personal statement postgraduate medicine

4 Medical School Personal Statement Examples

The personal statement can be one of the most challenging parts of your medical school application process. You want to show admissions committees the qualities that make you stand out while avoiding cliches. After all, a lot is riding on this essay. Don’t panic. We’ve done our homework, talked to insiders, and gathered firsthand personal statements to help you get started.

Getting Started

Before diving into the personal statement examples, here are some tips on framing your experiences to wow admissions officers.

1. Stick to your real-life experiences. While it’s great to express what you want to do in healthcare in the future, that doesn’t really set you apart. All premed students have goals for what they’ll do in the medical profession, but this often changes after time in medical school. Telling a personal story instead gives admission committee members a look at who you already are and if you have the qualities they deem desirable for med school .

Feel free to mention specialties you’re passionate about and touch on your clinical experience, but make sure the experiences you discuss are unique.

2. Build an in-depth narrative. Nobody wants to read a blanket summary of your research experience. This is your chance to get passionate and demonstrate some communication skills. Explain the driving force behind your desire to work in the medical field.

The old writing rule comes into play here: “show, don’t tell.” You will always capture your reader’s attention more by telling a story than by explaining a circumstance. Medical school admissions committees are no different. Showing them your strong work ethic — or dedication, or whatever personal quality you want — without just saying, “I have a strong work ethic” will have a greater impact.

3. Don’t include metrics. Admissions officers already have access to your GPA and MCAT scores. If they want to know how you did in biochemistry, they can find out. Don’t waste space here. If you’re concerned about those numbers, it’s much more important to nail the personal statement and secure a secondary application and eventual medical school interview.

4. Know the character limits — and try to meet them. Both AACOMAS and AMCAS applications have a character limit of 5,300. You do not necessarily need to use all 5,300 characters, but you also don’t want it to be under 3,000. You want to use as many as possible while staying on topic and being relevant. A too-short essay can look careless.

5. Get comfortable with revising . You’ll do it a lot. Expect your first draft to be just that – a first draft. This writing process will take several weeks, if not months. Once you’re confident in your essay, ask for feedback. Avoid asking family members (unless they’re experts in the field of medicine). Instead, have professors, mentors, and peers read it and offer notes.

|| Read more about capturing readers from the first paragraph with our Medical School Personal Statement Storytelling Guide . ||

6. Use coaching to craft the perfect essay. Personal statements like the ones below only come after countless hours of brainstorming and writing drafts. However, with MedSchoolCoach , you’ll work with professional writing advisors step-by-step to develop an impactful medical school personal statement.

|| Check out more Tips for Writing a Personal Statement ||

Personal Statement Example #1

Our second essay contest winner was a medical student who made their submission an AMCAS personal statement . It serves as a great and effective medical school personal statement example . We also thought it was a good read overall!

A four-letter word for “dignitary.” The combinations surge through my mind: emir? agha? tsar? or perhaps the lesser-used variant, czar? I know it’s also too early to rule out specific names – there were plenty of rulers named Omar – although the clue is suspiciously unspecific. Quickly my eyes jump two columns to the intersecting clue, 53-Across, completely ignoring the blur outside the window that indicates my train has left the Times Square station. “Nooks’ counterparts.” I am certain the answer is “crannies.” This means 49-Down must end in r, so I eliminate “agha” in my mind. Slowly, the pieces come together, the wordplay sending my brain into mental gymnastics. At the end of two hours, I find myself staring at a completed crossword puzzle, and as trivial as it is, it is one of the greatest feelings in the world.

As an avid cruciverbalist, I have a knack for problem-solving. I fell in love with another kind of puzzle in college: organic chemistry. While some of my peers struggled with its complexity, the notion of analyzing mass spectroscopy, IR spectrums, and H-NMR to identify a specific molecule invigorated me. The human body was a fantastic mystery to me in my biology classes. Intricacies such as hormonal up- and down-regulation pulled at the riddler in me; I was not satisfied until I understood the enigma of how the body worked. Graduate school at Columbia was an extension of this craving, and I chose a thesis topic to attempt to elucidate the sophisticated workings of neuro-hormonal balance peri-bariatric surgery.

In non-academic settings, I also pursued activities that would sharpen my intellect. The act of teaching is a form of problem-solving; a good teacher finds the most effective way to convey information to students. So I accepted the challenge and taught in both international and domestic settings. I assumed leadership positions in church because it forced me to think critically to resolve conflicts. In the lab, I volunteered to help write a review on the biological mechanisms of weight regain. It was precisely what I loved: isolating a specific human phenomenon and investigating how it worked.

I believe medicine and puzzles are in the same vein. After participating in health fairs, working at a clinic, and observing physicians, I understand that pinpointing a patient’s exact needs is difficult at times. In a way, disease itself can be a puzzle, and doctors sometimes detect it only one piece at a time – a cough here, lanugo there. Signs and symptoms act as clues that whittle down the possibilities until only a few remain. Then all that is left is to fill in the word and complete the puzzle. Voila!

Actually, it is more complicated than that, and inevitably the imperfect comparison falls through.

I distinctly remember a conversation I had with a psychiatric patient at Aftercare. He had just revealed his identity as Batman — but it turns out he was also Jesus. During downtime between tests, he decided to confide in me some of his dreams and aspirations. He swiftly pulled out a sketchpad and said confidently, “When I get better, I’m going back to art school.” Any doubts stemming from his earlier ramblings vanished at the sight of his charcoal-laden sheets filled with lifelike characters. “They’re… really good,” I stammered. I was looking for the right words to say, but there are times when emotions are so overwhelming that words fail. I nodded in approval and motioned that we should get back to testing.

Those next few hours of testing flew by as I ruminated on what I had experienced. After working 3 years at the clinic, I got so caught up in the routine of “figuring out” brain function that I missed the most important aspect of the job: the people. And so, just as the crossword puzzle is a 15×15 symbol of the cold New York streets, a person is the polar opposite. Our patients are breathing, fluid, and multi-dimensional. I’ve come to love both, but there is nothing I want more in the world than to see a broken person restored, a dream reignited, to see Mr. Batman regain sanity and take up art school again. The prospect of healing others brings me joy, surpassing even the most challenging crosswords in the Sunday paper.

This is why I feel called to a life in medicine. It is the one profession that allows me to restore others while thinking critically and appreciating human biology. I am passionate about people, and medicine allows me to participate in their lives in a tangible way, aligned with my interest in biology and problem-solving skill.

The New York Times prints a new puzzle daily, and so does the Washington Post, USA Today, and the list continues. The unlimited supply of puzzles mirrors the abundance of human disease and the physician’s ongoing duty to unravel the mystery, to resolve the pain. A great cruciverbalist begins with the basics of learning “crosswordese,” a nuanced language; I am prepared to do the same with health, starting with my education in medical school. Even so, I am always humbled by what little I know and am prepared to make mistakes and learn along the way. After all, I would never do a crossword puzzle in pen.

||Read Our First Essay Contest Winner: Considerations Before Applying to Medical School ||

||Read The Formula For A Good Personal Statement | |

Personal Statement Example #2

Student Accepted to Case Western SOM, Washington University SOM, University of Utah SOM, Northwestern University Feinberg SOM

With a flick and a flourish, the tongue depressor vanished, and a coin suddenly appeared behind my ear. Growing up, my pediatrician often performed magic tricks, making going to the doctor feel like literal magic. I believed all healthcare facilities were equally mystifying, especially after experiencing a different type of magic in the organized chaos of the Emergency Department. Although it was no place for a six-year-old, childcare was often a challenge, and while my dad worked extra shifts in nursing school to provide for our family, I would find myself awed by the diligence and warmth of the healthcare providers.

Though I associated the hospital with feelings of comfort and care, it sometimes became a place of fear and uncertainty. One night, my two-year-old brother, Sean, began vomiting and coughing non-stop. My dad was deployed overseas, so my mother and I had no choice but to spend the night at the hospital, watching my brother slowly recover with the help of the healthcare providers. Little did I know, it would not be long before I was in the same place. Months later, I became hospitalized with pneumonia with pleural effusions, and as I struggled to breathe, I was terrified of having fluid sucked out of my chest. But each day, physicians comforted me, asking how I was, reassuring me that I was being taken care of, and explaining any questions related to my illness and treatment. Soon, I became excited to speak with the infectious disease doctor and residents, absorbing as much as possible about different conditions.

I also came to view the magic of healing through other lenses. Growing up, Native American traditions were an important aspect of my life as my father was actively involved with native spirituality, connecting back to his Algonquin heritage. We often attended Wi-wanyang-wa-c’i-pi ceremonies or Sun Dances for healing through prayer and individuals making personal sacrifices for their community. Although I never sun danced, I spent hours in inipis chewing on osha root, finding my healing through songs.

In addition to my father’s heritage, healing came from the curanderismo traditions of Peru, my mother’s home. She came from a long line of healers using herbal remedies and ceremonies for healing the mind, body, energy, and soul. I can still see my mother preparing oils, herbs, and incense mixtures while performing healing rituals. Her compassion and care in healing paralleled the Emergency Department healthcare providers. 

Through the influence of these early life experiences, I decided to pursue a career in the health sciences. Shortly after starting college, I entered a difficult time in my life as I struggled with health and personal challenges. I suddenly felt weak and tired most days, with aches all over my body. Soon, depression set in. I eventually visited a doctor, and through a series of tests, we discovered I had hypothyroidism. During this time, I also began dealing with unprocessed childhood trauma. I decided to take time off school, and with thyroid replacement hormones and therapy, I slowly began to recover. But I still had ways to go, and due to financial challenges, I decided to continue delaying my education and found work managing a donut shop. Unbeknownst to me, this experience would lead to significant personal growth by working with people from all walks of life and allowing me time for self-reflection. I continuously reflected on the hospital experiences that defined my childhood and the unmatched admiration I had for healthcare workers. With my renewed interest in medicine, I enrolled in classes to get my AEMT license and gain more medical experience. 

As my health improved, I excelled in my classes, and after craving the connections of working with others, I became a medical assistant. In this position, I met “Marco,” a patient traveling from Mexico for treatment. Though I spoke Spanish while growing up, I had little experience as a medical interpreter. However, I took the opportunity to talk with him to learn his story. Afterward, he became more comfortable, and I walked him through the consultation process, interpreting the physician’s words and Marco’s questions. This moment showed me the power of connecting with others in their native language. As a result, I began volunteering at a homeless clinic to continue bridging the language barrier for patients and to help advocate for the Latinx community and those who struggle to find their voice. 

My journey to becoming a doctor has been less direct than planned; however, my personal trials and tribulations have allowed me to meet and work with incredible people who have been invaluable to my recovery and personal development. Most importantly, I have seen the value of compassionate and empathetic care. Though I have not recently witnessed any sleight of hand or vanishing acts, what healthcare providers do for patients can only be described as magic.

I look forward to bringing my diverse background as a physician and expanding my abilities to help patients in their path to healing.

||Read: But I Don’t Have 15 Activities ! | Apply to Med School After 3rd or 4th Year? ||

Personal Statement Example #3

Student accepted to Weill Cornell

My path to medicine was first influenced by early adolescent experiences trying to understand my place in society. Though I was not conscious of it then, I held a delicate balance between my identity as an Indian-American and an “American-American.” 

In a single day, I could be shooting hoops and eating hotdogs at school while spending the evening playing Carrom and enjoying tandoori chicken at a family get-together. When our family moved from New York to California, I had the opportunity to attend a middle school with greater diversity, so I learned Spanish to salve the loss of moving away and assimilate into my new surroundings.

As I partook in related events and cuisine, I built a mixed friend group and began understanding how culture influences our perception of those around us. While volunteering at senior centers in high school, I noticed a similar pattern to what I sometimes saw: seniors socializing in groups of shared ethnicity and culture. Moving from table to table and language to language, I also observed how each group shared different life experiences and perspectives on what constitutes health and wellness. Many seniors talked about barriers to receiving care or how their care differed from what they had envisioned. Listening to their stories on cultural experiences, healthcare disparities, and care expectations sparked my interest in becoming a physician and providing care for the whole community.

Intrigued by the science behind perception and health, I took electives during my undergraduate years to build a foundation in these domains. In particular, I was amazed by how computational approaches could help model the complexity of the human mind, so I pursued research at Cornell’s Laboratory of Rational Decision-Making. Our team used fMRI analysis to show how the framing of information affects cognitive processing and perception. Thinking back to my discussions with seniors, I often wondered if more personalized health-related messaging could positively influence their opinions. Through shadowing, I witnessed physicians engaging in honest and empathetic conversations to deliver medical information and manage patients’ expectations, but how did they navigate delicate conflicts where the patients’ perspectives diverged from their own?

My question was answered when I became a community representative for the Ethics Committee for On Lok PACE, an elderly care program. One memorable case was that of Mr. A.G, a blind 86-year-old man with radiation-induced frontal lobe injury who wanted to return home and cook despite his doctor’s expressed safety concerns. Estranged from his family, Mr. A.G. relied on cooking to find fulfillment. Recognizing the conflict between autonomy and beneficence, I joined the physicians in brainstorming and recommending ways he could cook while being supervised.

I realized that the role of a physician was to mediate between the medical care plan and the patient’s wishes to make a decision that preserves their dignity. As we considered possibilities, the physicians’ genuine concern for the patient’s emotional well-being exemplified the compassion I want to emulate as a future doctor. Our discussions emphasized the rigor of medicine — the challenge of ambiguity and the importance of working with the individual to serve their needs.

With COVID-19 ravaging our underserved communities, my desire to help others drove me towards community-based health as a contact tracer for my county’s Department of Public Health. My conversations uncovered dozens of heartbreaking stories that revealed how socioeconomic status and job security inequities left poorer families facing significantly harsher quarantines than their wealthier counterparts.

Moreover, many residents expressed fear or mistrust, such as a 7-person family who could not safely isolate in their one-bedroom and one-bath apartment. I offered to arrange free hotel accommodations but was met with a guarded response from the father: “We’ll be fine. We can maintain the 6 feet.” While initially surprised, I recognized how my government affiliation could lead to a power dynamic that made the family feel uneasy. Thinking about how to make myself more approachable, I employed motivational interviewing skills and small talk to build rapport. 

When we returned to discussing the hotel, he trusted my intentions and accepted the offer. Our bond of mutual trust grew over two weeks of follow-ups, leaving me humbled yet gratified to see his family transition to a safer living situation. As a future physician, I realize I may encounter many first-time or wary patients; and I feel prepared to create a responsive environment that helps them feel comfortable about integrating into our health system.

Through my clinical and non-clinical experiences, I have witnessed the far-reaching impact of physicians, from building lasting connections with patients to being a rock of support during uncertain times. I cannot imagine a career without these dynamics—of improving the health and wellness of patients, families, and society and reducing healthcare disparities. While I know the path ahead is challenging, I am confident I want to dedicate my life to this profession.

Personal Statement Example #4

Student Accepted to UCSF SOM, Harvard Medical School

Countless visits to specialists in hope of relief left me with a slew of inconclusive test results and uncertain diagnoses. “We cannot do anything else for you.” After twelve months of waging a war against my burning back, aching neck and tingling limbs, hearing these words at first felt like a death sentence, but I continued to advocate for myself with medical professionals. 

A year of combatting pain and dismissal led me to a group of compassionate and innovative physicians at the Stanford Pain Management Center (SPMC). Working alongside a diverse team including pain management specialists and my PCP, I began the long, non-linear process of uncovering the girl that had been buried in the devastating rubble of her body’s pain. 

From struggling with day-to-day activities like washing my hair and sitting in class to thriving as an avid weightlifter and zealous student over the span of a year, I realized I am passionate about preventing, managing and eliminating chronic illnesses through patient-centered incremental care and medical innovation.

A few days after my pain started, I was relieved to hear that I had most likely just strained some muscles, but after an empty bottle of muscle relaxers, the stings and aches had only intensified. I went on to see 15 specialists throughout California, including neurologists, physiatrists, and rheumatologists. Neurological exams. MRIs. Blood tests. All inconclusive.

Time and time again, specialists dismissed my experience due to ambiguous test results and limited time. I spent months trying to convince doctors that I was losing my body; they thought I was losing my mind. Despite these letdowns, I did not stop fighting to regain control of my life. Armed with my medical records and a detailed journal of my symptoms, I continued scheduling appointments with the intention of finding a doctor who would dig deeper in the face of the unknown.

Between visits, I researched my symptoms and searched for others with similar experiences. One story on Stanford Medicine’s blog, “Young Woman Overcomes Multiple Misdiagnoses and Gets Her Life Back”, particularly stood out to me and was the catalyst that led me to the SPMC. After bouncing from doctor to doctor, I had finally found a team of physicians who would take the profound toll of my pain on my physical and mental well-being seriously.

Throughout my year-long journey with my care team at the SPMC, I showed up for myself even when it felt like I would lose the war against my body. I confronted daily challenges with fortitude. When lifting my arms to tie my hair into a ponytail felt agonizing, YouTube tutorials trained me to become a braiding expert. Instead of lying in bed all day when my medication to relieve nerve pain left me struggling to stay awake, I explored innovative alternative therapies with my physicians; after I was fed up with the frustration of not knowing the source of my symptoms, I became a research subject in a clinical trial aimed at identifying and characterizing pain generators in patients suffering from “mysterious” chronic pain.

At times, it felt like my efforts were only resulting in lost time. However, seeing how patient my care team was with me, offering long-term coordinated support and continually steering me towards a pain-free future, motivated me to grow stronger with every step of the process. Success was not an immediate victory, but rather a long journey of incremental steps that produced steady, life-saving progress over time.

My journey brought me relief as well as clarity with regard to how I will care for my future patients. I will advocate for them even when complex conditions, inconclusive results and stereotypes discourage them from seeking continued care; work with them to continually adapt and improve an individualized plan tailored to their needs and goals, and engage in pioneering research and medical innovations that can directly benefit them.

Reflecting on the support system that enabled me to overcome the challenges of rehabilitation, I was inspired to help others navigate life with chronic pain in a more equitable and accessible way. Not everyone has the means to work indefinitely with a comprehensive care team, but most do have a smartphone. As a result, I partnered with a team of physicians and physical therapists at the University of California San Francisco to develop a free mobile application that guides individuals dealing with chronic pain through recovery. Based on my own journey, I was able to design the app with an understanding of the mental and physical toll that pain, fear, and loss of motivation take on patients struggling with chronic pain. Having features like an exercise bank with a real-time form checker and an AI-based chatbot to motivate users, address their concerns and connect them to specific health care resources, our application helped 65 of the 100 pilot users experience a significant reduction in pain and improvement in mental health in three months.

My journey has fostered my passion for patient-centered incremental medicine and medical innovation. From barely living to thriving, I have become a trailblazing warrior with the perseverance and resilience needed to pursue these passions and help both the patients I engage with and those around the world.

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Medicine: Anatomy of a Personal Statement

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Below is a personal statement from a recent applicant for A100 Medicine at Oxford. It is not perfect and it may not be suited to every medical school. There is no single template for success in terms of an application to Oxford. Other styles can be equally effective: we encourage individuality and diversity in our students. This statement is however a good example for an Oxford application because it helps us see that the applicant is attempting to match our selection criteria .

An applicant's personal statement is likely to be discussed by tutors during interview.

A well-written statement will not in isolation gain you an interview or a place. It forms one part of an application from a gifted applicant that can be considered alongside other information - academic record, BMAT score, school reference, interview performance - in the selection process at Oxford.

