Personal Statement:Medicine 222

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Disease and its relation to human physiology are areas that fascinate me. Throughout school I have demonstrated a consistent interest in the sciences and a deep desire to help others. Ultimately I found the best way to encompass both of these aspects was medicine. Medicine offers me the ability to both challenge myself academically and hopefully manage to help others who are facing disease and injury.

Through work experience and shadowing I witnessed the journey of a junior doctor through their first year; I was able to reflect on the hard work and dedication required to succeed within this field. During this time I saw a registrar comfort a father whose son had been paralysed in a traumatic incident. This showed me the importance of the compassionate role of a doctor. It also helped me understand that however hard we try, not every life can be saved and not every patient can be made better.

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

As an active member of my college's medical society I have had the opportunity to hear first-hand from many doctors the difficulties they face in their job as well as the rewards. I have been able to discuss issues surrounding ethics and medical advances with my peers and have fully enjoyed expanding my knowledge around these areas. I have enjoyed reading inspiring and eye-opening books such as 'Bedside Stories' which have helped me to understand the workload and difficulties that face junior doctors from the direct perspective of someone in that role.

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

Talking to patients and providing tea and coffee throughout my nine months volunteering on A & E provided many opportunities to learn. In the varied and fast paced area that is A & E I gained the chance to talk to many different patients with a large variety of conditions. I witnessed the importance of establishing trust between a patient and doctor at this early stage and therefore the huge importance of effective communication. I have also enjoyed volunteering at a disability respite centre. Here I was able to gain an understanding of the specific care needs of people with disabilities whilst assisting residents with everyday tasks and talking to relatives during activities. Through my work as a healthcare assistant in my local hospital over the past few months I have had to communicate with people from many different backgrounds. While working on a stroke ward I learnt how to modify my language so that patients feel they can communicate easily with me. I have been able to carry out and discuss patients' observations with nurses and doctors which has shown me the importance of interaction between all members of the hospital team. I have also seen how a multi-disciplinary team working together in emergency situations on the ward is crucial to ensuring the best care possible.

I am an Explorer Scout, through which I have enhanced my leadership skills by taking charge of activities during camps. I have been swimming competitively for eight years which has helped me become a very driven and committed person. I have also found that swimming provides me with a much needed outlet during stressful times. I have been an active member of the Rotary charity group Interact for three years, having been president for two of those. The responsibility of this position and direct involvement with charities has developed both my communication and organisational skills.

Overall I feel my ability to both work in and lead a team, my determination and perseverance and my overall passion for medicine will help me not only to succeed as a medical student but also to succeed as a doctor.

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.

Need help with your personal statement? You can ask a question or get feedback from The Student Room community (and our trained personal statement experts) on the personal statement advice forum.