This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Medicine Personal Statements: Advice and Questions

OP

lekky

RE SUBJECTS - I was told by college I need to have a paragraph about my subjects, but that paragraph put me over the limit. Do you think will be lacking without it, or will it add anything?

You don't need to, it usually doesn't add much (though an academic paragraph is useful for oxbridge applications, but this usually isn't just to do with subjects) and wouldn't really help to set you apart from other applicants as most people write exactly the same things for each subject!

Reply 301

sadmollz

i was wondering if we need to relate our extra curricular activities to medicine...or if its enough to just say what qualities we've got from them? also can a ps helper please take a look at my ps? i've posted it but no help so far! :o:

Reply 302

Fanganesium

aimz08

I spent my childhood in a developing country, would it be a good idea to compare that and the UK system without actual hospital experience in the developing country?

i guess, u cud always stretch the truth a little bit and maybe make educational guesses to what the health system is like in the developing country. ie even if u know very little, fill in the gaps and make up realistic assumptions. and dont commit urself to major claims, or u cud be caught. i wudnt advice it usually, but if it wud help ur ps immensely then.....
btw which is the developing country?

Reply 303

lekky

19

aimz08

I spent my childhood in a developing country, would it be a good idea to compare that and the UK system without actual hospital experience in the developing country?

I lived in a variety of 3rd world countries. rather than talking specifically about that - as you may get awkward questions, it hints you've spent time in hospitals there - say something like by being brought up in X country you have become aware of how amazing (use a diff word) the NHS is and how many lives it saves.

Reply 304

Hygeia

OP

14

sadmollz

i was wondering if we need to relate our extra curricular activities to medicine...or if its enough to just say what qualities we've got from them? also can a ps helper please take a look at my ps? i've posted it but no help so far!

Try to relate it to medicine as much as possible, even if it's just by talking about how important relaxation is for medicine.

There are an awful lot of statements for the PS helpers to get through at the moment and a lot of them are very busy at the moment with uni so you need to be patient. Someone will get to it when they can.

Reply 305

LetoKynes

14

matt^

i just cant get into the personal statement writing mood even though i keep panicking about the deadline being so soon. i just cant come up with anything imaginative.
tips on coming up with good stuff and getting in the frame of mind to be able to just get on and do it?

I'm not sure how it will be for you but I found that I'm most imaginative (at least, relatively :p:

) either late into the night or just after waking up :biggrin:

To be honest, I started off by just writing bits and pieces of information / phrases that I could possibly use; always wrote them down almost immediately after thinking of them because I frequently forget things :eek:

Reply 306

Chocolate11

Heya!

Ur advice is great! ... Thanks :smile:

I am just writing my personal statement for Medicine 2010 Undergrad entry and have some questions/queries:

1). What would u recommend to include in my introduction that would sound original and will grasp the admission tutor's interest?

2). Can u exaggerate things that u have done? ... for example, by saying more than what u have actually done? ... Will u get caught? or is it okay to do that?

3). I did some work experience at a pharmacy shall I include that in my PS altho it is a Medicine PS? ... How can I like work experience in a pharmacy to Medicine?

4). I keep using the work communication in my p/s ... is there any other words i can use with same meaning?

Thanks so so so much for all your help and advice ... it is greatly appeciated! :biggrin:

Reply 307

blonde-beth

2

Chocolate11

Heya!

Ur advice is great! ... Thanks :smile:

I am just writing my personal statement for Medicine 2010 Undergrad entry and have some questions/queries:

1). What would u recommend to include in my introduction that would sound original and will grasp the admission tutor's interest?

2). Can u exaggerate things that u have done? ... for example, by saying more than what u have actually done? ... Will u get caught? or is it okay to do that?

3). I did some work experience at a pharmacy shall I include that in my PS altho it is a Medicine PS? ... How can I like work experience in a pharmacy to Medicine?

4). I keep using the work communication in my p/s ... is there any other words i can use with same meaning?

Thanks so so so much for all your help and advice ... it is greatly appeciated! :biggrin:

1. I struggled with this as well, just be honest and genuine and try to explain why you want to be a doctor, and what it is that draws you to the career.

2. hmm depends on what you think is right! dont blatently lie or make things up, as they will catch you out in the inteview and it is unfair to those who have actually made the effort to do stuff... but if, e.g. you did 4 days a a GP, it would probably be ok to say a week, or be vague a say 'a few days'.

3. definatly! they like to see you have expirience in different aspects of healthcare, and pharmacy and drugs is an important part of medicine. just say what you learnt and expirienced and if you developed an interst in it etc.

4. if your talking about communication skills learnt from things, try to only meantion this 2 times at the most, then think of other skills you have learnt from it to say instead, such as leadership, teamwork, empathy, confidence etc.

Reply 308

bunzy

5

okay, I am getting very stressed with the limits on ucas, I have tried so hard to cut it down 3,958 characters and now it says its 3 lines over the line limit! :frown:

so is it worth leaving lines between the paragraphs? or can I indent? or should I just sacrifice 3 lines.......

Reply 309

ShinyShiny

6

bunzy

okay, I am getting very stressed with the limits on ucas, I have tried so hard to cut it down 3,958 characters and now it says its 3 lines over the line limit! :frown:

so is it worth leaving lines between the paragraphs? or can I indent? or should I just sacrifice 3 lines.......

Don't leave gaps between the paragraphs, no-one does. Indentation is fine if you can spare the space.

Reply 310

ikoghoo

I've read that you shouldn't mention specific places that you've done your work experience, but my reference writer told me to. Does anyone know what should be done, or if it really even matters at all?

Reply 311

ShinyShiny

6

ikoghoo

I've read that you shouldn't mention specific places that you've done your work experience, but my reference writer told me to. Does anyone know what should be done, or if it really even matters at all?