Statement & comments

Choosing to study medicine is not a decision I have taken lightly. It isn't a career I have wanted to do since a particularly young age, nor did a life changing event prompt my choice. I have thought very long and hard before deciding to apply.

At first glance, this might seem like a down-beat opening paragraph. Although you may think that an arresting opening statement will impress, admissions tutors may be sceptical of exaggerated descriptions of a revelatory moment or lifelong desire to become a doctor. This introduction shows honesty and a degree of introspection. Throughout the statement, the applicant works hard to show that they have a realistic view of medicine. You won't prove that you have the motivation for medicine by simply saying that you do: it is what you have done to inform yourself about the career - and the views that you have formed - that will convince us that you really know what being a doctor is like and that this is what you want to do.

Various periods of work experience have taught me much about the career. A local hospital placement gave me the opportunity to visit A&E, Radiology and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

You won't prove that you have the motivation for medicine by simply saying that you do.

Whilst fleeting, these visits to the departments highlighted the variety and diversity of the fascinating specialities medicine encompasses. A placement shadowing a clinic staff was hugely informative regarding daily life as a doctor. During the day I sat in on consultations ranging from routine post natal checkups to discussions of treatment for young people with diabetes and overactive thyroid glands.

This student describes their experiences of healthcare that have helped them decide that they want to study and practise medicine. We understand that opportunities to obtain experience vary, so you won't be judged on what you've done: we want to know what you learned from doing it. The description of the placements here isn't over-exaggerated, and the applicant takes care to explain what they have seen and done and the insight each opportunity afforded them. The relatively detailed account of the infant's check-up conveys the impression of engagement during the placement and suggests an intellectual curiosity to understand the infant's condition and its treatment. The applicant also takes care to point out an example of the importance of good communication skills and argues how their sales position has helped them develop such skills.

Throughout my time there the doctor's genuine interest in his cases and unfaltering motivation highlighted to me the privilege of having such a stimulating profession. This, together with the ever advancing nature of a career in medicine, was brought to the fore by an infant who was having a check up as a result of her being put on an ECMO machine after her birth with Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. The ease with which the doctor broached and dealt with sensitive subject matter also emphasised the importance of a warm, approachable manner and an ability to communicate to a person on their level of understanding. I believe I have honed these skills and gained invaluable experience of the eccentricities of the general public myself in my job as a salesperson.

It is important to convey an impression of engagement and intellectual curiosity when talking about any work experience/placement/voluntary work.

Since February of this year I have volunteered in a care home for a couple of hours each week. I assist with serving meals to the residents as well as feeding one of the more infirm ladies. My time there has brought to my attention the more unpleasant side of medicine and has proved by far the most useful work experience I have had; preparing me for the stark realities of physical ageing and senility. In spite of this, I genuinely enjoy my time there; giving residents, some of whom go months without visitors, 10 minutes of my time to chat can be very rewarding in the obvious enjoyment they get from it. The experience has shown me very clearly the importance of caring for the emotional as well as the physical needs of patients.

This paragraph reaffirms the applicant's motivation for medicine. They admit that working in a nursing home is not glamorous but explain how rewarding it has been. There is evidence of analytical skills here and there is no doubt that the applicant has become well-informed about the realities of healthcare. Empathy comes across as well, with the applicant recognising that a brief interaction can have such a positive effect on the overlooked residents of the home.

Outside of my lessons I enjoy orienteering with a local club. As part of an expedition I took part in, we walked 80km over 4 days in torrential rain. The challenging conditions demanded teamwork and trust to maintain morale and perform effectively as a group; as well as calm rational thought in stressful situations. Also, through this activity and the people I met, I have become a member of the SJA which has enabled me to gain first aid qualifications and go out on duties.

Although the bulk of a personal statement should be academic-related, it is important to show a life outside of studying. The involvement in a club or association demonstrates wider spare time interests, and the description of the challenging walking expedition provides evidence that the student can work with others and can cope in an arduous situation, obliquely suggesting that they might have the capacity for sustained and intense work . The student also shows that they understand that taking time out to relax and manage any stress is important, and conveys the impression of good time management. The passing reference to the drama group reinforces the impression that this applicant is a team-player. It is useful to describe sporting or musical interests although, as, this applicant shows, these non-academic interests don't need to be particularly high-powered ones.

Other activities I enjoy include drama - I was a member of a local group for 6 years - cycling and playing the guitar and piano which allow me to relax.

Non-academic interests don't need to be particularly high-powered.

I know that medicine is not a "9 to 5" job and is by no means the glamorous source of easy money it is often perceived to be. I understand the hours are long and potentially antisocial and that the career can be physically exhausting and emotionally draining. It is apparent that becoming a medic will involve inherent sacrifice.

However medicine is also a deeply gratifying and fascinating career path. I want to be a medic because my passion and aptitude is foremost scientific and to me 5 or 6 years more of formal education followed by a lifetime of further learning sounds like a stimulating career option and, thankfully, a far cry from the monotony some jobs pose. Nevertheless, as an intrinsically social person, I would relish a career requiring the development of strong empathic relationships with patients too. Crucially, I know I have the enthusiasm, capacity for hard work and the open and enquiring mind needed to succeed in such a fulfilling vocation.

In the concluding paragraphs, the statement is emphasising that, although aware of the negative aspects associated with the practice of medicine, fact-finding placements have given the applicant the insight and motivation to be certain that it is the right career for them. The applicant ends by summarising the key personal attributes that they believe make them well-suited to medicine.

Verdict and advice for improvement

Of course, there is room for improvement with this statement. No reference is made to the scientific subjects that are being studied at school or to particular modules that the applicant has found particularly exciting: this could have helped convey enthusiasm and curiosity in science. Although the applicant asserts that they have an 'open and enquiring mind', there is no description of any extracurricular project or reading that the applicant might have undertaken, perhaps to help them understand a highly-charged ethical issue.

Despite those omissions, this is an effective personal statement. It is well constructed, connects with the reader, and the material flows in a logical sequence. It further conveys the impression that the applicant has done the research and knows exactly what is in store: they are not applying with a naive view or because that is what is expected of them. Writing a statement along these lines would provide a good foundation for a competitive applicant and offers lots of material that can be discussed at an interview.

• Course Structure
• Academic Entry & Age Requirements
• Selection Criteria
• Health & Fitness to Practise
• Application Checklist
• Application Process
• Introductory Reading
• Writing your Personal Statement
• Anatomy of a Personal Statement
• Graduate Applicants
• Mature Applicants
• International Applicants
• Mitigating circumstances
• Shortlisting Process and Admissions Statistics
• Fees and Funding

Medicine Personal Statement

Your medicine personal statement is one of the most important elements of your medical school application. Competition for medical school is always fierce, and you can expect more of the same if you are submitting an application in 2024. Therefore, your personal statement will be essential to distinguish yourself from other applicants.

Universities will factor it into their decision-making process by comparing candidates before or after an interview , along with the result from your admission exam (if applicable) and your predicted grades. You should see your personal statement as an opportunity to show universities more about you, your experiences and your motivation for applying.

Is the personal statement changing in 2024?

If you're applying in 2024 for 2025 entry, you may have heard that changes were expected for your personal statement. However, UCAS has confirmed that this won't be happening in 2024. Instead, changes are expected for those applying in 2025 for 2026 entry. This isn’t going to be a complete overhaul. Instead, the personal statement is being reformed to include a series of questions, providing more structure to those writing it.

As it stands, UCAS has confirmed personal statements will be written around the following questions:

• Motivation for the course: Why do you want to study these courses? You should research medicine courses at different universities and look at which modules you’d like to study, ensuring they provide what you’re looking for. The question itself is an opportunity to express which parts of medicine you’re most interested in, the area of speciality training you’d like to commit to after university, and your future career ambitions ‍
• Preparation for the course: How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses? This question will require you to highlight the knowledge and skills you have gained from school, college or any other formal learning opportunities. Of course, your answers will be personal to you. However, you should demonstrate an understanding of what will help you succeed in your medicine course. ‍
• Preparedness through other experiences: What else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful? Shadowing a doctor or volunteering at a hospital are great opportunities and provide you with valuable insight into what it’s like to be a doctor. However, securing clinical experience while you’re still in school is difficult. Finding a role that allows you to care for and support ill, disabled, disadvantaged, or vulnerable people is just as valuable at this stage, though. You should explain what you’ve learned from these experiences, the skills you’ve developed, and why they’ll help you in your medicine course.

The good news is that you would be writing about these subjects anyway. If anything, the questions might make the writing process easier, as it ensures that you only include relevant material. Remember, this is expected to come into effect in 2025, so if you’re applying this year, you don’t need to follow this structure.

How to write a personal statement for medicine

Your personal statement is a key opportunity to show your chosen universities the skills and experiences that make you a suitable candidate, as well as your ambitions for a career in medicine. You’ll find some guidance on what you should aim to include in your personal statement in the next section, but it’ll also be useful to consider the following when preparing to write your personal statement:

1. The UCAS character limit

One of the biggest challenges when looking at areas that you need to cover is trying to include everything within the tight UCAS character limit. Remember, you only have 4,000 characters, which is roughly 550–1000 words or two sides of A4. Consider which elements are most important to you and which qualities and experiences you want to demonstrate, as there may be things you have to sacrifice to avoid exceeding the character limit.

2. Your writing style

The quality of your writing is important within your personal statement, so consider your choice of language carefully and remember your audience and what you’re trying to convey. Equally, ensure that your writing is cohesive and flows well; so while you'll undoubtedly have a list of skills, experiences and information you want to include, you want to avoid it reading like a list.

3. Making your experiences relevant

Whether you’re discussing work experience you’ve undertaken or hobbies or clubs that you partake in, you should always focus on making them relevant to your future studies. Universities aren’t looking for a narrative of work experience that you’ve carried out; they’re interested in what you learned as a result of the experience. Your personal statement should reflect on any work experience and demonstrate what skills and/or qualities you’ve developed which are required within the medical profession. Similarly, with your hobbies or clubs, you should reflect on relevant skills and qualities that you have developed as a result of these.

4. How you will demonstrate your knowledge of working within the medical profession

As well as demonstrating your motivation for working within the medical profession, it’s also important to show that you have a realistic understanding of what this entails, which can be achieved by acknowledging the less attractive side of medicine. However, ensure that you put a positive spin on any negatives you present and allow your passion for medicine to come through. Linking to your work experience is a great way of doing this. For example, you could highlight challenges that you observed within medical practice but focus on the positives that came from this: was it multidisciplinary teamwork, effective communication, or challenging individuals to continue to develop their skills and knowledge?

Medicine Personal Statement Structure

There isn’t a set personal statement template which you need to follow, however, there are some essential things which you should try to include. The UCAS website previously advised that university admissions tutors are looking for evidence of the following:

1. Your understanding of the subject area and the demands of the medical profession, as well as your motivation to study and fulfil the requirements of your future role.

This can be demonstrated in a number of ways:

• Relevant work experience and shadowing - remember to focus on what you learnt and the skills and qualities you developed as a result of the work experience, and only include concise descriptions of what tasks you did, and only when relevant.
• Reference to additional reading around key issues, topics and the latest research - only include things you will be confident discussing at your interview, should it be referred to.
• Membership of relevant societies / clubs - don’t simply list these, make meaningful links between the knowledge, skills and qualities you have developed through your participation in these.

2. Your interests outside of your academic study.

For example, sports, music, volunteering. Again, remember to use these to demonstrate your skills and qualities that will make you a suitable candidate for medical school.

3. Your ability to work individually and as a member of a team.

Give examples of occasions when you’ve demonstrated that you can work effectively within a team and as an individual. You may also want to include examples of situations where you’ve led a group, if you have experience of this.

4. Your personal qualities which make you suitable for a career in medicine.

Try to provide examples which demonstrate your personal qualities which make you a suitable candidate for medical school, for example your empathy, your resilience, your drive, etc., by linking to your work experience, your hobbies and even your academic studies.

5. Your analytical and critical thinking skills demonstrated through a well written personal statement.

The most effective way to demonstrate your skills is by providing examples, using your experiences to show that you process the required analytical and critical thinking skills to make you a suitable candidate.

Excellent Medicine Personal Statement Tips

Writing your personal statement can seem daunting; keep it simple with the following useful tips:

1. Plan what you want to include

Using the information above to help you, create a plan of what you want to include, whether that’s using a mind map, lists, or any other method that works for you. This will ensure you know which experiences, skills, and qualities you want to share before starting your personal statement.

2. Draft, draft and draft again

Don’t worry about making your personal statement perfect the first time around (or keeping within the character limit for that matter). Once you’ve written everything you want to include you can begin rewording sentences, moving sections around, and editing parts that are less significant so you can get within the character limit.

3. Give yourself lots of time

It's simple but so important. All those drafts take time, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write. You don’t want your personal statement to appear rushed or to miss important information that will help your application.

4. Draw on trusted family members, friends or teachers to check over your statement

Getting a second opinion is useful for picking up errors you might have missed or showing you where you can sell yourself more. Just be careful to avoid taking on board too many opinions, as you want you to make sure it’s your voice which comes through.

5. Read it aloud

It’s so basic but it makes spotting punctuation and grammatical errors easier. It’ll also help ensure that it flows and reads well, which admissions tutors will be looking for.

How to Start a Medicine Personal Statement

Often the most difficult part with any written piece is getting started; there is generally a focus on ensuring that your first paragraph captivates your reader and makes them want to read more, which can create a stumbling block when you begin writing. A useful tactic to help you to avoid staring at a blank page for hours, is to ignore your opening altogether, and to begin as if you’re picking it up after an introductory sentence or two. Once you’ve written your first draft, you’ll find it easier to draw out interesting points and to rework them to create an opening statement.

It’s important within your opening paragraph to show your passion and your reasons for wanting to study medicine; the difficulty is trying to avoid cliches, when it’s highly likely that your reasons for wanting to study medicine are similar to many students who have come before you. Sharing your interests which are related to medicine, or your personal experiences (your work experience, volunteering, etc.), which have developed your passion, is an effective way to achieve this in an individual way. Don’t get fixated on trying to stand out; focus on giving an honest account of why you want to study medicine and your interests and experiences that have helped you to decide this, and avoid using unrealistic or exaggerated reasons or experiences.

Remember, while your opening section is important, it is also just one part of your overall statement; make sure that it adds to your personal statement (remember that tight character limit) and isn’t just there to grab attention.

Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement

If you’re applying for the graduate entry route, not only will the UCAS rules be the same for your personal statement (for example, the character limit, deadline, etc.), but what you should aim to include will also remain the same. However, university admission tutors will have higher expectations for graduate entry applicants’ skills, competencies and experiences, given that you have undertaken a degree previously and likely have more experience.Therefore, sharing relevant work experience, as well as any academic achievements or other accomplishments which are relevant, will allow you to demonstrate that you meet these expectations.

Even if your current or previous employment is not health-related, it may still be relevant to your application, if you're able to demonstrate the transferable skills which will be useful for a career in medicine. Where possible, provide examples of additional work experience within medical or care settings, if your employment isn’t health-related, to demonstrate your commitment to studying medicine and your development of skills to support this. Remember to limit your descriptions of your work experience, to include only what is necessary, and focus on reflecting on your experiences and the skills and qualities you have developed as a result of them.

Writing a Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement

As with other routes into medicine, you’ll be expected to demonstrate why you want to study and your passion for a future career in medicine. Admission tutors will also assess whether you have the required attributes for a career in medicine and a realistic view of what it entails. Again, reflecting on your previous work experiences, either voluntary or paid, as well as your previous degree, if it’s relevant, will allow you to demonstrate that you meet these requirements.

You can find more guidance on entry requirements, funding and admissions exams in our Graduate Entry Medicine blog .

A Good Medicine Personal Statement

Finally, remember that a good medical personal statement will look completely different depending on the candidate. Focus on sharing your unique experiences, skills, and qualities, as well as your personal ambitions and passion for a career in medicine. Admission tutors want to see that, and it will make you stand out as an individual.

For more personal statement tips visit the UCAS ‘How to write your undergraduate personal statement’. Our dedicated ‘Applying to medical school' section can also help you with all aspects of your medical school application and interview.

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UCAS personal statement for Graduate Entry to medicine

UCAS personal statements are used differently by each medical school. Some medical schools use personal statements after looking at pre-entry test results, others include them in their initial short-listing, either way, it is an important part of your application.

Key elements to include:

• Motivation for medicine – what makes medicine right for you?
• Approach to academic learning – what has helped you be successful during your first/previous degree/s?
• Relevant skills – how have you developed these, what do they say about you as a potential clinician? The skills can come from any aspect of your experience – they don’t have to be based on clinically-related experience
• Career aspirations – how does medicine fit with how you see your future?

How to write your personal statement

• Ensure you spend time reflecting on your skills and experiences. Learning from what has gone before and how you have done things is central to both learning on a medicine degree and continuing professional development as a clinician. You may want to ask other people what they feel are your strengths and when they have seen you using these strengths. Feedback from others can be useful to capture things we don’t yet know about ourselves.
• Always use examples from your own experience. If you are saying that you wish to study medicine to provide a service to humankind – explain where this motivation has come from, what other experiences have you had of ‘service’, how did you decide that medicine would be the right sort of ‘service’?
• Check your writing. If a sentence does not include something about your own experience, consider if it is really needed (or whether you can rewrite it to include experience).
• Check your writing for typing errors, spelling, and making sense. Get someone else to proof-read your personal statement for you (the Careers Service does not offer this service, ask a friend or relative who writes well).

The Medical Schools Council has devised skills and attributes of an ideal medical school candidate . You could use this list as a starting point to reflect on what examples highlight these skills for you.

Top tips: Medicmind personal statement

Examples of successful statements:

• University Compare: Example Medicine personal statements
• University of Oxford - Medicine: Anatomy of a personal statement
• 6Med: Medicine personal statement inspiration
• Aspiring Medics: Medicine personal statement
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How to write a personal statement as a graduate-entry medicine student, some of my tips for writing a personal statement as a graduate-entry medicine student and how to incorporate your undergraduate degree..

In this article, I explore some of the main points that I found helpful when writing my personal statement to study Medicine as a graduate-entry student. I have gone back to review my own personal statement, recalled some of the advice that was given to me by my careers advisors and asked for some insight from my graduate medic peers so that I can hopefully provide you with some useful tips.

How to write a personal statement for Medicine as a graduate-entry student?

I think it is useful to remember that writing a personal statement for Medicine as a graduate-entry student shows many similarities to writing a personal statement for Medicine as an undergraduate student. Highlighting personal motivations behind your desire to study Medicine, indicating the relevant scientific, or other, content that stimulates your interest in a medical career, reflecting on what you have learned from your work experience and discussing your skills using examples and extra-curricular activities, for example, all remain useful to show that you are an educated, suitable and well-rounded student to study Medicine (do check out our blog post ‘ How Do You Write a Personal Statement For Medicine? ’!).

Graduate students applying to Medicine will, by definition, be completing (or already have completed) an undergraduate degree during their application process. Studying a degree is a significant life event and often one during which skills are developed and knowledge is acquired, both of which will often be relevant to a career in Medicine. The universities receiving your personal statement may be hoping to see how you have developed over the past three or four years of your degree, and how this development shows further your commitment and suitability to study Medicine.

