. Mention how you will

continue to develop your current skills and build on your current achievements to

enhance the breadth and/or depth of your expertise, and its short- and long-term impact,

dissemination, including teaching and training of mentees.

• Some personal statements start with a terse overall statement of your area(s) to pursue

and their importance to the mission. For example:

o Example: “I am committed to continuing to develop the quality and impact of my

work in [What area(s) of expertise?], and continue my focus on [more specific:

patient population, target of research or teaching].

o Example: My future plans are to continue my focus on [what condition, issue,

within local, national, and international communities. In addition, to the work I

have done in [What strong example?], I plan to work further with colleagues

on…”

• Mention if you are planning for a gentle shift in method or target of academic productivity

is fine, as long as it builds on current strengths and is described in a logical terse

fashion. For example, one could mention new opportunities for outreach and/or impact,

developing collaborations to expand capabilities or targets.

Short term:

• Example: “Over the next few years, I plan to [What?: develop additional expertise

through training and/or education; continue to expand; include another [Where or what?:

site, target population, teaching paradigm and/or research].”

• Example: “During my [What?: major area(s) of focus] endeavors, I have realized that [a

topic or theme] requires a [generic plan: structured clinical focus, etc.”. As recently

appointed [appointment or title], I plan to create [What?: e,g. targeted course, clinical or

research resource. This [Where or what?: e.g. facility] The [course or facility] will serve

as a core [What?: e.g. core, nidus] for [For whom?: e.g. students, clinical or lab trainees,

other].”

Long Term:

• Example: “With these [What milestones or accomplishments?: skills, expertise,

activities, etc.], I plan to [What?: broaden, deepen, expand or shift] to focusing on [What

existing or related area(s)?].

• Example: “In the next phase of my career, I hope to continue to provide leadership and

expertise to promote the [What and scope?]. In the current academic environment, it is

important to me that I continue to help [Who to do what?]. Getting more involved in the

[What?: training program, other] will further my goals to develop a greater [What?: plan

and impact]”

• Example: “Ultimately/Eventually, I [What plan?: to or believe that] … by pursuing

[What?: goals, opportunities, topics] to develop and disseminate this knowledge, I will be

able to [Do what?: develop or contribute] to the [Goal(s)?: wider area of [your fields].”

• Example: “In the next phase of my career, I hope to continue to provide leadership and

expertise to promote the [What and scope?]. In the current academic environment, it is

important to me that I continue to help [Who to do what?]. Getting more involved in the

[what? training program, other] will further my goals to develop a greater [What?: plan

and desired impact]”