Living in two different countries has been a blessing, but not without its challenges; I have spent most of my life in either the United Kingdom or the XXXXXXXXXX. The contrasts in culture and lifestyle have been pivotal in making me the person I am today, giving me a more informed view of the World and its diversity. My experiences abroad have...
Medicine Personal Statement Example 8
What initially drew me to medicine arose from a childhood intrigue into the intricacies of biological science and disease.
This interest flourished greatly during third-level education and postdoctoral research, growing a deeper appreciation for the many challenges of such an interdisciplinary career. I have endeavoured to explore numerous activities to truly test this desire, all of which have further reinforced my aspiration to study medicine.
These experiences encouraged my personal development and facilitated a profoundly informed insight into the level of empathy, compassion, enthusiasm and stamina required to be a good doctor.
Since March 2003 for 8 hours every Saturday I have volunteered at _name_ district hospital _town_, caring for elderly and post-operative patients.
My duties include helping with patient sanitation, washing, wound-dressing, feeding and exercising, along with talking to and empathising with palliative and chronic care patients.
Additionally, each week the G.P. allows me to shadow her rounds, providing a valuable perspective on her interactions with nurses, physiotherapists and pharmacists, as well as the gratification of working as part of a team in a caring and responsible role. In June I earned a first-aid certificate, giving me confidence in managing minor injuries and allowing me to join the Order of Malta.
This organisation has proven to be a rich learning environment, as twice weekly I either participate as part of an ambulance corps at sporting events, or visit and talk to elderly and chronic term patients in local hospitals.
Psychiatry has always fascinated me, and in July I shadowed a psychiatrist during an outpatient clinic, observing the consultation and treatment of persons with depression and schizophrenia. Although a limited experience, it revealed the finely honed oral and aural communication skills required in this profession.
In August I spent a day shadowing in the neurology and urology departments of _Name_ University College Hospital, acquiring a small appreciation for the pace and pressures of work in a busy hospital.
Moreover, in a conscious effort to maximise what I learned from all the aforementioned work experience I actively used the BNF as an educational resource, to expand upon my academic knowledge and clinical understanding of the pharmacotherapies involved.
My primary and post-graduate degrees have provided a thorough grounding in the sciences underlying medicine. In addition, post-graduate studies have broadened my knowledge of the pathology and treatment of many psychiatric, neurological and chronic inflammatory disorders.
The self-directed learning during post-graduate research has refined my decision making, problem solving and analytical skills by teaching me to laterally integrate different bodies of knowledge.
My post-doctoral workload has meant a continual refinement of my personal organisation and ability to work synergistically in an environment requiring adept leadership and team skills.
Students and doctors have stressed the importance to me of maintaining recreational interests which aid in coping with the inevitable personal demands and professional stresses of a medical career.
I have affinities for music, languages, art and sport which are fully integrated into my life, requiring a continual refinement of my time-management.
I have played the guitar and piano for 15 years, performing in several bands, and recently mastered the baglama and bongo.
Working as a translator in the summer of 1998 rose my French to a fluent conversational level, and I am learning sign-language in a sincere effort to expand my communicative potential.
Art is a passion of mine, and I have won prizes at local and national levels, as well as having illustrations published in scientific journals. Fitness is important to me, I run 30 km weekly and enjoy team sports including basketball and football.
I am aware of the social sacrifices of a busy medical career, the continual academic commitment required, and the importance of being a well-rounded motivated individual with excellent interpersonal abilities.
Furthermore, the challenge of using logical and clinical reasoning in an environment that demands a genuine personal dedication attracts me immensely.
The qualities I have developed from an academic and voluntary aspect have deeply strengthened my commitment, and affirmed my conviction to enter this profession.
By studying medicine I will not only help others, but pursue a vocation to which I truly aspire.
