How to Write an Effective Fellowship Application Essay

Positivity in an essay is about focusing on strengths, both in terms of accomplishments and personal attributes. It’s about highlighting the skills and qualities that make someone a uniquely strong fit for rheumatology and, ideally, for the fellowship program they are applying to. Rather than focusing on what they don’t have or what they need to improve, applicants may redirect to how they seek to become the rheumatologists they aspire to be.

Moreover, a positive tone can set the stage for a collaborative, forward-thinking attitude. In successful fellowship programs, fellows work closely with patients and colleagues alike and this kind of energy that inspires others is invaluable. Essays that exude positivity leave the reader with a sense of optimism—not only about the applicant’s future, but about the future of rheumatology itself.

Conclusion: A Biopsy of the Emerging Rheumatology Community

Writing an effective application essay is not easy. It requires introspection, clarity and a balance between showcasing accomplishments and demonstrating humility. It requires practice and input from others but without the work-shopping that completely eradicates the soul of an essay. And to various degrees, it requires the five elements we’ve discussed—authenticity, cohesion, originality, aspiration and positivity.

When these elements unite in the right way, the result is an essay that not only informs but inspires. It gives the reader a glimpse into who the applicant is, what they stand for and where they are going. It leaps off the page as more than just a personal statement; it becomes a veritable biopsy of a future rheumatologist’s career, a snapshot of a future leader in our high-powered field.

And so, all the aspiring rheumatologists out there putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, I encourage you to approach your essay with these five elements in mind. Write from the heart, tell your story, offer something new, connect your past with your future, and always focus on the strengths you bring to the table. After all, the essay isn’t just text field to complete—it’s a vital opportunity to testify about why you belong in rheumatology and the field of rheumatology would be incomplete without you.

Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS, is the director of the rheumatology fellowship training program at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and the physician editor of The Rheumatologist. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @BharatKumarMD.