The undergraduate degree may also be the most recent, or at least relatively recent, life event in terms of education for many graduate applicants. Like how undergraduate students discuss aspects of their most recent and important life event in terms of education ie. higher school education (such as A-Levels in England and Scottish Highers in Scotland etc.), graduate-entry students will discuss aspects of their undergraduate degree (their most recent education). Furthermore, for a portion of graduate students, the undergraduate degree is the time during which students may become certain that a career in Medicine is the route that they would like to pursue (like it was for myself).

So, it makes sense and will be appropriate to discuss selected and important aspects of your undergraduate degree in your personal statement when applying to Medicine as a graduate applicant.

How to incorporate your undergraduate degree in your personal statement?

The type of undergraduate degree will help to determine what you will write about. For example – Which degree did you study? Was it a science or a non-science degree? Which modules did you take? Did you have a placement year? Did you study an integrated masters? And so on. Regardless of the degree or type of degree you studied, there will likely be aspects that you would like to discuss which have contributed to your choice and suitability to study Medicine.

Graduate students will have a huge range of modules, experiences and skills from their undergraduate degree that they may want to write about. After brainstorming the options you could write about, it is likely that you will be overwhelmed with how many there actually are! Therefore, I would say it is advisable to focus on the most important examples you can provide which highlight yourself as an individual and your dedication and suitability to study Medicine, rather than listing every single example and not reflecting on them properly. Make sure you choose your examples carefully – ask yourself which genuinely helped to stimulate your interest in and educate your desire to study and practice Medicine and reflect on why this was.

It helped me to focus on highlighting WHAT about and HOW specifically aspects of the undergraduate degree I chose to discuss are important to show reasons for my choice and dedication to study Medicine. Try to use these examples, alongside discussion about other personal statement content, such as work experience, to demonstrate you understand what a career in Medicine entails and the skills required.

You could write about, for example, relevant studying content of the undergraduate degree, wider reading from lectures, your final year project, skills and attributes that you have developed over the past three or four years that may be transferred to studying and practising Medicine (such as organisation, time management, managing stress, remaining calm under pressure [university exam revision relevance] OR teamwork [coursework group project relevance] and so on), work experience and/or placements that you have undergone as part of your degree, extra-curricular activities you have participated in during this time… really, anything that you feel has helped to strengthen your capabilities to pursue a career in Medicine.

Just a note to say remember to make the personal statement personal to YOU . No one has undergone the same combination of experiences and has the same range and extent of abilities as you do. The experiences you had during your undergraduate degree have likely contributed significantly to your decision and capabilities to study Medicine and have shaped you into the candidate you are right now.

Summary of the tips that helped me when approaching how to discuss my undergraduate degree in my personal statement:

• ‍ Brainstorming – I began by jotting down all of the relevant ideas that I could discuss ie. the examples and experiences during my undergraduate degree that motivated further my desire to study Medicine and helped to describe the development of relevant skills.
• ‍ Considering which experiences were most valuable - I made sure to select the most important, the most relevant and the most unique examples personal to me (sadly, there are not enough characters to write about them all, so it is useful to be selective!).
• ‍ Finding links between examples – I noticed I was able to make links between examples from my undergraduate degree and other important examples , such as discussing degree content or skills I had developed during my degree, alongside relevant work experience (see examples below).
• ‍ Don’t just think about your undergraduate degree - remember that whilst your undergraduate degree is an important event and one from which you will likely want to discuss details, there will likely be other important events, not necessarily related to the undergraduate degree, that you may like to discuss. For example, events during your higher school education or earlier (although more recent examples are often preferred), work experience, volunteering, extra-curricular activities etc. So, whilst the undergraduate degree will likely feature in your personal statement, make sure to allow for enough characters to also discuss these other important aspects, all of which make you the unique candidate that you are.

Examples from my own personal statement:

I discussed my motivations to study Medicine alongside aspects of my undergraduate degree that encouraged and expanded these motivations. For example, I studied Biomedical Sciences and specialised in Reproductive Biology, which had a considerable clinical component that I thoroughly enjoyed. I tied this into discussing related work experience , at a fertility clinic, and how this experience helped to further stimulate my interest in Medicine. I also discussed undergraduate degree content, for example, from the pharmacology modules I had studied. I expressed how I found this content incredibly interesting and saw application of this information I had learned during work experience at a GP surgery.

Final Remarks

Overall, I would suggest focusing on selected examples and events that have genuinely impacted YOUR decision and commitment to study Medicine. It is always useful to do your research, seek advice from a range of individuals and reliable resources and ask people around you to read through your personal statement and provide any feedback they may have. Take your time with it, believe in yourself and best of luck!

Here are some links you may find useful when writing a personal statement as a graduate-entry Medicine applicant:

https://www.medistudents.com/medical-school-applications/medicine-personal-statement

https://6med.co.uk/guides/personal-statements/inspiration/graduate-entry-medicine-personal-statement-samah-cambridge-university/

https://www.medicineanswered.com/how-to-write-a-graduate-medicine-personal-statement

Author: Carolina Williams

Editor: Allegra Wisking

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Successful Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement Example (St George’s, Swansea, Nottingham)

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My success at getting into Graduate Entry Medicine was partly thanks to my personal statement. Of all the universities I applied to, I got into the one I wanted to go to the most!

I received invites to interview at St George’s, University of London, Swansea University Medical School and University of Nottingham Medical School.

Check out my blog post 7 Steps to a Successful Personal Statement for Graduate Entry Medicine for further guidance and my Ultimate Medicine Personal Statement Checklist (free download) .

One last thing:  DO NOT COPY ANY PART OF MY OR ANYONE ELSE’S PERSONAL STATEMENT . Nowadays, clever software will identify any similarities and you will be caught out. Also, it’s just not ethical and the best way to make your personal statement stand out is to make it unique to you anyway!

From a young age I have had a passion and aptitude for medical science. I acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and I am now completing a Master’s in biomedical engineering. Subsequent to volunteering in multiple healthcare environments and shadowing multiple doctors I am now certain that medicine as a career is the correct choice for me.

I highly value the privilege of being able to support someone in their time of need. Over the past several years I have arranged four medical work experience programmes: shadowing radiologists, a general practitioner and two medical teams for elite rugby players. When I had the opportunity to sit in on the consultations of a general practitioner I observed that despite the time pressure he was under he was patient and genuinely warm towards all his patients. This touched me and impressed upon me the more empathetic aspects of being a doctor. Having a career to which empathy is central greatly appeals to me. Since June 2015 I have volunteered at a support helpline and I have further grasped that having even several minutes to talk to a non-judgemental and impartial listener can make a huge difference to someone’s well-being. I recently volunteered weekly at a hospital facilitating fun activities for patients on wards. Through building relationships with patients I have seen first-hand how lonely and restless patients can become and how chatting with someone familiar can improve their day.  To be able to build positive relationships with others daily also draws me to the medical profession.

I am compelled to pursue a vocation in which lifelong learning of medical science and use of scientific methods are key. For example, in the third year of my Bachelor’s degree I wrote a dissertation that explored the possible mechanisms that influence musculoskeletal performance as a result of a genetic polymorphism. Despite the amount of data I analysed it was not possible to deduce the exact biomechanisms at work as a result of this single genetic element. It showed me how much there is still to learn about the human body. I am now studying biomedical engineering for a Master’s in order to learn more about the body as well as the engineering of cutting-edge medical technology.

Through reading books in my spare time I have developed a keen interest in medical ethics. For instance, I found The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot a very thought-provoking book in its treatment of the ethics of medical research and the duties doctors have towards their patients. The upsetting experience of Henrietta Lacks’ family as they tried to understand what happened to her cells following her death echoed to me the importance of clear and honest communication with patients. The latter is an art I am excited to develop further as a physician.

As a doctor I realise that it will be essential to be an excellent leader and team player.  Whilst studying my bachelor’s degree I was elected captain of the women’s rugby club and was awarded Captain of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year by my students’ union for outstanding organisation and leadership. I learnt that teamwork is paramount for maximal success, for example working collaboratively within the rugby club’s committee to achieve a national team of the year award. I found undertaking my degree, being captain of a sports team and volunteering in other roles all in my second year challenging at times however I have gained huge confidence in my ability to cope under stress and to balance my academic and extracurricular duties.

While the life of a doctor will be a challenging one, I feel I have what it takes to be a successful doctor. I have an enthusiasm for science as well as other peoples’ well-being. My work experience with doctors has shown me the realities of such a career. I am a hard worker with an open and enquiring mind and medicine is the most stimulating career I could hope for as well as being one for which I feel ideally suited.

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Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement – Samah (Cambridge)

Home » Application Guide » Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement – Samah (Cambridge)

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This is part of a series where we share successful Medicine Personal Statements. Here’s Samah’s Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement as referenced in the guide and Q&A video with Ali Abdaal below. Enjoy!

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

Graduate Entry Medicine guide and Q&A with Ali Abdaal

Samah is a 3rd year Graduate Entry Medic at Cambridge University – you’ll hopefully find her advice very helpful.

Personal Statement Inspiration & Examples Articles

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Graduate Medicine Personal Statement Example – Barts Medical School

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Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement Analysis

My determination to become a doctor comes from a strong interest in cardiovascular physiology, having lost all my grandparents to heart disease. Focussing on physiological systems and pharmacology in my degree, I have learnt to appreciate the depth of knowledge required to treat patients. Volunteering has fuelled my enthusiasm for caring for others whilst shadowing placements have given me a grasp of a doctor’s life and reinforced my commitment to medicine.

I witnessed the challenges doctors face delivering difficult news, such as when a couple struggling to conceive received the diagnosis of polycystic ovaries. The GP’s approach in dealing with the patient’s concerns showed me the importance of empathy and patient autonomy as he outlined treatment options. Observing orthopaedic surgeries exemplified the need for communication and teamwork in a multi-disciplinary team. I was inspired by the surgeon’s ability to make important decisions during surgery, a high-pressure environment, to reduce post-operative complications. Attending teaching sessions for junior doctors and the monthly Morbidity and Mortality review helped me understand how essential continuous learning is for doctors to stay abreast of medical advances and to minimise errors in patient care. By conversing with junior doctors, I learnt about the stresses of working long hours and rewarding aspects like discharging successfully treated patients. The varied nature of medical cases encountered and the range of roles a doctor’s job includes particularly attracted me.

Due to my interest in the complex pathogenesis of cardiac failure, I explored the academic basis for medical research through an optional dissertation on endogenous cardiotonic steroids by critically evaluating evidence for two conflicting views on their mechanism of action. I also organised a laboratory internship across two summers to research their role in uraemic cardiomyopathy to gain a deeper understanding. My research gave me insight into potential new therapies to treat the condition, highlighting how current research can translate into medical advances. This has excited and motivated me to pursue an academic career in medicine. It demonstrated the need for both constant improvement of existing therapies and innovation of new treatments to better practice patient beneficence.

As Team Leader for the Bedside Play Volunteers scheme in a children’s hospital, I have built my leadership skills, coordinating volunteer shifts and dealing with issues like low resources by improvising with new activities. For many years I have volunteered at the Alzheimer’s Society’s annual Memory Walk in memory of my grandmother. Supporting my local community of Alzheimer’s patients at monthly cafés has been rewarding as I can really connect with them. This has helped me develop patience and an empathetic manner. I have enjoyed mentoring students as a King’s Widening Participation Student Ambassador and e-mentor. Helping others to maximise their potential has improved my communication skills and I have taken this further in my role as Peer Support Coordinator for the Biomedical Sciences Society.

My enthusiasm for keeping fit motivated me to restart KCL FITE Club to address the lack of female-only exercise classes at university. It has given me great satisfaction as President to motivate a large committee, supporting them in their new roles. I find baking therapeutic and bake for charity events, including organising the annual Charity Week Bakeoff. Passing the King’s Leadership Award has allowed me to develop my leadership, teamwork and communication skills. I have learnt to use efficient time management skills to balance these activities with my degree.

My work experience and volunteering have strengthened my commitment to this intellectually challenging, yet highly rewarding career. I believe I have the academic aptitude, enthusiasm and motivation to become a doctor whilst contributing to medical research.

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Postgraduate personal statement.

A postgraduate personal statement is one of the most important steps to consider when applying for a masters course  or applying for a PhD . 

Writing a postgraduate personal statement is a standard part of the admissions and entry requirements process. Your personal statement and your references are the two main sources of information in your postgraduate application, and the personal statement is the one you have control over. 

So, how do you write a postgraduate personal statement that stands out?

How to write a postgraduate personal statement

Follow this process to write the perfect personal statement. 

Check the course criteria

Firstly, you’ll need to check the course criteria. It is important that you become familiar with what the program involves, as well as its entry requirements, and the kind of skills that will be required from you in order to gain a place on the course.

This will provide you with key information to cover in your postgraduate personal statement, and give you an idea of the kind of student that the university accepts on that particular course.

Key information that will help you write your postgraduate personal statement includes:

Course modules - Are there any specific course modules that will play to your strengths? Mention how you can bring knowledge, passion and discussion to these particular areas of the course in your masters personal statement, and relate this to your previous experience at undergraduate level. 

Teaching and assessment style - Does the course specify particular teaching or assessment styles? Show the university that you are well suited to those styles. For example, if the course uses group presentation assessments, mention your previous experience with this during undergraduate study.

Key skills - Do the course details specify any desired skills or requirements from students? Tailor your personal statement to demonstrate your ability in these skills. 

Entry requirements - Most masters and postgraduate courses will specify entry requirements. This usually relates to the grade, or predicted grade, you have at undergraduate level. It is a good idea to mention this in your postgraduate personal statement when applying for a course. 

Outline your skills and experience

The next step is to outline your skills, knowledge and experience. You can do this by drafting out a rough mind map of the skills that you think would be relevant to your chosen postgraduate course. 

This will also help demonstrate your passion for the subject, and give the university a strong impression of why you want to study that particular course.

When including these skills in your statement, mention your intention to develop your skills at postgraduate level . This will help reflect your intentions to engage with the course content and thrive in an academic setting. 

Answer key admission questions

The easiest way to start writing a postgraduate personal statement is to make a plan. Work out what sort of things the university wants to know about you, and then answer those questions. Good questions to look at include:

Why do you want to study this particular course?

Why do you want to study at this particular university?

What part of the course in particular appeals to you? e.g. certain modules or work opportunities.

What previous experience do you have in the area you are applying to study?

What skills do you have that’ll lend themselves to postgraduate study? e.g. if you apply for a research masters , what did you learn from doing a dissertation?

What career path or further study route would you like to take after your postgraduate study?

Write with a positive tone

As well as thinking about what to write in your postgraduate personal statement, it’s just as important to consider how to write it.

Your postgraduate or masters personal statement should be received with a positive tone, demonstrating your passion and drive to the reader. Create a positive sentiment using confident language. 

Here’s an overview of action verbs to include in your personal statement:

Established

Write in an active voice to demonstrate your active participation in projects.

What do you mean by active voice?

Take a look at the two examples below:

Active voice: I developed key interpersonal skills through group work. 

Passive voice: Key interpersonal skills were developed through group work.

Add personality

This doesn’t mean you need to write something that no-one has ever read before, but that you need to make sure some of your personality comes across in your statement. 

Did you get into philosophy thanks to a certain work of fiction? Mention it (briefly). Did a particular incident doing undergrad biology make you want to study medicine ? Write it down! Remember, whilst there’s a set amount of things you need to include (like answering the questions above); don’t restrict your personal template to a template you find online if you see opportunities to make your writing stand out.

Tailor to individual universities

Remember that a postgraduate personal statement is different to an undergraduate statement as you can tailor it to each individual university. You shouldn’t send out the same masters personal statement to each university. 

There are two good ways to do this – either write one for each university, or write a basic template, and adjust it to focus on each university you apply for.

Create your first draft

Once you have all of your thoughts and key points together, it’s time to write the first draft of your masters personal statement. Don’t worry about perfecting it at this point. The aim of a first draft is to revisit it later on and identify any areas that need improvement.

How long should a postgraduate personal statement be?

A postgraduate personal statement should have a word count of around 500 words, or one side of A4 . Some universities will specify personal statement word count requirements in the application details, and some will use online submission forms with set character limits. 

It is important that you adhere to this and make sure that your postgraduate personal statement is the ideal length. This will show that you can interpret and deliver a brief. Some universities require much more than the standard personal statement length, such as the University of Oxford , so make sure you check!

How do you start a postgraduate personal statement?

Starting your personal statement can be the hardest part of writing your first draft. It is best to keep your opening statement simple . University admissions will have to read through a lot of applications, so it’s helpful to get to the point and demonstrate your interest in the course from the beginning.

Here are some top tips for writing your personal statement intro:

Avoid clichés. Admission staff will have read these a thousand times. Cliche openings can include sentences like “For as long as I remember…”, or “I have always wanted to be a…”

Show your passion for the topic and explain the reasons you want to study that course

Why are you excited about studying that course? Be specific.

Don't always start at the beginning. Try writing your introduction as the last step in the writing process.

Proofread and edit your statement

Finally (and the most important part of all!), proofread your personal statement. Take a few days away from it, and then go back and read it again. 

After you’ve edited it, find someone else to take a look too. Ideally, if you can find a tutor willing to help, they’re your best bet. If not, a friend already on a postgraduate course should have an idea of how to write a postgraduate personal statement successfully.

Once you’ve done all of this, your statement should be ready. Take a deep breath, upload the file (or put it along with your printed copy), and finish the rest of your application. 

Make sure you keep a copy on file, just in case you need to refer to it later!

Postgraduate personal statement tips

Another important thing to remember when writing your postgraduate personal statement is to be 100% honest and true - don’t just make things up ! 

In the same way that you should NEVER lie on your postgraduate CV , you shouldn’t do this on your postgraduate personal statement either. It’s not just important to make sure you don’t make things up about yourself – make sure anything you say about the university and the postgraduate course you’re applying to has been thoroughly researched. 

After all, the university is definitely the expert on what it offers, and the admissions office will certainly know if you’re making it up.

Make sure you’re memorable

Of course, there are also ways to help your postgraduate personal statement get noticed beyond what you actually write, and that’s to make yourself memorable in other ways . 

Name-dropping is probably not the solution here, but dropping in references to subjects you know their department specialises in is definitely worthwhile. Just make sure you know what you’re talking about and haven’t just picked something at random!

Fill in the gaps

But what if you’ve got some weak spot that comes up? Perhaps you did worse than expected on a certain module, or you have an unexplained gap in between leaving university and applying for further study? You simply need to own it. 

The university might want to know about these things, and the best thing you can do is explain it, and put a positive spin on it. Did you get worse results than expected because you were ill? Say as much – and then mention how much extra reading you’ve done since, and how much you’re looking forward to improving in that area!

The university will understand this and appreciate your additional efforts in other areas.

Keep it concise

A personal statement shouldn't be too long, there'll be many other personal statements that need to be read and considered, so you should ensure you make your points in a concise and engaging fashion.

Start early

This advice may be common sense but it is crucial. By starting early you will reduce the stress of writing a personal statement by a long way. This will give you plenty of time to get a head start and reduce your stress when applying for a masters or other course.

Use consistent structure

Keep your masters personal statement structure clear and consistent. If the overall structure and layout of your personal statement is poor, you will drastically decrease your chances of getting an offer. 

You can easily solve the problem of poor layout by following this simple check-list:

Ensure all margins are the same

Ensure the font is the same throughout

Ensure the size of the font is the same throughout (except subheadings)

Ensure spacing is the same throughout

You will need to plan the structure of your statement and make sure that it flows – with the best way of checking this being to read your personal statement out loud a number of times. This will enable you to weed out any sentences or words that just don't quite fit.

