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10-Step Checklist For Your Medicine Personal Statement

Follow this 10-step checklist to make sure your Medicine Personal Statement is the best that it can be.

Get your Medicine Personal Statement ready for submission with this checklist to make sure it meets all the criteria.

1. Does your opening paragraph give an insight into why YOU want to do Medicine?

The first paragraph of your Medicine Personal Statement should give Admissions Tutors an insight into why you want to study Medicine and become a Doctor. Try to avoid giving a generic or clichéd reason that lots of other applicants might give. Be specific about what sparked your interest in Medicine – was it a particular experience you had, or something you observed during work experience or volunteering ?

2. Have you reflected on what you learned from work experience and/or volunteering?

When writing about work experience and/or volunteering in your Personal Statement, it’s vital that you reflect on what you learned from these experiences. Don’t just write a list of what you did, because Medical Schools are a lot more interested in your reflections. What did you learn? What skills did you develop? What did the experience teach you about a career in Medicine?

3. Does it include your extracurricular activities?

You might have forgotten about your extracurricular activities, or assumed they weren’t relevant, but they’re an important part of your Personal Statement. Medical School can be stressful, so Admissions Tutors want to know that you have ways to relax and will not burn out under pressure. Hobbies and outside-of-Medicine interests also show that you are a well-rounded individual and will make a valuable contribution to the university as a whole.

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4. Is all of your grammar correct?

This might seem obvious, but it doesn’t hurt to double-check your grammar before the final submission. Printing out your Personal Statement and reading it on paper will help you to see it through new eyes – and you might spot mistakes that you didn’t notice before. Reading it out loud can also be an useful exercise. It’s a good idea to get it checked by someone else too, because they might pick up on things that you missed.

5. Do you demonstrate (with examples) that you have the qualities required to be a Doctor?

Think about the qualities that are needed to be a Doctor ( empathy , ability to work as part of team, etc) and make sure your Personal Statement demonstrates that you have these qualities. Don’t just simply list the qualities, or state that you possess them without providing any evidence. Use specific examples from your work experience, volunteering experience, extracurricular activities or other areas of your life to back up what you claim.

6. Are you able to elaborate on and justify everything that you’ve written?

Some Medical Schools will use your Personal Statement to formulate interview questions. This means you should never write about something in your PS (e.g. a book/article you’ve read or an area of Medicine you’re interested in) that you would struggle to talk about at interview. You don’t want to get stuck or caught out! To check that your PS is interview-proof , try giving a copy to someone like a friend or family member and get them to ask you questions about it.

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7. Does each sentence ‘add something’ to your Personal Statement?

Go through your Personal Statement and think about what each sentence is conveying. Does it tell the reader something about you, or about something you have learned? If not, consider taking it out. For example, there’s no point in writing ‘I observed the GP in a consultation where she referred a patient with diabetes to a specialist at the hospital’ without then following it up with something that this experience taught you.

8. Do you demonstrate that you know what the realities of being a Doctor really are?

In your Personal Statement, you should acknowledge that a career in Medicine is a challenging one. This will show Admissions Tutors that you are well-informed, have done your research, and are not pursuing Medicine with unrealistic expectations.

9. Does your final paragraph sum up why you think you are well suited to the course and the career?

Your final paragraph/conclusion should sum up why you think you’re a good candidate for the course and why you would be suited to a career in Medicine. Try not to include any new examples here – summarise and refer back to what you’ve already written previously.

10. How would you rate your Personal Statement?

To be as objective as possible, read through your PS three times and each time think about one of these three key things that it needs to demonstrate:

• Motivation: Why do you want to study Medicine?
• Exploration: What have you done to learn about Medicine?
• Suitability: Why are you a good fit for Medicine?

Try scoring your PS out of 5 for how it shows Motivation, then Exploration, then Suitability. Be critical and make changes where you think they are necessary.

Check out these real Medicine Personal Statement examples to get some inspiration.

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Successful Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement Example (St George’s, Swansea, Nottingham)

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My success at getting into Graduate Entry Medicine was partly thanks to my personal statement. Of all the universities I applied to, I got into the one I wanted to go to the most!

I received invites to interview at St George’s, University of London, Swansea University Medical School and University of Nottingham Medical School.

Check out my blog post 7 Steps to a Successful Personal Statement for Graduate Entry Medicine for further guidance and my Ultimate Medicine Personal Statement Checklist (free download) .

One last thing:  DO NOT COPY ANY PART OF MY OR ANYONE ELSE’S PERSONAL STATEMENT . Nowadays, clever software will identify any similarities and you will be caught out. Also, it’s just not ethical and the best way to make your personal statement stand out is to make it unique to you anyway!

From a young age I have had a passion and aptitude for medical science. I acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and I am now completing a Master’s in biomedical engineering. Subsequent to volunteering in multiple healthcare environments and shadowing multiple doctors I am now certain that medicine as a career is the correct choice for me.

I highly value the privilege of being able to support someone in their time of need. Over the past several years I have arranged four medical work experience programmes: shadowing radiologists, a general practitioner and two medical teams for elite rugby players. When I had the opportunity to sit in on the consultations of a general practitioner I observed that despite the time pressure he was under he was patient and genuinely warm towards all his patients. This touched me and impressed upon me the more empathetic aspects of being a doctor. Having a career to which empathy is central greatly appeals to me. Since June 2015 I have volunteered at a support helpline and I have further grasped that having even several minutes to talk to a non-judgemental and impartial listener can make a huge difference to someone’s well-being. I recently volunteered weekly at a hospital facilitating fun activities for patients on wards. Through building relationships with patients I have seen first-hand how lonely and restless patients can become and how chatting with someone familiar can improve their day.  To be able to build positive relationships with others daily also draws me to the medical profession.

I am compelled to pursue a vocation in which lifelong learning of medical science and use of scientific methods are key. For example, in the third year of my Bachelor’s degree I wrote a dissertation that explored the possible mechanisms that influence musculoskeletal performance as a result of a genetic polymorphism. Despite the amount of data I analysed it was not possible to deduce the exact biomechanisms at work as a result of this single genetic element. It showed me how much there is still to learn about the human body. I am now studying biomedical engineering for a Master’s in order to learn more about the body as well as the engineering of cutting-edge medical technology.

Through reading books in my spare time I have developed a keen interest in medical ethics. For instance, I found The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot a very thought-provoking book in its treatment of the ethics of medical research and the duties doctors have towards their patients. The upsetting experience of Henrietta Lacks’ family as they tried to understand what happened to her cells following her death echoed to me the importance of clear and honest communication with patients. The latter is an art I am excited to develop further as a physician.

As a doctor I realise that it will be essential to be an excellent leader and team player.  Whilst studying my bachelor’s degree I was elected captain of the women’s rugby club and was awarded Captain of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year by my students’ union for outstanding organisation and leadership. I learnt that teamwork is paramount for maximal success, for example working collaboratively within the rugby club’s committee to achieve a national team of the year award. I found undertaking my degree, being captain of a sports team and volunteering in other roles all in my second year challenging at times however I have gained huge confidence in my ability to cope under stress and to balance my academic and extracurricular duties.

While the life of a doctor will be a challenging one, I feel I have what it takes to be a successful doctor. I have an enthusiasm for science as well as other peoples’ well-being. My work experience with doctors has shown me the realities of such a career. I am a hard worker with an open and enquiring mind and medicine is the most stimulating career I could hope for as well as being one for which I feel ideally suited.

