nhs doctor personal statement

• HealthJobs Ltd
• 27 June 2018

How To Write A Personal Statement For Your Next Job In Healthcare

• Matt Farrah Nurses.co.uk Co-founder / Co-owner
• Save for later

An excellent personal statement is the key to success in every healthcare job application you make and in this article we look at the steps to follow in order to create the ideal one.

If you’ve written a personal statement before for a previous job application or university course application, you can use ideas and themes from that but you can’t simply use the same one again.

A personal statement must be tailored for each situation, and when you’re applying for healthcare jobs you need to tailor it according to the person specification and job description of the vacancy you’re interested in.

Start with a brainstorm of ideas

If you try to sit down and write your personal statement from scratch by starting with the first sentence, you could find your finished personal statement has no coherence and does not follow a logical order.

By brainstorming your ideas first you can prioritise the points you want to make and assemble all the evidence you want to mention that will back up the claims you’re going to make.

In order to avoid repetition in your personal statement, pick out a couple of points you want to make in your opening statement that really establish you as a serious contender for the job; for example, your qualification or current employment.

Then move on to the centre section where you should elaborate on the all the reasons why you are perfect for the job! Use the person specification and job description from the vacancy advert as a reference and try to check off the points you’re making with the requirements of the employer.

Your closing section should summarise the main points you want the employer to remember you for, especially your professional expertise if you applying for a doctor job , dentist job or any other senior healthcare professional job.

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Put words around your ideas

As you begin to put your ideas into sentences, be mindful of the length of your personal statement. It’s easy to write too much, but you are more likely to be successful if you are succinct and coherent.

It’s essential as you’re writing that you use a variety of examples from your experience to illustrate each point you’re making because you want to demonstrate the range of your experience.

It will also help to make your personal statement as memorable as possible because the employer will have a really good insight into your history and how your experience can make you ideal for their job vacancy.

Proof-read and edit your personal statement several times

When you think you have your personal statement completed go back and proof read it to spot any spelling errors, and to check that the information you have given is accurate.

Your personal statement forms part of your job application so you can be sure that when you apply you are required to confirm all information is correct to the best of your knowledge.

Whether you’re an experienced healthcare professional in a particular field, or you’re applying for your first healthcare assistant job , the personal statement is an essential part of the job application.

It’s your only opportunity to talk directly to the employer before they decide whether or not you are suitable for the job and therefore should be offered an interview.

Try to imagine the questions they will be asking themselves when reading your personal statement and provide clear, concise answers to as many of those questions as you can anticipate.

Once your personal statement has secured you an interview, you'll be wanting advice on how to smash your interview, right? Take a look at how to successfully prepare for interviews in healthcare to find out how to do just that.

Looking for a job in medicine or health care? Next Steps... Create an account. We will help you build a CV as part of that process. This will get you ready to start searching for jobs.

About the author.

I believe people working in healthcare should be able to choose to enjoy work. That is, choose an employer who reflects their values and provides them with a sustainable career. This leads to better patient care, higher retention rates and happier working lives in this most important employment sector.

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Successful UCAS Medicine Personal Statement Example & Analysis

An example of a successful medicine personal statement.

Below is an example of a strong medicine personal statement that the Medicine Answered team improved. This medicine personal statement rewarded the applicant with interviews at all four medical schools, helping them to secure four offers. We have kindly been granted permission to post it. A complete analysis follows, showing paragraph by paragraph precisely what makes this medicine personal statement strong and how the multiple weaknesses initially present were corrected. This will help you to do the same and write a powerful medicine personal statement. Note: this medicine personal statement is of an A-level candidate. It is still very relevant to graduates. However, later in this article, we advise specifically on writing a Graduate Entry Medicine personal statement and the critical differences all graduates must consider.

This medicine personal statement does an excellent job of using the limited characters available to illustrate what skills the candidate gained from their activities; rather than using most of the characters to explain what these activities are. However, this is done skilfully so that the reader still clearly knows enough from these brief descriptions to understand what the activities are. This use of succinct language frees up characters so that they can instead be used to discuss the meaning and insight that the candidate gained from these activities.

Failure to illustrate what a candidate has learned is a classic mistake in many medicine personal statements. This was a particular issue this candidate had in their initial Medicine personal statement. They had many different types of experiences to list and could not describe them succinctly, causing their Medicine personal statement to far exceed the character limit. By using a more succinct writing style and focusing on illustrating activities rather than describing them, this reviewed version corrected this common medicine personal statement weakness.

UCAS UK Medicine personal statement example which received four offers for interview