Things to avoid in your postgrad personal statement

So far in this article we’ve looked at how to write your postgraduate personal statement, but what about the things that you should avoid? Here’s our rundown of the top eight postgraduate personal statement no-nos!

• Misinformation & exaggeration  – stick to the facts and don't lie, sounds fairly straightforward, right? But it's all too easy to write what you would like to have done rather than what you actually have done. Even easier than a little misinformation, is a little exaggeration. Stretching work experience to cover a gap or inflating your responsibility can get you caught out. Ultimately exaggerating or making up information in your personal statement can end up in you losing your place on the course or your funding – so stick to the truth.
• Typos – obviously, you need to proofread your personal statement and not just for the information you've contained in it. Don't rely on spell checkers to get it right, read through it a few times just for errors and get someone you trust to do the same as sometimes you can read and re-read something and not spot a small error. Small typos could have a big impact on the admissions panel.
• Passionless personal statement – try to convey your passion for your postgraduate subject through your personal statement, however be careful as you don't want to overdo it and come across as being insincere. It's a difficult balance, but an important one. Again, get someone you trust or who has experience of the course you're applying for to give your personal statement a read through and give you their honest opinion.
• Slang words – keep your language formal and avoid slang words as well as impenetrable technical language. You've already successfully applied for an undergraduate degree and you've probably also successfully applied for a job, so you should understand what clear language to use. Some courses, like law or medicine, might require more formal language than some of the arts, but check with trusted colleagues or those who've already completed the course. Which leads us onto…
• Ignoring feedback – if you ask someone to read through your personal statement, then you should probably take the time to listen to what they really think about it. If you disagree with them remember it is your personal statement and it is you who will be doing the course you're applying for, but, do listen to the advice in the first instance.
• Repetition – you'll want to include a short introduction and a short conclusion, but avoid repeating yourself in the main body of your personal statement. You will only need to explain a point once – again it is always useful to get someone else to read through to check you're not repeating yourself at any point.
• Plagiarism – unless you completed your undergraduate degree a long time ago, then you should know that almost everything you submit will be run through plagiarism software. Many universities and the system used in the UK for undergraduate applications use plagiarism software on personal statements already. Stay away from copying and pasting anything, even if you plan to rewrite it, as it is easy to forget or not notice the plagiarised sections once you've finished.
• Bitterness & negativity – avoid complaining about any past experiences you’ve had, especially educational ones, you will never know where the person reviewing your application has worked or studied before. Negativity reflects badly on you, and you should try instead to demonstrate any positive outcomes that you have had from a bad experience.

Masters personal statement examples

Personal statement example: psychology masters .

"I have always been fascinated by the human mind and its intricate workings, which is why I am excited to pursue a Masters in Psychology. My previous studies in psychology at undergraduate level have inspired my interests in this field, and I am now eager to take my understanding of the subject to the next level.

Areas that particularly interested me at undergraduate level include cognitive psychology and neuroscience. I am fascinated by the ways in which the brain processes information, and the impact this has on human behaviour. By studying a masters degree in psychology, I hope to further explore these areas and develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

Alongside my academic studies, I have volunteered for a local mental health support charity, where I gained experience in a practice-based setting. This experience helped me develop valuable insight into real-life applications of psychology, and has inspired me to pursue a career in this field. 

I am excited about the opportunity to study psychology in more depth, and am confident that I have the skills and motivation to succeed at masters level. I am committed to making a positive impact with my skills and knowledge, and believe that this course will provide me with the necessary tools to achieve this.”

Personal statement example: engineering masters

“As an ambitious and driven individual with a strong passion for engineering, I am excited to apply for the Master of Engineering program at XYZ University. My undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering provided me with a solid foundation in the field, and I am now eager to take my knowledge and skills to the next level.

Throughout my studies, I have had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through various internships and research projects. These experiences have not only confirmed my passion for engineering but also allowed me to develop important skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking.

I am particularly interested in the area of sustainable energy and am eager to explore this field further through the Master of Engineering program. I am confident that the program's emphasis on research and hands-on learning will provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a positive impact in this field.

Furthermore, I believe that the diverse student body and faculty at XYZ University will provide a valuable learning environment and endless opportunities for personal and professional growth. I am excited to be a part of this community and contribute to the university's mission of advancing the field of engineering.

I am confident that the Master of Engineering program at XYZ University is the perfect next step in my academic and professional journey – and I am eager to begin this new chapter of my life.”

Personal statement example: linguistics masters

“Having always been fascinated by language, I am thrilled to apply for the Linguistics masters course at XYZ University. My undergraduate studies in English Language and Linguistics have given me a solid foundation of knowledge in this field, and I am now ready to delve deeper and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of human language.

Throughout my undergraduate degree, I have been particularly interested in phonology and syntax, and have had the opportunity to conduct independent research in these fields of study. This experience further inspired my passion for linguistics and helped me develop important skills – such as analytical thinking and data analysis.

I am excited for the opportunity to continue developing my knowledge in these areas, as well as expand my understanding in other areas of linguistics. I am drawn to the program’s focus on computational linguistics, as this is not something that I have had the opportunity to explore at undergraduate level, despite being an area I find fascinating.

The diverse student body and renowned linguistics faculty at XYZ University will provide a valuable learning environment and promising opportunities for personal and professional development. I hope to be a part of this community and contribute to the faculty’s aims to advance the field of linguistics. 

I am confident that the program offers the perfect next step in my academic journey, and I am excited to begin this new chapter of my life.”

In conclusion, a personal statement is important to get right because it gives the university admissions panel their very first impression of you. Take your time, be proud of your skills and achievements. Your statement could make the difference between securing a spot and not, so make sure your application stands out from the crowd. 

Related articles

UCAS Postgraduate & Postgraduate Applications

Things To Avoid In Your Postgrad Personal Statement

Preparing For Your Postgraduate Application

How To Apply For A Masters

Entry Requirements For Postgraduate Students

How To Choose A Masters Degree

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Medicine personal statements

Stuck with writing your personal statement? Use these example personal statements for inspiration!

A word of warning

Not all of these personal statements are exemplars - they are not perfect. This is a cross-section of personal statements submitted over many years, and they are not necessarily personal statements that have achieved offers. You also need to understand that personal statements that have achieved offers are not automatically perfect.

For more general advice on your medicine application, see a community discussion on the best getting into medical school books  and medicine textbook recommendations .

A note on plagiarism

It should go without saying, but do not plagiarise any of these statements. UCAS has a very sophisticated plagiarism checker which will check your submitted statement against these and other personal statements, and any discrepancies may be used against you. In the worst case scenario, it may lead to UCAS contacting the universities you have applied to and the forced withdrawal of your application to study your particular subject. Do not risk it. These are to look at and to be inspired by, not to copy.

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Personal statement examples medicine personal statements.

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Medicine Personal Statements

Submitted by anonymous

Medicine Personal Statement

My initial interest in medicine stemmed from my excitement of Human B...

The combination of the sciences, the latest technologies and social i...

Submitted by Oriana

Shadowing a doctor on a geriatric ward, I witnessed tears, arguments ...

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The undiagnosed death of a relative in India, which was later found t...

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Healthcare is a broad field and my interest began when I volunteered ...

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Through my mother’s recent diagnosis and treatment of stage 3 metasta...

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Austerity, junior doctor strikes, and even Brexit, are said to have b...

Submitted by Denise

Seven years ago, I witnessed the deterioration of my grandmother's he...

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The decision to study medicine isn't one made upon one mind-blowing e...

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It is the degree of uncertainty that brings excitement and interest i...

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Example Personal Statements - Graduate Entry Medical School

We have collected a few Graduate entry personal statements for you as many of you have asked. The personal statements are from students who all received offers at medical schools for the graduate entry course. We have presented them under the undergraduate degree the student studied before Medicine. These degrees are not an exhaustive list.

Remember, these personal statements are not 'perfect' - none ever will be! Each medical school is looking for something different. Be careful not to plagiarise personal statements you read online - UCAS will detect this.

Biomedical Sciences

I view medicine as a career with a diverse range of roles that all ultimately care for and improve people’s health. This diversity is why I want to be a doctor because I will care for patients, whilst learning, educating and problem solving. As a doctor I would work in a team to provide effective healthcare, where everyone counts and are treated with respect, dignity and compassion. I believe I have what it takes to work to these values as a practitioner, scientist, scholar and professional.

Alongside my degree in Medical Science, I have shadowed in clinic and ward environments to contextualise my understanding. I manage my time effectively with working in retail, volunteering at St Stephens day care centre during term and St Giles Hospice during vacations both on the ward and by teaching young adults about end of life care. From these, I have developed a strong skill set for working in healthcare. Over the past 16 months I shadowed an obstetrician and gynaecologist once a month. I saw patients more than once and appreciated the importance of developing strong doctor-patient relations, and how treatment is a balance between treating the pathology and quality of life. After observing the doctor, I developed the ability to tailor my approach to individuals whilst maintaining dignity and respect.

During a week in ENT and CDU at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, I noticed how oral and written communication within the NHS multi-disciplinary team is vital for delivering the best patient-centred care. I gained an insight into the demands of a junior doctor’s routine and I was inspired by the teamwork between all staff levels that makes a doctor’s job possible. I saw the importance of being honest, compassionate and clear when talking to patients. I admired one doctor’s humanity and reassurance during a conversation with a COPD patient regarding resuscitation, as he ensured the patient would continue to receive the best care. It highlighted that whatever a person’s situation – everyone counts.

I experienced the emotional challenges of birth and death when I was awarded a bursary to work in a Tanzanian hospital for two weeks in 2015. The experience developed my resilience and ability to maintain focus in stressful environments and showed me medicine is not glamorous, but is rewarding. I realise the challenges of healthcare, but I was inspired by being part of making patients’ lives more positive.

I was awarded a competitive 8 week studentship by the Lister Institute where

I worked on patient fibroblasts with mutant DNA repair protein Treslin; where my work will contribute towards a publication. I prioritised and organised myself to carry out experiments, became resilient when faced with problems and became able to effectively analyse data to draw conclusions. I can translate these skills to treating patients as I witnessed doctors using them to provide good care. Evidence based medicine is important for improving patient care, and I have the skills to help me continue researching as a medical student and an academic doctor, as well as giving me an awareness of how research changes practise.

Experience being a retail team leader for 4 years and student ambassador for my undergraduate programme has given me the communication and teamwork skills to confidently communicate with a range of people and work under pressure. I have responsibility of leading a team by being president of the university Blood Donation Society, to increase the number of student donors and fundraise. I spend my free time riding horses and weightlifting; both allow me to focus on something I find relaxing and enjoyable, but require dedication, resilience and determination.

 Although it will be challenging, I have demonstrated that I can make a positive contribution to an academic programme and I would continue this enthusiasm in my medical degree. I would take my studies seriously, demonstrating dedication and an attitude that reflects the values of the NHS Constitution.

My desire to study medicine cannot be attributed to a single phenomenon or traced back to a precise ‘lightbulb-flashing’ moment. Instead, it is steadfast and evolving, honed by years of commitment and curiosity - which resonates in the valuable NHS experiences I have seized. I enjoyed studying the complex elements driving health and disease states throughout my Biomedical Science degree, which I earned First Class Honours in; but I knew that my interests lay beyond the confines of the lab. Each module fascinated me but learning through pro-sections in Human Anatomy was a particular highlight, which led me to return this year as a practical demonstrator.

Working alongside my studies was a challenge I overcame with meticulous time management. My role as anti-coagulation assistant, since June 2015, gives me a realistic grasp of what working in the NHS means. Daily, I overcome the challenges of working in an understaffed department with efficiency and patience. An example is when I noted the detrimental effects of an outdated clinic diary system; I took the initiative to create and apply a new template, which has since improved patient waiting times considerably. Effective communication is essential, as I liaise with members of the multi-disciplinary team to manage patients. I work carefully to safeguard patient confidentiality, as I independently prioritise and process referrals to create clinics. This requires plenty of responsibility, as does conducting INR testing in clinics, where I also support my team of nurse specialists in counselling patients. This patient exposure is deeply rewarding; it is heart-warming to see the 82-year-old lady who gets up at 6am to look her best for us, or the waving gentleman with failing eyesight who still spots me from afar. Besides humbling me, these moments serve as the strongest incentive to keep going in the face of drawbacks.

My work experiences were also insightful and consolidated my career choice. Assisting in consultant-led haematology clinics, I noted that by showing interest in the patient and maintaining eye contact, the clinician built a relationship of mutual understanding. Furthermore, techniques such as summarising and signposting gathered information quickly and effectively to guide treatment. Contrarily, whilst shadowing my local GP I was reacquainted with the unpredictability of disease during a consultation with a young girl, whose brain tumour had diminished her quality of life. Putting my sadness aside, I observed the GP’s professional detachment and reflected on the importance of being resilient in this career. I also faced challenges whilst volunteering as a dining companion on the wards, when certain patients would refuse food despite their malnourished state. I tried my best to feed patients/promote eating, but sometimes I had to walk away and respect the patient’s autonomy, even though it went against my instincts.

I consider myself to be a compassionate person. This is reflected in my role as a part time carer for my grandfather, to whom I provide everyday support in hygiene and administering medication. I also make time for charities such as Humanity First, Breast Cancer care and Team Up. My participation ranges from marshalling at walks, to working behind the scenes in logistics. Recently, I had the privilege of being appointed Youth Group leader for young girls in my local community. I mentor the girls weekly in workshops, tackling issues such as bullying, teaching Urdu, baking, and arts and crafts.

My hobbies include swimming and horse-riding, as they are fun ways to stay fit. I also enjoy reading stimulating literature – recently I read “The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks”, which enlightened me on the evolution of medical ethics and the importance of informed consent. I am confident a medical career is right for me. I recognise there will be challenges, but I believe that my realistic expectations, maturity, and resolve, allow me the capability to overcome these. I hope you will allow me the opportunity to prove so.

Biomedical Sciences with a PhD

One image that has stuck with me is of a gentleman gripping the table as he learned of his cancer diagnosis. The experience highlighted how a doctors job is as much breaking bad news as it is treating people. It took place when shadowing a Urology firm, where I was able to attend surgery, outpatients’ clinics and ward rounds. Spending time with varied levels of doctors taught me how the role changes with experience and training, but that the basics of care remain the same. It confirmed how much I want to be a doctor, as every day and patient is different; it was not so much the illness but the individual that mattered most. Witnessing bad news being broken was difficult, but revealed I have the empathy and fortitude to be with those patients in difficult times. Shadowing a physiotherapist in a private clinic emphasised seeing the patient in a holistic way, as a simple foot injury may be the sign of an underlying hip condition.

When undertaking a PhD in cancer biology, I enjoyed investigating the reasons behind cellular behaviours. It taught me to have an inquisitive mind, ask questions and look for solutions, but it made me realise that what I want to do is use these skills to treat the patients whose cells were in front of me. It developed my ability to be an independent thinker, be self-motivated and in charge of my own learning; I believe these qualities will aid me during medical school and my future career.

I have been a trained first aider with St. John Ambulance for a year. Although the skills learnt and practised are undoubtedly useful, the most valuable experience has been dealing with distressed members of the public, especially children. When a performer fell off stage whilst I was on duty at an event, I used my training to take observations and ensure he kept his head still until paramedics arrived. I wanted to have the knowledge and skills to help him further. Learning some basic first aid has made me even more passionate to know the why behind the treatments and to be able to diagnose injuries and diseases.

Witnessing how unglamorous the job can be, I was covered in a violent patient’s blood after he removed a cannula. One evening a week, I volunteer in the ED of a large teaching hospital, helping care for patients by speaking to them, transporting and giving food and drink. Never knowing what I will encounter, I have realised the uncertainty that comes with being a doctor, and how exciting yet daunting this can be. I have seen how communication is key when treating patients, as many people do not mind waiting if kept informed. A lady had been on a trolley for 3 hours and was becoming distressed. When I explained we were waiting for a bed, the calming effect was clear.

Communication is vital in all areas of the hospital. I have worked in an NHS hospital for almost two years. Firstly, in the finance department of a DGH, which helped me understand the economic complexities and strains the health service is under. Currently, I work within the Pharmacy quality department. It has given me an awareness of how therapies work and how important timely discharge is to patients and staff. Several incidents could have been avoided with effective communication between staff members.

I gained insight into the world of a medical student when employed as a simulated patient. Many students in their first week did not explain procedures or introduce themselves. By the end of the year, the communication skills had greatly improved, and a simple introduction made me feel much more at ease. I have taken part in events to encourage more children into science, including ‘I’m a scientist, get me out of here!’ and the Bodyworlds exhibition. I taught undergraduates during my PhD and, as teaching is a part of Medicine, it would be enjoyable building on these skills.

I enjoy running, reading crime novels and learning French. I play the flute, previously as part of an orchestra that toured Belgium, playing in Ghent Cathedral.

Master of Pharmacy

As a hospital pre-registration pharmacist, I have had the opportunity to witness doctors’ application of clinical knowledge during decision making and their devotion and empathy towards patients. This has deepened my admiration for clinical practice and reinforced my aspiration to become a doctor. Working alongside clinicians has strengthened my desire to gain a deeper understanding of the human body and my desire to play an integral role in differential diagnosis to assist patients.

Pharmacy has helped me to develop a broad range of skills necessary to study medicine. At Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT), I liaise within an MDT to provide patient-centred care and deliver an efficient and seamless service, especially when undertaking ward based medicine management. I take accurate drug histories from patients through the use of pertinent questions and observation skills. Using my professional judgement in the interest of patient safety allows me to readily detect and reduce the occurrence of medication errors. Furthermore, I have also gained a comprehensive understanding of the diverse range of patients in primary and secondary care, which has taught me how to adapt the way I communicate to meet my patients’ unique needs. I understand the importance of patient confidentiality and safeguarding vulnerable adults and children as well. These attributes that I have developed will help me to become a safer, efficient and confident clinician in the future.

Due to my clinical rotations at HEFT I have developed a particular interest in genetic disorders. I recently met a patient who had been diagnosed with Shapiro Syndrome. I took this opportunity to converse with the patient which helped me gain an understanding of the disorder and the pharmacological treatment involved. My rotation within cancer services, including a placement at Marie Curie Hospice, has shown me how the Liverpool Care Pathway is implemented and helped me understand the importance of empathy. I shadowed consultant haematologists in various roles at Heartlands hospital including haematology clinics and ward rounds. I observed a doctor administer chemotherapy via the intrathecal route and witnessed a patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia receive a bone marrow transplant. In addition, I saw the importance of clinical trials in the treatment of cancer and conversed with patients at different stages of their treatment. These experiences have made me appreciate the physical and emotional demands of a career in medicine. Next summer I will be undergoing a placement at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Pakistan, which will offer me an insight into current healthcare issues where resources are limited. Moreover, I remain up-to-date with treatment changes by reading the PJ, BMJ and NICE Guidance and to reflect on my learning I regularly complete CPDs. My technical knowledge is compounded by my First-Class Honours in my Master of Pharmacy degree which provides me with an excellent base of biological and pharmacological knowledge.

Besides my interest in medicine, I also enjoy playing sport; I was part of the University football team and I swim regularly. Furthermore, I play an active part within the local community, having previously volunteered for a local care home, Barnardo's Charity shop and the Anthony Nolan Trust. Currently, I am a volunteer for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. During my pharmacy degree, I was the Aston University Student Champion for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Through this role, I learnt leadership, organisational and interpersonal skills, which have helped both my personal and academic development.

