Personal Statement
Standing out in a sea of text
For many medical schools, the Personal statement is the first opportunity an admissions officer gets, to know an applicant beyond a number.
Making the personal statement remarkable (worthy of remark) is key to standing out from the crowd of prospective medical students.
Before writing any personal statement, prospective medical students need to know the anatomy of a personal statement to be able to structure your thoughts and your experiences in an easy to read manner. It is important to note, that there is no perfect formula for writing a personal statement, however, there are tips and tricks to make your personal statement even better.
Section 1: Motivation
Most personal statements start with why students have chosen medicine. Admissions officers are often skeptical of grandiose descriptions of why students want to enter medicine. A well researched and realistic expectation of medicine is more favourable. Certainly, watching a medical TV show is not enough reason to want to do medicine.
Section 2: Reinforcing Interest
Anyone motivated to pursue a career will take interest in activities or articles that engage them in their prospective career. Here, admissions officers are looking for evidence of that motivation to pursue medicine as written about in Section 1. It is important in this section to depict what you have done and more importantly what you have learned from your experiences. This section allows for an opportunity give specific examples of why you want to be a doctor.
When admissions officers take 2 minutes to read each Personal Statement, First Impressions Matter
Section 3: Evidence of the Skills needed to become doctors
Unlike other university degree options, choosing medicine is choosing a job for life. In light of this, medical schools want to know whether you are able to be a good and competent doctor. As you progress through your medical career, the term 'Person Specification' is often repeated. Person specification specifies what type of person is able to do a particular job or specialty. Similarly, it is important in this section to highlight the skills and attitudes you have that meet the person specification of being a doctor. It is not enough to list down a number of skills that you have that you think will make you a good doctor. It will be more beneficial if you research what the person specification of a doctor is and structure this section around it. Here weaving your experiences and how it has developed your skill will engage the reader more than the fact you have a skill.
Section 4: Conclusion
To write this section, ask yourself what it is that you want your admissions officers to feel and know after reading your personal statement. For some borderline personal statements, this section can determine whether you are put in the in pile, so make use of it! Here is your opportunity to give a lasting impression.