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*MEGATHREAD* - Personal Statements Questions and Advice 2015 Entry Megathread

Personal Statement Advice & Questions Thread for Medicine 2015 Entry

This thread is for dedicated discussion on personal statements and related issues for applicants applying for 2015 entry. All further threads about personal statements will be merged with this one and the FAQs will be updated as and when other questions come up. Most of the information in this post comes from the TSR Medicine Wiki 'Personal Statement Advice' page, which is a good read if you are starting out with your statement.

WARNING

DO NOT post any sections of your personal statement in this thread, or PM it to any user on TSR. This is very dangerous: it may cause UCAS to flag up your personal statement as plagiarised and you may face very severe circumstances, including your application being withdrawn. If you want somebody to review/have a look at your personal statement, consider using the TSR Personal Statement Helpers. They are a verified group of current students who will give you their expert advice on your personal statement, free of charge, and in confidence. For more information, have a look at the PS Help forum. Click here for more information.

General Information

IntroductionYour PS needs to be original and interesting. Explain what initially attracted you to medicine and why. Write concisely- it must be interesting from the first sentence. Don’t try to lead the reader in- just talk about what you feel is important in explaining why you want to become a doctor. If you say that you find X interesting, try to talk about why this is.

Remember - you don’t just “read” medicine. The course is vocational and you are studying it because of the career it leads to.

Being original doesn't necessarily mean writing something no one has come up with before; it's the wording that's important. Every reason you want to be a doctor is going to be a bit of a cliche, as thousands of applicants over the years will have the EXACT same reasons as you. Even if they are related to personal experience the underlying reasoning will be the same, so don't spend too long worrying about whether or not your reasoning is good.

Honesty is also very important (however mentioning money/ status/ prestige isn't likely to get you very far!)


GeneralStart writing your personal statement early as many people will get through a huge number of drafts before they are happy with their PS. Below is the general format for a PS and some good advice. You don't have to use this format, just make sure you include all the sections. If you know where you want to apply, make sure you have a look on their websites for any specific advice on what they want to see in your personal statement, as different universities may have different things they want you to include.


Personal Statement Structure

General Structure and Content
Please note: the structure given here is only a suggested structure but can be used to help make sure you cover all the important points.

Introduction: Explain why you want to be a doctor. Be honest and try to attract the reader's attention right from the start.

Work experience: Focus on what you learnt from your work experience rather than what you did/saw - this could include skills you noticed doctors need, the team work involved in medicine etc. Think about the negatives of being a doctor as well as the positives.

Voluntary work: Talk about what you've done/ currently do but make sure you mention what you learnt from your experiences and how these skills might be useful for you in the future, e.g. their relevance to medicine.

Extracurricular activities: Talk about your hobbies, what you do outside school/university and what you do to relax and relieve stress. These don't need to be representing the country in a sport or playing an instrument to Grade 8 - focus on what you enjoy rather than what you think will sound good.

Conclusion: Sum up why you want to be a doctor and why you think you're perfect for the career.

Other things some people like to include are an academic paragraph, either talking about the subjects they study or a particular area of medicine that they find interesting. Talking about specific articles or books that you've read would also go in this sort of paragraph. Try to reflect on what you learnt about medicine from what you read, rather than simply namedropping authors.



Advice for Specific Paragraphs

WorkDon't mention specific places - e.g. "I helped out at a hospital", not "I helped out at Birmingham hospital". Mentioning that you arranged it yourself, by starting the sentence with "I arranged" or similar, is a good way to show personal organisational skills. Don't list the procedures you saw or places you went. Instead, focus on reflecting on what you learned about the reality of life as a doctor. Also discuss skills you realised it was useful for doctors to have, and why these were so important. Discuss the pros and cons and why you want to be a doctor despite the cons. Quality is better than quantity. Don’t just say that there are negative aspects - talk about them, but not in too much detail. After all, this document is your way of showing you want to be a doctor.

If you have experience in both hospital and general practice, then think about comparing them.


VoluntaryThis includes peer mentoring and prefecting. Remember to keep your sentences short and snappy. If they're long, people get bored and stop reading. Say what you did/ do, then what you learned from it, and sometimes explain why that is useful, but not at the expense of it being interesting. Don't repeat things you learned - you only need to demonstrate characteristics once each throughout the statement. You don’t need 3 examples of how you can handle responsibility! Other characteristics you could focus on are team work, importance of empathy, communications skills, leadership, confidence, etc. Don’t worry if you don’t include them all.