In conclusion, my role in pharmacy and the NHS has provided me with first-hand experience and essential qualities that have bettered me as a person and applicant. Being a hardworking and driven individual, I believe I have the ability to be an excellent medical school student and thereafter a successful doctor within the NHS.

Science has interested me from a young age, but it was through studying pharmacy that I found myself drawn to the more patient centred aspects of healthcare. Realising my limitations as a pharmacist and wanting to be at the forefront of clinical decision making, this well considered choice to pursue medicine was made.

Placements in primary and secondary care as well as my current position as a pre-registration pharmacist at Southampton General Hospital have offered me much insight into medicine as a career. Having visited a range of medical and surgical wards as well as attended various clinics, I have found the scope of medical specialities to be enlightening. The rise of technology and its support in diagnosis has made me appreciate how much this career sits at the forefront of scientific advancement. I have also admired the trusting relationship between patients and their doctors. It has emphasised the importance of being warm, approachable and able to communicate with individuals at their level of understanding. These skills have been demonstrated through my current position and previous job as a healthcare assistant. Earlier this year, I was a first responder to a cardiac emergency just outside of my pharmacy school. Despite my efforts and the timely arrival of the paramedics, the casualty passed away. The nature of this event highlighted to me the challenging sides of medicine. Facing end of life situations isn't easy however, being there to offer the casualty both emotional and physical support was humbling.

Now working within a multi-disciplinary team, I carry out medicines reconciliations, review patient drug charts, and prepare discharge summaries. This has developed my teamwork and communication skills which are both invaluable in medicine. Outside of work, I have been collaborating with nurses, GPs and specialists in Hampshire to deliver health awareness workshops to hard to reach ethnic minority groups at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Supported by Wessex Heartbeat, I have been involved in measuring BP, BM and cholesterol levels as well as providing personalised lifestyle advice.

I am hardworking and self-motivated, as demonstrated by my 1st class honours degree. Pharmacy has equipped me with knowledge of the therapeutic uses of medicines, their side effects and interactions. I have also learnt about the human body systems and many diseases. This provides me with a good foundation going into medicine. Having completed a 4th year research project which was recently presented as a poster at the 2018 International Pharmaceutical Federation congress, I have also developed skills that will prove useful in medical research. These include; literature searching, data analysis and critical writing. Alongside my degree, I was part of the student support service at Cardiff University (CU). Being a mentor then mentor consultant, I developed coaching and leadership skills. This has also demonstrated good time management and organisation which are key to meeting the demands of a medical degree. I am constantly taking on leadership roles and this has been recognised through two consecutive nominations for the Welsh Pharmacy Student Leadership Award. Recently, I was commended for my push to increase first aid training and accessibility within CU following the cardiac incident I was involved with. Initiative drives innovation and improvement which I believe is important in medicine.

Beyond academics, I have a black belt in taekwondo, a sport that has taught me self-discipline and perseverance. I also play the piano and engage in charity work within my community. These activities provide me with a good work-life balance.

I aspire to become a medic who will progress and ultimately give back to society. I have the passion, skills and experience that will allow me to embrace every opportunity and overcome any challenge. Therefore, I believe I am a suitable candidate for graduate entry medicine.

Pharmacology

My interest in medicine was sparked after losing a close friend to cancer. I was grateful and inspired by the medical professionals involved in her care and knew I wanted to follow a medical career making a difference to people’s lives. As a third-year pharmacology student I am fascinated by the mechanisms, interactions and treatments of disease leading me to a part time job in a research lab. I gained an appreciation of how treatments go from bench to bedside, improved my aseptic technique and aided the latest research in C. elegans cancer biomarkers.

Whilst shadowing an anaesthetist, ENT surgeon and nurse throughout surgery I was impressed at how they explained procedures clearly and reassuringly to patients. When complications occurred, I learnt how vital teamwork was when everyone communicated well under pressure to achieve the best outcome. Palliative procedures helped me appreciate the aim isn’t always to cure but improve the patient’s end of life experience. In Falls and Syncope, I was excited to shadow a physiotherapist, ward sister and consultant. I was fascinated by the individualisation of treatments designed by the professionals whilst considering the NICE guidance and the NHS budget. The patient’s opinion was included throughout and their confidentiality maintained. It was valuable to see doctors accept their limits and refer patients for other professional opinions. In neurodegenerative disorder clinics I was impressed by consultant geriatricians communicating devastating news in an empathetic and compassionate way, ensuring adequate support following this. I also built on my knowledge of polypharmacy, ensuring drugs didn’t interact or exacerbate symptoms and learnt a diagnosis is rarely straight forward. It’s common for a mental health condition to accompany the initial illness.

A main aspect drawing me to medicine is a passion of working with people which has grown over 8 years of voluntary and paid work. When volunteering for Nightline, a 12 hours listening service for students, I found it challenging not being allowed to give advice. I improved my communication skills by listening for long periods of time and maintaining appropriate tone of voice, key skills required in medicine. Some calls were emotionally challenging teaching me to control my emotions to help the caller. Volunteering with Sexpression teaching sex and relationship education in schools was an enjoyable experience teaching me how to sensitively engage adolescent audiences. Throughout my degree I expanded my level of knowledge taking extra or relevant modules including Healthcare Organisation and Practise to improve my awareness of the NHS. This thirst for knowledge lead to being the only student selected from my university to represent the British Pharmacological Society in parliament where I discussed medical issues like Ebola, anti-vaccination groups and encouraging young people into science. Being a member of my university cheer team allowed me to compete nationally in front of thousands, greatly improving my confidence of entering unfamiliar situations. Teamwork and communication were essential to prevent injury during stunts. If a stunt didn’t work we’d create new ideas together to replace it. This improved my problem solving and creativity skills something used every day in medicine.

I’m exceptionally hard working and committed and have the communication skills, work ethic and motivation to excel in a career as a doctor. From placements within the NHS I feel I’ve grasped a realistic idea of working in a healthcare organisation. I have always enjoyed caring for others and even though medicine is a challenging degree I feel I am emotionally, mentally and physically strong enough to cope with its demands. I have thoroughly enjoyed my Pharmacology degree and wish to build on my knowledge to achieve my goal of becoming a doctor.

Physiotherapy

Following a serious sporting injury aged 14, I wanted to be a physiotherapist (PT). I was fortunate enough to study and qualify at King’s College London (KCL). As PT students, we’re taught to view the body and mind holistically, whilst developing an exceptional understanding of anatomical functioning and a sound knowledge of physiological processes. However, I knew I had only begun to scratch the surface of what makes us human. My application is borne out of a fascination at the complex equilibrium between different bodily systems and an admiration for human resilience to life-changing circumstances; which drives the pursuit of further knowledge and skills.

Medicine is about seeing patients as individuals and providing them with the foundations to maximise their functioning and quality of life through advice, pharmacological, therapeutic, and if necessary, surgical interventions. For this to be achieved, doctors require a grasp of fundamental skills, such as verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening and empathy, skills on which I pride myself and believe will be directly transferable into practice of medicine. Furthermore, skills such as clinical reasoning, critical analysis and a flexible approach to patient management have provided me the foundation for evidence-based practice that will benefit me as a medical practioner.

I have been fortunate enough to gain experience in a variety of clinical settings, most of which have been ward-based, including: Intensive care (ITU); hyper-acute stroke; oncology and orthopaedics. These acute placements were complimented by long-term rehabilitation placements including The Children’s Trust & Psychiatry. Throughout these rotations, I gained invaluable experience treating and managing a variety of complex conditions, and have always challenged myself to learn new skills and techniques. I achieved this through shadowing various healthcare professionals, including: nurses; midwives; radiographers and most relevantly; doctors. I witnessed first-hand the exceptional depth of knowledge and expertise shown by all the doctors I shadowed, all the while juggling the difficult balance between the medical model and patient-centred care. This was exemplified through contemporary discussions around the moral implications of do not attempt resuscitation orders. Intuitively we should do everything we can to preserve life, yet informed consent is the bedrock of patient-doctor trust and must be respected above all else.

My desire to pursue a career as a doctor was reinforced during my final year of study. I took part in an optional module focussing on inter-professional working, choosing to focus on the role of doctors. I found that the experience helped me further enhance my reflective practice skills, which are vital in both personal and professional growth. I have always considered myself a reflective person, and this module consolidated previous teaching, guiding reflection; learning from all experiences and leading to the development of one of my strongest traits. Furthermore, I chose my dissertation subject on mental health, rather than a topic exclusively PT, displaying my sway towards medical management.

I was fortunate enough to be awarded the KCL Jelf Medal, awarded to one student per year, for academic, societal and sporting excellence. It is the highest honour the college can bestow, and reflected my involvement in football, swimming and water polo teams; charity and grassroots development programs and being the elected student representative to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists. I believe this demonstrates my ability to be a well-rounded candidate, capable of working individually or as a team, succeeding and promoting progression not only for myself, but for my peers, in a variety of settings.

My time at KCL provided me with an insight into the medical world, and while I enjoyed the PT aspect, I’m eagerly anticipating the new challenges a medical career will bring.

Work is very important to me and I enjoy being busy. Throughout my academic life and professional career to date, I have demonstrated an excellent work ethic, receiving top appraisals, early promotion and progression, and special access to fast path training and mentoring as a result. After graduating I chose a career in IT as it required continuous self-improvement and learning to stay abreast of constantly evolving industry advances. My career at IBM has allowed me to gain detailed knowledge of the IBM Cloud, working as part of a team to apply those advances and deliver successful solutions for clients’ real life situations. My IBM work has been, and continues to be very interesting and challenging, but I have come to realise from helping people directly through volunteer work, that I now seek a more fulfilling professional life to complement my deep interest in people and the human condition, a desire that had already led me to read psychology at university.

I thoroughly enjoy volunteer work contributing 100+ hours this year so far. During university I spent a semester in Canada where I worked in a homeless shelter for Project Serve. This first raised my awareness to the challenges faced by vulnerable members of our society. Since then I have undertaken a number of volunteer roles and work-shadowing placements, enabling me to experience first-hand the critical role healthcare has to play. I volunteer at a local care home as a care assistant, working as part of a team providing a quality of life to elderly and mentally ill residents. The home strives to maintain residents’ dignity and self-respect despite the challenges of dementia, incontinence and removal from previous family life. As part of the team I’ve learnt a balance of compassion, but without undue attachment, to gain the residents’ trust and cooperation.

Most recently I have volunteered at a local homeless shelter, serving hot food, giving out clothing and being a friendly face for people suffering from extreme poverty, substance and alcohol abuse. Despite language barriers and sometimes aggressive behaviour I have found this experience a rewarding one. I have also had the privilege of shadowing various medical professionals most notably a paediatric surgical consultant. I’ve experienced ward rounds, witnessing team leadership skills resulting in efficient, detailed assessment of patient status and determination of clinical care plans. I have also observed surgery and seen the professional control in execution that’s required. I have found the absolute commitment of the medical team to provide quality care in often challenging circumstances, including recent strike action, an inspiration.

In my spare time I enjoy participating in a variety of activities including climbing, skiing and yoga. Maintaining an active and varied social lifestyle outside of work helps me create a healthy balance to a busy professional life, and as a result has made me a better “people person” having met many people from different walks of life. Whenever possible, I’ve strived to couple my participation with responsibility through being a student ambassador, team captain, or coaching all ages in both climbing and football.

I strongly believe that my journey to this point, taking into account my academic and professional achievements and volunteering experiences, has provided me with a broader perspective and furnished me with more of the attributes required to undertake a medical career. I have become more focussed on my goals in life and know I can contribute more by dedicating my time to a career in medicine. I am determined, capable and highly motivated to transfer this success to a life in medicine and to achieve my ambition to become a doctor – I believe my true vocation in life.

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Medical School Personal Statement Examples That Got 6 Acceptances

Featured Admissions Expert: Dr. Monica Taneja, MD

These 30 exemplary medical school personal statement examples come from our students who enrolled in one of our application review programs. Most of these examples led to multiple acceptance for our students. For instance, the first example got our student accepted into SIX medical schools. Here's what you'll find in this article: We'll first go over 30 medical school personal statement samples, then we'll provide you a step-by-step guide for composing your own outstanding statement from scratch. If you follow this strategy, you're going to have a stellar statement whether you apply to the most competitive or the easiest medical schools to get into .

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

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Article Contents 36 min read

Stellar medical school personal statement examples that got multiple acceptances, medical school personal statement example #1.

I made my way to Hillary’s house after hearing about her alcoholic father’s incarceration. Seeing her tearfulness and at a loss for words, I took her hand and held it, hoping to make things more bearable. She squeezed back gently in reply, “thank you.” My silent gesture seemed to confer a soundless message of comfort, encouragement and support.

Through mentoring, I have developed meaningful relationships with individuals of all ages, including seven-year-old Hillary. Many of my mentees come from disadvantaged backgrounds; working with them has challenged me to become more understanding and compassionate. Although Hillary was not able to control her father’s alcoholism and I had no immediate solution to her problems, I felt truly fortunate to be able to comfort her with my presence. Though not always tangible, my small victories, such as the support I offered Hillary, hold great personal meaning. Similarly, medicine encompasses more than an understanding of tangible entities such as the science of disease and treatment—to be an excellent physician requires empathy, dedication, curiosity and love of problem solving. These are skills I have developed through my experiences both teaching and shadowing inspiring physicians.

Medicine encompasses more than hard science. My experience as a teaching assistant nurtured my passion for medicine; I found that helping students required more than knowledge of organic chemistry. Rather, I was only able to address their difficulties when I sought out their underlying fears and feelings. One student, Azra, struggled despite regularly attending office hours. She approached me, asking for help. As we worked together, I noticed that her frustration stemmed from how intimidated she was by problems. I helped her by listening to her as a fellow student and normalizing her struggles. “I remember doing badly on my first organic chem test, despite studying really hard,” I said to Azra while working on a problem. “Really? You’re a TA, shouldn’t you be perfect?” I looked up and explained that I had improved my grades through hard work. I could tell she instantly felt more hopeful, she said, “If you could do it, then I can too!” When she passed, receiving a B+;I felt as if I had passed too. That B+ meant so much: it was a tangible result of Azra’s hard work, but it was also symbol of our dedication to one another and the bond we forged working together.

My passion for teaching others and sharing knowledge emanates from my curiosity and love for learning. My shadowing experiences in particular have stimulated my curiosity and desire to learn more about the world around me. How does platelet rich plasma stimulate tissue growth? How does diabetes affect the proximal convoluted tubule? My questions never stopped. I wanted to know everything and it felt very satisfying to apply my knowledge to clinical problems.

Shadowing physicians further taught me that medicine not only fuels my curiosity; it also challenges my problem solving skills. I enjoy the connections found in medicine, how things learned in one area can aid in coming up with a solution in another. For instance, while shadowing Dr. Steel I was asked, “What causes varicose veins and what are the complications?” I thought to myself, what could it be? I knew that veins have valves and thought back to my shadowing experience with Dr. Smith in the operating room. She had amputated a patient’s foot due to ulcers obstructing the venous circulation. I replied, “veins have valves and valve problems could lead to ulcers.” Dr. Steel smiled, “you’re right, but it doesn’t end there!” Medicine is not disconnected; it is not about interventional cardiology or orthopedic surgery. In fact, medicine is intertwined and collaborative. The ability to gather knowledge from many specialties and put seemingly distinct concepts together to form a coherent picture truly attracts me to medicine.

It is hard to separate science from medicine; in fact, medicine is science. However, medicine is also about people—their feelings, struggles and concerns. Humans are not pre-programmed robots that all face the same problems. Humans deserve sensitive and understanding physicians. Humans deserve doctors who are infinitely curious, constantly questioning new advents in medicine. They deserve someone who loves the challenge of problem solving and coming up with innovative individualized solutions. I want to be that physician. I want to be able to approach each case as a unique entity and incorporate my strengths into providing personalized care for my patients. Until that time, I may be found Friday mornings in the operating room, peering over shoulders, dreaming about the day I get to hold the drill.

Let's take a step back to consider what this medical school personal statement example does, not just what it says. It begins with an engaging hook in the first paragraph and ends with a compelling conclusion. The introduction draws you in, making the essay almost impossible to put down, while the conclusion paints a picture of someone who is both passionate and dedicated to the profession. In between the introduction and conclusion, this student makes excellent use of personal narrative. The anecdotes chosen demonstrate this individual's response to the common question, " Why do you want to be a doctor ?" while simultaneously making them come across as compassionate, curious, and reflective. The essay articulates a number of key qualities and competencies, which go far beyond the common trope, I want to be a doctor because I want to help people.

This person is clearly a talented writer, but this was the result of several rounds of edits with one of our medical school admissions consulting team members and a lot of hard work on the student's part. If your essay is not quite there yet, or if you're just getting started, don't sweat it. Do take note that writing a good personal essay takes advanced planning and significant effort.

I was one of those kids who always wanted to be doctor. I didn’t understand the responsibilities and heartbreaks, the difficult decisions, and the years of study and training that go with the title, but I did understand that the person in the white coat stood for knowledge, professionalism, and compassion. As a child, visits to the pediatrician were important events. I’d attend to my hair and clothes, and travel to the appointment in anticipation. I loved the interaction with my doctor. I loved that whoever I was in the larger world, I could enter the safe space of the doctor’s office, and for a moment my concerns were heard and evaluated. I listened as my mother communicated with the doctor. I’d be asked questions, respectfully examined, treatments and options would be weighed, and we would be on our way. My mother had been supported in her efforts to raise a well child, and I’d had a meaningful interaction with an adult who cared for my body and development. I understood medicine as an act of service, which aligned with my values, and became a dream.

I was hospitalized for several months as a teenager and was inspired by the experience, despite the illness. In the time of diagnosis, treatment and recovery, I met truly sick children. Children who were much more ill than me. Children who wouldn’t recover. We shared a four-bed room, and we shared our medical stories. Because of the old hospital building, there was little privacy in our room, and we couldn’t help but listen-in during rounds, learning the medical details, becoming “experts” in our four distinct cases. I had more mobility than some of the patients, and when the medical team and family members were unavailable, I’d run simple errands for my roommates, liaise informally with staff, and attend to needs. To bring physical relief, a cold compress, a warmed blanket, a message to a nurse, filled me with such an intense joy and sense of purpose that I applied for a volunteer position at the hospital even before my release.

I have since been volunteering in emergency departments, out-patient clinics, and long term care facilities. While the depth of human suffering is at times shocking and the iterations of illness astounding, it is in the long-term care facility that I had the most meaningful experiences by virtue of my responsibilities and the nature of the patients’ illnesses. Charles was 55 when he died. He had early onset Parkinson’s Disease with dementia that revealed itself with a small tremor when he was in his late twenties. Charles had a wife and three daughters who visited regularly, but whom he didn’t often remember. Over four years as a volunteer, my role with the family was to fill in the spaces left by Charles’ periodic inability to project his voice as well as his growing cognitive lapses. I would tell the family of his activities between their visits, and I would remind him of their visits and their news. This was a hard experience for me. I watched as 3 daughters, around my own age, incrementally lost their father. I became angry, and then I grew even more determined.

