Writing your Personal Statement

     جهت کسب اطلاعات بیشتر در مورد تحصیل در رشته های پزشکی در انگلستان فرم مشاوره   تحصیلی را تکمیل نمائید.

One way to write your statement

The guide below is intended to provide an example of one way of structuring your statement, but it is by no means the only way, or even the best way. Your personal statement should reflect you and so no one else can tell you the best way to write it

Paragraph One - Introduction & why you want to do medicine

Briefly explain who you are and what you are doing now. e.g. "I am currently in my final year at school where I am studying A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and English..." OR "I graduated in 2004 with a 2.1 in Biology from the University of XXXX after which I spent 6 months travelling in South America. On my return to the UK, I began working at..."

Explain why you want to do medicine and describe the factors which influenced your decision. You might wish to talk about personal experiences, people you know who are doctors, work or voluntary experience, your interest in science etc etc

Paragraph 2 - Describe your work/voluntary experience & what you learned

It's a good idea to have carried out some work or voluntary experience in a health or social care setting by the time you write your personal statement

If you have, start by describing briefly what you did. Try to avoid making a long list of your experiences and don't prioritise the details (e.g. I worked every Saturday for 6 months) over what you contributed (I helped with mealtimes, and talked to patients etc)

Medical schools like to know what you learned and why your experience has made you more confident about your decision to do medicine

If you have had personal experience of the health or social services that has influenced your decision to study medicine, you might also want to include it. It is perfectly acceptable to use informal experiences as part of your application. Use this section to provide an account of what happened and what you learned from it.

Paragraph 3 - Describe other relevant life / work experiences

Discuss the personal attributes and skills that you have developed through life and work experiences which you think are relevant to a career in medicine. Include anything that shows you can work in a team, that you are an active, responsible individual who contributes to society. For example

School responsibilities (e.g. being involved in school events / plays / concerts, prefect responsibilities etc

Paid work experience or professional experience (for graduates / matures

Positions of responsibility (committees / societies / sports teams / community work / charity work

Paragraph 4 - other interests and conclusion

Make this a short section - Discuss any hobbies you have that aren't directly related to medicine - e.g. going to the gym / reading novels / socialising / music / travelling - whatever your interests are. Anything that demonstrates that you are a rounded individual with a variety of interests

Finally give a conclusion that summarises the whole statement. Briefly explain that you have considered a career in medicine carefully and the reasons you feel you will make a good doctor. Keep this punchy, probably not more than 3 or 4 lines long

Example personal statements

Personal statements are just that, personal to you. But sometimes it can help to see how other people have gone about it, to reassure yourself. Visit our example personal statements section to see some examples

Examples of Personal Statements

This section includes some examples of UCAS personal statements from applicants who successfully got in to medical school. We have divided them into 2 categories; graduates and school leavers. We have removed some information in order to retain confidentiality.

Personal Statements by Graduates

Example 1

I graduated from Bristol University with First Class Honours in Chemistry in 2000 and, after taking some time out to travel in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, began working for XXXX. Since leaving university I have carefully considered my career aspirations and ambitions. I have concluded that a career in medicine will provide me with the life-long personal and intellectual challenges that I am seeking whilst allowing me to use my analytical, scientific and communication skills in a caring capacity

I am currently working as a part-time volunteer at XXXX hospital, where I assist the nurses with the needs of the elderly patients. My role involves talking to patients and listening to their concerns, as well as helping them with walking, eating and other basic practical needs. Caring for patients who are suffering from a wide range of conditions, from strokes to physical injuries, has given me a greater appreciation of the emotional and physical demands of caring for sick and vulnerable people. I have also developed an understanding of the importance of sympathetic, clear and effective communication with the patients, many of whom find it difficult to hear, speak or understand language and have learned to adapt the way I communicate accordingly. Observing first-hand the challenges and difficulties that those working at XXXX face, both on a personal and professional level, has given me an appreciation of the degree of commitment and dedication required to be a successful medical practitioner

