Personal Statement:Medicine 15

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

To be given the opportunity to study medicine would be a dream come true—the fulfilment of a life-long dream. The science of medicine fascinates and inspires me; reading StudentBMJ and NewScientist compels me into learning more. A central attraction of medicine is the chance to make a difference to another person's life, and to be able to offer informed support and understanding at a vulnerable time for a patient and their family. For many, illness is very scary, and access to a compassionate, committed, and caring doctor can make a significant difference to a potentially traumatic experience. I am an open-minded, approachable person and aspire to making vulnerable patients feel at ease; I have the social skills conducive to being an effective doctor, not just a scientist.

I intend to make medicine my life's work. I think medicine is the most fundamental of professions; without doctors, society would surely collapse given that one's health is a prerequisite to doing almost anything in life. I would be privileged to spend the rest of my working life practising medicine. I am acutely aware of the difficulties and challenges I am signing up for, but am confident that I will meet them with enthusiasm, gusto, and commitment.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

In part due to copious amounts of letter writing, I have been fortunate to have spent just over five weeks over the last three years doing work experience during school holidays.

For example, I spent a week observing consultations in various clinics of an Outpatient department. The doctors whose clinics I observed were exceptionally accommodating and happy to answer my many questions, which increased my interest and enjoyment of the week. Dermatology was a particularly appealing clinic; I was able to observe skin allergy testing which produced some conclusive results.

I also spent time observing a consultant cardiovascular surgeon on his ward rounds. At his suggestion, I spoke with a patient who had recently undergone a double above-knee amputation as a result of diabetes. She amazed me with her positive attitude towards her situation, and I was immensely grateful to her for giving me a small idea of what it must be like to face such a crisis. I learned a great deal from Mr. Mitchell's helpful PRHO, who gave me insight into the challenges faced when beginning the first job after graduation.

My time spent on a colorectal ward involved working with the nurses and healthcare assistants. This gave me the opportunity to talk to patients at length and see their progress over time. I was able to help give bed baths, take observations, change sheets, and learn the best way of putting on pressure stockings.

I was particularly lucky in gaining an insight into general practice, making comparisons between a Bristol inner city practice and a rural one on the Isles of Scilly, which I visited while on a family holiday. In any isolated practice, a huge influx of visitors during the summer causes a trebling of appointment requests which presents its own challenges.

I want to study a medical degree that will equip me both intellectually and emotionally for my career ahead. I believe I am well equipped with self-motivation and organisational skills to be successful at medical school because I have faced challenges brought by independent learning in sixth form and developed effective strategies to cope with self-directed study. In preparation for my application to medical school, I have completed a course of immunisation against Hepatitis B.

I love to be challenged about my ideas and opinions. I have relished the intellectual challenge offered by Chemistry and learnt how to develop arguments and clarity of expression in History. In particular, I have enjoyed exploring the history of medicine, which has enhanced my understanding of the ancient profession I would love to be a part of.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

I love being part of a team with a common aim; for instance, last summer I spent two weeks on an Outward Bound trek to the Isle of Skye. There was an intense sense of camaraderie within the group. The adventure taught me that it is possible to achieve anything with determination and support from other people—I am aware of my own limitations and the importance of being able to ask for help.

As part of the celebration of 50 years of Outward Bound, I met Prince Andrew to tell him of my experience of the organisation, and will appear on Radio Bristol to discuss the funding available, from which I benefited. These are great opportunities to use my communication skills effectively, which I developed through representing my school in debating competitions.

It is important to me to make a contribution to my community. On two occasions, I have run in Bristol's 3km Imperial Cancer Research Race for Life. Since my 17th birthday, I have donated blood every three months.

I spent six months last year volunteering every week at a St. Peter's Hospice Shop as part of my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award. I chose to volunteer for St. Peter's Hospice because my grandmother received palliative care there during the final months of her life. Since September, I have been volunteering at Bristol's Riding Centre for the Disabled, where I work with a severely autistic child every Monday evening; I love it because it lets me do something of benefit to someone else.

I intend to play an active role in University life. I have represented my school in hockey and debating competitions; I was leader of the orchestra for the Sixth Form musical in July, and have played in Bristol Schools' orchestras for the past nine years, involving a three-hour rehearsal every Saturday morning during term time. This is an important social activity because it brings together like-minded people on a regular basis to work towards a high-quality concert at the end of each term.

I was an elected school council representative in upper school, which I enjoyed immensely because I was able to be involved in the making of school policy (e.g., regarding school uniform, drugs issues, and bullying).

I regularly baby-sit for four families in my area; I really enjoy it because it gives me the chance to develop a relationship with both parents and children, with whom I get on really well. It also places me in a position of responsibility and requires a balance between entertaining the children and being concerned for their safety and wellbeing.

I have also worked at Next Plc over Christmas and New Year, where I dealt with a variety of people and enjoyed being friendly and helping people with problems.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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