In the summer of third year of my Health Sciences degree, I was chosen to participate in an undergraduate research fellowship in biomedical research at my university. As part of this experience, I worked alongside graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical students, physicians, and faculty in Alzheimer’s research into biomarkers that might predict future disease. We collaborated in teams, and by way of the principal investigator’s careful leadership, I learned wherever one falls in terms of rank, each contribution is vital to the outcome. None of the work is in isolation. For instance, I was closely mentored by Will, a graduate student who had been in my role the previous summer. He, in turn, collaborated with post docs and medical students, turning to faculty when roadblocks were met. While one person’s knowledge and skill may be deeper than another’s, individual efforts make up the whole. Working in this team, aside from developing research skills, I realized that practicing medicine is not an individual pursuit, but a collaborative commitment to excellence in scholarship and leadership, which all begins with mentorship.

Building on this experience with teamwork in the lab, I participated in a global health initiative in Nepal for four months, where I worked alongside nurses, doctors, and translators. I worked in mobile rural health camps that offered tuberculosis care, monitored the health and development of babies and children under 5, and tended to minor injuries. We worked 11-hour days helping hundreds of people in the 3 days we spent in each location. Patients would already be in line before we woke each morning. I spent each day recording basic demographic information, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, weight, height, as well as random blood sugar levels, for each patient, before they lined up to see a doctor. Each day was exhausting and satisfying. We helped so many people. But this satisfaction was quickly displaced by a developing understanding of issues in health equity.

My desire to be doctor as a young person was not misguided, but simply naïve. I’ve since learned the role of empathy and compassion through my experiences as a patient and volunteer. I’ve broadened my contextual understanding of medicine in the lab and in Nepal. My purpose hasn’t changed, but what has developed is my understanding that to be a physician is to help people live healthy, dignified lives by practicing both medicine and social justice.

28 More Medical School Personal Statement Examples That Got Accepted

What my sister went through pushed me to strengthen my knowledge in medical education, patient care, and research. These events have influenced who I am today and helped me determine my own passions. I aspire to be a doctor because I want to make miracles, like my sister, happen. Life is something to cherish; it would not be the same if I did not have one of my four sisters to spend it with. As all stories have endings, I hope that mine ends with me fulfilling my dream of being a doctor, which has been the sole focus of my life to this point. I would love nothing more than to dedicate myself to such a rewarding career, where I achieve what those doctors did for my family. Their expertise allowed my sister to get all the care she needed for her heart, eyes, lungs, and overall growth. Those physicians gave me more than just my little sister, they gave me the determination and focus needed to succeed in the medical field, and for that, I am forever grateful. ","label":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #3","title":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #3"}]" code="tab4" template="BlogArticle">

I came to America, leaving my parents and friends behind, to grasp my chance at a better future. I believe this chance is now in front of me. Medicine is the only path I truly desire because it satisfies my curiosity about the human body and it allows me to directly interact with patients. I do not want to miss this chance to further hone my skills and knowledge, in order to provide better care for my patients. ","label":"Medical School Personal Statement #4","title":"Medical School Personal Statement #4"}]" code="tab5" template="BlogArticle">

The time I have spent in various medical settings has confirmed my love for the field. Regardless of the environment, I am drawn to patients and their stories, like that scared young boy at AMC. I am aware that medicine is a constantly changing landscape; however, one thing that has remained steadfast over the years is putting the patient first, and I plan on doing this as a physician. All of my experiences have taught me a great deal about patient interaction and global health, however, I am left wanting more. I crave more knowledge to help patients and become more useful in the healthcare sector. I am certain medical school is the path that will help me reach my goal. One day, I hope to use my experiences to become an amazing doctor like the doctors that treated my sister, so I can help other children like her. ","label":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #5","title":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #5"}]" code="tab6" template="BlogArticle">

My interest in the field of medicine has developed overtime, with a common theme surrounding the importance of personal health and wellness. Through my journey in sports, travelling, and meeting some incredible individuals such as Michael, I have shifted my focus from thinking solely about the physical well-being, to understanding the importance of mental, spiritual, and social health as well. Being part of a profession that emphasizes continuous education, and application of knowledge to help people is very rewarding, and I will bring compassion, a hard work ethic and an attitude that is always focused on bettering patient outcomes. ","label":"Medical School Personal Statement Example # 7","title":"Medical School Personal Statement Example # 7"}]" code="tab8" template="BlogArticle">

Medicine embodies a hard science, but it is ultimately a profession that treats people. I have seen firsthand that medicine is not a \u201cone-treatment-fits-all\u201d practice, as an effective physician takes a holistic approach. This is the type of physician I aspire to be: one who refuses to shy away from the humanity of patients and their social context, and one who uses research and innovation to improve the human condition. So, when I rethink \u201cwhy medicine?\u201d, I know it\u2019s for me \u2013 because it is a holistic discipline, because it demands all of me, because I am ready to absorb the fascinating knowledge and science that dictates human life, and engage with humanity in a way no other profession allows for. Until the day that I dawn the coveted white coat, you can find me in inpatient units, comforting the many John\u2019s to come, or perhaps at the back of an operating room observing a mitral valve repair \u2013 dreaming of the day the puck is in my zone. ","label":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #8","title":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #8"}]" code="tab9" template="BlogArticle">

When I signed up to be a live DJ, I didn't know that the oral skills I practiced on-air would influence all aspects of my life, let alone lead me to consider a career in the art of healing. I see now, though, the importance of these key events in my life that have allowed me to develop excellent communication skills--whether that be empathic listening, reading and giving non-verbal cues, or verbal communication. I realize I have always been on a path towards medicine. Ultimately, I aim to continue to strengthen my skills as I establish my role as a medical student and leader: trusting my choices, effectively communicating, and taking action for people in need. ","label":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #9","title":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #9"}]" code="tab10" template="BlogArticle">

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t I pursue medicine sooner?\u201d Is the question that now occupies my mind. Leila made me aware of the unprofessional treatment delivered by some doctors. My subsequent activities confirmed my desire to become a doctor who cares deeply for his patients and provides the highest quality care. My passion for research fuels my scientific curiosity. I will continue to advocate for patient equality and fairness. Combining these qualities will allow me to succeed as a physician. ","label":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #10","title":"Medical School Personal Statement Example #10"}]" code="tab11" template="BlogArticle">

Medical school personal statement example: #11

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Please note that all personal statements are the property of the students who wrote them, re-printed with permission. Names and identifying characteristics have been changed. Plagiarism detection software is used when evaluating personal statements. Plagiarism is grounds for disqualification from the application. ","label":"NOTE","title":"NOTE"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

As one of the most important  medical school requirements , the personal statement tells your story of why you decided to pursue the medical profession. Keep in mind that personal statements are one of the key factors that affect medical school acceptance rates . This is why it's important to write a stellar essay!

“Personal statements are often emphasized in your application to medical school as this singular crucial factor that distinguishes you from every other applicant. Demonstrating the uniqueness of my qualities is precisely how I found myself getting multiple interviews and offers into medical school.” – Dr. Vincent Adeyemi, MD

But this is easier said than done. In fact, medical school personal statements remain one of the most challenging parts of students' journeys to medical school. Here's our student Melissa sharing her experience of working on her personal statement:

"I struggled making my personal statement personal... I couldn't incorporate my feelings, motives and life stories that inspired me to pursue medicine into my personal statement" -Melissa, BeMo Student

Our student Rishi, who is now a student at the Carver College of Medicine , learned about the importance of the medical school personal statement the hard way:

"If you're a reapplicant like me, you know we all dread it but you have to get ready to answer what has changed about your application that we should accept you this time. I had an existing personal statement that did not get me in the first time so there was definitely work to be done." - Rishi, BeMo Student

The importance of the medical school personal statement can actually increase if you are applying to medical school with any red flags or setbacks, as our student Kannan did:

"I got 511 on my second MCAT try... My goal was anything over median of 510 so anything over that was honestly good with me because it's just about [creating] a good personal statement at that point... I read online about how important the personal statement [is]... making sure [it's] really polished and so that's when I decided to get some professional help." - Kannan, BeMo Student

As you can see from these testimonials, your medical school personal statement can really make a difference. So we are here to help you get started writing your own personal statement. Let's approach this step-by-step. Below you will see how we will outline the steps to creating your very best personal statement. And don't forget that if you need to see more examples, you can also check out our AMCAS personal statement examples, AACOMAS personal statement examples and TMDSAS personal statement examples to further inspire you!

Here's a quick run-down of what we'll cover in the article:

Now let's dive in deeper!

#1 Understanding the Qualities of a Strong Med School Personal Statement

Before discussing how to write a strong medical school personal statement, we first need to understand the qualities of a strong essay. Similar to crafting strong medical school secondary essays , writing a strong personal statement is a challenging, yet extremely important, part of your MD or MD-PhD programs applications. Your AMCAS Work and Activities section may show the reader what you have done, but the personal statement explains why. This is how Dr. Neel Mistry, MD and our admissions expert, prepared for his medical school personal statement writing:

"The personal statement is an opportunity for you to shine and really impress the committee to invite you for an interview. The personal statement is your chance to be reflective and go beyond what is stated on your CV and [activities]. In order to stand out, it is important to answer the main questions [of medical school personal statements] well: a bit about yourself and what led you to medicine, why you would make an ideal medical student and future physician, what attracts you to [medicine], and what sets you apart from the other candidates. The key here is answering the last two questions well. Most candidates simply highlight what they have done, but do not reflect on it or mention how what they have done has prepared them for a future medical career." - Dr. Neel Mistry, MD

“my essay also focused on volunteering in the local health clinic during the many summer breaks. volunteering was more than just another activity to tick off my bucket list for my medical school … i volunteered because i wanted to view medical practice through the lenses of already qualified doctors, not because i needed a reason to be a doctor. i understood that the admissions committee would be more interested in how i was motivated.” – dr. vincent adeyemi, md.

A personal statement should be deeply personal, giving the admissions committee insight into your passions and your ultimate decision to pursue a career in medicine. A compelling and introspective personal statement can make the difference between getting an interview and facing medical school rejection . Review our blogs to find out how to prepare for med school interviews and learn the most common medical school interview questions .

As you contemplate the task in front of you, you may be wondering what composing an essay has to do with entering the field of medicine. Many of our students were surprised to learn that medical school personal statements are so valued by med schools. The two things are more closely related than you think. A compelling personal statement demonstrates your written communication skills and highlights your accomplishments, passions, and aspirations. The ability to communicate a complex idea in a short space is an important skill as a physician. You should demonstrate your communication skills by writing a concise and meaningful statement that illustrates your best attributes. Leaving a lasting impression on your reader is what will lead to interview invitations.

A quick note: if you are applying to schools that do not require the formal medical school personal statement, such as medical schools in Canada , you should still learn how to write such essays. Many medical schools in Ontario , for example, ask for short essays for supplementary questionnaires. These are very similar to the personal statement. Knowing how to brainstorm, write, and format your answers is key to your success!!!

You want to give yourself as much time as possible to write your statement. Do not think you can do this in an evening or even in a week. Some statements take months. My best statement took almost a year to get right. Allow yourself time and start early to avoid added stress. Think of the ideas you want to include and brainstorm possible ways to highlight these ideas. Ask your friends for ideas or even brainstorm your ideas with people you trust. Get some feedback early to make sure you are headed in the right direction.

“I wrote scores of essays at my desk in those few weeks leading up to application submission. I needed it to be perfect. Do not let anyone tell you to settle. There was no moment when I had this shining light from the sky filtering into my room to motivate me. The ultimate trick is to keep writing. It is impossible to get that perfect essay on the first try, and you may not even get it on your fifteenth attempt, but the goal is to keep at it, keep making those edits, and never back down.” – Dr. Vincent Adeyemi, MD

All personal statements for medical school, often start by explaining why medicine is awesome; the admission committee already knows that. You should explain why you want a career in medicine. What is it about the practice of medicine that resonates with who you are? Naturally, this takes a lot of reflection around who you are. Here are some additional questions you can consider as you go about brainstorming for your essay:

• What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
• What is something you want them to know about you that isn't in your application?
• Where were you born, how did you grow up, and what type of childhood did you have growing up (perhaps including interesting stories about your siblings, parents, grandparents)?
• What kinds of early exposure to the medical field left an impression on you as a child?
• Did you become familiar with and interested in the field of medicine at an early stage of your life? If so, why?
• What are your key strengths, and how have you developed these?
• What steps did you take to familiarize yourself with the medical profession?
• Did you shadow a physician? Did you volunteer or work in a clinical setting? Did you get involved in medical research?
• What challenges have you faced? Have these made an impact on what you chose to study?
• What are your favorite activities?
• What kinds of extracurriculars for medical school or volunteer work have you done, and how have these shaped who you are, your priorities, and or your perspectives on a career in medicine?
• What was your "Aha!" moment?
• When did your desire to become a doctor solidify?
• How did you make the decision to apply to medical school?

You shouldn't try to answer all of these in your essay. Try only a few main points that will carry over into the final draft. Use these to brainstorm and gather ideas. Start developing your narrative by prioritizing the most impactful responses to these prompts and the ideas that are most relevant to your own experiences and goals. The perfect personal statement not only shows the admissions committee that you have refined communication skills, but also conveys maturity and professionalism. It should also display your motivation and suitability for medical practice. Here's how our student Alison, who was a non-traditional applicant with a serious red flag in her application, used her brainstorming sessions with our admissions experts to get a theme going in her medical school personal statement and her overall application package:

"I think it was during my brainstorming session that we really started talking about... what the theme [was] going to be for my application. And I think that was really helpful in and of itself. Just [reflecting] 'Hey, what's your focus going to be like? How are we going to write this? What's the style going to be?' Just to create an element of consistency throughout..." Alison, BeMo Student, current student at Dell Medical School 

After brainstorming, you should be able to clearly see a few key ideas, skills, qualities, and intersections that you want to write about. Once you've isolated the elements you want to explore in your essay (usually 2-4 key ideas), you can begin building your outline. In terms of structure, this should follow the standard academic format, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

As you begin thinking about what to include in your personal essay, remember that you are writing for a specific audience with specific expectations. Your evaluator will be familiar with the key qualities desired by medical schools, as informed by the standards of the profession. But keep in mind that they too are human, and they respond well to well-crafted, engaging essays that tell a story. Here's what our student Alison had to share about keeping your audience in mind when writing your personal statement:

"Make it easy for the reader to be able to work [their] way through [your personal statement]. Because, at the end of the day, I think one thing that helped me a lot was being able to think about who was going to be reading this application and it's going to be these people that are sitting around a desk or sitting at a table and [go] through massive numbers of applications every single day. And the easier and more digestible that you can make it for them, gives you a little bit of a win." - Alison, BeMo student, current student at Dell Medical School

The admissions committee will be examining your essay through the lens of their particular school's mission, values, and priorities. You should think about your experiences with reference to the AAMC Core Competencies and to each school's mission statement so that you're working toward your narrative with the institution and broader discipline in mind.

The AAMC Core Competencies are the key characteristics and skills sought by U.S. medical schools. These are separated into three general categories:

You are not expected to have mastered all of these competencies at this stage of your education. Display those that are relevant to your experiences will help demonstrate your commitment to the medical profession.

Review the school's mission statement: Educational institutions put a lot of time and care into drafting their school's vision. The mission statement will articulate the overall values and priorities of each university, giving you insight into what they might seek in candidates, and thus what you should try to display in your personal statement. Echoing the values of the university helps illustrate that you are a good fit for their intellectual culture. The mission statement may help you identify other priorities of the university, for example, whether they prioritize research-based or experiential-based education. All this research into your chosen medical schools will help you tremendously not only when you write you personal statement, but also the rest of your medical school application components, including your medical school letter of intent if you ever need to write one later.

Just like the personal statement is, in essence, a prompt without a prompt. They give you free rein to write your own prompt to tell your story. This is often difficult for students as they find it hard to get started without having a true direction. Below is a list of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Use these prompts as a starting point for your essay. Also, they are a great way of addressing why you want to be a doctor without saying something generic.

• The moment your passion for medicine crystallized
• The events that led you toward this path
• Specific instances in which you experienced opportunities
• Challenges that helped shape your worldview
• Your compassion, resilience, or enthusiastic collaboration
• Demonstrate your commitment to others
• Your dependability
• Your leadership skills
• Your ability to problem-solve or to resolve a conflict

These are personal, impactful experiences that only you have had. Focus on the personal, and connect that to the values of your future profession. Do that and you will avoid writing the same essay as everyone else. Dr. Monica Taneja, MD and our admissions expert, shares her tip that got her accepted to the University of Maryland School of Medicine :

"I focused on my journey to medicine and opportunities that I sought out along the way. Everyone’s path and validation is unique, so walking the reader through your growth to the point of application will naturally be different, but that's what I wanted to share in my personal statement." - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD

“the essay is not about what you have been through; it's about who it made you into.” – dr. vincent adeyemi, md.

Admissions committees don't want your resumé in narrative form. The most boring essays are those of applicants listing their accomplishments. Remember, all that stuff is already in the activities section of the application. This is where you should discuss interesting or important life events that shaped you and your interest in medicine (a service trip to rural Guatemala, a death in the family, a personal experience as a patient). One suggestion is to have an overarching theme to your essay to tie everything together, starting with an anecdote. Alternatively, you can use one big metaphor or analogy through the essay. Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD and experienced admissions committee member of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, encourages you to be creative when it comes to the theme of your personal statement:

"It is very easy to make the “cookie cutter” personal statement. To a reviewer who is reading tens of these at a time it can become quite boring. What I did was [tell] a story. Like any good novel, the stories' first lines are meant to hook the reader. This can be about anything if you can bring it back and relate it to your application. It could be about the time your friend was smashed up against the boards in hockey and you, with your limited first aid experience helped to treat him. It is important that the story be REAL." - Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

Your personal statement must be well-organized, showing a clear, logical progression, as well as connections between ideas. It is generally best to use a chronological progression since this mirrors your progression into a mature adult and gives you the opportunity to illustrate how you learned from early mistakes later on. Carry the theme throughout the statement to achieve continuity and cohesion. Use the theme to links ideas from each paragraph to the next and to unite your piece.

Medical School Personal Statement Structure

When working toward the initial draft of your essay, it is important to keep the following in mind: The essay should read like a chronological narrative and have good structure and flow. Just like any academic essay, it will need an introduction, body content, and a conclusion. If you're wondering whether a medical school advisor can help you with your medical school application, check out our blog for the answer.

Check out our video to learn how to create a killer introduction to your medical school personal statement:

Introduction

The introductory paragraph and, even more importantly, the introductory sentence of your essay, will most certainly make or break your overall statement. Ensure that you have a creative and captivating opening sentence that draws the reader in. This is your first and only chance to make a first impression and really capture the attention of the committee. Starting with an event or an Aha! moment that inspired your decision to pursue a medical profession is one way to grab their attention. The kinds of things that inspire or motivate you can say a lot about who you are as a person.

The broader introductory paragraph itself should serve several functions. First, it must draw your reader in with an eye-catching first line and an engaging hook or anecdote. It should point toward the qualities that most effectively demonstrate your desire and suitability for becoming a physician (you will discuss these qualities further in the body paragraphs). The thesis of the introduction is that you have certain skills, experiences, and characteristics and that these skills, experiences, and characteristics will lead you to thrive in the field of medicine. Finally, it must also serve as a roadmap to the reader, allowing them to understand where the remainder of the story is headed.

That is a lot of work for a single paragraph to do. To better help you envision what this looks like in practice, here is a sample introduction that hits these main points.