Profile info
This personal statement was written by mik for application in 2005.
mik's Comments
Took me quite a while to get this together, draft redraft..... hope it'll provide some help to those applying for med next year. On this version I omitted the names of the places I work (have worked) just to keep them confidential. Any comments welcome :)
Ratings
Statement rating:
Comments
Wow, really well-written, not
Thu, 26/05/2005 - 00:00
Wow, really well-written, not suprised you got offers!
well written,has helped me a
Wed, 08/06/2005 - 00:00
well written,has helped me a lot with writing my personal statement,thanx
wow, its really good, well
Thu, 09/06/2005 - 00:00
wow, its really good, well done with your unconditional offers!
Thanks for the comments, glad
Thu, 09/06/2005 - 00:00
Thanks for the comments, glad it could/can be of help
well played
Tue, 21/06/2005 - 00:00
well played
hi
Fri, 24/06/2005 - 00:00
this was an excellent p.s well done.. i jus wanted 2 ask u wat u got in ure a levelz tho? wat uni r u at?
Didn't do A levels, I did the
Thu, 30/06/2005 - 00:00
Didn't do A levels, I did the Irish Leaving Certificate (check my profile for the grades). Went To University in Galway.
wat
Thu, 30/06/2005 - 00:00
how the hell do you write so well
This is excellent. Well done!
Mon, 11/07/2005 - 00:00
This is excellent. Well done! It has helped me so so so so much. I just wish i have as much work experience as you! Then again, they can't expect A-Level students to be loaded with work experience. Thanks Mate
I am so impressed.This is a
Thu, 14/07/2005 - 00:00
I am so impressed.This is a brilliant p.s
Ace
Mon, 18/07/2005 - 00:00
Ace
UNCONDITIONAL OFFERS!
Tue, 19/07/2005 - 00:00
Wow, congrats on that, you must be a truly determined person to get unconditional offers!
Very very impressive. Much
Tue, 02/08/2005 - 00:00
Very very impressive. Much harder than writing this though is amassing all this experience! Where did you get offers from and where are you going to study? Not sure whether to thank you for providing this - it has terrified me!
Childish???
Thu, 08/09/2005 - 00:00
I think that this personal statement sounds a little childish for someone who has so much experience. It doesn't read very well and uses too many over-complicated words just to impress. Why hasn't it included more information about your graduate and postgraduate studies since that's what took up the majority of your time for the past 8-10 years? Too many clichés: "desire","fascinated","leadership and team skills" etc…. - not exactly original. This statement may impress an inexperienced high school student but an academic selector is a different story. In my opinion, the college offers you received were probably based on your academic background rather than this personal statement.
The selectors are looking for
Thu, 01/01/1970 - 01:00
The selectors are looking for a set number of points when grading personal statements.
Tailoring the statement to these points will give you the best possible chance of getting a place. That's what has happened here, which explains the heavy emphasis on work experience and extra curricular activities, in addition to what was gained from them. They're simply not looking for a detailed rant on your dissertation, it's not at all relevant to a career in medicine and if you bantered on about that you would be unlikely to get an offer.
I agree with both of the
Fri, 09/09/2005 - 00:00
I agree with both of the previous comments to some extent.
Congratulations on the offer
Fri, 09/09/2005 - 00:00
Congratulations on the offer and I hope you enjoy medicine, but you must have a serious amount of time on your hands with the amount of voluntary work you do!
a little pretentious maybe?
Sun, 18/09/2005 - 00:00
a little pretentious maybe?
It's quite kind of you to
Fri, 23/09/2005 - 00:00
It's quite kind of you to share your personal statement with those of us who also have aspirations to be doctors .