(3,997 characters)

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10-Step Checklist For Your Medicine Personal Statement

If you wish to attend a college or university that is located in a different country, one of the most important documents that you submit will be a motivation letter, often known as a statement of purpose. An unprepared student may have a difficult time writing an application essay that has the required structure, absence of mistakes, message, and presentation of oneself as a successful and potential student. This may be one of the reasons why so many students use medical school personal statement writing service and so few students are accepted. To be of assistance to you, we have compiled a detailed guidebook that is just for your use.

What does the commission expect from the applicant?

The admissions staff is seeking for a young man with a background story that, despite its brevity, nonetheless manages to be engaging and intriguing due to the fact typical medical school schedule can be very harsh for a young person. Who will have the opportunity to learn from them? Where does he want to go, and what is it that he hopes to achieve with his life? What are some things that he will bring to the university, and what are some things that he hopes to learn there?

In many cases, the admissions committee keeps the student’s best interests in mind while making decisions:

• Enthusiastic and interested (don’t forget the “hooks”) in the subject matter
• Educated (style and accuracy, literacy of writing, consistency, logical narration) (style and correctness, literacy of writing, consistency, logical narration)
• Educated at a scholarly level (for example, you can use highly specialised terms, mention profile achievements and successes, internship or work practice)
• Capable of dealing with challenging responsibilities and challenges (remember that if there were moments of overcoming in your history, they can become your main trump cards)
• being able to communicate, as well as maintaining interaction with other students and teachers
• With significant potential, the commission is seeking for pupils who can bring honour to their school and represent it in a positive light.

Naturally, it will be difficult to fit all of this into 300 words, so you should place more focus on the information that will be the most illuminating (and, of course, this order of qualities is not necessary to follow at all). Because, sadly, your charisma will be rendered useless in written form, you should endeavour to be yourself while simultaneously being more vivid and detailed than you would be in regular speech.

Also Read: 5 Benefits Of Attending a Live Continuing Education Course

THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST FOR PERSONAL STATEMENT IN MEDICINE

In the personal statement portion of your application to medical school, you will have the opportunity to highlight aspects of your character that make you fit into typical medical school schedule.  Also, don’t forget the experiences and passions that have led you to become interested in a future in medicine. It is a chance to show the admissions committee why you are a good match for their program and how you will contribute to the profession of medicine if you are accepted into it.

Applicants to medical school can benefit from all the best medical school books as well as the following advice when crafting a compelling personal statement for the application:

1) Start by brainstorming.

You should compile a list of the activities you’ve participated in, the things you’ve accomplished, and the characteristics you possess that make you a good candidate for medical school. Think about the things that set you different from other candidates and the things that make you excited about pursuing a career in the medical field.

2) Tell a story

A personal statement need to be more than just a list of the achievements that the individual has achieved. Create a narrative about your path to medical school and your ambitions, like working while in med school, using your experiences and accomplishments as the building blocks. The admissions committee will have a greater chance of getting to know you and understanding your motivations for pursuing a career in medicine if you provide them with this information.

3) Be specific

When illustrating your views, be sure to provide concrete instances and explicit information. The admissions committee will have a greater understanding of who you are and what you can contribute to the program as a result of this.

4) Keep it concise

Your personal statement should not be any more than a couple of paragraphs at the very most. Be sure to concentrate on the material that is the most significant and relevant, and try to avoid inserting any details that aren’t required.

5) Start early

Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to think about ideas, compose your personal statement, and go over it again. You’ll be able to put your best foot forward and make a statement that’s well-written and polished if you follow these steps.

6) Follow the prompt

It is imperative that you adhere to the direction that has been supplied by the medical school. This will guarantee that you respond to the question or address the issue that the admissions committee is interested in learning more about, which is often the most scary med school difficulty.

7) Show, don’t tell

Use concrete illustrations and personal tales to bring life to your arguments rather than merely stating your experiences and accomplishments in order to make your personal statement more interesting to the reader.

8) Use active voice

By using the active voice in your writing, you may make your personal statement more interesting to read and improve the effectiveness with which you transmit your views.

9) Use concrete language

In your personal statement, try to avoid using terminology that is ambiguous or abstract. Make use of terminology that is clear and detailed rather than general if you want the admissions committee to have a better understanding of your experiences and accomplishments.

10) Edit and proofread

Be sure to give your personal statement plenty of attention in terms of editing and proofreading. A good impression may be made on the admissions committee by submitting a personal statement that is both well-written and free of errors.

Your personal statement tells the medical school admissions committee more about you than your GPA and test scores. It’s an opportunity to showcase your character, life experiences, and interests in medicine, as well as your readiness for any med-school difficulty.

Your personal statement might demonstrate how you will improve medicine and medical school. It’s a terrific place to boast about your triumphs and explain your failures. In conclusion, the personal statement is your chance to stand out and prove you’re the finest medical student. It’s an important part of the application and will help the admissions board decide if you’re a good fit.

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12 Steps to a Perfect Medical School Personal Statement (with before and after example)

Have you ever read an example med school personal statement and thought, Wow... I could never write something that good ?

That’s because you’re only seeing the finished product. Take it from me, an editor, someone who sees the essays first thing in the morning without their makeup on.

artist Stephan Schmitz - https://www.theispot.com/artist/schmitz

See all those broken plates? Those are all the personal statement rough drafts, the discarded sentences, the gutted paragraphs, all the sweat and tears of the revision process . No one sees that. They see a guy miraculously juggling five plates at once.

You’re like that juggler - trying to balance multiple things at once in your personal statement, all within certain strict limitations. And guess what? You’ll have to break a few plates before you get it right.

So… let’s break some plates (maybe some hearts and spirits too).

I invite you along to play the role of editor with me. You’ll choose your own path as we go through 12 steps of revision to perfect the personal statement.

I’ll give a “before” version of each section of an example personal statement, and you’ll have to call the 12 shots about how we make it better. Ready?

Default Outline for Personal Statement

Section 1 - hook.

Hook (BEFORE)

Step 1: Cut down on length

Step 2: Remove the negativity

Step 3: Grab More Attention

Hook (AFTER)

Section 2 - When/Why Medicine

When/Why Medicine (BEFORE)

Step 4: Remove red flags

Step 5: Connect to personal narrative

Step 6: Add more definitive “Why Medicine”

When/Why Medicine (AFTER)

Section 3 - Exposure

Exposure (BEFORE):

Step 7: Remove informal language

Step 8: Show more personal value as a candidate

Exposure (AFTER)

Optional - Explain Issues with Conduct/Grades

Section 4 - meaningful contributions.

Meaningful Contributions (BEFORE)

Step 9: Include above-and-beyond contributions

Step 10: Emphasize impact on others

Meaningful Contributions (AFTER)

Section 5 - Why You/Conclusion

Why You/Conclusion (BEFORE)

Step 11: Balance your voice with professionalism

Step 12: Add more style, cut down on summary

Why You/Conclusion (AFTER)

COMPLETE “Before” Draft

Complete “after” draft.

Don’t have the time or energy for this Do-It-Yourself project?

Then BOOK A FREE MEETING with our expert medical school advisors for more guidance. We’ve helped hundreds of students write their personal statements (including the sample below), and we’d love to help you on your writing journey!