ExtracurricularThis paragraph is for telling us what you do in your spare time, and why you enjoy it. We want this paragraph to teach us something about you as an individual. You can mention listening to music, socialising, the gym, as long as you can say how these have helped you. This paragraph is important because medical schools want students to contribute something to their school life through drama, sports, whatever. You also need to recognise that hobbies are important to relax and unwind away from medicine. People often write about skills they've learnt that don't really relate to medicine, such as improved hand-eye coordination or the ability to use computers. If you do a hobby just because you enjoy it, fair enough, but don't try to justify it in a way that doesn't correspond to medicine. If you have a choice of ECs, try to includes ones that demonstrate communication skills, leadership, teamworking, compassion, coping with challenges, etc.


GapIf you are applying for deferred entry or applying during your gap year, it would be a good idea to include a short paragraph on what your plans are for the year and what you hope they will teach you. Alternatively, you can slot in this information within other paragraphs of your personal statement.


ConclusionIt needs to sum up why you want to be a doctor and why you're perfect for the career. It must not assume you're going to get into medical school or show arrogance - e.g. 'I look forward to seeing you at interview', but try to sound confident. Don't suddenly bring in things if you've never mentioned them before, such as "I can cope with the stresses on a doctor" when throughout the statement you've never addressed them. Avoid the phrase 'ideal candidate' as each medical school will have a different idea of what this is. Don't refer to the university directly as this comes across as very insincere considering you're applying to 4 or 5 universities.


Misc

OptionalSome people choose to include something about the A Levels/IB they're doing, explaining how they're relevant to medicine and why they chose them. Some people discuss an area of medicine they particularly like and explain why. Never say you definitely want to be a certain type of doctor though as you can come across as naïve or closed minded. These points often go in a paragraph before the work experience is mentioned. A lot of teachers/tutors are hot on telling students to write about every subject they study and why, but since most students are studying the same things this is rather superfluous and a waste of space.

Instead of talking about what you study, we recommend an 'Academic Paragraph' to include an area of medicine that interests you and additional reading that you have done, as it will demonstrate that you've read around the subject and will make you look more original.

This would be the place to put in an extended science project or out of school science lectures you have been to. It is important to demonstrate scientific curiosity and a love of learning, especially for the more academic medical schools.

If you have read a specific book or journal, then this would go in here. Talk about what you found particularly interesting about the book or article, as this gives an insight into how you think and process information rather than simply demonstrating your ability to read.

Don't have ANY sentences that put yourself down- even if you try to turn it round, it's better not to say anything negative to start with.


WritingYou are writing formally so “can’t” should be “cannot”. “Doesn’t” should be “does not” etc. Write out numbers in words instead of digits, unless they're very large - e.g. "I did two weeks" not "I did 2 weeks". Avoid brackets and hypens and try to write in full sentences instead, as this looks more formal. Be careful not to miss out words like "have", "I", and "that", like most people do in spoken language. It is safer not to use exclamation marks at all, as they look overenthusiastic and childish in a formal document. Look up how to use commas and semi-colons correctly. Spelling and grammar can make or break a PS.
Some words and phrases are extremely cliché: Passion, desire, fascination, love, aspiration, intrigued by, broadened my knowledge, enhanced my skill, affirmed/confirmed my decision. Use these words with caution. If you're using alternatives, be careful not to sound like a thesaurus.

Using phrases such as "quenched my thirst for" or "sparked up my interest" don't read anywhere near as well as you think they do.

There's a tendency to use "also" all the time, when it's not needed. Be concise! Unnecessary linking words like "Furthermore" and "As a result" get used too often. A few of them are OK, but only a few. Remember to use commas after these linking words and phrases. Never start a sentence with "And", and try to avoid starting with verbs (e.g. "Being a prefect..").

Don't use complex words in extremely long and convoluted sentences. People lose interest, not to mention that it makes you look somewhat pompous. Keep it short and make it flow.

Capital letters: NOT needed for subject names, doctor, nurse, hospital, hospice etc. Medicine gets a capital letter only where you are talking about the degree title, not the career.


Hints

Be positive about yourself and avoid negativity.

Write concisely and avoid complex words and long, convoluted sentences - keep it simple.

If you say you find something interesting, try to explain why.