“I wish to study medicine as I have long held the ambition to pursue a career that would help others and contribute to the community. As a carer for my grandmother, who has severe arthritis, I have seen how much of a difference good healthcare can make to her life. Shadowing a GP and witnessing the reassurance and help given to patients reinforced this and strengthened my ambition to study medicine. A Medlink lecture on psychiatry sparked my interest, so in college, I co-founded and led a mentoring group called ____ mentoring. Using concepts from cognitive behavioural therapy, I mentored students with low self-esteem or who were having problems at college. I taught after-school lessons on topics such as dealing with failure, stress and goal setting. Selecting a team, delegating work and organising meetings strengthened my leadership skills, while working to strict deadlines improved my organisation. We presented our work to an NHS psychologist, who gave us valuable feedback. We are currently filming our programme to make it available online and in other colleges. I undertook a residential stay at a holiday home for disabled people, where I took guests on day trips and helped to feed and toilet them. Many guests were completely reliant on carers and could not communicate verbally. At times, they would become violent. At first, I found this intimidating, but during the two weeks I learnt how to deal with these situations. I also volunteered at a summer playscheme where several children had learning disabilities. Being responsible for groups of children increased my confidence in caring for others: I found dealing with quieter children and including them in group activities to be rewarding. To develop my understanding of the children I read several books about how learning disabilities affect peoples’ lives. Teamwork is vital in all aspects of medicine, which I find very appealing. I witnessed a live scoliosis surgery, during which I saw how the outcome depended on the skill and dedication not only of the surgeon but also of every other member of the team. At the GP, I learnt how the clerical staff and nurses were vital in the running of the practice. Medicine is a dynamic profession that will continue to undergo major advances in the next few decades. These developments will require a commitment to lifelong learning, and I find the prospect of this exciting. I have attended lectures on topics such as premature birth and pharmacogenetics. During a lecture on RNA Interference (RNAi), the lecturer stated RNAi could be the most important development in medicine since antibiotics. Intrigued by this claim, I completed a 2500-word essay on RNAi and its impact on medicine. It was a challenging topic, but I found that I enjoyed using post-A-level books and medical journals, which improved my research skills. Next year, I will be travelling through Asia and Europe. I have secured work at a Romanian orphanage and will start a placement at ______________ hospital this October. I have also applied for a 10-week development and teaching project in Africa. I am currently learning Thai Boxing and sign language and taking courses in self-development and memory improvement. I participate in basketball tournaments and play tennis. I play the violin to grade 3 and find music helps me to relax. I gained a 200-hour Millennium Volunteers award, a v50 award and I am currently completing a Gold DofE award. I am part of a focus group for a national volunteering organisation. We organise events and promote the benefits of voluntary work to individuals and organisations. My experiences have made me absolutely committed to becoming a doctor, and I believe that they have also prepared me to cope with the demands of studying medicine. I realise that the long hours and often stressful situations which doctors work in are daunting, but it is a challenge I am willing to meet because of the satisfaction that I find in making a difference to peoples’ lives.”

Analysis of this Medicine personal statement

The overall structure of this medicine personal statement..

The initial medical school personal statement lacked a smooth flow as it skipped from point to point without any clear connection between the points. This also made it very easy for the reader to miss certain points or to forget them after they finished reading the Medicine personal statement. Therefore in this reviewed version, we took different scattered points throughout the document and grouped them into themed paragraphs giving the medicine personal statement structure and flow, making it easier to follow and read more like a story.

Paragraph 1 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

Notice that this Medicine personal statement opening paragraph has one central theme: doctors can help people -> the author has seen this for himself -> this fuels his desire to study Medicine -> he has confirmed this through work experience.

What is done well in this edited opening paragraph, is an event is described, and this is followed up by explaining the reason why this makes the author want to study Medicine. The candidate says how he was a carer for his disabled grandmother, and he shadowed a GP. In the unedited version, this was all he wrote. These are just statements and don’t say why that would want to make him study Medicine. Plenty of people look after a disabled relative but do not want to be a doctor so why does the author? However, in the edited medicine personal statement, we added the reason why his grandmother and the GP work experience caused him to want to study Medicine. Of course, the space is so limited in a medicine personal statement that you cannot expand on points very much. A deliberate choice has to be made about which points should be developed and which should not.

Note that the reasons for studying Medicine and examples used in this opening paragraph are not original. There is no unique Medicine personal statement opening line. This is a relatively typical Medicine personal statement opening paragraph. However, that is completely fine. These are solid reasons for studying Medicine and are true for the candidate.

Paragraph 2 Of This Medical Personal Statement

The edited version of paragraph 2 does an excellent job of succinctly explaining an unknown project to the reader without becoming verbose or complicated. It demonstrates what skills the candidate has learned, and they are perfect for studying Medicine, so this is a great example to use. Very few characters are wasted on describing the contents of the lecture or attending Medlink as the other content in this paragraph is far more impressive and important to write. For this reason, it was edited in this way as the unedited version was verbose and wasted many characters on explaining things such as “I attended the Medlink residential course which had various lectures including ….etc.” These do not add anything to enhance the author’s accomplishments and are not needed for narrative purposes either. The assessor already knows what Medlink is.

Many candidates try to state in their Medicine personal statement that they possess the ability to deal with pressure and have good stress/time management skills etc. The edited personal statement makes it more obvious to the reader that the candidate has taught these skills to others. This implies to the reader that the candidate understands these concepts well enough to be able to teach them to others. This is far more effective than if the candidate merely claimed to have these skills. The original wording in the candidate’s initial medicine personal statement was sloppy, so the teaching element was less clear. This is corrected in the reviewed medical school personal statement.

Paragraph 3 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

These are two good examples of caring role work experience, and in the unedited version, the candidate gave some insightful thoughts on things he learned. However, it was mixed in with lots of unnecessary content which diluted the strength of the good points. In this edited version, this is a powerful paragraph because the writer omits the extra material. This causes the remaining text to be more powerful, and it now shows that the candidate has keen self-awareness and insight. He can extract solid learning points from his experiences.