Obviously this can vary, but let’s keep it simple:

Optional: Explain Issues with Grades/Conduct

The goal here is to grab the readers’ attention and compel them to keep reading. Ideally, the hook will pose a problem, share an unexpected challenge, or reverse the readers’ expectations about a situation.

Characteristics of a Good Hook :

* Not too long

* Grabs attention

* Initiates the plot

DIRECTIONS: Read the excerpt below and consider what changes you’d make, both big-picture and small-picture.

HOOK (BEFORE) :

Throughout high school and college, I have been supporting my family in more ways than one. My mother needed a lot of support due to her bad arthritis and physical limitations. It was not the most ideal situation, and it felt like I was living a double life. I went to a pretty good high school since my parents wanted me to have a decent education, but the kids there were protected and shielded from most inconveniences in life. Someone from my background was not very welcome. It was jarring, as vapid girls my age talked about going to equestrian classes and how they knew someone on the Yale admissions committee, while I came to school from my two-bedroom non-air-conditioned home that my family of four shared. I was a nanny at the age of 12 and would juggle taking care of 3-4 kids every week. My dad unfortunately got pretty ill during this time (brain aneurysm and subsequent recovery), so it was definitely a weird time. I got brutally harassed by a girl at school after she found out about my living situation, so I learned to form two identities. In school, I was someone who fake-laughed with people and sympathized with the horrors of a girl’s parents buying a pony she didn’t like. I pretended to act excited for another girl’s European vacation (in reality I was jealous).

Pick an aspect to fix:

Step 3: Grab more attention

Jump to the After version.

STEP 1: CUT DOWN ON LENGTH

Indeed. Currently this opener is ~1300 characters, which is disproportionate for our total space (5300 characters). Hooks should probably be around 700-800 characters instead, so that the remaining sections can have 1000+ each.

What to cut? We want it to be ~10 lines of text, so take a shot at cutting ~5-6 lines.

Your answer:

_____________________________________________________________________

My approach:

Without compromising the necessary context, you should cut anything that could go in the Disadvantaged Essay instead, especially the “facts” of the situation that don’t require much editorialization. Admissions committees read the disadvantaged essay before any of the other writing in the application.

STEP 2: REMOVE THE NEGATIVITY

This is a far more common problem than you’d think. For one, it’s hard for us to know how our tone and voice are coming across. Secondly, we sometimes write about things while they’re still “fresh wounds,” leaving room for resentment to creep in.

What’s too negative? Make a list below of the words/phrases/sentences from our sample hook that seem too negative:

fake-laughed

pretended to act excited

the horrors of a girl’s parents buying a pony she didn’t like

I can sympathize with the writer, but there’s no point in having a negative spin when you can achieve the same impact with a positive spin.

Simply mentioning one or two details like the equestrian classes will go a long way.  

STEP 3: GRAB MORE ATTENTION

Turn the whole hook into a contrast between life at home and life at school. Give it a metaphor that makes it accessible and memorable. Break it up into shorter paragraphs to make it more digestible.  

HOOK (AFTER):

Throughout high school, my life felt like a less glamorous version of Hannah Montana. While Hannah transformed into a pop star after school, I transformed into a nanny. And it wasn’t any regular babysitting job either; at my peak, I managed a gaggle of 14 kids. In one way, school was a sanctuary; there was order, cleanliness, and a schedule. After school, it was all diaper-and-tantrum-filled chaos.

The juxtaposition between home and school was also pronounced due to money. I didn’t understand my classmates’ wealth until they started talking about equestrian classes and Maseratis. Although my life was by no means fun, I chose to stay home for college since my family needed my presence. My father had a brain aneurysm when I was 14, and my family was still facing the remnants of that event.

What we’re looking for here:

* Motivations that build directly off what makes the candidate unique

* A good combination of selflessness (helping others) and self-interest (how the career will fulfill/stimulate you unlike any other)

* A nice balance of idealism and realism - neither naive nor overblown

WHEN/WHY MEDICINE (BEFORE) :

My decision to become a doctor was a culmination of events and experiences that led to an eventual realization, rather than one single revelation. When I first started at my university, I was an 18-year-old who had no clue what to do in life. For one year, I explored pharmacy and finance, but the drudgery of the work made me turn away from these professions. At the start of my second year, I decided to volunteer at the ER to see what the hospital environment was like. Looking back, this mundane decision was a godsend of exposure and clarification. I went into ER expecting to give out glasses of water and wheel patients around. But it was a lot more. I saw patients who were experiencing the worst moments of their lives, and I was beyond my comfort zone. However, I loved interacting with patients, enjoyed being in the hospital, and had a knack for talking and making people feel better.

I started the Pathfinder Internship to determine whether I wanted to be a nurse or a doctor. The first three months of the internship were at the Oncology/General Care Unit, where it was incredibly depressing. I felt so helpless seeing people die. Nurses and doctors  were mainly just keeping people alive, as most patients were already permanent victims of cancer or chronic unregulated conditions. I did the rest of my rotations at an urgent care clinic and birth center, which were way less depressing, and many times patients left feeling better. During this time, I realized the doctor’s role matched me better than a nurse; I liked how doctors had creative control to create optimal treatment plans for patients. I had already shadowed two interventional cardiologists and an orthopedic surgeon, and I knew I wanted to have a connection with patients and create medical care that suited their needs. Also, by this time, I had started my global health minor, and was learning all about preventative care, women’s health, and disparities in healthcare. The combined clinical care experiences, my interest in science, and the global health minor all came together in a beautiful way to point me into medicine.

STEP 4: REMOVE RED FLAGS

mundane decision

incredibly depressing

permanent victims

It’s good to be honest and to show that you’ve experienced medicine’s challenges, but these choices in diction will do more harm than good. Let’s nix them.

STEP 5: CONNECT TO PERSONAL NARRATIVE

Right now, section two seems to exist in isolation from our hook, so we’ll want to bring back aspects of the family situation, namely the father’s medical issues, so that we can see the narrative building cohesively.

STEP 6: ADD MORE DEFINITIVE “WHY MEDICINE”

Right now, the “came together in a beautiful way” line is too vague and impressionistic. The writer would benefit from creating a more specific set of criteria that medicine can offer in a career.

Your “Why Medicine” response should not leave any holes or gaps that would tempt the reader to ask, “Why not social work?” or “Why not research?”

WHEN/WHY MEDICINE (AFTER):

After earning my way into a UC college, I dabbled in finance, pharmacy, and psychology, feeling somewhat clueless about what I wanted. Earlier, I had tentatively chosen a biochemistry major, and over time the pre-med path grew more intriguing. I decided to volunteer in the ER during my second year, a weekly commitment that allowed enough time to assist my family again when my dad lost his job. It was one of the best decisions I ever made, especially since the entire ER team went out of its way to expose me to the field. I grew to love each shift as I interacted with people, observed action-packed procedures, and worked in tandem with staff to smooth out workflow. Around this time, I shadowed cardiologists and orthopedic surgeons, and loved the atmosphere of teamwork and patient care. Medicine drew me in, but I was still unsure about what particular role I would fill.

