Medicinal Chemistry Personal Statement Example

Chemistry appeals to my practical and analytical nature; the part of me that starts by asking: "How?" and "Why?" and doesn't give up until I have the answers. My love of Chemistry has led me to take part in various events such as the Salters' Festival of Chemistry, where my analytical Chemistry and practical skills were tested and my team earned 3rd place in "The University Challenge". I have also taken part in my school's Science Week, where I assisted teachers by monitoring younger students as they carried out various experiments.

As well as pure Chemistry, I have also enjoyed those topics which linked Biology and Chemistry, such as the Bonding topics in Chemistry and the Biological Molecules topics found in Biology. I look forward to using information learned in Chemistry to further explain the processes behind biological functions at degree level. I believe that the detail is essential to the bigger picture, and when using science to solve problems, Chemistry is a science all about the detail: looking at how the little things, such as temperature or pressure can effect entire reactions or industrial processes. It is because I enjoy solving problems that I chose to study Maths at 'A' Level, taking the C1 module in Year 11 and earning an A.

I have recently attended a conference organised by Careers MCS on subjects such as Biochemistry and Pharmacology, and this has furthered my interest in Medicinal Chemistry. I hope to study the chemistry behind processes like cell signalling, the chemical reactions involved with ligand-receptor interactions and how the chemical properties of the drugs affect their pharmacodynamics.

I enjoy reading articles in periodicals such as 'Science et Vie'. I think that it is important to be able to understand what scientists are saying in other languages, and this French magazine has given me access to articles on subjects I may not have otherwise heard about. I believe that studying 'A' Level French has allowed me to develop vital communication and comprehension skills, and has given me the tools to work in an international scientific community, as I hope to pursue a career abroad.

Outside of school, I volunteer as a Young Leader at my local Guides where I lead activities for Brownies and Guides, and take part in various charitable and community-based projects. I have been a member of the Guiding Association for 12 years and the experience has allowed me to develop leadership, team-work and communication skills. I am a keen athlete, having played for Leicestershire U14 County Netball Squad and at the U17 Leicestershire County Academy. I have also played for my school's 1st VII Netball Squad for the past two years and during the Summer I took part in a Netball Tour of Australia. The tour was an incredible experience, giving me the opportunity to compete in and watch international Netball, and I was named 'Player of the Match' for the first match of the tour. I enjoy writing creatively and I have been writing poetry and short stories for many years. My poetry has been published in two poetry anthologies and an American magazine called "Teen Ink". In addition to writing poetry, I am also the Creative Writing Editor for my school magazine "The Leicestrian", a post requiring good organisational and time management skills in order to meet my deadlines and organise others to meet theirs.

Chemistry is a challenging subject which demands hard work and perseverance, but I believe that I am a disciplined and motivated student who would meet the challenges of a Chemistry degree with enthusiasm and passion.