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Medicine Personal Statements for 2012 entry: Advice and Questions Megathread

Personal Statement Advice & Questions Thread for Medicine 2012 Entry

This thread is for dedicated discussion on personal statements and related issues for applicants applying for 2012 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up your personal statement as plagiarised and you may face very severe circumstances, including your application being withdrawn.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

IntroductionIt 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 your desire 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. Of course, being original doesn't necessarily mean writing something no one has come up with before if its not true, its the wording that's important. Also every reason you want to be a doctor is going to be 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 either your reasoning's are good.

Honesty is also very important (however mentioning money/status/prestige aren’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. This 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 the 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 readers 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 (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.

•

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.

Advice for Specific Paragraphs

WorkDon't mention specific places (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 something similar) is a good way to show personal organisation. 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. 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. Afterall this document is your way of showing you want to be a doctor.
Another good thing to include in your work experience would be any skills you realised it was useful for doctors to have, and why these were so important. For example: don't just say 'i realised the importance of teamwork,' talk about why it's important.

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

VoluntaryIncludes peer mentoring, prefects. Remember to keep your sentences short and snappy. If they're long, people get bored and stop reading. Cut out all unnecessary words. Don't start your sentences with verbs unless absolutely necessary (e.g. “Being a prefect” is too informal). 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- team work, importance of empathy, communications skills, leadership, confidence… there are probably others but you can think of them. Don’t worry if you don’t include them all. If it is just going to sound fake and boring, it’s probably better not to bother.

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- it is important. 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.

Another opinion: People will probably disagree with me on this one, but I don't think it's always necessary to say how it's helped you. I mean, if you're a Prefect, it's pretty clear it'll have taught you leadership skills etc etc etc. Sure, it shouldn't just be a list, but there's no need to explain each one to a pointless degree of detail, at the expense of writing about other impressive ECs you have done.

If you have a choice, put ones in which demonstrate communication skills, leadership, teamworking, compassion, coping with challenges.

GapIf you are applying for deferred entry or applying during your gap year, it might 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- don’t be arrogant (e.g. 'I look forward to seeing you at interview.'), but 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 ('your university') 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- you don’t want to 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- a big paragraph on your A Levels doesn’t tell us much about you so don’t bother.

Instead of talking about what you study, we recommend an 'Academic Paragraph' to include an area of medicine that interests you- 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. However, there is no point in just saying you've read something as anyone could do that. Instead, talk about what you found particularly interesting (about the book) or an article you found particularly interesting (from a journal) and why you found it interesting.

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- “Can’t” should be “cannot”. “Doesn’t” should be “does not” etc. Do not include digit numbers- write them out. "I did two weeks..." not "I did 2 weeks". Do not include brackets- (...), they are too informal. 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. Look up 'how to use commas and semi-colons'. Spelling and grammar can make or break a PS.
Some words and phrases are extremely cliché: Passion, 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" also 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 "Futhermore" 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.

Don't use complex words in extremely long and convoluted sentences. People lose interest (and it makes you look somewhat pompous). Keep it short and make it flow.

Capital letters: NOT needed for subject names, doctor, nurse, hospital, hospice, medicine etc. Be careful where you use them.

Hints

•

Don't put yourself down

•

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 (e.g. some people say 'when I'm a doctor' or 'I look forward to seeing you at interview')

•

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.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1

abdkam

has anyone wanting to do medicine started it yet?
my school wants a draft in before the end of the summer!!!

Reply 2

Chwirkytheappleboy

17

You haven't started yet? I think I wrote my first draft about 9 months before applying

Reply 3

Beska

OP

21

As in, when you start again in September? You've got loads of time!

I recommend using the medicine wiki for some advice and have a look at some of the example personal satements. Also consider submitting your PS for review by the PS Helpers before you submit it to your school. :smile:

Reply 4

Fission_Mailed

15

Now is as good a time as any to be starting, but you don't really need to worry about having a proper first draft done until September.