I received the direction I needed during my Pathfinder Internship, where I first rotated in a hospice ward to help terminally ill patients. As I tried to make their passing more dignified, it reminded me of my dad’s recovery, when my family was given no clear prognosis. I knew that patience and presence of mind were key. Even if death was certain, these patients needed help maintaining normalcy. I continued to Expresscare, a small clinic which diagnosed a wide variety of underserved patients. Later on in the Birth Center, I observed OB/GYNs creating long-term and short-term solutions that fundamentally shaped patients’ lives. I wanted to be in a similar position, confidently resolving health issues while providing comfort through both knowledge and bedside manner. Whether it was ER doctors turning off a defibrillator gone awry, OB/GYNs working through unanticipated surgical challenges, or cardiologists providing long-term care, these physicians embodied the roles I wanted to play: decision maker, advocate, and trusted healer.

* A sense of your growing passions within medicine

* Some niche involvement that builds on “Why Medicine” motivations

EXPOSURE (BEFORE):

During this same time, I started my Global Health minor, and my vision became clearer. Global health involves helping those who are often ignored by medicine. I knew that medicine was not like Grey’s Anatomy or Dr. House. There are people who are left behind. I knew what it felt like to be an outsider, as I would transition from a nanny to “one of the girls” in high school and college. I knew how lonely it felt when my dad didn’t have the proper insurance during his job loss, and we didn’t know what to do. My vision in medicine is to level the playing field for all people seeking medical care by doing what fulfills me the most. In the end, it all came together. Volunteering in the ER, interning through Pathfinder, and shadowing doctors helped me discover my calling.

STEP 7: REMOVE INFORMAL LANGUAGE

Make a short list of words/phrases that don’t seem appropriate:

Grey’s Anatomy

Even though the student is specifically saying medicine is NOT like these TV shows, it still seems like the wrong context or reference point, especially in relation to global health.

Mentioning pop culture versions of medicine is usually ill-advised, and this candidate can make her point just as effectively without them.

STEP 8: SHOW MORE PERSONAL VALUE AS A CANDIDATE

At this point in the essay, the candidate has already explained her motivations towards medicine, so the final few lines of this paragraph feel redundant.

We don’t have a lot of characters to spare, so she’d be better off showcasing the value of her global health minor (the skills, insights, lessons, etc.)

EXPOSURE (AFTER):

My rotations at Pathfinder and ER volunteering exposed me to diverse, underserved patients, and these interactions inspired me to pursue a Global Health minor to help those marginalized by medicine. On a smaller scale, I knew what it was like to be an outsider, as I transitioned from a messy-haired, sweaty-faced nanny to “one of the girls” at school. I knew how lonely and unsettling it felt when my dad didn’t have insurance during his job loss. Global health offered avenues for putting this empathy into action and showed me the importance of solidarity, in which physicians work WITH patients, not just FOR them. The minor taught me about large-scale entities that govern and dictate the health of the masses, and the tools needed to make healthcare more attainable. The minor also instilled cultural competence, responsibility, and social justice.

This did not apply for this student, but it might for YOU(?).

Want to know the most tactful way to explain that bad semester, your MCAT struggles, or other such snafus?

* Tangible value of your insights and experiences within medicine

* Your ability to leave things better than you found them

MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS (BEFORE):

My interest in providing culturally competent care and helping marginalized people in medicine helped me during an Expresscare shift when I eased the fears of an undocumented teenager who thought he might have HIV after one of his several partners was infected. It felt empowering to explain STDs, safe sex, HIV, and PreP/Truvada, all in order to help the NP determine a course of action. I loved advocating for patients who didn’t have proper insurance, and felt gratified when the NP and I found another clinic where patients could receive affordable care.

STEP 9: INCLUDE ABOVE-AND-BEYOND CONTRIBUTIONS

There are two aspects that stand out as being underdeveloped: the candidate’s scope of responsibility and her above-and-beyond efforts. After some brainstorming, she was able to add meaningful details in these areas.

NOTE: this does not mean that you should create a laundry-list of all your tasks and responsibilities. It means focusing on the actions and efforts that exceeded expectations.

STEP 10: EMPHASIZE IMPACT ON OTHERS

Sometimes a paragraph needs more examples so that the one story or patient case doesn’t seem anomalous, but rather the norm for you. Giving 2-3 examples of your impact on different types of patients will show your range and ability to advocate for diverse populations.

MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS (AFTER):

This background helped me during an Expresscare shift, as I eased the fears of an undocumented teenager who thought he had HIV after his partner was infected. It felt empowering to explain STDs, safe sex, HIV, and PreP/Truvada, making the patient feel more in control. In this role, I often contacted clinics that admit uninsured patients to help others access care during vulnerable times. My global health training also helped me coach a black woman through a difficult delivery alongside nurses. Through my numerous Maternal Health classes, I knew that black women have double the maternal mortality rates in America, and case studies suggest that valid concerns are often not taken seriously. Therefore, I made sure to follow through on requests, such as taking temperature and BP when she felt feverish. I remained at her side for the last couple hours of delivery, and she said she felt safe knowing someone was there for her. As a physician, I will implement these valuable lessons in my future practice to make every patient feel as safe and cared for as possible.

* Stylistic callback to the intro and themes

* Reiteration of biggest reasons admissions committees should choose you

WHY YOU/CONCLUSION (BEFORE):

In the end, my path in deciding to pursue medicine, especially a medical career that focuses on the medically underserved, was a culmination of years of life experience and exploration into the field. It started as a love of basic science, which led to choosing biochemistry and cell biology as a major. The ER volunteering gig introduced me to clinical medicine, and the Palomar internship confirmed that becoming a physician was my calling. My experiences as an outsider, and a person who had to juggle multiple lifes challenges, made me especially sensitive to those who are marginalized and overwhelmed, inspiring me to pursue a career in medicine that focuses on bringing care to marginalized folks.

STEP 11: BALANCE YOUR VOICE WITH PROFESSIONALISM

volunteering gig

marginalized folks

*my calling

Normally, there’s nothing wrong with ‘gig’ and ‘folks,’ but they seem a bit colloquial for a personal statement. Again, the candidate could communicate the same message without these words, so it’s not worth using diction that could be misconstrued.

*Although ‘my calling’ isn’t too informal, it’s a rather cliche phrase that might make the admissions committees recoil in disgust.

STEP 12: ADD MORE STYLE, CUT DOWN ON SUMMARY

This is a common problem for conclusions. In school, we’re taught that the conclusion should merely summarize the main points of the essay. But that’s short-sighted and ultimately pretty boring. Yes, you need to reiterate certain aspects, but you should use stylistic callbacks when doing so.

Another common problem is candidates spending too much time restating “Why Medicine” reasons, rather than emphasizing what THEY can bring to the table. The key is to sell yourself without sounding full of yourself .

WHY YOU/CONCLUSION (AFTER):

Although my Nanny Montana days are behind me, this experience has helped me empathize with patients who are forced to manage multiple obligations and move between differing realities. I have experiences from across the healthcare spectrum, as both a loved one of an uninsured patient and a scholar looking to improve conditions for all in the long-term. My background as an outsider, who had to juggle multiple life challenges, made me especially sensitive to the marginalized and overwhelmed, inspiring me to pursue a career in medicine that focuses on empowering others and protecting their well-being.

So, at this point, we’ve changed the essay in 12 different ways - 12 broken plates, if you will. And really, each of these changes required a few iterations, so you can multiply those plates by two or three.

