At McGill, the anatomical pathology residency program has a practical internship curriculum, friendly residents, supportive program directors, excellent teaching staff, diligent support staff, a large caseload, and is situated in the charming city of Montreal.

In the initial months of my training, I was endlessly strategizing how to balance reading and looking at glass slides. I was trying different references and various study styles, including flash cards and mind maps. After three core rotations in subspecialty pathology this academic year, I have come up with a list of the references (books and websites) that have helped me maximize my learning.

My guess is that what makes a GOOD personal statement is OBJECTIVE—clear, concise, well-written, grammatically correct. It doesn't raise any red flags. Meanwhile, what makes a GREAT personal statement is subjective.

As this is one of the last clinical rotations I will do before I return to the world of pathology, I take my sweet time when seeing patients. I take all the time I need, so much so that I receive compliments on how wonderful it is to have a doctor who carefully asks questions, gently examines, and simply listens. Patients say that I do well what I do. I courteously say thank you, a bit embarrassed by the trust placed in me. But in moments of silence, away from the busy humming of clinics, when I can actually hear myself think and cannot be charmed by the gratification of being front…

By reading current and relevant scientific papers, I not only deepen my understanding of topics in my present rotation—I also familiarize myself with possible existing research questions, thereby allowing me to generate my own hypothesis for a project.