What Should a Medicine Personal Statement Include?​

Most applicants will have work experience prior to applying to Medicine; ideally this would incorporate experience in a hospital setting, at a General Practice and at a care home or including other volunteering opportunities in the community. Certain candidates may additionally have experience of attending conferences or health commissioning events, truly going beyond the norm and highlighting their exceptional interest in the medical profession. The reason why this section of the Personal Statement is so vital is that is shows that applicants are aware of the realities of the healthcare profession, and have showed commitment to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a doctor. However, it must be noted that applicants may not have work experience in all three of the aforementioned fields – hospital experience in particular can be difficult to arrange – or alternatively students may only have had experience for a short period of time. Therefore, what is extremely important in this section is to demonstrate what you have learnt from your work experience. Even if one had spent 1 week on an acute ward at a top London hospital, if the student had not engaged with the clinicians or actively made an effort to learn about the profession, they may not have actually benefited from the experience. Conversely, if a student had spent a couple of days at a care home, but was interacting with patients and learning about treating chronic conditions, they may have been able to practice the essential skills required for a doctor, such as communication and empathy, proving them to be a worthy candidate. Having work experience should not just be a ‘tick box’ for medical school – it should provide the opportunity to learn about the healthcare profession.