Reply 5

lizard-tongue

Original post by Fission_Mailed

Now is as good a time as any to be starting, but you don't really need to worry about having a proper first draft done until September.

Medicine deadline is 15th October, doing your first draft for September would be silly.

Reply 6

Beska

OP

21

Original post by lizard-tongue

Medicine deadline is 15th October, doing your first draft for September would be silly.

In my experience the difference between first draft and final draft for a personal statement is not as much as the difference between no draft and first draft...

Reply 7

lizard-tongue

Original post by Beska

In my experience the difference between first draft and final draft for a personal statement is not as much as the difference between no draft and first draft...

That's true, but when you're starting your A2 modules in September, you don't want to be worrying about your PS too.

Reply 8

Nutta!

10

Original post by Beska

In my experience the difference between first draft and final draft for a personal statement is not as much as the difference between no draft and first draft...

please tell me you are being sarcastic! I had to do lots of drafts!

Reply 9

Fission_Mailed

15

Original post by lizard-tongue

Medicine deadline is 15th October, doing your first draft for September would be silly.

But it doesn't really hurt, does it? Especially considering the long summer when you aren't old enough to go the pub, and the fact that most first drafts have to be pretty much ripped up and restarted when somebody else takes a look at them.

Reply 10

Beska

OP

21

Original post by lizard-tongue

That's true, but when you're starting your A2 modules in September, you don't want to be worrying about your PS too.

Fair point.

Original post by Nutta!

please tell me you are being sarcastic! I had to do lots of drafts!

Yeh me too, but it's a lot harder to get from a blank page to 4000 characters than to edit words already on the page. At least imo!

Reply 11

lizard-tongue

Original post by Beska

Fair point.

Yeh me too, but it's a lot harder to get from a blank page to 4000 characters than to edit words already on the page. At least imo!

I had 26 drafts for my PS. :redface:

Reply 12

Nutta!

10

Original post by Beska

Fair point.

Yeh me too, but it's a lot harder to get from a blank page to 4000 characters than to edit words already on the page. At least imo!

I get what you mean, but if you have never done a personal statement before.. esp with a medicine one.. its needs to be the right 'content' too!

Reply 13

ScottishShortiex

18

I've not started it yet, I should be starting it within the next month. I want to get some UKCAT revision out of the way first! My only problem is that I might not get hospital work experience until the second week in September (I already have 1 week in GP and 1 week in school working with children with autism as well as my voluntary work) so I don't know if I should leave w/e paragraph until after I've finished the hospital w/e or just write about the w/e I've got...and just say what I hope to learn/gain from hospital w/e!?

Reply 14

airtones

3

The personal statement is one of those things where it really helps to flesh out a rough outline early (like over the next month) probably spending a good few hours on it over several days like a piece of school work.

Then after that just spend 15-30 minutes every other night having a re-read and making adjustments. By the end you should have a document which reads like a punch to the face.

Original post by ScottishShortiex

My only problem is that I might not get hospital work experience until the second week in September

Just write it out now. The format of your work experience sections is probably going to end up being quite straightforward: I spent A weeks doing B at hospital C. During that time I observed/undertook D. From this experience I have learnt E which will be useful to me in a career in medicine because F."

You already know where you are going and what you will be doing. You just don't know what you're going to learn from it so just leave that last bit blank or make a rough template like I've done above so you can fill it out later. Ideally the personal statement should have a good flow so you don't really want to be skipping big chunks of it else you'll end up with a disjointed piece of writting.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 15

ScottishShortiex

18

Original post by airtones

The personal statement is one of those things where it really helps to flesh out a rough outline early (like over the next month) probably spending a good few hours on it over several days like a piece of school work.

Then after that just spend 15-30 minutes every other night having a re-read and making adjustments. By the end you should have a document which reads like a punch to the face.

Just write it out now. The format of your work experience sections is probably going to end up being quite straightforward: I spent A weeks doing B at hospital C. During that time I observed/undertook D. From this experience I have learnt E which will be useful to me in a career in medicine because F."