Essentially the candidate is saying he was acutely aware of how he felt during the experiences. He knew that it was challenging to deal with people who had limited communication skills, who could become violent (he even used the word intimidating) and when he was responsible for groups of children. Despite this, he persisted with these experiences and learnt from them. This demonstrates that he is a self-reflective learner. The statement about doing further reading shows how he is an independent learner. He can identify his own learning needs and knows how to pursue them. Being a self-reflective and independent learner is essential for studying Medicine particularly in PBL courses. The candidate is showing he has these skills as well as a lot of maturity and self-awareness in this paragraph of his medicine personal statement.

Paragraph 4 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

You will notice that the things mentioned in this paragraph are very routine things to put into a Medical personal statement and are very passive in nature (i.e. the candidate is not actively doing anything, he is just watching a procedure, he is watching the GP staff). In the unedited version, it very much read like this, i.e. the candidate was a passive observer. In the edited paragraph, however, it becomes more active and unique. Look how once again the author describes an event and then explains a learning point or gives a reflection. Notice how only a few of the words in this paragraph describe what the candidate did. Most of the words describe what the candidate learned and his reflections on the experiences. This is far more powerful than just listing the steps of the operation or describing the activities of the admin staff.

Paragraph 5 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

This paragraph is themed around the author’s keen scientific curiosity and passion for learning. He describes attending lectures and doing activities which are clearly outside of his A-level curriculum. This paragraph is cleverly constructed to make use of the limited character count by not wasting words on how or where he attended these lectures or stating that they are in addition to his A-levels. It is self-evident that they are extracurricular and he does not need to waste words to spell this out. The topics discussed are things that the author needs to understand well as they can be brought up in the Medicine interview. We highlighted to the candidate suggested areas which may be raised at interview, which indeed did arise.

He once again demonstrates that he is a self-reflective and independent learner by talking about various lectures he attends, and how he explored one lecture further by writing an essay on the topic. Note that the author in paragraph two also states how a Medlink talk sparked his interest and he developed things further. This is an individual with curiosity and a desire to understand things further. He once again shows self-reflection when he says that it was challenging to use post-A-level books and medical journals, but he enjoyed the challenge and looks forward to the academic challenges of the ever-evolving field of Medicine.

Paragraph 6 + 7 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

Note that with the correct reflective style it is possible to show the benefits of almost any hobby . For example, if we look at another medicine personal statement we reviewed, the candidate initially stated that playing doubles badminton enhanced their teamwork skills and gave a few basic reflections. This is not bad, but more could be extracted from this hobby. In the reviewed version this was discussed in greater depth and placed as part of an entire paragraph where the theme was teamwork – both in medicine and how the candidate also works to enhance their teamwork skills. See how it was possible to extract much more from this hobby: First we discussed teamwork in medicine and how then how the candidate also seeks to improve their teamwork skills followed by “working as a pair necessitates an awareness of each other’s strengths & weaknesses. We must then work to merge these in a way that potentiates our combined strengths & mitigates our weaknesses. We must consider how our opponents’ factor into this. The fast-pace of badminton requires the ability to make rapid decisions under pressure while still working towards an overall game plan.” This is far better than what the candidate originally said in their medical school personal statement about badminton being good for teamwork and thinking fast.

Making the most of the candidates work experience

How can Medicine Answered help you with your medicine personal statement?

Our Premium Medicine Personal Statement Review Service

This is a highly specialised service. Your medicine personal statement will be reviewed by both a professional editor with specific expertise in medical admissions to ensure the writing style is flawless; and also a qualified doctor who received all four offers to study Medicine to ensure all the content is excellent. This is our minimum standard. We do not use medical students or non-professional editors.

360 Application Review

This includes a full Medicine personal statement review as detailed. Additionally, a doctor will look at your academic grades, UKCAT scores (comparing them with the current 2018 results for this cycle) and work experience. In the context of your whole application , they will also suggest topics which may be discussed at your interview. They will provide a plan for what to do next to move forward and prepare for the rest of your Medicine application. They will give tailored feedback on these elements and based on this provide further suggestions on making strategically sound medical school choices in a way that maximises your individual strengths and minimises your weaknesses.

For more information about both services, visit the Medical Personal Statement Review page, or contact a member of our team.

Our free guides to helping you write an excellent medicine personal statement

Medicine Answered offer the following entirely free guides which will help you to write a superb Medicine personal statement:

How to write a medical school personal statement in 10 steps – this will help to take you from step 1, with no ideas and nothing written down; to step 10, a completed medical school personal statement.

How to write a Graduate Entry Medical School Personal Statement – this discusses how graduates should write their medicine personal statement whether they are applying to Standard Entry Medicine or Graduate Entry Medicine courses.

Further Related Questions 2023

What are the Manchester Medical School “non-academic information form” or the Keele Medical School “roles and responsibilities form”?

Manchester Medical School asks all candidates to also complete a non-academic information form after submitting their UCAS application. The other medical schools do not see this form as it is sent directly to Manchester. This form is very similar to a medical school personal statement but is under a format that the medical school controls. It contains headings which are the same types of topic that you would discuss in a medicine personal statement. The headings are “Experience in a caring role” “Hobbies and interests” “Teamwork” and “Motivation for Medicine”. Keele Medical School has a similar form called the roles and responsibilities form. Again it is sent directly to Keele Medical School. Both these forms should be treated as a separate piece of work from the medicine personal statement even though there is large overlap.

What is the UCAS word limit for medical school personal statements?

