Personal Statement:Medicine 94

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

My interest in a medical career began when I was diagnosed with Diaphyseal Aclasia, and was able to observe from a patient's perspective how doctors used their comprehensive understanding of the human body to make a difference to my life, inspiring me to pursue a career in medicine. Studying Biology and Chemistry helped me to understand how complex our bodies and their intricate reactions are. Learning about the potential of stem cell research and gene therapy deepened my fascination for medicine due to its possible applications in healthcare. Furthermore, Tony Hopes' 'A Short Introduction To Medical Ethics' presented me with the moral dilemmas modern day Doctors face and how the healthcare industry is constantly evolving.

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

Studying Biology and Chemistry helped me to understand how complex our bodies and their intricate reactions are. Learning about the potential of stem cell research and gene therapy deepened my fascination for medicine due to its possible applications in healthcare. Furthermore, Tony Hopes' 'A Short Introduction To Medical Ethics' presented me with the moral dilemmas modern day Doctors face and how the healthcare industry is constantly evolving.

I currently work with a team of Radiographers and seeing all manner of injuries has made me aware of the extreme academic challenge that I will be embarking upon due to the complexity of the human body.

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

To understand what a medical career will entail, I volunteered at my local Day care centre for the elderly. Over a period of six months I worked with a team of nurses, talking to patients who required to be bathed and fed, this increased my awareness of how important the charity is within our society. Joining a nurse on a home visit and seeing how demoralised a patient was with his lack of mobility was a particularly difficult experience for me. However, observing the nurse use her sense of humour and inquisitive nature to reassure the gentlemen showed me the significance of interpersonal skills in the medical profession.

My experience shadowing a dentist and chiropodist allowed me to observe minor surgical procedures. I noted how, and why, both practitioners explained the reasons for intervention to their patients, making them more relaxed. This taught me that keeping a good professional relationship with your patients is a key part of a healthcare oriented career and can be a useful facet to any doctor. Furthermore learning how conditions such as diabetes can lead to periodontal disease enabled me to appreciate how intricate our bodies' equilibriums are, and the need for a doctor to communicate well with several specialties in the best interests of the patient.

Working in a pharmacy during my gap year, and having previously shadowed a medical sales representative, has helped me to gain an understanding of the lifetime commitment to professional development associated with a medical career. In addition to this, viewing consultations with patients who had given up smoking as well as those who had failed on numerous occasions taught me that sometimes it is the Doctor’s obligation to educate and offer patients advice, and down to the individual as to whether they follow it.

Having had the opportunity to talk to an elderly man suffering from oral mucositis due to his chemotherapy, has, furthermore, made me even more aware of the difficult decisions doctors must make when balancing the quality of life with regards to a patient’s health. I look to expand my experience by shadowing a consultant cardiologist in November 2011.

Outside of school I have completed 100 hours of voluntary work and attended two model United Nations conferences, developing my ability to deal with pressure. My hobbies include watching Documentaries and Films, and playing sport, notably cricket and football. These activities provide me with numerous ways of coping with stress.

I am confident my dedication, focus and persistent nature would overcome the challenges I will face at medical school. My gap year has provided me with the opportunity to expand my work experience, this, in turn has provided me with an effective and mature insight into both the limitations and benefits that a medical career entails. Being a patient and undergoing surgery has provided me with a firsthand experience as to the potential satisfaction a doctor can bestow and I hope that one day I can do the same for my patients.

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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