I was convinced I was going to grow up to be a professional chef. This was not just another far-fetched idealistic childhood dream that many of us had growing up. There was a sense of certainty about this dream that motivated me to devote countless hours to its practice. It was mostly the wonder that it brought to others and the way they were left in awe after they tried a dish that I recall enjoying the most creating as a young chef. But, when I was 13, my grandfather was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, and I realized that sometimes cooking is not enough, as I quickly learned about the vital role physicians play in the life of everyday people like my family and myself. Although my grandfather ended up passing away from his illness, the impact that the healthcare team had on him, my family, and I will always serve as the initial starting point of my fascination with the medical profession. Since that time, I have spent years learning more about the human sciences through my undergraduate studies and research, have developed a deeper understanding of the demands and challenges of the medical profession through my various volunteer and extra-curricular experiences, and although it has been difficult along the way, I have continued to forge a more intimate fascination with the medical field that has motivated me to apply to medical school at this juncture of my life. ","label":"Sample Introduction","title":"Sample Introduction"}]" code="tab3" template="BlogArticle">

In the body of your essay, you essentially want to elaborate on the ideas that you have introduced in your opening paragraph by drawing on your personal experiences to provide evidence. Major points from the above sample introduction could be: dedication and resilience (practicing cooking for hours, and devoting years to undergraduate studies in human sciences), passion and emotional connection (being able to create something that inspired awe in others, and personally connecting with the work of the grandfather's healthcare team), motivation and drive (being inspired by the role physicians play in their patients' lives, participating in volunteer work and extracurriculars, and an enduring fascination with the field of medicine). Depending on the details, a selection of volunteer and extra-curricular experiences might also be discussed in more detail, in order to emphasize other traits like collaboration, teamwork, perseverance, or a sense of social responsibility – all key characteristics sought by medical schools. Just like an academic essay, you will devote one paragraph to each major point, explaining this in detail, supporting your claims with experiences from your life, and reflecting on the meaning of each plot point in your personal narrative, with reference to why you want to pursue a medical career.

Your final statement should not be a simple summary of the things you have discussed. It should be insightful, captivating, and leave the reader with a lasting impression. Although you want to re-emphasize the major ideas of your essay, you should try to be creative and captivating, much like your opening paragraph. Sometimes if you can link your opening idea to your last paragraph it will really tie the whole essay together. The conclusion is just as important as the introduction. It is your last chance to express your medical aspirations. You want to impress the reader while also leaving them wanting more. In this case, more would mean getting an interview so they can learn more about who you are! Leave them thinking I have got to meet this person.

The narrative you construct should display some of your most tightly held values, principles, or ethical positions, along with key accomplishments and activities. If you see yourself as someone who is committed to community service, and you have a track record of such service, your story should feature this and provide insight into why you care about your community and what you learned from your experiences. Saying that you value community service when you've never volunteered a day in your life is pointless. Stating that your family is one where we support each other through challenge and loss (if this is indeed true), is excellent because it lays the groundwork for telling a story while showing that you are orientated towards close relationships. You would then go on to offer a brief anecdote that supports this. You are showing how you live such principles, rather than just telling your reader that you have such principles:

"Remember to use specific personal examples throughout your statement to make it more impactful and memorable for the readers. Often, painting a picture in the reader’s mind in the form of a story helps with this." - Dr. Neel Mistry, MD

A lot of students make the mistake of verbalizing their personal attributes with a bunch of adjectives, such as, "This experience taught me to be a self-reliant leader, with excellent communication skills, and empathy for others..." In reality, this does nothing to convey these qualities. It's a mistake to simply list your skills or characteristics without showing the reader an example of a time you used them to solve a problem. If you simply list your skills or characteristics (telling), without demonstrating the ways you have applied them (showing), you risk coming across as arrogant. The person reading the essay may not believe you, as you've not really given them a way to see such values in your actions. It is better to construct a narrative to show the reader that you possess the traits that medical schools are looking for, rather than explicitly stating that you are an empathetic individual or capable of deep self-reflection. Instead of listing adjectives, tell your personal story and allow the admissions committee to paint the picture for themselves. This step is very challenging for many students, but it's one of the most important strategies used in successful essays. Writing this way will absolutely make your statement stand out from the rest.

While it may be tempting to write in a high academic tone, using terminology or jargon that is often complex or discipline-specific, requiring a specialized vocabulary for comprehension. You should actually aim to write for a non-specialist audience. Remember, in the world of medicine, describing a complex, clinical condition to a patient requires using specific but clear words. This is why your personal statement should show that you can do the same thing. Using large words in unwieldy ways makes you sound like you are compensating for poor communication skills. Use words that you believe most people understand. Read your personal statement back to a 14-year-old, and then again to someone for whom English is not their first language, to see if you're on the right path.

Ultimately, fancy words do not make you a good communicator; listening and ensuring reader comprehension makes you a good communicator. Instead of using complex terminology to tell the admissions committee that you have strong communication skills, show them your communication skills through clear, accessible prose, written with non-specialists in mind. A common refrain among writing instructors is, never use a $10 word where a $2 word will suffice. If you can say it in plain, accessible language, then this is what you should do.

Display Professionalism

Professionalism may seem like a difficult quality to display when only composing a personal statement. After all, the reader can't see your mannerisms, your personal style, or any of those little qualities that allow someone to appear professional. Professionalism is about respect for the experience of others on your team or in your workplace. It is displayed when you are able to step back from your own individual position and think about what is best for your colleagues and peers, considering their needs alongside your own. If a story is relevant to why you want to be a physician and demonstrates an example of how you were professional in a workplace setting, then it is appropriate to include in your essay.

One easy way to destroy a sense of professionalism is to act in a judgmental way towards others, particularly if you perceived and ultimately resolved an error on someone else's part. Sometimes students blame another medical professional for something that went wrong with a patient.

They might say something to the effect of, "The nurse kept brushing off the patient's concerns, refusing to ask the attending to increase her pain medications. Luckily, being the empathetic individual that I am, I took the time to listen to sit with the patient, eventually bringing her concerns to the attending physician, who thanked me for letting him know."

There are a couple of things wrong with this example. It seems like this person is putting down someone else in an attempt to make themselves look better. They come across as un-empathetic and judgmental of the nurse. Maybe she was having a busy day, or maybe the attending had just seen the patient for this issue and the patient didn't really need re-assessment. Reading this kind of account in a personal statement makes the reader question the maturity of the applicant and their ability to move past blaming others and resolve problems in a meaningful way. Instead of allocating blame, identify what the problem was for the patient and then focus on what you did to resolve it and reflect on what you learned from the whole experience.

One last note on professionalism: Being professional does not mean being overly stoic, hiding your emotions, or cultivating a bland personality. A lot of students are afraid to talk about how a situation made them feel in their personal statement. They worry that discussing feelings is inappropriate and will appear unprofessional. Unfortunately for these students, emotional intelligence is hugely important to the practice of medicine. In order to be a good doctor, one must be aware of their own emotions as well as those of their patients. Good doctors are able to quickly identify their own emotions and understand how their emotional reactions may inform their actions, and the ability to deliver appropriate care, in a given situation. Someone who is incapable of identifying their emotions is also incapable of managing them effectively and will likely struggle to identify the emotions of others. So, when writing your personal statement, think about how each experience made you feel, and what you learned from those feelings and that experience.

How to Write About Discrepancies and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Part of your essay's body can include a discussion of any discrepancies or gaps in your education, or disruptions in your academic performance. If you had to take time off, or if you had a term or course with low grades, or if you had any other extenuating circumstances that impacted your education, you can take time to address these here. It is very important to address these strategically. Do not approach this section as space to plead your case. Offer a brief summary of the situation, and then emphasize what you learned from such hardships. Always focus on the positive, illustrating how such difficulties made you stronger, more resilient, or more compassionate. Connect your experiences to the qualities desired by medical schools. Here's how I student Alison address an academic discrepancy in her application:

I had an academic dishonesty during undergrad, which, at the time, ended up being this big misunderstanding. But I was going to appeal this and get it off my record. I was supposed to start nursing school two weeks after this whole ordeal had gone down and, at our university, if you try to appeal your academic dishonesty then you'd have to take an incomplete in that class and I needed this class in order to start nursing school. So I wasn't able to [appeal]. So when I talked with the people at the nursing school they were like ‘it's no big deal, it's fine’. [But] it came back and it haunted me very much. When I was applying [to medical school] I started looking online [to see] how big of a deal is it to have this ‘red flag’ on my application. I started reading all of these horror stories on Student Doctor Network and all of these other forums about how if you have an academic dishonesty you shouldn't even bother applying, that you'll never get in. Schools will blacklist you and I was [wondering] what am I going do. [My advisor suggested I use the essay to talk about my discrepancy]. 

First off, if anyone out there has an academic violation don't read student doctor network. don't listen to anybody. you absolutely are still a potential medical student and schools are not going to blacklist you just because of one mistake that you made. that's all lies. don't listen to them. i don't even think it came up a single time during any of my interviews. i think a lot of that came back to how i wrote that essay and the biggest advice that i can give that i got from the [bemo] team is explain what happened… just give the facts. be very objective about it. in the last two thirds [of the essay] you want to focus on what you learned from it and how it made you a better person and how it's going to make you a better physician.” – alison, bemo student, current student at dell medical school.

We hope many of you find a peace of mind when you read Alison's story. Because it shows that with the right approach to your medical school personal statement, you can overcome even red flags or setbacks that made you dread the application process. Use your personal statement to emphasize your ability to persevere through it all but do so in a positive way. Most of all, if you feel like you have to explain yourself, take accountability for the situation. State that it is unfortunate and then redirect it to what you learned and how it will make you a better doctor. Always focus on being positive and do not lament on the negative situation too much.

Additional Mistakes to Avoid in Personal Statements:

Check out this video on the top 5 errors to avoid in your personal statement!

Step 3: Writing Your First Draft

As you can see, there is a LOT of planning and consideration to be done before actually starting your first draft. Properly brainstorming, outlining, and considering the content and style of your essay prior to beginning the essay will make the writing process much smoother than it would be you to try to jump right to the draft-writing stage. Now, you're not just staring at a blank page wondering what you could possibly write to impress the admissions committee. Instead, you've researched what the school desires from its students and what the medical profession prioritizes in terms of personal characteristics, you've sketched out some key moments from your life that exemplify those traits, and you have a detailed outline that just needs filling in.

As you're getting started, focus on getting content on the page, filling in your outline and getting your ideas arranged on the page. Your essay will go through multiple drafts and re-writes, so the first step is to free write and start articulating connections between your experiences and the characteristics you're highlighting. You can worry about flow, transitions, and perfect grammar in later drafts. The first draft is always a working draft, written with the understanding that its purpose is to act as a starting point, not an ending point. Once you've completed a draft, you can begin the revising process. The next section will break down what to do once you have your first draft completed.

You can also begin looking at things like style, voice, transitions, and overall theme. The best way to do this is to read your essay aloud. This may sound strange, but it is one of the single most impactful bits of writing advice a student can receive. When we're reading in our heads (and particularly when we're reading our own words), it is easy to skip over parts that may be awkwardly worded, or where the grammar is off. As our brains process information differently, depending on whether we're taking in visual or auditory information, this can also help you understand where the connections between ideas aren't as evident as you would like. Reading the essay aloud will help you begin internalizing the narrative you've crafted, so that you can come to more easily express this both formally in writing and informally in conversation (for example, in an interview).

#1 Did You Distinguish Yourself From Others?

Does your narrative sound unique? Is it different than your peers or did you write in a generic manner? Our admissions expert Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, shares how she got the attention of the admissions committee with her personal statement:

"I also found it helpful to give schools a 'punch-line'. As in I wanted them to remember 1-2 things about me that are my differentiators and I reiterated those throughout [the personal statement]." - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD

Use your narrative to provide a compelling picture of who you are as a person, as a learner, as an advocate, and as a future medical professional. What can you offer? Remember, you will be getting a lot out of your med school experience, but the school will be getting a lot out of you, as well. You will be contributing your research efforts to your department, you will be participating in the academic community, and as you go on to become a successful medical professional you will impact the perception of your school's prestige. This is a mutually beneficial relationship, so use this opportunity to highlight what you bring to the table, and what you will contribute as a student at their institution. Let them know what it is about you that is an attribute to their program. Make them see you as a stand out from the crowd.

#2 Does My Essay Flow and is it Comprehensible?

Personal statements are a blessing and a curse for admission committees. They give them a better glimpse of who the applicant is than simple scores. Also, they are long and time-consuming to read. And often, they sound exactly alike. On occasion, a personal statement really makes an applicant shine. After reading page after page of redundant, cookie-cutter essays, an essay comes along with fluid prose and a compelling narrative, the reader snaps out of that feeling of monotony and gladly extends their enthusiastic attention.

Frankly, if the statement is pleasant to read, it will get read with more attention and appreciation. Flow is easier to craft through narrative, which is why you should root the statement in a story that demonstrates characteristics desirable to medical schools. Fluidity takes time to build, though, so your statement should be etched out through many drafts and should also be based on an outline. You need to brainstorm, then outline, then draft and re-draft, and then bring in editors and listeners for feedback (Note: You need someone to proofread your work. Bestselling authors have editors. Top scholars have editors. I need an editor. You need an editor. Everyone needs an editor). Then, check and double-check and fix anything that needs fixing. Then check again. Then submit. You want this to be a statement that captures the reader's interest by creating a fluid, comprehensible piece that leads the reader to not only read each paragraph but want to continue to the next sentence.

#3 Did You Check Your Grammar?

If you give yourself more than one night to write your statement, the chances of grammatical errors will decrease considerably. If you are pressed for time, upload your file into an online grammar website. Use the grammar checker on your word processor, but know that this, in itself, isn't enough. Use the eyes and ears of other people to check and double-check your grammar, punctuation, and syntax. Read your statement out loud to yourself and you will almost certainly find an error (and likely several errors). Use fresh eyes to review the statement several times before you actually submit it, by walking away from it for a day or so and then re-reading it. Start your essay early, so that you actually have time to do this. This step can make or break your essay. Do not waste all the effort you have put into writing, to only be discarded by the committee for using incorrect grammar and syntax.

#4 Did You Gather Feedback From Other People?

The most important tip in writing a strong application essay is this getting someone else to read your work. While the tips above are all very useful for writing a strong draft, nothing will benefit you more than getting an outside appraisal of your work. For example, it's very easy to overlook your own spelling or grammatical errors. You know your own story and you may think that your narrative and it's meaning make sense to your reader. You won't know that for sure without having someone else actually read it. This may sound obvious, but it's still an absolute necessity.

“It was very helpful for two of my mentors to review my statements before submitting my application. Ensure you trust the judgement and skills of the person to whom you would be giving your personal statement for review.” – Dr. Vincent Adeyemi, MD

Have someone you trust to read the essay and ask them what they thought of it. What was their impression of you after reading it? Did it make sense? Was it confusing? Do they have any questions? What was the tone of the essay? Do they see the connections you're trying to make? What were their takeaways from your essay, and do these align with your intended takeaways for your reader? Ideally, this person should have some knowledge of the application process or the medical profession, so that they can say whether you were successful in demonstrating that you are a suitable candidate for medical school. However, any external reader is better than no external reader at all.

Avoid having people too close to you read your work. They may refrain from being too critical in an effort to spare your feelings. This is the time to get brutal, honest feedback. If you know someone who is an editor but do not feel that they can be objective, try and find someone else.

Want more examples? Check out our video below:

FAQs and Final Notes

Your personal statement should tell your story and highlight specific experiences or aspects of your journey that have led you to medicine. If your first exposure or interest in the medical field was sparked from your own medical struggles, then you can certainly include this in your statement. What is most important is that you write about what factors or experiences attributed to you deciding that medicine is the right career path for you.

Sometimes students shy away from including their own personal struggles and describing how they felt during difficult times but this is a great way for admissions committees to gain perspective into who you are as a person and where your motivations lie. Remember, this is your story, not someone else's, so your statement should revolve around you. If you choose to discuss a personal hardship, what's most important is that you don't cast yourself as the victim and that you discuss what the experience taught you. Also, medical schools are not allowed to discriminate against students for discussing medical issues, so it is not looked at as a red flag unless you are talking about an issue inappropriately. For example, making yourself appear as the victim or not taking responsibility.

All US medical schools require the completion of a personal statement with your AMCAS, TMDSAS or AACOMAS applications.

Medical schools in Canada on the other hand, do not require or accept personal statements. In lieu of the personal statement, a few of these schools may require you to address a prompt in the form of an essay, or allow you to submit an explanation essay to describe any extenuating circumstances, but this is not the same as the US personal statement. For example, when applying through  OMSAS , the  University of Toronto medical school  requires applicants to complete four short, 250 words or less, personal essays.

Many students struggle with whether or not they should address an unfavorable grade in their personal statement. What one student does isn't necessarily the right decision for you.

To help you decide, think about whether or not that bad grade might reflect on your poorly. If you think it will, then it's best to address the academic misstep head-on instead of having admissions committees dwell on possible areas of concern. If you're addressing a poor evaluation, ensure that you take responsibility for your grade, discuss what you learned and how your performance will be improved in the future - then move on. It's important that you don't play the victim and you must always reflect on what lessons you've learned moving forward.

Of course not, just because you didn't wake up one morning and notice a lightbulb flashing the words medicine, doesn't mean that your experiences and journey to medicine are inferior to those who did. Students arrive to medicine in all sorts of ways, some change career paths later in life, some always knew they wanted to pursue medicine, and others slowly became interested in medicine through their life interactions and experiences. Your personal statement should address your own unique story to how you first became interested in medicine and when and how that interest turned to a concrete desire.

While your entire statement is important, the opening sentence can often make or break your statement. This is because admission committee members are reviewing hundreds, if not thousands of personal statements. If your opening sentence is not eye-catching, interesting, and memorable, you risk your statement blending in with the large pile of other statements. Have a look at our video above for tips and strategies for creating a fantastic opening sentence.

Having your statement reviewed by family and friends can be a good place to start, but unfortunately, it's near-impossible for them to provide you with unbiased feedback. Often, friends and family members are going to support us and rave about our achievements. Even if they may truly think your statement needs work, they may feel uncomfortable giving you their honest feedback at the risk of hurting your feelings.

In addition, family and friends don't know exactly what admission committee members are looking for in a personal statement, nor do they have years of experience reviewing personal statements and helping students put the best version of themselves forward. For these reasons, many students choose to seek the help of a professional medical school advisor to make sure they have the absolute best chances of acceptance to medical school the first time around.

If you have enough time set aside to write your statement without juggling multiple other commitments, it normally takes at least four weeks to write your statement. If you are working, in school, or volunteering and have other commitments, be prepared to spend 6-8 weeks.

Your conclusion should have a summary of the main points you have made in your essay, but it should not just be a summary. You should also end with something that makes the reader want to learn more about you (i.e. call you for an interview). A good way to do this is to include a call-back to your opening anecdote: how have you grown or matured since then? How are you more prepared now to begin medical school?

The goal is to show as many of them as you can in the WHOLE application: this includes your personal statement, sketch, reference letters, secondary essays, and even your GPA and MCAT (which show critical thinking and reasoning already). So, it’s not an issue to focus on only a few select experiences and competencies in the personal statement.

Yes, you can. However, if you used an experience as a most meaningful entry, pick something else to talk about in your essay. Remember, you want to highlight as many core competencies across your whole application). Or, if you do pick the same experience: pick a different specific encounter or project with a different lesson learned.

Once your essay is in good shape, it's best to submit to ensure your application is reviewed as soon as possible. Remember, with rolling admissions, as more time passes before you submit your application, your chances of acceptance decreases. Nerves are normal and wanting to tinker is also normal, but over-analyzing and constant adjustments can actually weaken your essay.