A medicine personal statement must meet the following two criteria:

1. Be less than 4000 characters (the counter UCAS use to determine the character count is slightly different from the word counter on most word processors, e.g. Microsoft Word. This is because the UCAS system counts punctuation, spaces, tabs and paragraph lines).

2. Be no longer than 47 lines on the UCAS system (again this is different to what 47 lines on a word processor would look like).

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How to write a personal statement for medicine

Show you have the attributes to make a fine doctor – and go easy on the personal tragedy, tutors say Read more: applying for medicine? Get ready for the new-style interview

"S hock tactics don't work in personal statements," Dr Kevin Murphy, admissions tutor for medicine at Imperial College London, says. "Sometimes candidates describe a scene from their work experience where someone gets their leg sawn off in the jungle – or something similar. But that's not the most effective way to start."

Some medical schools take personal statements more seriously than others – while Cardiff, Leeds and Keele formally assess non-academic aspects of a student's application, other universities, including Oxford and Imperial, use them more informally to get an impression of a candidate's suitability.

They all agree, though, that a personal statement gives students a chance to relay what they've learned from work experience and demonstrate that they have the non-academic skills required for medicine.

"Becoming a doctor is hard work," says Helen Diffenthal, assistant principal of Farnborough sixth-form college in Hampshire. "So use a personal statement to demonstrate your commitment, and that you won't give up when the going gets tough."

One way to show tutors that you are committed is through your work experience. Use it to prove that you have a realistic view of the profession.

Admissions tutors warn against naming places where you have worked, without any reflection on your time there. "Too often we get applications that look like a shopping list," says Paul Teulon, director of admissions at Kings College London. "We'd like to hear about a patient a student has come into contact with, or an experience they've had. It's just as valuable to have spent time with a hospital porter, as it is to have followed around the lead clinician."

Think also about the things you've done outside of school and how they demonstrate your skills. Teulon says: "A student might be involved with scouting or guiding, in a church group, or have done the Duke of Edinburgh ."

Don't be afraid to include more unusual activities, as these can stand out. "If you were in a rock band, you could explain that you formed, led and developed it," Mike Jennings, senior lecturer at Sheffield Medical School, says. "Students might think a medical school won't be interested in that, but it shows staying power, teamwork and leadership."

Medical schools give varying advice on how to structure a personal statement, and about what skills they want applicants to demonstrate. This can make it difficult for students who want to impress a range of schools with one application.

"It can be a minefield for an applicant to work out whether they meet the criteria for different medical schools," admits Dr Austen Spruce, who is in charge of admissions for medicine at Birmingham University. "I advise students to write their personal statement to the highest threshold set by any of the universities, and then it will meet the criteria for all of them."

If you're applying to more than one school, check to see if they ask for different skills. "There's a certain amount of game-playing involved," Mike Jennings explains. "Applicants can phrase something in a certain way to meet more than one school's requirements."

When you've figured out what to include, it can be difficult to know how to begin your personal statement. Some teachers advise pupils to start with the second paragraph, get the statement written, and then pull out an interesting sentence or quote to use as an introduction.

"We tell them to write the first paragraph last," explains Diffenthal. "The first paragraph is often the weakest, so start with the second – a sentence about your experience might stand out and you can reorganise it afterwards."

What introductions should students avoid? "The weakest personal statements begin with 'I want to do medicine because my grandfather had a disease'," says Kim Piper, from the school of medicine at Queen Mary University. "I'd be nervous about someone who wanted to go into medicine for personal reasons, because they could be a nurse rather than a doctor."

While a well-written and coherent application is a must, students should be careful not to use overly complicated language. "Don't write your personal statement and then use a thesaurus to make it sound more grandiose," Paul Teulon says. "You're not using the language you would normally use, and that comes across."

The difficulty is in trying to tell everyone how fantastic you are, without being boastful, says Murphy. "It's a hard line to toe. I warn people against making grand pronouncements that they know they'll make a great doctor."

Ask for help if you need it, but avoid asking too many teachers or family members to go over your personal statement. "We want to hear the voice of a young person," says Teulon, "not a 55-year-old parent. I don't mind if they say they want to change the world because, frankly, if you can't say that at 18, I don't know when you can."

So be honest. Explain how you came to love medicine, and why you will be able to cope with a course that is tough, demanding and competitive. "The goal should be to receive one offer," says Paul Teulon. "Any more than that is a bonus."

And once you've sent it in, keep a copy of your personal statement and be prepared to back up everything you've written, because some medical schools will use it as a prop for an interview.

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How to wite your CV

How to write your CV

Doctors Direct has years of practice in recruiting the best candidates and as a result has a wealth of knowledge to pass on when it comes to writing a CV that will get you noticed, for all the right reasons.

Knowing what to include in your CV and in what order can be quite daunting. This guide aims to help you on your way to creating a CV that provides succinct and impactful information, that best represents you and your achievements.

Getting started

TIP: Use a confident tone and positive language when writing your CV.

Your CV should be no more than 1 -2 pages long and only communicate the information you feel is most relevant or important to the role for which you are applying. Keeping your CV short and sharp will help to hold the attention of the reader.

At the top of your CV you need to provide your full name, home address, email address and telephone number.

Most people then like to add a short bio, or ‘personal statement’ summing up your current personal situation, and your career aspirations. This should only be a few sentences long but should highlight your skillset enough that the reader wants to know more about you.

TIP: Look at the key information that the role rquires and tailor your personal statement to highlight the skills you have that match what they are looking for.