Try to avoid sounding arrogant/over confident. "I look forward to seeing you at interview" and "When I'm a doctor" are not acceptable phrases.

Avoid the phrase: 'the ideal candidate' as each medical school will have their own idea of what this is.

Write formally.

Avoid clichés . This isn't always possible but specific words such as 'passion' and 'fascination' appear far too often.

Pay attention to where you use capital letters - it's common for people to use them incorrectly.




Some FAQs

1. Q: Should I leave a line between each paragraph?
A: This does make personal statements a lot easier to read and would be appreciated by admissions tutors, though some people find it difficult to fit everything in even when they don't leave extra spaces.

2. Q: How long does it need to be?
A: 4000 characters or 47 lines long, whichever comes first. If your personal statement is longer than this, then anything over the limit won't be seen by the universities. You don't have to use all the space provided, however, a lot of medicine applicants do struggle to cut their statements down to the right size.

3. Q: Should I mention my parents/aunt/uncle/grandparents/siblings/cousins are doctors?
A: You can if you want to. I've seen statements where it works well and others where it really doesn't work at all. If you do talk about them (maybe because they were part of what inspired you), the risk is that it may sound like you're only going into medicine because they're pushing you into it or because it's 'the family trade'.

4. Q: Should I mention specific places where I did my work experience?
A: Different people have different opinions on this one. Personally, I think they aren't needed and you can save a few characters by leaving them out (as you can always mention them specifically during interview). Other people think that adding the names of places can add a more personal touch to the personal statement so ultimately, it is for each individual to decide whether to include them or not.

5. Q: Should I capitalise subjects in the middle of sentences?
A: Only if you're referring to a specific course like 'A Level Biology.' If you're just talking about how much you like biology e.g. 'an aspect of biology that particularly interests me...' then it should not be capitalised.



If you have any questions, please post them in this thread.

More Information



For more information and advice on writing your medicine personal statement, check out the TSR Medicine Wiki:
Personal Statement Advice - Hints and tips for writing a successful personal statement.
TSR Medicine Wiki Personal Statement Bank - Over 60 real example personal statements for applicants to use for inspiration.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Hi, can someone give me an idea or the structure for personal statement for medicine? Thank you
Original post by Earth1
Hi, can someone give me an idea or the structure for personal statement for medicine? Thank you


Hi :smile:

There is a personal statement section in this forum. If you can't find it then google Tsr Personal statement library and it should come up. You will be able to find info abt writing your ps and many ps examples including those for medicine.
You can also get help with writing your ps by using the ps help service on here. Hope this helps :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 3
Original post by Joannywhite
Hi :smile:

There is a personal statement section in this forum. If you can't find it then google Tsr Personal statement library and it should come up. You will be able to find info abt writing your ps and many ps examples including those for medicine.
You can also get help with writing your ps by using the ps help service on here. Hope this helps :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Thank you:smile:
Reply 4
Original post by Earth1
Hi, can someone give me an idea or the structure for personal statement for medicine? Thank you


This was the structure I used:

Intro - Why medicine?

Academia - Display intellectual potential: EPQ, Nuffield bursary, attending lectures...

Work experience / Voluntary experiences - Reflections on what you did and what you LEARNT! A true perception on what a career in medicine entails. Knowledge of the health care system and how it is run.

Extra curricular activites - DoE, Sports, Mentoring, Teaching etc... Must show you have a work/life balance to cope with stress.

Ending - How the qualities and skills you have developed make you a suitable applicant for medicine and why exactly should they pick you!
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by 06shawm
This was the structure I used:

Intro - Why medicine?

Academia - Display intellectual potential: EPQ, Nuffield bursary, attending lectures...

Work experience / Voluntary experiences - Reflections on what you did and what you LEARNT! A true perception on what a career in medicine entails. Knowledge of the health care system and how it is run.

Extra curricular activites - Dof, Sports, Mentoring, Teaching etc... Must show you have a work/life balance to cope with stress.