Yes, it’s a messy process, but it results in a beautiful presentation - an essay that successfully juggles all of its primary goals.

Remember: we can help. BOOK A FREE MEETING with our expert medical school advisors for more guidance.

Feel free to leave questions in the comments section below, and we’ll respond to you personally! Best of luck with your personal statement drafts!

Add-On: Explaining Issues with Grades/Conduct

Need to explain some elephant in the room to the admissions committees? Follow this sentence-by-sentence outline, and you’ll be just fine (or as fine as you can be!).

1-2 sentences to explain the factors that led to the issue

It's wise to let the facts speak for themselves. If there were extenuating circumstances that led to this anomalous blip in your record, make sure to include those as evidence, BUT DON'T editorialize or try to make excuses for what happened. The goal in the beginning is to just acknowledge and own up to the failure/mistake.

1-2 sentences to explain how you've rectified the issue

This will depend a lot on your situation, but typically, it will involve some kind of additional tutoring, office hours, retaken classes, better time-management, etc. It might involve probation. Beyond explaining the requirements you fulfilled and your upward trend in grades, discuss the ways you've sought to improve overall as a person.

1-2 sentences to explain the growth, personal qualities, and lessons you’ve gained

Again, this will depend a lot on your situation. Perhaps there's some activity or endeavor that you can use as "proof" of your growth as a person (i.e. tutoring other struggling students or serving on the student judiciary board). If not, just explain what you learned from the experience and how it's turned you into a better person moving forward.

Upcoming Online Classes

All work on this site is our own. The content for the Savvy med school search was found on the webpages of the respective medical schools.

2024 How to Write a Medical School Personal Statement (11 Steps)

• By Med School Insiders
• December 2, 2023
• Medical Student , Pre-med
• Medical School Application , Personal Statement

Each piece of a med school application brings a unique set of anxiety-ridden challenges, but few equal that of the personal statement. A personal statement is much, much more than a narrative-version of your CV. Reiterating your grades and extracurriculars in complete sentences is not how to write a medical school personal statement.

A personal statement is an opportunity to tell your story. Why do you want to study medicine? What drives you? This is your chance to let an admissions committee know who you really are beyond your grades.

Of course, you’re studying to become a doctor, not a novelist, which means the idea of crafting your personal statement may seem daunting, to say the least.

In this guide, we’ll take a comprehensive, step-by-step look at how to write a medical school personal statement, including how to get started, everything you need to include, and common mistakes to avoid.

Article Sections

• Anatomy of Medical School Personal Statement

What Med School Admissions Committees Look For

How to get started.

• How to Write a Personal Statement

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Medical school personal statement examples, anatomy of a medical school personal statement.

A personal statement has a 5,300 character maximum, about 1.5 pages of single-spaced 12-point Times New Roman font. The challenge isn’t trying to fill in words; the challenge is selecting the key moments in your life that made you want to be a doctor and expressing them concisely.

A personal statement is made up of three parts:

Introduction

It’s essentially a short essay that uses your life experience to succinctly demonstrate why you’re the right person for the job. If someone’s making a movie about your life and the events that shaped your desire to become a doctor, what key moments do you want to highlight?

Your introduction must capture an admissions committee’s attention. Use the introduction to hook your readers. The first few sentences should entice them to read more.

There isn’t a perfect number of paragraphs or set structure. This is where you discuss the experiences that have shaped your personality, your desire to study medicine, and your dreams for the future.

This is the summary of your statement, and it should tie in directly to your introduction. Now is the time to emphasize why you want to be a physician and your future goals.

Learn more about the Anatomy of a Stellar Medical School Personal Statement .

Admissions committees need to know they’re accepting students who are ready to face the rigorous day-and-night grind of medical school. They have your CV and transcripts; now you need to demonstrate you have what it takes to succeed.

The personal statement is your chance to display your personality and highlight the experiences that shaped you. What drives you? What strengths and experiences will you bring to medical school? Why are you an asset?

The admissions committee isn’t looking for a list of your accomplishments. They want to know your story . Don’t tell the admissions committee you’re compassionate and driven; show them with tangible examples from your life.

So you’re a great listener. What’s a moment in your past that demonstrates this? If you care deeply about the wellbeing of others, what story from your life illustrates that passion?

1 | Read Real Personal Statement Examples

Right off the bat, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone—far from it. Every medical student who came before you has written personal statements, which means you have a wealth of examples to read and learn from.

Every personal statement is unique to the writer. Don’t expect to find a perfect blueprint you can copy off of, but reading several different personal statements will give you a sense of the themes, concepts, strategies, and stories that can help you find success.

If you know people in your own life who have successfully matriculated to med school, it’s a good idea to ask them if you can take a look at their personal statement. Med School Insiders compiled a database of personal statements donated by successful medical school applicants. Reading successful personal statements will give you an idea of what’s expected.

Reading bad personal statements can also give you an idea of what mistakes to avoid. Learn from our bad personal statement examples , which includes key insights into what you should do instead.

2 | Reflect on Past Experiences

Take this as an opportunity to reflect. Don’t think of it as brainstorming, and don’t worry about being creative just yet. Simply think back on key moments from your past.

Think of your personal statement like your superhero origin story. You may have excellent grades, abilities, and a natural aptitude for science, but why are you pursuing medicine? What moment or moments in your life revealed to you why you had to be a doctor?

Take Spider-Man. Yes, Peter Parker received his superpowers from a radioactive spider bite, but that’s not why he fights crime; Spider-Man fights crime so that what happened to his Uncle Ben never happens to anyone else. Bruce Wayne is incredibly smart, incredibly strong, and incredibly rich, but that’s not why he fights crime as Batman. Bruce Wayne became Batman so that no one else would lose their parents to a random act of violence like he did.

The truth is, a lot of superheroes have pretty similar motivations, and doctors have similar motivations, too. Your desire to become a doctor likely stems from a genuine intellectual interest in medicine, a desire to work closely with other humans, and a drive to help people and save lives. The other med school hopefuls you’re applying with have very similar motivations.

The key is digging deep and determining what you value most about becoming a doctor. Once you know that, think about the tangible experiences in your life that helped you realize those values.

Utilize our list of 25 medical school personal statement prompts as you ideate and reflect on your life to date.

3 | Choose Which Experiences/Traits to Highlight

Identify three to four personal strengths you are particularly proud of and want the admissions committee to know. Where did these strengths shine in your premedical years? What experiences helped you build on these strengths? This will make up the body of your personal statement.

Remember: writing a personal statement takes time—and lots of it. It will likely take several different attempts and drafts. After discussing your selected strengths, you may find that they don’t define you well enough or that there are better options. Don’t be discouraged. Give yourself plenty of time to reflect on and explore a variety of different strengths.

Don’t forget about the interview; the admissions committee will certainly ask you to further elaborate on the experiences outlined in your personal statement. Share personal stories that you want to be asked about and feel comfortable addressing.

Generally, personal statements involve experiences in the following categories:

• A passion for patient interaction
• Intellectual curiosity for medicine (academics, research, etc.)
• Dedication and discipline (medicine or another pursuit)
• Perseverance in the face of adversity
• Interpersonal and professional skills

How to Write a Medical School Personal Statement

4 | show, don’t tell.