So, if you're thinking about making more changes, it's important to really reflect and think about WHY you want to change something and if it will actually make the essay stronger. If not your changes won't actually make the essay stronger or if it's a very minor change you're thinking of making, then you should likely leave it as is.

The reality is, medical school admission is an extremely competitive process. In order to have the best chance of success, every part of your application must be stellar. Also, every year some students get in whose GPAs or  MCAT scores  are below the median. How? Simply because they must have stood out in other parts of the application, such as the personal statement.

The ones that honestly made the most impact on you. You'll need to reflect on your whole life and think about which experiences helped you grow and pushed you to pursue medicine. Ideally, experiences that show commitment and progression are better than one-off or short-term activities, as they usually contribute more to growth.

Final Notes

This Ultimate Guide has demonstrated all the work that needs to be done to compose a successful, engaging personal statement for your medical school application. While it would be wonderful if there was an easy way to write your personal statement in a day, the reality is that this kind of composition takes a lot of work. As daunting as this may seem, this guide lays out a clear path. In summary, the following 5 steps are the basis of what you should take away from this guide. These 5 steps are your guide and sort of cheat sheet to writing your best personal statement.

5 Main Takeaways For Personal Statement Writing:

• Brainstorming
• Content and Theme
• Multiple Drafts
• Revision With Attention to Grammar

While a strong personal statement alone will not guarantee admission to medical school, it could absolutely squeeze you onto a  medical school waitlist , off the waitlist, and onto the offer list, or give someone on the admissions committee a reason to go to battle for your candidacy. Use this as an opportunity to highlight the incredible skills you've worked and studied to refine, the remarkable life experiences you've had, and the key qualities you possess in your own unique way. Show the admissions committee that you are someone they want to meet. Remember, in this context, wanting to meet you means wanting to bring you in for an interview!

Dr. Lauren Prufer is an admissions expert at BeMo. Dr. Prufer is also a medical resident at McMaster University. Her medical degree is from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. During her time in medical school, she developed a passion for sharing her knowledge with others through medical writing, research, and peer mentoring.

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

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Medicine Personal Statement Example 6

Check out this successful Medicine Personal Statement example. The applicant got into Graduate Entry Medicine at King's - and also had interviews for Undergraduate Medicine at King's, QMUL and Exeter.

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Here’s a successful Medicine Personal Statement example to help you out with some inspiration to plan and structure your Personal Statement .

My desire to be a doctor stems from my motivation to apply scientific knowledge in a clinical setting to benefit others. My work experience and volunteering , personal experience and academic career have taught me that medicine is a lifestyle, not just a degree or job. These activities have enhanced my communication and team work skills, aptitude for science and maturity making me ready to commit to a career in medicine.

Work experience has given me an understanding of the realities of a medical career and most importantly confirmed I am motivated to work hardest when my actions positively impact others. While shadowing doctors for a week, I took particular interest in ENT, watching surgery to remove a middle ear cholesteatoma. Difficulties with the chosen technique necessitated a change in plan which the surgeon communicated clearly to the team, showing the importance of strong leadership in a multidisciplinary team and ability to cope under pressure.

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My interest in the pathology of the ear led me to do independent research, speak to patients and complete an EPQ comparing surgical techniques for cholesteatoma. This research showed the impact of treatment choice on quality of life. Volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Society for two years, I learnt how to communicate effectively with people with memory loss. This was particularly challenging as they often got upset and confused doing day-to-day tasks. I helped overcome this using positive body language, taking time to listen to concerns and working with the team to minimise distress.

Wanting to experience clinical aspects of dementia, I spent a day in a memory assessment clinic. I was inspired by how the GP provided not only diagnosis and treatment but also empathised and gave emotional support. I hope to carry these skills forward in a medical career, especially given the challenges the NHS faces with growing prevalence of dementia. Working in a care home, I have been further trained in dementia care, medication administration and first aid. I find my job there challenging yet hugely rewarding. Despite the unglamorous and emotionally difficult aspects, I can see the positive impact I have on the residents. Caring for a lady with OCD and complex medical needs required me to be flexible and adapt how I delivered her care to minimise her stress. This job has shown me the huge level of commitment and compassion required to work in healthcare.

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During my Medical Sciences degree, I gained interest in treatments for Type 2 Diabetes, specifically cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1 and the contribution of DPP-IV inhibitors to wound healing. This has taught me the significance of lifelong learning in a medical career and applying research to clinical scenarios. I have thoroughly enjoyed my degree, becoming an academic mentor and being awarded the Dean’s Commendation.

At school, I was a Prefect and Head of Pupil Support dealing with issues such as bullying requiring me to be approachable and trusted. As a Chemistry ambassador tutoring GCSE pupils, I learnt the importance of patience whilst explaining complex topics. I have gained invaluable experience from my education to help me make the most of studying medicine: teaching and learning from my peers, strong time management skills and motivation to maintain a good work ethic. I strive to maintain a balanced lifestyle as a keen tennis and university netball player, whilst being a committee member for the Watersports Society. I also play the piano to a high level which helps relieve stress.

I appreciate that studying medicine and a career as a doctor will be hugely intellectually and emotionally challenging. However, I believe I have the strength of character, motivation to benefit others and intellectual maturity to work through and overcome these challenges to make a true success of a medical career.

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Medicine Personal Statement Example 5

How universities use your medicine personal statement.

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Doctor charged for unauthorized access to personal information of pediatric patients at Texas Children’s Hospital

HOUSTON – A Houston doctor has been indicted for obtaining protected individual health information for patients that were not under his care and without authorization, announced Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The case against Ethan Haim, 34, Dallas, has now been unsealed, and he is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Yvonne Y. Ho in Houston at 2 p.m.

The four-count indictment alleges Haim obtained personal information including patient names, treatment codes and the attending physician from Texas Children’s Hospital’s (TCH) electronic system without authorization. He allegedly obtained this information under false pretenses and with intent to cause malicious harm to TCH.

According to the indictment, Haim was a resident at Baylor College of Medicine and had previous rotations at TCH as part of his residency.

In April 2023, Haim allegedly requested to re-activate his login access at TCH to access pediatric patients not under his care. The indictment alleges he obtained unauthorized access to personal information of pediatric patients under false pretenses and later disclosed it to a media contact.

If convicted, Haim faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.

FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S Attorney Tina Ansari is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law .

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A 36-year-old woman has been sentenced for her conviction of false statements in a health care matter

The owner of a Houston-area mental health clinic has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud

A Houston-area doctor and his diagnostic facilities have agreed to pay to resolve False Claims Act (FCA) allegations regarding the submission of claims to Medicare and Medicaid that were medically...

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Postgraduate Personal Statement Examples

What is a postgraduate personal statement?

A postgraduate personal statement is a piece of creative writing that should tell the universities you are applying to all about your strengths and where you see yourself in the future.

It should give admissions tutors a good idea of who you are and why you would make a valuable candidate for their course.

Remember that a postgraduate course is a higher level of study than an undergraduate degree, so be prepared to share your knowledge and expertise in your chosen subject.

How do I write a postgraduate personal statement?

We always recommend starting your postgraduate personal statement by brainstorming ideas. Your notes should cover the following:

• achievements
• academic results
• part-time or Saturday jobs
• volunteering
• wider reading
• extracurricular activities

as well as anything else you can think of that is relevant to the course you are applying for.

Take a look through our collection of postgraduate personal statement examples above to give yourself an idea of what a successful statement looks like.

Once you have put together an initial draft, it's a good idea to ask for feedback from family, friends and tutors. They will be able to look at your statement objectively and suggest ways it could be improved.

Incorporate their comments, and ask for further feedback. Don't worry if you have to do this three or four times - it's important you get your statement as perfect as possible before sending it off on your UCAS form.

What should I include in my postgraduate personal statement?

• Look at the content of the course and make sure your statement addresses the specific apect(s) you are interested in.
• Talk about your motivations for wanting to study the course and mention any projects you've completed, awards you've received or other achievements.
• Demonstrate important skillls that are required for a postgraduate course, e.g. problem-solving, teamwork, analytical, communication etc. Talk about how you have developed these, either at school/college, at your job or during hobbies or other activities.
• Most applicants spend the opening of their statement talking about why they want to study a postgraduate course in their subject, e.g. to improve their career prospects, or as a stepping stone to a PhD.
• Don’t include any over-used phrases or quotes in your statement that university admissions tutors will have seen and heard before.
• Now is also not the time for jokes or humour - it often doesn't work well and admissions tutors might not be impressed!
• Pay attention to detail and use good vocabulary and grammar throughout.
• Try to keep the tone positive and enthusiastic - tutors want to see passionate students that will be a valuable asset to their department.
• Start writing your personal statement as soon as you know which course you want to apply for and which universities you want to approach.

For more help and advice on what to write in your postgraduate personal statement, please see:

• Personal Statement Editing Services
• Personal Statement Tips From A Teacher
• Analysis Of A Personal Statement
• The 15th January UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
• Personal Statement FAQs
• Personal Statement Timeline
• 10 Top Personal Statement Writing Tips
• What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline.

How long is a postgraduate personal statement?

A postgraduate personal statement is normally around 500 words long, which is roughly one side of A4. Some universities may require more, such as up two sides. Other institutions also set a character limit instead of a specific word count, so check the guidelines before you start writing.

Postgraduate personal statements shouldn't include personal information that is already elsewhere on your UCAS form. Instead, focus on why you want to study a particular postgraduate course and your potential to successfully complete your studies.

How do I structure my postgraduate personal statement?

Your Masters personal statement should have a clear, logical structure, where the paragraphs flow coherently from one to the next.

For the opening paragraph, you should try to grab the admission tutor's attention with an positive and passionate introduction that tells admission tutors why you want to study this course.

Your middle paragraphs should tell the reader all about your knowledge and skills and demonstrate why this course is the next step for you.

Around half of the main body should focus on you and your interests, and the other half about the course content and where you hope it will take you in the future.

Your conclusion should round off your statement by explaining why you are a great candidate. Most students aim to write between four and six paragraphs in total, although remember not to waffle - every word needs to count!

It's a good idea to mention any potential red flags, such as a gap in your education history, or low grades at school or college, and explain the reasons why as positively as possible.

For example, talk about how you plan to increase your wider reading to make up for your lower than expected exam results, or how you spent a year out from education volunteering at a local animal centre.

Most postgraduate applications are submitted online via the UCAS Postgraduate service or directly through the university's website. If you are doing the latter, make sure it is formatted correctly before submitting it.

How do I begin my postgraduate personal statement?

The first rule here is not to include any typically over-used phrases such as "since a young age" or "I have always wanted to be a...".

Remember that admission tutors read hundreds of statements every week, so you need to cut to the chase and grab their attention straight away.

Looking through some of our postgraduate personal staetment examples will inspire you, and help give you an idea of what makes a good opening sentence.

How do I conclude my postgraduate personal statement?

Your conclusion is just as important as your opening, so it's worth spending as much time as you can rounding your statement off with something memorable.

Talk about your ambitions and how you hope your postgraduate course will allow you to achive your career ambitions.

The end of your statement should also include a concise summary of why you are a good fit for the course.

Keep it succinct and on point, and think about why you will be a valuable asset to the university. After all, you are up against many other candidates, so why should the tutors offer you a place over them?

Once you've completed an initial draft, including an opening, middle and end, make sure you pass it on to family, friends or anyone else that can provide feedback.

You can then incorporate any suggestions or comments to try and improve it.

Be aware that it will probably take at least three or four rounds of revisions before you have a final, polished draft.

If you follow these tips your personal statement should leave a lasting impression.

Where can I find more information about postgraduate personal statements and applying for a course?

There are lots of great resources out there with tips and advice on postgraduate university personal statements and UCAS applications, including:

• Should I apply for a postgraduate course?
• Types of postgraduate course
• Writing a postgraduate personal statement
• Benefits of postgraduate study
• Postgraduate entry requirements
• Research vs Taught Masters
• Taught Masters
• Research Masters
• UCAS Postgraduate Applications
• FindAMasters

Related resources

How to write a masters statement.

Find out more

Masters Personal Statement Tips

Should I Do A Masters?

Types Of Postgraduate Degree

Research Vs Taught Masters

Choosing A Postgrad University

Postgraduate Entry Requirements

7 Ways To Fail A Graduate Interview

Uni Open Day Tips

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Indonesian university boosts Asia’s public health programmes through research training

Growing up in Bangladesh where several infectious diseases transmitted by helminths (worms) take a large health toll, Tilak Chandra Nath has always been fascinated with the challenges of addressing diseases of poverty.

After graduating as a biologist, Ezra Valido’s interest in infectious diseases took him to work in a rural, poor community in the eastern Philippines, where he headed public health programmes on tuberculosis, measles, dengue and chikungunya.

Valido’s community was devastated in 2013 by Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. From that, he gained experience working in the aftermath of a disaster, including how to prevent waterborne diseases and sanitation-related illnesses.

As a TDR-supported fellow, also at UGM in 2017, Valido’s research project focused on how willing people were to take doses of the dengue vaccine in poor communities in the Philippines’ Quezon City. His initial plan was to focus on how the vaccines were rolled out. But this had to be shelved after community and media outrage based on misinformation about the vaccine led the government to cancel its vaccination plans.

TDR’s postgraduate training programme on implementation research

Both Nath and Valido were part of a special postgraduate training programme focused on implementation research, based at UGM’s Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, located in Yogyakarta. 

The programme, involving students from both WHO’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions, is supported by TDR, a global programme for research on diseases of poverty ,   hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, and co-sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), WHO and the World Bank.

UGM is part of TDR’s global postgraduate training scheme network , developed over the past eight years to boost the skills of future research leaders.  

The initiative focuses on building students’ skills in implementation research, a fast-growing field that supports the identification of system bottlenecks to delivering health services and approaches to addressing them. It is particularly useful in low- and middle–income countries where many health interventions do not reach those who need them the most.

One of the two partner institutions in Asia Pacific is UGM, where the initiative is co-ordinated by Professor Yodi Mahendradhata, Dean of Research and Development at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing. 

Involved from the start

Mahendradhata is proud of the fact that UGM was involved from the start - back in 2015 – in  TDR’s fellowship scheme as well as in the parallel development of course content for implementation research. So he feels considerable ownership over how it has evolved.

“It wasn’t just about receiving the tools and the toolkits, but being involved very early on in the development of the implementation research course, and that is what we particularly appreciate from TDR,” said Mahendradhata. “We learned a lot from participating in the development process, and that gives us a sense of ownership.”

His university has also developed and piloted lessons on implementation research as a part of a TDR-supported Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) , enabling researchers in places like Nepal and Myanmar to participate in virtual training, with UGM as the hub.

Critical and relevant

Valido is sanguine about how he had to shift the focus of his research on a new dengue vaccine from examining the standard parameters of mass rollout to focusing on the vaccine’s  acceptability in one city, Quezon, the biggest city in the Philippines.

Sanofi Pasteur’s Dengvaxia vaccine was approved in the Philippines in December 2015 , and the government started to roll it out to primary school children in 2016. However, in late 2017, Sanofi issued a statement reporting that, in rare cases, the vaccine could increase the risk of severe dengue illness in children who had never had the disease if they contracted the virus after being vaccinated. A public outcry followed , and the health department suspended the vaccine programme soon afterwards.

“While we were conducting the research, an update on the vaccine information caused a media frenzy which eventually led to its suspension and eventual cancellation,” he says. “We had to change the research and eventually looked at the change in the acceptability of the vaccine pre- and post-controversy.”

“The programme teaches you to be critical and relevant, and I had to change my research to remain relevant,” Valido says.“At the time, the Philippines was the only country implementing mass dengue vaccination in schools.”

Dengvaxia has since been approved in a number of countries, including the US – but only for people clinically proven to have had dengue in the past.

Valido enjoyed the opportunity to dissect the Filippino government’s plans for the vaccine’s implementation, focusing on “strategic actions, context and health system thinking.” 

New insights into managing parasitic diseases

Meanwhile, Nath’s research into parasitic diseases gave him new insights into how they can be both managed and prevented.

“In developed countries, most parasitic diseases have been either eradicated or controlled, but the scenario is quite different in lower-income countries, where many diseases remain a serious constraint to public health safety,” says Nath.

“Through the TDR training programme,” he says, “I learned to investigate the problems in preventing these diseases in greater detail and pave the way to find an implementable solution for policy-makers to mitigate the burden.”

Preparing for the future

Following his studies at UGM, Nath continued his research training, completing a PhD in Medicine from the Chungbuk National University, in Korea, in the area of One Health.  He is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Parasitology at Sylhet Agricultural University in Bangladesh.

 In a sense he has come full-circle - bringing knowledge amassed through years of study abroad back to his home country to ponder issues that he wondered about since his youth.  

“I am now actively engaged with helminthiasis elimination and biobanking of parasites projects,” says Nath, who is currently also the director of Bangladesh’s Parasite Resource Bank, where he is investigating the interactions between human, animal, and environmental parasites, following the One Health approach. 

Meanwhile, Valido is working on the biomedical aspects of infectious diseases as a post-doctoral researcher at Swiss Paraplegic Research, where he is exploring the interaction of microbiomes and the spinal cord. He started this work while completing his PhD in Health Sciences at the University of Lucerne in Switzerland. 

Few scientists understand the biomedical aspects of infectious diseases and “the complexity of public health designs to improve health programmes, guide health policies and identify key health infrastructure,” Valido observes. The TDR training helped him to build that interdisciplinary skill set.

This is the first article in a series on TDR’s research capacity strengthening programme - building skills of public health researchers, implementers, health practitioners and policy-makers in the fast-developing field of implementation research for improving uptake of effective health interventions.

TDR’s postgraduate training scheme

Wolves set to sign Pedro Lima, beating Chelsea to Brazilian prospect

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reached an agreement with Sport Recife to sign Pedro Lima .

The 17-year-old had been heavily linked with a host of top clubs, most prominently Chelsea , who had been pursuing a deal for the right-back.

But Wolves have managed to strike a deal with Sport Recife for Lima in what would represent a major coup for the club.

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Personal terms are in place on a five-year contract that includes the option to extend by a further 12 months.

If all goes to plan he would arrive at Wolves on July 1 to undergo a medical and complete the proposed move.

A Sport Recife statement read: “Sport Club do Recife announces that it has signed a binding agreement to transfer the economic and federative rights of athlete Pedro Lima to Wolverhampton Wanderers, from England.

“The agreement is subject to customary conditions, including the athlete’s approval of medical examinations conducted by the English club.

“President Yuri Romao and the football management committee will detail the operation in a statement when all acts related to the business have been completed.”

Chelsea had stepped up their efforts to sign Lima last week after scheduling further talks, with a view to him initially joining fellow BlueCo-owned Strasbourg.

However, he is set to be Wolves’ second new signing of the summer after they completed a deal for wide player Rodrigo Gomes from Braga last week .

The Athletic reported the 20-year-old Portugal youth international would move to Molineux in a €15million (£12.7m) deal on a five-year contract with the option to extend by 12 months.

Lima broke into the Sport Recife first team in January 2024, aged 16, and has featured eight times in Serie B this season.

He has also represented Brazil at youth level and featured for the side at last year’s Under-17 World Cup.

(Gledston Tavares/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

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David Ornstein joined The Athletic in October 2019 after 12 years as a sports journalist and correspondent at the BBC. In the role of Football Correspondent, he is responsible for producing exclusive and original stories and interviews, offering unique insight and analysis. He works across video, audio and the written word. Follow David on Twitter @ David_Ornstein