The “50 Reasons Why Medicine” Exercise
“Why did you become a doctor?” is the question you’re going to answer for the rest of your life (assuming you’re successful, of course). Don’t you want to come up with a good answer starting now?
But what can you say that hasn’t been said? How do you avoid the cliches while answering honestly? (i.e. what if it’s TRUE that you want to help people? Can you just say that?)
The gist: you want to hone in on the reasons that combine to make an answer that’s yours. No, it won’t be perfectly unique, but through getting these answers onto paper, you’ll be able to see the themes that arise naturally, and the specific reasons that push past the cliches.
So, the steps:
Step One: Write down 50 reasons why you want to be a doctor.
Yes, 50. Not 5. Not 10. 50.
The first ten will be obvious. The next twenty will start to feel repetitive. By the time you hit forty, you’ll think, This is ridiculous. I have nothing left to say.
Keep going.
Because somewhere between “I love biology” and “I want to help people” lies the truth about what drives you. It might sound like:
- “I can’t stop trying to fix things that seem unfair.”
- “I want to be the kind of person my younger self needed.”
- “I’m fascinated by how small details, like a rash or a tremor, can tell a whole story.”
Those are the beginnings of powerful essays.
Step Two: Look for patterns.
When you’re done, step back and read your list. Circle the reasons that feel the most honest or surprising. Notice which ones cluster together.
Do you see themes about connection? Curiosity? Advocacy? Healing?
Those are the through-lines that can shape your personal statement.
Your goal isn’t to use all 50. It’s to find the few that reveal something real.
Step Three: Connect them to experiences.
Take your strongest reasons and ask, Where have I seen this play out in my life?
If one of your reasons is “I love seeing people grow,” think about a patient, a student, or a teammate you helped. If it’s “I’m drawn to solving mysteries,” remember the time you chased down a hard diagnosis or cracked a tricky lab result.
This is how vague statements turn into vivid stories.
Why This Works
The 50 Reasons exercise isn’t about finding the perfect answer. It’s about uncovering the honest one.
Most students try to sound like what they think admissions committees want. This exercise does the opposite. It reminds you that your authenticity is your advantage.
When you take the time to understand your own motivations, everything else gets easier. The essay writes itself. The interviews feel more natural. You stop worrying about sounding impressive and start sounding like yourself.
Ready to Try It?
Grab a blank document or notebook. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Write down as many reasons as you can without editing or judging yourself.
When you’re done, you’ll have something far more powerful than a list. You’ll have a map of who you are and why you belong in medicine.