If essays or storytelling aren’t necessarily your strong suit, think back to math class and those equations where the teacher made you show your work for the full grade. It’s not enough that you got the answer right; you had to show how you arrived at the answer.

Think of this in the same way. It’s great that you’re compassionate, but the admissions committee isn’t going to take you at your word. They want you to back up that claim with evidence. It is vital that you show the admissions committee you’re compassionate with concrete examples from your life that illustrate your journey to medicine.

It’s much more impactful to share a story that demonstrates specific qualities than it is to tell someone you have those qualities directly. Saying you are hardworking or resilient is not enough. You need to craft a story that allows the reader to infer those qualities about you.

5 | Leverage the Narrative-Based Approach

You are applying to medical school along with an immense number of other students with great grades, stellar qualifications, and impressive clinical hours. These are all key to your medical school application, but the best grades in the world won’t set you apart in the eyes of the admissions committee.

Your personal statement is a chance to stand out in a crowded field. Too many personal statements read like a CV but with full paragraphs, which quickly becomes monotonous.

Leverage a narrative-based approach so that the admissions committee is excited to learn more about you. Your entire application should illustrate your compelling journey toward becoming a doctor. Highlight how your experiences make you an asset who will contribute uniquely to the medical school.

It’s not enough to simply check off the boxes. The admissions committee wants to know your story.

Learn How to Develop a Cohesive Narrative for Medical School Applications .

6 | Create an Outline

After taking the time to reflect on the experiences and traits you want to include in your personal statement, create an outline to structure your approach .

You do not need to stick to it, but this is the general structure of most personal statements:

• Introduction (A strong hook to catch the reader’s attention—usually an anecdote or reflection that introduces the theme of your story. Hook the reader with the opening sentence.)
• Experience 1
• Experience 2
• Experience 3
• Conclusion (Tie your story back to the opening hook/theme. Summarize why you want to be a physician and what your future goals are.)

Remember, this is not a list of your accomplishments. The personal statement must read like a cohesive narrative, not a resume.

Establish a theme in the introduction that’s central to your desire to become a doctor. Each following paragraph will illustrate how your personal experiences have shaped that desire and prepared you for your journey. In the conclusion, gracefully tie back to your central theme or hook to turn the personal statement into a consistent, interconnected story.

7 | Force Yourself to Start Writing

It’s understandable and common to feel overwhelmed while writing a personal statement. In fact, if you don’t feel overwhelmed, it’s safe to say that you’re not taking this seriously enough.

Start with a theme, but don’t get stuck trying to come up with the perfect opening sentence. That comes later. Once you have a general outline, just start writing. See what happens, and—most importantly—be kind to yourself.

The first words you write won’t be perfect, but they will get you started. You should fully expect the first draft of your personal statement to be terrible. That’s okay. First drafts are never perfect.

Your first draft probably won’t look anything like your final essay. Put one foot in front of the other and just start writing. Get the ideas out and worry about editing later.

8 | Keep it Concise and Direct

In your subsequent drafts, focus on cutting down your words and being concise. It’s not your use of flowery language that will impress the admissions committee. Forget about extravagant word choices and convoluted sentence structure. You don’t have the space for poetic tangents anyway.

Use your words efficiently, and favor clear language over long, complicated words. It’s easy for readers to spot when you’re using a thesaurus, and it will only take away from your end message. Find the simplest way to say something.

For example:

Hard-working over Assiduous

Compassion over Magnanimity

Agree over Concur

Use tools like the Hemingway App to keep your language direct and concise.

9 | Take Some Time Away

Take time away from your drafts. Once you complete a draft, take a break, and let it sit. Go for a walk, watch some TV, or work on a completely different activity. After your break, come back to your personal statement with fresh eyes. You may find that the fantastic opening line you came up with isn’t so fantastic anymore, or that sentence you weren’t so sure about actually works really well.

Writing your personal statement will take time. Even if you feel extremely confident in your personal statement, take time away from it and come back.

10 | Refine, Review, and Edit

We recommend using editing apps like Grammarly and Hemingway Editor , but don’t rely on bots alone to catch possible mistakes.

Ask your friends and family for their first impressions on the content of your personal statement. Tell them to be brutally honest (because the admissions committee certainly will be.) Reach out to a mentor or people who have been through this process before.

Spelling or grammar mistakes indicate carelessness on your part and are an automatic red flag for admissions committees. Read over your work carefully, and ask others you trust to do the same.

The editing process is such a critical phase for your personal statement. Learn how to edit your personal statement to impress admissions committees.

11 | Invest in Essay Editing Services

Your medical school personal statement is arguably the most important piece of your application. While an excellent essay can lock-in your interview offer, a poorly-written personal statement can ruin your chances—even with stellar grades, impressive academic awards, and a notable list of extracurriculars.

Don’t risk your acceptance. Essay editing services can provide the help that friends, family, and mentors cannot.

Med School Insiders Personal Statement Editing Services includes careful analysis of content and tone as well as helpful insights into how you can improve your essay and impress admissions committees.

Avoid the following common personal statement mistakes .

• Don’t list your accomplishments or rehash your CV and extracurriculars.
• Don’t make spelling or grammar errors.
• Don’t overuse the word I. Doing so makes you more likely to state your accomplishments instead of telling a story.
• Don’t use flowery language or words you found in a thesaurus.
• Don’t explain to a physician what medicine is all about. Talk about yourself and your experiences; the admissions committee already understands medicine.
• Don’t state the obvious or use clichés. (Every applicant likes science and wants to help people.)
• Don’t lie or fabricate your personal stories.
• Don’t make excuses for poor grades or a low MCAT score.
• Don’t speak negatively about another physician or healthcare professional.
• Don’t plead for an interview or acceptance.
• Don’t edit your personal statement by yourself.
• Don’t procrastinate.

Learn more: 20 Personal Statement: Dos and Don’ts .

It’s important to read the personal statements of matriculated students. While you won’t be able to mimic someone else’s personal statement, you can still learn a lot from them, and reading different statements can spark ideas for your own essay.

We compiled a selection of real medical school personal statements from successful applicants. These statements are for reference purposes only and should not be plagiarized in any way. Plagiarism detection software is used when evaluating personal statements, and plagiarizing is grounds for an automatic disqualification.

Be sure to read the included feedback regarding the personal statements as well, as this will give you extra insight into what admissions committees are looking for.

Read Real Medical School Personal Statement Examples .

Medical School Personal Statement Editing

Don’t write your medical school personal statement alone—we can help. Med School Insiders offers a range of personal statement editing packages , from general editing to unlimited, in-depth editing with a physician who will be there to advise you every step of the way.

Learn more about our Comprehensive Medical School Admissions Packages . Our team of doctors has years of experience serving on admissions committees, so you’ll receive key insights from people who have been intimately involved with the selection process.

Next read: Guide to Understanding the Medical School Application Process

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How To Write A Graduate Medicine Personal Statement

This guide will help you write an excellent graduate Medicine personal statement . We start by highlighting the fundamental differences in approach required to write a graduate entry Medicine personal statement compared to a non-graduate Medicine personal statement.

We then include a Graduate entry Medicine personal statement checklist of things your statement must include. Finally, we cover how to write your graduate Medicine personal statement in 10 easy to follow steps. These steps will take you from step 1; the ideas stage with nothing written down and no plan or structure in mind, all the way to step 10; a completed, high-quality graduate entry medical school personal statement which is ready for submission.