You're either a truly amazing
Thu, 29/09/2005 - 00:00
You're either a truly amazing person or a total loser. I can't quite work out which...
very avg...too much gibbrish
Sat, 08/07/2006 - 00:00
very avg...too much gibbrish ...its just way too many things in there...one loses interest after 2 paragraphs
WOW!!! ur statement is really
Sat, 29/07/2006 - 00:00
WOW!!! ur statement is really good, i mean EXCELLENT! I'm having problems with mine...it sound really rubbish i dont even think i'll get into uni.
also, its more than 4000
Mon, 02/10/2006 - 21:39
also, its more than 4000 characters....4530 to be exact
THANK YOU SO MUCH IT HELPED
Fri, 20/10/2006 - 12:45
THANK YOU SO MUCH IT HELPED ME START AND FINISH MY PERSONAL STATEMENT.
a truly excellent example of
Wed, 08/08/2007 - 14:48
a truly excellent example of a personal statement, irrespective of some of the above comments..i'm happy for you and congratulate not only your ability, but your show of compassion which is visible in your ps
omg is all i can say-in both
Thu, 23/08/2007 - 13:14
omg is all i can say-in both a good and bad way-Firstly i have to re-read every sentance bcus i cannot understand most of the words-where you working from a theasourus when u where writing ur P.S?!?!?! But its also, to be fair, a great P.S in a sence that you truely have done sooooo much for yourself both academically and socially-if u get meh :P
Excellent
Wed, 03/10/2007 - 05:31
Excellent
well done
Wed, 17/10/2007 - 13:27
i just wanted to say well done.......hope it goes well for you in the future.
A great Statement overall,
Tue, 30/10/2007 - 13:12
A great Statement overall, although at times it proved a difficult read as i felt you tried too hard to use intelligent words.
You seem to have had alot of work experience, which would have proved a major positive on your behalf.
Good luck in the future
this is very good. have u
Fri, 16/11/2007 - 13:52
this is very good. have u stolen bernards watch too???
Have you done the BMAT and
Sat, 28/06/2008 - 09:55
Have you done the BMAT and UKCAT?
How was it?
How do you register for BMAT?
wow - this is incredible
Sat, 16/08/2008 - 16:44
wow - this is incredible
I found it hard. there was a
Tue, 16/09/2008 - 12:06
I found it hard. there was a clear need to impress with big words which do not make sense in the context you are talking about. Other than that it is alright and good luck with your studies.
Seriously, this is ridiculous
Wed, 16/09/2009 - 14:11
Seriously, this is ridiculous. For those of you who are saying this is too hard to read should not ever become doctors. If you can't read this I don't know how you'll manage to read all the literature required at Med School. I can't imagine that the Admissions Tutors would be put off by someone who could ACTUALLY write. Aside from that, the content is excellent, so it doesn't even read as if the writer is just trying to be elaborate for the sake of it.
To the person who wrote this, I'm surprised you didn't apply to one of the top ten UK Med Schools. From the sound of this personal statement I think you might have gotten in! - but you had your reasons I'm sure.
what universities did you
Mon, 21/09/2009 - 17:02
what universities did you apply for?
Very useful, thanks a lot. It
Sun, 08/08/2010 - 16:01
Very useful, thanks a lot. It comes across that you're a very driven person with the ability to manage the workload involved in medicine, and touches on every relevant area.
I would say that the statement veers off a couple of times into listing qualities that a doctor should have, instead of showing how you have them, but you still make the point that you've made an effort to work those out for yourself.
That you went over the 4000 character limit imposed by UCAS meant that I had a hard time fitting in all of the aspects that you've quite rightly mentioned as well as my own experiences!
Again, thanks, but what with all the stuff you get up to, I hope you have a chance to relax at some point. ;)
LOL. This was probably one of
Thu, 28/06/2012 - 04:32
LOL. This was probably one of the best, if not the best, PS I read on this website. Like the guy who commented previously, I believe if you couldn't read English at this level, then you are set for a difficult career in medicine, especially on a international level. Try reading a primary research journal, or an excerpt from the MCAT exam, for a simple test of your abilities.
well written but isnt that
Thu, 23/08/2012 - 10:23
well written but isnt that too long? it's well over the 4000 character limit. how d'u manage this?
This is a brilliant personal
Wed, 26/09/2012 - 16:57
This is a brilliant personal statement! Thanks!
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