Your Experience

Next you need to add your work experience [1] in reverse-chronological (most recent at the top). You will want to confirm where the experience took place (organisation and location) and the duration.

TIP: Update your CV regularly. Sending an old CV will look unprofessional, so make sure that yours is up to date to meet the requirements of any roles you see advertised.

It can be helpful to differentiate between paid and voluntary work. The areas of expertise and skills you used during this time need to be included along with any projects you worked on. It can be easy to overcomplicate your CV with too much detail on the role, as often this will have been copied from a job description. In your CV you want to get across transferable skills and personal strengths that will be of interest. CV’s should detail specific skills, systems and processes you have used.

Your Education

Again, this is ideally displayed in reverse-chronological order. This section often takes up valuable space on your CV but try to include the most relevant information here. You will want to add the dates you were studying, the establishment name, location, course and grades achieved.

Gaps in your CV

If you have had any time during study or employment it is useful to explain this on your CV.

For example

‘X date to X date – travelling round South America’

‘X date to X date – volunteering with “Charity name” providing basic infection control information to young families in remote villages in Africa.

Closing your CV

At the end of your CV it’s good to add any additional information that is relevant to your application but does not necessarily fit in to any of the other sections.

It may be that you have some interests, hobbies, experience or short courses that you want to share, here would be the best place for them.

TIP: Ask someone to look through your CV to check for any mistakes you may have overlooked.

Your can download our CV writing guide by clicking the button below

https://nhspbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/How_To_Write_Your_CV.pdf

Navigating UK Medical School Applications | Part 3 | The Personal Statement

It’s a crucial aspect of the application process, but the medicine personal statement is often tricky to get right. Being asked to neatly condense the reasoning behind your medical application and convince the admissions officers of your suitability is no easy feat. But just remember that the personal statement is well within your control. Unlike your exam results which are at the mercy of a test paper! It’s a reasonable request for a university to make in order to further differentiate their applicants, and it’s your chance to shine!

The key to an outstanding personal statement is in the word ‘personal’. You have to sound like you and no-one else. Avoid clichéd phrases (even though the feeling might be genuine) as they come across as formulaic and look like you haven’t tried hard enough to think for yourself. Try your best to cut down on vague, filler-type sentences and keep the statement personal to your own journey and medical aspirations! This will keep your reader more engaged and make your application more memorable.

1) Work Experience/shadowing

You should have made at least one visit with a healthcare professional in a clinical setting. In your statement reflect on what you experienced and how it supports your suitability for Medicine. Try and be as specific as you can. It’s important to remember that admissions officers are not looking for the applicant with the most amazing, hands-on work experience, but rather one who has learned something. A thoughtful reflection on how a simple conversation with a nurse furthered your resolution to study medicine would be more impressive than an applicant who observed an 8-hour long heart surgery, and took nothing away from it.

For example, you could comment on the comradery of the junior doctors and nurses, how they support each other during hectic days on the ward. You could then mention how you’ve developed similar qualities, such as empathy and teamwork, in your own life. You could also reflect upon how you would respond to a situation differently in the future – reflection in this context is vital as a doctor. Or you might like to remark on a larger issue which you observed (such as lack of beds) showing your awareness of the strains on the NHS, or the corresponding healthcare provider in your country. However, it’s worth mentioning that regardless of where you’re from, as an applicant to the UK you are expected to be familiar with the history, structure and principles of the NHS.

2) Showing inquiry and interest outside of the syllabus (wider reading)

3) Volunteering/Community Awareness

As a doctor working in the NHS, you will be expected to have a respectful and supportive attitude towards the vulnerable. A great way to show evidence of this is through working with disadvantaged/disabled children and adults. Whether it’s volunteering at a care home or working with the local community, showing a genuine desire to support those around you is essential. Time with elderly patients (or very sick patients in a hospice) might not have the immediate appeal of playing with younger kids, but in today’s NHS, empathy for those nearing the end of life is highly-rated.

4) Extra-curricular Activities (and how they link to skills required in medicine)

The last (and smallest) section of your personal statement should show your reader that you have other interests outside of medicine. This is important. As a future doctor you’re going to need an outlet outside of the hospital to help you de-stress. This could be a sport you enjoy playing, a club you lead at school, a choir – the list is endless! If you can, try and link an activity with a trait useful to a doctor. For example, if you’re an avid chess player, you could talk about the problem-solving and pattern-recognition skills that you’ve developed.

5) Writing Tone

Aside from maintaining a reflective outlook throughout your medicine personal statement, using command terms and keeping your tone active is a great way to come across as driven. Try to avoid overly lengthy, tricky sentences. Although you might think they make you sound smart, they actually weaken your statement. Using complicated language makes it difficult for your reader to follow, detracting from what you’re actually trying to say. Having said this, make sure to maintain a formal quality and avoid colloquial phrases.

Universities have different preferences for the type of personal statement they receive. Some prefer academic/scientific content (Oxbridge) whereas others prefer more emphasis on clinical exposure, showing how committed you are to the practicalities of a career in medicine. Make sure to check what your university is looking for on their admissions website. Some universities even provide a list.

Finally, don’t be afraid to do lots of re-drafting! Whether it’s your parents, a friend or a teacher, asking for opinions and continuous tweaking of your statement is necessary. It took me at least 10 drafts before I settled on my final copy!

To summarise, here are my 6 top tips for medicine personal statement writing:

1) Clearly state your motivation for pursuing medicine.