How should a graduate entry medical school personal statement differ to a non-graduate Medicine personal statement?

A graduate entry Medicine personal statement will not be obviously different to a non-graduate entry personal statement. It must follow the same rules regarding the character count , submission deadlines and so on. However, there are critical points and differences in approach that you must consider as a graduate applicant. These will apply to your interview also:

Admissions tutors will expect that graduates applying to medical school will have had more time to mature and acquire skills, accomplishments and life experiences compared to high school leavers. They will typically assess you in comparison to the calibre of other graduates, even if you are applying for a standard entry Medicine course.

Motivation to study Medicine as a graduate

Why do you want to study Medicine now? If applicable, why do you want to change career? Graduates with a health or science background will typically find it easier to explain their path to wanting to study Medicine as a graduate than candidates with an arts degree. Graduates with seemingly unrelated degrees (e.g. English literature, journalism, etc.) can still be as successful as those with science degrees. Remember, several medical schools accept degrees from any discipline. These graduates simply require a little more effort in showing that they have good reasons to switch to Medicine and that their degree or career brings transferrable skills.

In some non-Medicine degrees, admissions tutors are primarily checking that an applicant has the necessary grades and some interest in the degree. This is certainly not the case in applying to medical school and especially for graduate applicants. This is because Medicine is a significant commitment. It is a long degree and a challenging career. Highly motivated candidates with a real passion for Medicine have a much higher chance of completing the degree and succeeding in their careers than candidates with a weak motivation or interest in Medicine. Additionally, Medicine necessitates a career-long commitment to keeping your skills and knowledge up to date and learning new ones as Medicine is continuously progressing.

This is why medical school admissions tutors will scrutinise a candidate’s motivation to study Medicine and their understanding of what a medical career entails. They want to see if an applicant’s motivation is genuine and built over a sustained period, not merely a phase which may pass. They need evidence that an applicant’s understanding of a medical career is realistic and based on experience and research, not merely a burning desire to study Medicine. You will show these things by explaining your reasons for studying Medicine and how you have explored these reasons and confirmed them (e.g. work experience). The key is to show not tell. You must link your reasons with evidence instead of just stating reasons.

We show examples of this in action in the following two excerpts from a personal statement which the Medicine Answered team worked on. The candidate received four offers for an interview (and then four offers for a place). We have kindly been permitted to post it here.

Here the candidate states that the ever-advancing nature of Medicine and life-long learning appeals to him. This is “telling” i.e. merely a claim. Crucially he also backs this up by “showing” this with evidence . He shows this is true by saying he has attended several extracurricular lectures. He explores the claims of one lecture further by writing an essay, showing that he has intellectual curiosity and is a self-directed learner. He shows insight and perseverance by stating that using post-A-level books was challenging but something he enjoyed and learnt from. The things he mentioned made for good talking points at his interview.

The candidate is not merely stating that he looked after his grandmother, so he wants to be a doctor. Many people look after elderly or unwell relatives and do not want to be a doctor as a result. Similarly, being helped by a lawyer does not make most people want to become a lawyer. He explains that he wants a career that helps others and contributes to the community. He links this to caring for his grandmother and then says how his work experience has reinforced his wishes and made him realise that Medicine will allow him to fulfil this ambition.

You can view the rest of this successful Medicine personal statement and our analysis in our free blog.

Academic history and current academic ability

It is a well-established phenomenon that some candidates mature academically later in life. This may mean older GCSE and A-level results are not a true reflection of current academic ability. Individual medical schools assess these pre-degree results differently. Some still have strict requirements for older qualifications while others have very few and focus more on degree results. Either way, at the time of your medical school application as a graduate, you must demonstrate excellent academic ability as well as organisation and self-awareness . Of course, non-graduates must also show this, but this is even more important if you are applying to an accelerated four-year graduate Medicine programme. How do you have the required abilities to complete a medical degree an entire year faster than most students?

Academic awards and achievements

Due to their degrees and/or careers, graduate applicants are more likely than non-graduate applicants to have publications, academic awards, poster presentations and so on. Adding these to your graduate medicine personal statement or reference can strengthen your application. Do not worry if you do not have these; you can show your qualities in other ways.

Real work experience

As a graduate applicant to Medicine, it is more likely that you have had fulltime jobs compared to non-graduate applicants. If you are applying later in life, you may have had a distinct career. As a graduate applicant to medical school, you will need to demonstrate what skills your previous degree and if applicable career gave you . Your degree and background will have transferable skills even if it is non-health or science related and it is up to you to be able to demonstrate this. Additionally, gaining medical work experience should be easier for graduates as they are over 18.

A checklist of other essential elements a graduate entry Medicine personal statement must include which are common to all strong medical school personal statements

The points we have listed in the above section highlight specific differences in approach that must be considered in a graduate medicine personal statement versus a non-graduate entry personal statement. Make sure your personal statement addresses these things. However, don’t forget that your graduate Medicine personal statement still needs to include things which are common to all medical school personal statements. Here is a checklist of these things:

An excellent writing style. Excellent grammar, spelling and punctuation

These are essential requirements. Anything less is not acceptable in a graduate or any type of medical school personal statement. We have several free blogs to help you do this, and our personal statement review service uses professional proof-readers.

A consistent and logical structure for your graduate Medicine personal statement

Your graduate entry Medicine personal statement’s structure must be logical and consistent . Avoid the common mistake of scattering sentences which are making a similar point or showing similar attributes all over your personal statement. Instead, sentences making a similar point or sharing a similar theme (e.g. importance of teamwork, extracurricular activities, examples highlighting your intellectual curiosity and academic abilities, etc.) should be grouped together in paragraphs or part paragraphs. If similar points are put together, then each point reinforces the last one and makes the overall message you are trying to convey more obvious to the reader and easier to notice and remember. It will also give your graduate Medicine personal statement structure and a better flow.

Solid examples of work experience in caring or service roles with reflections

Admissions tutors need to see this as evidence of an applicant’s commitment and interest in becoming a doctor. Candidates with work experience are more likely to have a more realistic view of being a doctor than candidates without work experience. Work experience also provides a medium for applicants to demonstrate they have attributes essential to studying Medicine. For example, personal organisation, reliability, self-awareness, the ability to reflect, empathy and so on.

Medical schools value medical work experience and also non-medical experience in caring and service roles, particularly if they are working with disadvantaged groups. They appreciate that it can be difficult for applicants to partake in medical work experience so most will not penalise candidates for not having direct medical work experience. Many medical schools state that they value work experience in caring and service roles equally to medical work experience. Others suggest you should at least speak to doctors. However, the main barrier for non-graduate applicants gaining work experience is being under 18, and this will not apply to graduate applicants. As a graduate applicant, you must show that you have a detailed understanding of the working lives of doctors, particularly if you are changing career.

Reflecting on your experiences instead of just listing them

Admissions tutors will not be impressed by long lists of work experience, extracurricular activities or achievements. Nor do they want to see diary accounts of all the steps in an operation or procedure you observed. How these experiences relate back to you and the meaning and insights that you derived from them is more important than what you did.

For example, you could explain how attending multidisciplinary meetings at your work experience highlighted the importance of effective teamwork and communication. This is far better than just stating that you attended a multidisciplinary meeting.

