Medicine Personal Statement

what did people put on their ucas personal statement for medicine at oxbridge? im not asking for tips on writing mine lol- just to get a feel of what it takes on a statement to be successful in applying :smile:

THANKS

Reply 1

Scuttle

Be sure to mention burning your PJs at some point.

Reply 2

matt0

i know! i cant believe people bothered with that - to explain an advocation for a lifelong career like that-tbh even if something interesting like that had actually happened to me personally i dont think id waste my time on my ucas form like that

Reply 3

Elles

Exactly the same as I was putting for Medicine everywhere else! :p:

I don't think the PS is as important for Oxbridge as some other medical schools* - so I don't think there's really any Oxbridge-specific-medicine magic ingredient to mention.

Oxford usually have an 'Oxford Application Form' where you can put any extra information about why you're applying to that specific course. I imagine Cambridge might have something similar - obviously you'll come across them if you apply. On mine I mentioned why preclinical/clinical appealed to me and something about the collegiate system.

I've read a few Oxbridge medicine PSs as a PS Helper (you could try that forum) that are a bit more academic than others e.g. details about Nuffield Research Projects, areas of particular scientific interest. But I didn't really go down this route with mine - the key thing is why you want to do medicine, how you know you want to do medicine & how you can demonstrate your suitability for it. If that involves lots of academic-y things that make you excited go for it, but make sure the other places you apply to (who might interview shortlist using the PS more) are into that sort of thing when it comes to selection. :wink:

Hope this helps!

*Because Cambridge normally interview a very high % of applicants & most of Oxford's interview choosing is based on GCSE-BMAT - in comparison to other places that seem to shortlist a much smaller % based on the whole UCAS form.

Reply 4

Kicky

My personal statement had a slightly higher percentage of academic stuff than other people I know that applied for medicine at other unis, but I don't think everyones do. I did mention doing the nuffield research project and was quizzed on it, so make sure you're prepared to answer questions on everything you put on there. Mine will be on the TSR wiki soon hopefully along with lots of other examples; hopefully it will be useful. I'd also reccomend the ask a PS helper forum :smile:

Reply 5

iceman_jondoe

Scuttle

Be sure to mention burning your PJs at some point.

LMAO love it!!!

Reply 6

Blakstar-2

I've just been on an oxford open day talk for medicne and they said they like to see these things in the PS:

1) Mitigating circumstances if any
2)Tell them what you have gained from work experience/volunteering/activities rather than just saying you've done it
3)Positions of responsibility and why your oustide interests and activities are important to you
4)Personal qualities:
Empathy, motivation, communication, honesty and integrity, ethical awareness, ability to work with others and capavcity for sustained and intense work
5)Academic potential: good at probelm-solving, have an intellectual curiousity.

I th8ink the most important thing is when you say you are a member of x or you've done y experience, you should also say what you got out of it - all the university talks I've been to have said this, not just Oxford.

Reply 7

hobnob

You realise this thread is over two years old, don't you?

Reply 8

Elles

Oxford now have a page on their website about personal statements though, yay.
So might as well linky that up in here. :biggrin:

http://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/courses/preclin/applying/pers_stmt

University of Oxford - Medical School. Personal Statement tips for candidates: Tips on writing an effective personal statement

UCAS Personal Statement – THE ESSENTIALS

Your personal statement is an important part of your application to Oxford. It allows you to tell us about your interests, achievements and ambitions in your own words. Although we do not formally score your statement we read it carefully and use the information it contains as part of our short-listing exercise. If you are invited for interview, the statement is likely to provide a focus for the questions that you are asked. It is therefore essential that your statement is an accurate, unembellished account of your activities. We may check the claims that you make on your statement: discovery of fabricated or exaggerated material – at selection, or later during your time as a student – may bring into question your suitability to practise Medicine.

For A100 Medicine and B100 Physiological Sciences at Oxford, GCSE and BMAT performance data are predominantly used in the first instance to determine whether or not you are short-listed for interview. The information that you provide in your personal statement becomes increasingly important if you are not short-listed on the basis of GCSE and BMAT scores. Of course, every detail becomes important once you have reached the interviews and are being considered for a place.