2) Always reflect upon work experience/volunteering/wider reading etc.

3) Compare qualities that you’ve developed with those of a successful doctor.

4) Keep your writing formal, short and relevant (using action words) and avoid overly elaborate language.

5) Do your best to steer clear from clichés.

6) Redraft, redraft, redraft!

That’s all for today, but check out our next blog for more information about applying for Medicine in the UK. Next week I’ll be talking about smashing the interviews for med school! Do remember that if you’re looking for support throughout the university application process, whether that be personal statement help or interview guidance, our tutors can provide tailored advice. Click here for more information!

Today’s blog post was written by Erin Lynch, one of our tutors who scored 45 points in her IB Diploma. Erin is a prospective medical student at Cambridge University, but she also received offers from Exeter, Edinburgh and UEA. 

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Medicine Personal Statement Examples – Nottingham (Aymen)

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Welcome to our collection of Medicine Personal Statement Examples! We’ve searched far and wide to find personal statements from successful applicants all around the UK and asked them to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their work for your own inspiration. Today’s subject is from Aymed, who studies Medicine at the University of Nottingham.

Ayen applied to study medicine in 2020 at four high-quality medical schools in the UK, including Leicester and Birmingham . She received offers from 3/4 of her choices and decided to study at Nottingham .

Let’s read the personal statement that got her a place at Nottingham, or skip straight to her feedback to learn what made her personal statement a success!

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

University of Nottingham Medicine Personal Statement Example

Whole personal statement.

Every breath was a fight for life. Witnessing my grandfather’s battle with lung cancer ignited my desire to study medicine. It made me question the fragility of human life and appreciate how doctors can combine their clinical and non-clinical skills to make such a positive difference to an individual’s wellbeing and quality of life, providing comfort at such a distressing time.

A career in medicine would offer me the opportunity of pursuing my passion for human sciences, physiology, and anatomy whilst learning new clinical skills with the aim to improve the lives of others.

To gain further insight into what a career in medicine entails, I arranged hospital work experience placement where I observed a number of different specialist medical practitioners working alongside each other. An especially insightful consultation was when the dermatologist I was shadowing was faced with an upset and frustrated patient during a busy outpatient clinic.

I witnessed the professional manner in which the clinician dealt with the situation, allowing the patient to express herself whilst keeping calm. This highlighted the challenging nature of the profession and the importance of good communication skills. In addition, I spent time with a pediatrician caring for children with learning disabilities. I was inspired by the outstanding level of patient-centered care I observed delivered by a multidisciplinary team including nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, my placement at a GP’s surgery was cancelled and so to enhance my understanding I have undertaken an “Observe GP” online experience and completed ‘The NHS explained’ course. This gave me an insight into primary healthcare and highlighted the important role general practitioners play as gatekeepers in the NHS. What was apparent is that the nature and extent of the challenges faced by the NHS, particularly during the current Covid-19 pandemic, are extensive. During these testing times I have witnessed not only the impact Covid-19 can have on the physical health of patients and medical professionals but also the wider psychosocial impact it has had on society. As a result, I initiated and managed a team to create an online activity book to support local children and their families during lockdown.

I have also completed further research within my school with a view to setting up additional support for students that have struggled with issues such as insomnia and anxiety. Another aspect of a career in medicine that I find fascinating is the frequent advances in medical science. I have furthered my interest by regularly reading BBC Health and undertaking independent research on the subject of virtual reality in medicine which I presented to the school medical club. I was enthralled to find out how many disciplines can make use of this technology and the extent to which it can transform teaching, treatment and rehabilitation in so many areas from Parkinson’s disease to surgery.

In addition to my studies, I have also been involved in various roles and extracurricular activities ranging from peer mentoring and MUN, debating and Deputy Head Girl. These experiences have allowed me to further develop my communication, team building, and leadership skills. As a result, I received the Headmaster’s Award for academic excellence and outstanding contribution to the school last year.

I appreciate the necessary balance required between academia and leisure. To relax I enjoy writing and Thai boxing which I intend to continue in the future.

I feel these experiences have provided me with a range of skills and an excellent foundation to cope with the challenges of studying medicine. The dynamic nature of the career excites me, yet I remain aware of the demanding lifestyle and uncertainties doctors face. I strongly believe it is the right career for me, offering me the opportunity to contribute to the community and make a difference.

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University of Nottingham Medicine Personal Statement Example Analysis

Now, let’s go section by section and see what Aymen has to say about what she wrote:  

INTRODUCTION

Every breath was a fight for life. Witnessing my grandfather’s battle with lung cancer ignited my desire to study medicine. It made me question the fragility of human life and appreciate how doctors can combine their clinical and non-clinical skills to make such a positive difference to an individual’s wellbeing and quality of life, providing comfort at such a distressing time.  

Introduction

I think that what works well in this opening is that I’ve drawn on a personal experience I’ve had and how it affected my perception of the medical field, which really shows from the start that my desire to peruse medicine stems from more than just a passing fancy but from true moments in my life. I don’t get too lost in the details of the situation but provide just enough information to understand and see how it affected my idea of becoming a doctor from a young age. The sentences are also written in a creative way, almost like a novel, making the statements more powerful.  