For the reader to understand what you are referring to, it is necessary to describe or list things to some degree. However, this is just the first step. An excellent personal statement will describe events in a concise manner and use most of the personal statement character count on the next step, which is reflecting on these experiences. This may include describing how these things developed certain skills or demonstrate that you possess these skills. Or perhaps how these things appeal to you and reinforce your desire to study Medicine. What motivated you to do these things; did you overcome any challenges or barriers; what have these experiences taught you about yourself, other people or Medicine?

Does your graduate entry Medical school personal statement provide evidence that you possess the attributes and core values required to study Medicine?

The Medical schools council have described core attributes and traits which are needed to study Medicine . We have discussed them in detail and importantly explained why they are actually required and how to show them in this blog. We cover them in detail to give you a sound understanding of them, so you are not simply attempting to tick boxes.

The crucial approach for your personal statement is to show that you have these attributes and not merely claim you have them . For example, you can talk about how working twice a week at a hospice for 6 months while studying demonstrates your organisation, personal responsibility, commitment and ability to work with others. This is more credible and impressive than simply claiming you have these traits.

Excellent examples of outside interests and extracurricular activities

In personal statements for other courses these are sometimes just mentioned in passing. However, these are essential in medical school personal statements and frequently come up at interview. Doctors work in teams and interact with the public so being well rounded is a desirable trait. Additionally, these interests can be important for what can be at times an emotionally demanding and stressful career. Finally, extracurricular activities and hobbies provide another medium besides work experience for you to demonstrate that you possess the attributes required to be a doctor. Depending on what you do, your outside interests and extracurricular activities may demonstrate leadership, teamwork, persistence, excellence, problem solving, creativity and more.

Graduate Entry Medicine personal statement checklist

To summarise what we have covered so far, here is a graduate entry Medicine personal statement checklist of things which every graduate entry Medicine personal statement must include:

1) An excellent writing style. Excellent grammar, spelling and punctuation 2) A consistent and logical structure 3) Instead of writing long lists, include reflections on the meaning and insight that you have derived from your experiences, achievements, extracurricular activities and so on 4) Robust and clear reasons why you want to study Medicine – if applicable why you are changing your subject or career 5) The transferable skills that your previous degree or career have given you 6) Strong examples of work experience with reflections 7) Examples of outside interests and extracurricular activities which enhance your application by showing positive skills and attributes

Additionally, as a graduate, your personal statement should reflect:

1) You have had more time than a school leaver to acquire skills, accomplishments and life experiences. 2) Strong academic abilities – necessary for all applicants but particularly graduates applying to accelerated graduate courses.

Writing your Graduate Medicine personal statement

Now you are ready to start the process of writing your graduate entry Medicine personal statement. We cover this in our entirely free guide on how to write a Medicine personal statement in 10 easy steps. This takes you from step 1; with nothing written down, no structure or plan all the way to step 10; a completed excellent Graduate entry Medicine personal statement ready for submission.

How can Medicine Answered help you with your graduate medical school personal statement?

Medicine Answered offer one of the highest quality Medicine personal statement review services available. A professional editor and a fully qualified doctor , who themselves received all four UCAS offers to study Medicine, will both check and correct your personal statement . This unique level of expertise puts us a step ahead of other providers, some of whom use untrained students or people with no medical or admissions background and who do not have professional proof-reading skills.

We go beyond the typical reviews of just grammar and structure like other services. After making enhancements to your statement, we comment on the strength of your application , we can consider your UKCAT, academic grades, work experience and extracurricular activities and suggest ways to enhance your application further as part of our full Application Review Service. We suggest things which may come up at interview specifically as a result of your personal statement.

We also have a myriad of free articles about medical school applications (personal statements, interviews, UKCAT, picking a medical school etc.), life as a student and doctor and more. They are entirely free and do not require you to sign up for anything or give your email address or anything else. This is because we believe that becoming a doctor should be possible for anyone based on their motivation and abilities and not on their background or financial ability. You can find out more about these under our resources section. We also offer interview preparation courses, personal statement services, and one to one tutoring to help you in your medical school application.

You can learn more about these under our services section or feel free to contact us.

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Medicine personal statement checklist

Advice & Insight From Personal Statement Specialists

Using a checklist and creating your own “marking scheme” will ensure there is nothing missing from your personal statement. Writing a personal statement checklist can also help you with time management so you know what topic areas and themes you still need to tackle.

Effective strategies to check your personal statement.

• Read your personal statement out loud; perhaps record yourself dictating it to pick up on any errors.
• Pass it around – although “too many cooks spoil the broth” asking for constructive feedback from others is a vital part of the personal statement writing process. Make sure you have given your personal statement to a mixture of medical and non-medical people. It can be useful to ask a language teacher to read over your work to spot any glaring errors that you have made.

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Content Checklist

• Does your personal statement have a captivating introduction which covers why YOU want to study medicine? If you have specific career plans and ambitions, make sure they are in there.
• Have you referenced your work experience? Think of how you have gained an insight into a career in medicine beyond shadowing or voluntary placements – have you mentioned any medical conferences or health commissioning events you have been to? Have you been reflective and explained the relevance of your work experience?
• Have you shown an interest in medicine and evidenced your scientific intellect? If you’ve completed an Extended Project Qualification, write about it. Any relevant literature that you have read also deserves a mention – reading books or journals shows you have a curious mind and that you would be suited to a career where lifelong independent study is critical.
• A= Activity: What have you done?
• B= Benefit: This is the skill you have gained?
• C= Course: How is this skill relevant for a career in medicine?
• Does your conclusion summarise your key points and ideas highlighting your understanding of medicine and personal attributes?
• Have you double checked that everything in your personal statement is truthful? When it comes to interview preparation, you’ll thank your past self for creating an honest personal statement without embellishments of the truth

Structure Checklist

• Are you within the 4000-character limit? Be aware of the settings on your Microsoft word account and make sure the character is including spaces. The application form will not let you exceed over the maximum character count so don’t risk losing the end of your statement.
• Opening: A gripping first sentence and introductory paragraph
• Middle section: A section building upon why medicine is a career suited to you, your achievements, experiences, and skills?
• Closing: A snappy conclusion to round everything off

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Style Checklist

• Have you double checked that you have used accurate punctuation and grammar in your personal statement? Remember that the UCAS application form doesn’t have a spellcheck function; so, make sure there are no spelling slip ups. Even on word spellchecker doesn’t pick everything up – so proofread, proofread, proofread. Have you asked a fresh pair of eyes to read over your personal statement focusing simply on any mistakes?
• Proofread your personal statement and check for repeated words. Its sometimes useful to count the number of times you have used commonly used words and phrases such as “also” and “in addition.”
• Are your sentences easy to follow and not too long and convoluted? Are there any unhelpful lists or irrelevant points?
• Skim through your personal statement – any overly verbose words or phrases that you do not know the meaning of should be changed or deleted. If you are struggling to find alternative key words or phrases the General Medical Councils “Tomorrow’s Doctors” document. This outlines skill needed by medical students.
• Check for any acronyms or abbreviations used in your work – although they can be great for saving characters, they may cause confusion for the reader.

If your happy with that final draft, then its time to upload and press send. It can be useful to make sure you have a copy of your final draft somewhere which will be accessible when the interviews start rolling in. Be sure which version of your personal statement you have submitted.

Medicine personal statement checklist.

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