1/ First and foremost, please do not be shy in declaring any ‘mitigating circumstances’ that may help us to put your achievements or personality within a finer context. We actively look, for instance, for reasons why you may have under-performed in examinations, or performed well against the odds. These may be factors associated with your schooling, health or domestic circumstances. If you are returning to study after a break, or switching vocation, it is even more important to highlight your reasons for choosing a course at Oxford, and for you to demonstrate your determination, resilience, ability and commitment.

2/ Do not simply recount everything you have ever undertaken. We’re looking for quality not quantity! Remember that large numbers of candidates apply for our courses. Tell us in what ways you will stand out from the crowd. In choosing to talk about an activity, describe what you have drawn from the experience: has it changed you as a person? Did it surprise you?

3/ We want to learn about YOU as a person, not just your academic qualifications. If you have undertaken extra-curricular activities, or hold positions of responsibility at school, tell us why you sought these, and why they are important to you. You will not impress simply by telling us that you took up a placement in Thailand, but we might get something more out of it if you tell us what you personally learnt from the lifestyle to which you had to adjust, about your interaction with local people, and about shadowing the medical team working within your village.

Example: I have become involved with a city music and drama group, and work especially with the younger members. I find this exciting and more than occasionally challenging. Coaching for the group has given me experience in organizing others, as well as teaching them. Watching group members learn and progress is thrilling, especially in the case of one of them who has ADHD. At first he was incapable of remaining still, silent or attentive for even a few minutes, but eventually became far more focused and calmer, making excellent progress in many areas.

4/When deciding on what to focus, DIRECTLY address our selection criteria in your statement (for Medicine, as below):

Personal characteristics: suitability for medicine

* Empathy: ability and willingness to imagine the feelings of others and understand the reasons for the views of others

Example: My volunteering in the local community and my studies in Religion and Classical Civilization have also increased my ability to understand varying cultural, ethical and social perspectives, and allowed me to look at issues in a wider context

* Motivation: a reasonably well-informed and strong desire to practise medicine

Example: My interest in the human body burgeoned while I was taking the Essentials of First Aid class organised by St. John Ambulance. The two consecutive years of volunteer service in X Hospital that followed reinforced my passion for the subject.

* Communication: ability to make knowledge and ideas clear using language appropriate to the audience
* Honesty and Integrity
* Ethical awareness
* Ability to work with others

Example: I have had a weekend job at X since 2006, which has further allowed me to develop teamwork skills, taught me how to work towards personal targets in pressure situations, and allowed me to interact with many different members of the public.

Example 2: Dancing has taught me valuable people skills; you learn to work intimately with fellow dancers and trust them completely.

* Capacity for sustained and intense work

Academic Potential

* Problem-solving: critical thinking, analytical approach
* Intellectual curiosity: keenness to understand the reason for observations; depth; tendency to look for meaning; enthusiasm and curiosity in science
* Communication skills: willingness and ability to express clearly and effectively; ability to listen; compatibility with tutorial format

Example: Studying History at A-level has helped develop my writing skills and critical analysis

Example 2: At school I have taken part in a French exchange programme which greatly improved my language skills, independence and confidence

5/ You will not be alone in trying to open your statement with an attention grabbing intro. If you try this, make sure it helps tutors to learn something about what motivates and enthuses you.

Example: My vast collection of books and videos on "How the Body Works" when I was 7 years old first triggered my interest in the functions of the body. Watching the little personified, cartoon blobs that represented red blood cells run around an animated yet functioning body fascinated me and I longed to find out more. As a result, when a friend received a letter explaining their little girl, had just been diagnosed with X at just 14 months old, I was intrigued to find out what this was.

6/ The statement is called a ‘Personal statement’ for a reason. It should be written by you, not by your parents, siblings, teachers. Do not plagiarise material that you find on the web; such deception will be discovered.

7/ Do not feel that there is a precise 'template' to follow that will score you points! We look for bright, independent and original thinkers.

Reply 9

chocolatebear

i think it's also important to ensure you don't tailor your PS to oxbridge but to medicine. having spoken to tutors they say that they are not particularly bothered by the personal statement. they all read it and a handful may ask you questions on it but they claim not to put as much weight on it as other universities, mainly because they feel they should be able to gauge your personalities from interviews and they think that how your personal statement is written is often a reflection of how much help you were given, and things on the personal statement are often exaggerated. so basically bear your other universities in mind more with your personal statement and use it to say why you'd be a good medic, not a good oxbridge medic because that's what the interview is for