All my volunteering work is done outside office hours as I am currently working full-time at XXXX. The company specialises in managing aid-funded projects in developing countries and also runs the leading website for consultants and consulting firms working in this field. My role involves building and maintaining business relationships with corporate clients, NGOs and other development organisations, running the company's web portal, managing the company's online advertising services, liasing with member consultants and supervising administrative staff. I also work closely with the CEO to develop and refine company strategy. The role has provided me with valuable experience of communicating on a professional level, solving business-related problems, working hard under pressure to meet deadlines and taking strategic decisions. I believe this experience will provide a useful grounding for medical training and practice

Throughout my life I have taken part in activities and events that have involved working with other people for a common outcome. As a top music scholar at school I played in numerous concerts and competitions and achieved Grade 8 on both the 'cello and piano. I also organised and performed in two highly successful concerts that raised over £2000 for charity. In addition to my musical activities, I have travelled extensively and completed several long-distance treks in the Himalayas, South-East Asia and New Zealand. I have also recently completed a two-day First Aid course and subsequently passed the exam to receive my certification.

Working in the medical profession will provide me with life-long personal and intellectual challenges and I believe that I can draw upon my experiences, skills and attributes to pursue this career successfully

Example 2

Motivation: My motivation to pursue a career in medicine has developed from a variety of sources. During both my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees I have been interested in biological mechanisms relating to psychological issues and I have thus pursued research in psychoneuroimmunology. I have found this very interesting and have realised that I would like to have a role with a greater emphasis on biochemistry and physiology. Furthermore, my masters dissertation involved a study of XXX, giving me valuable time to talk to patients about their experiences and to observe the clinical team preparing patients for surgery, which I have very much enjoyed. I have found my experiences in a health care environment extremely interesting and challenging and they have assured me of my motivation to work in this area. However, it is working directly with patients and shadowing doctors that has truly solidified my determination to become a doctor

Work experience: During my teenage years and my time as an undergraduate, I worked as a volunteer for various community projects including working with children and people with learning disabilities. More recently, I have taken on the responsibility of working for my local hospice on a voluntary basis, assisting, with meal times, patient transportation and day trips. I have found the caring aspects of this role very rewarding and I am committed to continuing as a volunteer for as long as possible. I have also spent time in both a general practice surgery and a rheumatology clinic, observing the interaction between doctors and their patients, which provided a useful introduction to the experiences of professional doctors. In addition, I have undertaken a shadowing role at a busy London hospital, observing the activities of doctors of varying seniority in gastroenterology cases, general medicine and accident and emergency. I feel this experience has provided me with an invaluable insight into the physical, emotional and mental pressures involved in the realities of life as a doctor and has served to confirm my desire to pursue this career

Other relevant experience: I feel my academic and professional experience will provide a strong foundation upon which to begin my medical training. Studying psychology has made me appreciate the importance of patient beliefs and behaviour in predicting outcomes and the role of doctor-patient communication in this relationship. I therefore believe my training in psychology will provide an ideal background from which to begin my medical degree. In addition, my previous post as research assistant involved interviewing health care professionals to explore issues surrounding teamwork, adult learning and continuing professional development. This has highlighted the importance of communication within health care teams and interdisciplinary working in patient care, which I am keen to take forward into my career. Finally, I am about to begin a new research assistant role in cancer prevention, which I hope will provide further relevant experience

Personal information: I believe I have many of the personal qualities necessary to become a good doctor, being sociable, conscientious, patient, caring and compassionate. In my spare time I enjoy swimming and jogging and have an active social life. I work well within a team and I am currently organising a group of friends to train for a charity run next year. Most importantly, I believe I will be capable of balancing the demands of my professional life with those of my personal life, which is clearly essential in the medical profession

(This person received offers from one graduate entry course and one five year course. They were interviewed for a further graduate entry course but did not get past the interview stage

     جهت کسب اطلاعات بیشتر در مورد تحصیل در رشته های پزشکی در انگلستان فرم مشاوره   تحصیلی را تکمیل نمائید.