Medicine Personal Statement Example 4

My dream of studying medicine is not a volatile one based on rumours of the fulfilling life of a medic, but rather based on research, an understanding of the profession and close-up experience.

My interest in medicine began when studying biology and chemistry at school in Norway and since then I have focused my everyday life around seeking medical knowledge.

To have a greater understanding of the medical profession and to confirm whether or not it was the correct career choice for me, I arranged a trip to Ghana in the summer of 2012 to work as a volunteer in a hospital for three weeks.

This experience only served to strengthen my resolve to study medicine.

I especially enjoyed shadowing a midwife in the maternity ward and observing a complicated birth which resulted in a caesarean.

The careful monitoring and the cooperation between doctors, midwives and nurses, showed me the importance of the way in which healthcare professionals in different specialisms work together in a coherent team.

Although the experience was tough, I was inspired by the staff's great motivation and commitment to help, as well as their empathetic approach to treating the patients.

During my final year at secondary school I started volunteering for the Red Cross; I worked at an asylum seeker's refuge, organising activities for young asylum seekers.

Working there enhanced my ability to work as part of a team, as well as giving me an insight into others' hardships and the satisfaction of making positive changes to someone's life.

I decided to take a gap year to continue my work with the Red Cross as well as to gain more work experience.

I have been promoted to the leader of the "Rules of War" group and I have become a councillor for the Red Cross in my city. I will also spend some of my gap year shadowing my local GP.

As much of the time during my final year was focused around my work with the Red Cross, I decided to re-sit chemistry II and biology I, to obtain the grades required to read medicine in the UK.

This is very common in Norway as we study 16 subjects. As biology II was not offered by my school I am studying for this at home; I will be taking the examination this autumn.

In addition, to help increase my medical knowledge I am reading a one-year programme of psychology, including biological, abnormal and cognitive psychology.

Reading these subjects has increased my interested in medicine, especially studying the nervous system in biological psychology, which has piqued my interested in neurology.

Scientific research into neurons fascinates me, such as how the discovery of a connection between neurofibrillary tangles and a protein known as amyloid might lead to treatments that can prevent Alzheimer's syndrome.

Outside school I enjoyed working in the Norwegian Student Organisation. This was a valuable experience, involving teamwork and effective organisational skills.

I was an active equestrian show jumper from the age of three to sixteen, competing at an international level.

Taking care of my own horse has made me a responsible and caring person and the hard work involved in competition taught me endurance and commitment.

I have always enjoyed sport and, both during and since my riding career, I have played tennis, football, danced Norwegian folk dance as well as my new project, learning to play volleyball.

I wish to follow a career path that will stimulate my mind, one that will make me feel productive and in which I am motivated to succeed, because success in a medical career means succeeding in helping others.

I have seen and experienced the struggle that goes hand in hand with medicine, but I know that it is worth that struggle.

I know I have the determination, endurance and enthusiasm needed to succeed in this fascinating and rewarding career.