You already know where you are going and what you will be doing. You just don't know what you're going to learn from it so just leave that last bit blank or make a rough template like I've done above so you can fill it out later. Ideally the personal statement should have a good flow so you don't really want to be skipping big chunks of it else you'll end up with a disjointed piece of writting.

That's the problem...I have no idea where I'm going or which departments I'll be getting experience in. Basically, I'm still trying to organise some w/e, however it's proving difficult to find any since i've finished school and w/e coordinators only organise w/e for school students, so they told me to try organising it myself. In saying that, one of the coordinators said that if no other student requests a placement in September, then I might be able to get that spot. We'll just have to wait and see!

Thanks anyway for the advice :smile:

I'll probably start soon trying to get basic ideas down!

Reply 16

hoonosewot

11

You wanna save characters, so instead of writing "doctor/surgeon" (14 characters), you've written "health professionals" (20 characters).

That's some rather worrying logic coming from an aspiring DOCTOR (<<< that's a clue :biggrin:

).

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 17

junior.doctor

18

1. Surgeons are doctors
2. You are applying for a medical degree to become a doctor. No-one is going to expect you to say in your PS already that you want to be a surgeon rather than a physician etc. Without necessarily meaning to be, it could even come across as arrogant (as in - presumably - you are a school leaver and therefore have minimal experience of different specialties and so can't really comment on which one you'd want to do).
3. Only use the term surgeon if you are specifically talking about one e.g. if you shadowed one for work experience and are reflecting on something you learnt.
4. Only use the term health professional if you are talking about other members of the team such as nurses / physios, and you're looking for an all-encompassing phrase (e.g. "I observed the complementing and contrasting roles of various health professionals during my work experience at xyz"). If you're talking about a doctor or why you want to be one, then use the term 'doctor'. If you say you want to be a health professional, then this means you want to be something involved in health which could include nurse, physio...

==> Just use 'doctor'.

Reply 18

Joseppea

2

Original post by hoonosewot

You wanna save characters, so instead of writing "doctor/surgeon" (14 characters), you've written "health professionals" (20 characters).

That's some rather worrying logic coming from an aspiring DOCTOR (<<< that's a clue :biggrin:

).

Oh no I didn't use "health professionals" to save characters, I used it so I wouldn't be repeating myself and using "/"s excessively! :tongue:

I know it has more letters in! Hence why I was asking if there were any alternatives. :redface:

Probably the worst time to do it, 1AM, but I feel really awake and enthused to start writing, plus college is cancelled tomorrow :rolleyes:

Reply 19

Joseppea

2

Original post by junior.doctor

1. Surgeons are doctors
2. You are applying for a medical degree to become a doctor. No-one is going to expect you to say in your PS already that you want to be a surgeon rather than a physician etc. Without necessarily meaning to be, it could even come across as arrogant (as in - presumably - you are a school leaver and therefore have minimal experience of different specialties and so can't really comment on which one you'd want to do).
3. Only use the term surgeon if you are specifically talking about one e.g. if you shadowed one for work experience and are reflecting on something you learnt.
4. Only use the term health professional if you are talking about other members of the team such as nurses / physios, and you're looking for an all-encompassing phrase (e.g. "I observed the complementing and contrasting roles of various health professionals during my work experience at xyz"). If you're talking about a doctor or why you want to be one, then use the term 'doctor'. If you say you want to be a health professional, then this means you want to be something involved in health which could include nurse, physio...

==> Just use 'doctor'.

Thanks!

That's what I was thinking. As most courses are MBBS (or MBChB) I didn't want to sound like I was just addressing the MB part. The "health professionals" bit was regarding nurses, physios and doctors, so I wanted to ensure that they would know I know there was a whole network of different staff working away in a hospital and not just doctors (or surgeons :tongue:

)

*sigh* I don't know where my common sense went there!

(edited 12 years ago)

Medicine Personal Statements for 2012 entry: Advice and Questions Megathread

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