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Medicine Personal Statements for 2012 entry: Advice and Questions Megathread

Thank you for your reply. So if I came 3rd in something how would I write that? :s

You would be pretty hard up if you thought third place was PS-worthy (unless it was third in the world, perhaps), but the PS is a piece of formal writing and you should use "third".

Reply 741

strawberrys

See my answer above. If you really have extenuating circumstances, and you don't seem very sure of it, it should have been dealt with at the time via the school and with supporting documentation. It isn't credible to bring it up later.

I have got extenuating circumstances...the unis that I've shown the doctors note to have accepted it....so have the exam board.....I just dont know how to go around writing about the year after leaving school....I dont really want to change my personal statement too much because it got me 3 interviews last year, so should have been quite succesful.....my plan is to go on a Biological sciences course and then reapply aswell (to unis that accept you when youve aready started another course)...I;m just styruggling about whether to justify my Alevel results etc.

Reply 742

purplefrog

18

As a PS Helper on TSR, I've realised I've started to repeat a hell lot things on almost every personal statements which falls in the trap of at least one of the categories below. I'm just posting here to give you advice on how to tackle the statement. I will be glad to answer your PS questions in PM, but DO NOT SEND ME YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENTS in the PM - please use the Medicine PS Helper Forum to post in a secure environment and where you will benefit from a more rapid response to a full review of your statement.

I'll continually update this as I get more things to add, but this should do for now.

I hope this is of help :smile:

Introduction:

Spoiler

Closing:

Spoiler

Tone and writing style:

Spoiler

Wider reading and academia related to medicine:

Spoiler

Long-winded or too verbose:

Spoiler

Reply 743

strawberrys

As im resitting one of my A2s and some univeristies want you to mention this in your personal statement.....how do I go about it????

Reply 744

BlackThought

Im reapplying for medicine having achieved AAB at A2. One of the university's im applying to require that I acknowledge and reflect on the fact that I am resitting one of my A levels (physics). What is the best way to go about this? Really struggling with incorporating this into my personal statement without sounding weak? No extenuating circumstances, i just struggle with maths and the mathematical application in Physics was just a little too much for me. Help?! :s-smilie:

Reply 745

username600675

12

when referring to work exp in a gp, is it General Practice or general practice?

Reply 746

Good bloke

19

Original post by atomos

when referring to work exp in a gp, is it General Practice or general practice?

It is a common noun, so no capitals.

Reply 747

flowergirl<3

7

should I start Chemistry, Biology etc with a capital letter or small?

Reply 748

Good bloke

19

Original post by flowergirl<3

should I start Chemistry, Biology etc with a capital letter or small?

Does nobody learn English grammar? Subject names are common nouns. I'll let you decide from that knowledge.

Reply 749

username600675

12

sorry another stupid question, empathic or empathetic qualities? :redface:

Reply 750

Good bloke

19

Original post by atomos

sorry another stupid question, empathic or empathetic qualities? :redface:

Why not just empathy? Don't try to complicate things. No wonder people don't have enough space.

Reply 751

username600675

12

Original post by Good bloke

Why not just empathy? Don't try to complicate things. No wonder people don't have enough space.

i had empathy but the sentence didn't sound like it made sense

Reply 752

BeejTheone

Hi,

Im thinking of picking Biomed for my 5th choice at either UCL or another uni, but i was wondering will i need a new personal statement or will my medicine personal statement do?

medicine one is fine

I submitted my PS in the PS Help checker thing on here a few weeks ago and it was looked at and I changed it quite a bit but it was looking OK.

I this week went through my PS with a teacher who apparently knows about "all the medicine admissions", and he said my PS is lacking in that I need something about how my A levels have prepared for University and medicine such as investigative skills amongst other things. Also saying my PS had too much about why I wanted to do medicine and the tutors will know that I want to do medicine as that is why I am applying.

Now some of that advice seems like complete rubbish to me but how I can say this to someone who is apparently experienced in the field and knows what they are talking about. My school has only about 2 applicants in the past 5 years for medicine and one got 4 straight rejections and the other got one interview but was rejected after it.

Do people think I should include something about my A level choices or is it a waste of space?

Reply 755

james22

16

In my experiance most teachers don't really know what they are talking about when it comes to applying to top university courses (which includes all medicine courses). Take everything they say with a pinch of salt, although it may still be useful advice.

Reply 756

Snap.Crackle.Pop.

1

Take all advice from teachers with a pinch of salt. Every teacher I showed my PS to gave me contradictory advice and they were all supposed to be 'experts' at medicine admissions. Just put what you feel is important into it.
Of course they know you wan tot do medicine but also they DO need to hear why you want to. And I don't understand why they would want to hear loads about your A Levels when nearly every applicant has done them in almost the same subjects.