Ending - How the qualities and skills you have developed make you a suitable applicant for medicine and why exactly should they pick you!
thank you:smile:
Reply 6
Rewrite it over and over again... Get the opinions of everyone you know and take the feedback ... I wrote like 20+ Versions over a month
Reply 7
:smile:
Original post by t()m
Rewrite it over and over again... Get the opinions of everyone you know and take the feedback ... I wrote like 20+ Versions over a month
I do not advocate use of this tool, but it is there if you so choose to use it:

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/personal_statement_builder/
Original post by Earth1
Hi, can someone give me an idea or the structure for personal statement for medicine? Thank you



Why medicine? (short paragraph)

Work experience (Large para)

Volunteering (Large para)

Extra currics (short short paragrah)

Summary of why to choose you (few lines)


This is usually a good structure :biggrin:
Original post by Earth1
Hi, can someone give me an idea or the structure for personal statement for medicine? Thank you


https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/personal_statement_builder/

Check out this new tool we have for helping!
Original post by mimi007
Should you also mention in your p.s why you*decided to apply to *this uni ?



No :no: because you apply to 4 and that's often just asked at interview anyway.
Original post by Neostigmine
No :no: because you apply to 4 and that's often just asked at interview anyway.


Ok thank you very much

Does ucas ask for work experience or voluntary work evidence :confused:
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by mimi007
Ok thank you very much

Does ucas ask for work experience or voluntary work :confused:

UCAS has a section for employed work but it will not ask for those specifically. You should include work experience and voluntary work within your personal statement. Explicitly make it clear what you learnt from those experiences instead of accumulating hours of work experience; quality is better than quantity here.
Original post by mimi007
Ok thank you very much

Does ucas ask for work experience or voluntary work :confused:


Not really on UCAS no, but it should feature HUGELY in your ps :smile:
I haven't got a clue either but I know it depends on what subjects you are doing and the level of uni you are applying to. Also don't start with a quote, you look like a knob.
Original post by Jatyization
Hi everyone, I am struggling with starting my personal statement. I am hearing two different opinions at the moment. Some people say to start off unique and tell open with a story and others say to leave this and just have a conventional opening.

What are your opinions on this? and How do you recommend I start? I also wanted to know how to keep the personal statement fluent throughout.... :biggrin:


First of all, don't start with a quote!

The trick isn't to be original or novel because you won't be: admissions tutors have read so many statements that there is almost no set of reasons that they haven't heard.

Start with your reasons for studying Medicine and, briefly, the background to them if you feel it's appropriate. Then talk about what you have done to further your knowledge after you wanted to study Medicine (i.e. work experience and voluntary work). There is a very good guide on here about how to write it. If you're stuck, don't hesitate to get in touch.

All the best,
Medicine Mentoring
Original post by Jatyization
Hi everyone, I am struggling with starting my personal statement. I am hearing two different opinions at the moment. Some people say to start off unique and tell open with a story and others say to leave this and just have a conventional opening.

What are your opinions on this? and How do you recommend I start? I also wanted to know how to keep the personal statement fluent throughout.... :biggrin:


Because I've already had my offer I'll post mine to help you out. PLEASE DO NOT COPY THIS AS YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED FOR PLAGIARISM. THIS IS ONLY INTENDED TO HELP YOU OUT.

Spoiler



My personal statement seemed to flow quite well. I structured mine like this:
intro
work exp
work exp
academic
sport
conclude
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Jatyization
Lmao! I was planning on starting with a qoute as well. Or at least ending with a qoute. Does it really depend on your subjects? I have never heard of this, I have only heard expressing an interest in your A-levels subjects; nothing more.


No one in the world can pretend they actually enjoy Maths for 4,000 characters no matter who they are. For Maths they would probably want to know about what you have done outside of school related to Maths and why you want to do it. For medicine or dentistry they probably want to know about why you want to follow that exact career path that they lead onto. For Art they want you to show a passion for all of it and about favorite artists and all that stuff.
If your course is directly into a career (medicine/dentistry) then talk about why you want that career. If it is just an extension of your A levels (maths, geography, history) that doesn't lead anywhere specific talk about how you will use it in your later career and why you like the subject.
Don't bother expressing an interest in a subject that you are not doing. Don't talk about all your A-levels, talk about whatever you actually want to do and why.
Original post by Basit2010
Because I've already had my offer I'll post mine to help you out. PLEASE DO NOT COPY THIS AS YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED FOR PLAGIARISM. THIS IS ONLY INTENDED TO HELP YOU OUT.

Spoiler



My personal statement seemed to flow quite well. I structured mine like this:
intro
work exp
work exp
academic
sport
conclude


Jesus that just sounds like *******s. Congrats on getting offers, do most people write what is evidently made up crap on the spot and barely sounds like English? I thought it was not about making every effort to use big words and show how clever you are because your results should do that anyway.

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