When writing an opening, it’s quite difficult to fit in all you want. I think I could have alluded more to specific things the doctor did for my grandfather and maybe drawn more on how exactly they provided comfort. It’s a very poetic introduction, but it doesn’t say very much considering the number of words used. Everything said here could have been said much more bluntly in a couple of sentences, which would allow for more space to elaborate on topics later in the statement.

In these first two paragraphs, I discuss my main work experience at a hospital. I think when writing about work experience it was good that I had written about how I arranged it myself , as this shows how I took initiative in the situation to sort it out myself. The two examples given have details about the situation but focus mostly on my own reflection and learning from the experience. This is the key element here of any personal statement as universities need to see that you have actually learnt lessons from these experiences that can be transferred into your studies. I’ve also discussed how I shadowed different specialities and witnessed a wide range of the medical field, which is always a good thing to highlight. The more unique experiences you have learned from the better, as it provides you with new outlooks on medicine which will help you in your studies.  

As it is, this section does lack a little bit of depth when it comes to discussing how these experiences affected me. I perhaps could have given slightly more context to the situations discussed. For example, I could have discussed why the patient was upset, as this would have allowed me to further discuss what I had learnt from the experience. On the opposite end of this though, it may also have been better to have cut this section down in order to save space. Since I did not speak too much about my own outcome of the event, it feels a bit too much like an anecdote without much meaning. It’s an interesting story, but it doesn’t really say much about me as an applicant. So really, this should have either been expanded upon or cut short to allow other areas more discussion.  

This paragraph is very strong in my opinion, considering the time of my application. Firstly, my ability to recover from my work experience being cancelled again shows initiative and determination. I did not give up when this happen and instead attempted to the changing landscape of medicine and found a different form of work experience. No matter what this placement was, this was a very important thing to highlight, as using COVID as an excuse for lacking experiences wasn’t going to work for me.  

With that being said, the placements I ended up getting were actually a very good replacement. Given the circumstances, my work experience in a primary setting was hugely beneficial to my application, whether or not it was online. And beyond this, I do actually effectively explain why this experience was so valuable and how it’s made me a better candidate. I’ve also written about what I’ve learnt about the healthcare system and my appreciation for the NHS, showing I have a deeper understanding of the system. I’ve also linked what I’ve learnt to what it made me feel and then what I did to help combat the psychological impact of Covid.

Perhaps I could have given a little more detail on the role of the GP and maybe delve a little bit into the positives of the NHS such as how it is free at the point of use and the structure of having primary and secondary care available. On the one hand, it would further show how much I learnt during these experiences but on the other hand, it could be seen as wasting space on listing facts that the reader already knows. It’s difficult to find the balance between adding context and padding your statement, as it really depends on how the writing is being framed. Typically though, it would be best to focus on the skills you learnt and the things you discovered about yourself rather than stating specific knowledge or facts.  

This paragraph focuses on my own research and highlights my continued interest in the scientific aspect of medicine. All of this serves to show off more about myself and my desire to learn more which is a good change of pace after focusing more on my work experiences in the last few paragraphs. I feel that this paragraph is much more personal and does a better job of demonstrating my interests, motivations and abilities. All of this research was done out of my own interest in the subject, which is exactly the kind of thing that universities are expecting of medical students. It’s not just about doing the work you’re required to do but also going that extra mile to do something you have a genuine passion for.  

While the paragraph manages to demonstrate how I went about a project from my own initiative, I think more could be included about the type of research that was conducted or maybe even the findings. Not only would this help show evidence of research, but it would help further specify the types of skills I excel in terms of research, as there are a lot of ways that the process could be complete meaning a lot of applicable skill sets. Plus, showing just how broad my research was would have made it seem more impressive, as I may have undersold it somewhat here. If you’ve done something that you know shows strength in your application, there’s no point in being too modest about it. Be honest and reflective about it, but ensure you let the reader know how much work it took.  

I appreciate the necessary balance required between academia and leisure. To relax I enjoy writing and Thai boxing which I intend to continue in the future.  

This paragraph highlights the hobbies and extracurricular activities I had undertaken at that point. I think this part is very balanced in showing different things I’ve done, showing that I’m a well-rounded person. It also includes what I learnt from these roles and hobbies and how they help me develop as a person and a medical applicant. This is always a good thing to discuss toward the end of your personal statement as it is always going to feel a bit more casual than the previous discussion points. This section is about how you unwind from work, but it also helps the reader unwind a bit before the conclusion.  

I think that while this paragraph is a good length, I should have delved deeper into what the activities have taught me and how they’ve helped me develop. My discussion here does not relate to medicine at all, and only briefly mentions a few generic skills that I have improved upon with these activities. At the end of the day, it does show that I’m a well-rounded person and that I’ve achieved a lot outside of medicine, but it doesn’t do much more than that. This could have easily been improved by being a bit more reflective here and discussing how exactly these things make me a better medicine applicant. This is also a bit of a nitpick, but I shouldn’t have separated that last sentence into its own paragraph as this just feels very out of place.  

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I think this works well as it forms a balanced ending. It links back to my initial desire to pursue medicine and ties everything together nicely and succinctly. It also works well in how I show my understanding of the challenges that doctors face and that it doesn’t deter me from pursuing the career. These are all essential qualities for a medical student so emphasising this is important in your personal statement.

Overall, this conclusion functions very well, and there isn’t too much I would change about it. It could have been a bit shorter, but I don’t feel it’s too overstuffed with content. The length mainly comes from the more descriptive language I used, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If I were struggling to fit the statement into the word limit then I could have had to have changed how I wrote this, but it wasn’t an issue so I was able to be more expressive like I was in the introduction.

Final Thoughts

One of the main positives I would say about this personal statement is consistency. I think the strong points are shown throughout the whole thing, with reflective links to each experience being implemented well and the key qualities of a doctor such as empathy and responsibility being discussed knowledgeably. By showing that I really do comprehend the aspects of this career well, I created a sense of trust and authority with the reader that demonstrates that I am a good applicant. Furthermore, the paragraphs link well to each other and the reader can follow along without anything feeling too abrupt or out of place. The reading experience is just as important as the content you present, so it’s always important to structure your statement properly.

I think that the biggest area to improve would be the fact that some more specific and explicit details could be added in various areas of the statement. This mainly comes down to the assessment of myself and my skills in relation to my experiences. I do an overall good job of describing situations and explaining the many skills I saw at play, but I do not say enough about how these experiences truly impacted me and how they helped me develop my own skills beyond understanding their importance. This is, of course, a pretty important thing to take away from these experiences, but it’s also important to demonstrate how you would potentially implement these skills into your own studies and into your career. This statement is about you, not the things you did or saw, so everything needs to link back to why they make you a great medicine student.

So there you have it! This personal statement helped Aymen get 3/4 offers in her application, which put her in a very desirable position as a university applicant.

Everyone has different experiences and abilities, so you may not be able to relate to everything that was said in this personal statement. However, the information and advice provided by Aymen is universal and will help any applicant write a better personal statement!  

Be sure to check out more Medicine Personal Statement Analyses to see advice from all different kinds of applicants, including Ali Abdaal himself! Or if you want to get started on your own statement, check out 6med’s Personal Statement Bundle for all the support and resources you’ll ever need! If you want full support on every part of your application and a guaranteed place at med school, the Complete Bundle will be perfect for you.  

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Using the supporting information section to your best advantage

This section is critical to complete well. It’s your chance to really sell yourself as a suitable applicant and get that invitation to interview.

As an external applicant you have up to 1500 words for this section to persuade and influence the recruiting manager that you could do the job and that you deserve an interview.

So how do you do this?

By tailoring your application i.e., by matching your skills, knowledge, and experience to the job requirements. You need to connect your current and past work experience to the requirements of the role you are applying for. This means you can’t just cut and paste any old thing. You need to make it specific to the job in question.

In the Employment History section of your application, you will have listed your previous jobs and the main duties and responsibilities of each. This will have given you some ability to link your skill set with the job in question, by one job at a time. However, the Supporting Information section of your application is where you can sell yourself and really stand out from the crowd.

You have the freedom to organise this section how you want, so you can do this by grouping your skills and work experience into broader themes and strengths that match the job you are applying for.

Using bullet points and subheadings is good. Long paragraphs and essays are not so good. Make it as easy as possible for the recruiters to find the information you need and want them to see.

The critical thing to do here is to pay close attention to the requirements of the role you are applying for and give good examples of your achievements for each. Remember that now with NHS Jobs the shortlisting criteria are included with the advert. Recruiters will be scoring your application against these. So, make sure you cover these.

What makes a good example?

This will be covered in more detail in section 2 on Having a Successful Interview. A helpful framework to use here is the STAR example.

What is a STAR example?

STAR stands for:

• S ituation or T ask – what was the context and what were you being asked to do
• A ction – what you did to achieve this
• R esult – what was the outcome or result, e.g., money or time saved, better customer service, patient care, staff morale etc

In a good STAR example, you address all three elements concisely by writing about your previous experience.

For example:

“At Acme Ltd, as Trainee Accountant, I was asked by my manager, towards year end, to make savings from the budget. This was crucial to the business as we were overspending. I set up a team involving key people from across the business, such as department heads. I asked people to share their ideas and we then prioritised the best ones. For example, I decided to change our electricity supplier to a lower tariff and reduced our stock levels by 10% which improved our working capital. Overall, I achieved £20k in savings, almost 3% of the budget, and we hit the year-end target. My manager was really pleased, and I got a letter of recognition from the Managing Director.”

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PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE Medicine Personal Statement

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Medicine Personal Statement

The combination of the sciences, the latest technologies and social interaction makes medicine such an appealing subject area to me. I am inspired to develop, improve and use my skills in science to overcome the challenges and complexities associated with a medical career, and in doing so, potentially enhance the lives of those in need.

My interest in a career in medicine has been reinforced by my volunteering and work experience. I arranged a month’s placement shadowing a GP, observing consultations and speaking with members of the healthcare team about their roles in patient care. I was impressed at how the GP calmly reassured his patients, quickly determining the best course of action to take and explaining it to the patient. I encountered a broad spectrum of medical problems, from mental health issues to minor surgery. For a patient with carpal tunnel syndrome, I was taught the nerve testing procedure, which I successfully applied later that week on a patient presenting similar symptoms. Then on a home visit to a man with severe Parkinson’s disease, I realised how the doctor used his time, not only to help the patient, but to explore the concerns and fears of the family. As a volunteer at a local care home, I am a compassionate and supportive person for the residents to turn to when in need. Building on the communicative skills picked up from my GP placement, I have learnt to listen to and understand elderly patients’ views on their treatment and medication and how they affect their lives. I also realise the importance of a resident’s dignity, a patient approach and good palliative care. I will soon be undertaking a hospital placement to experience more acute healthcare. I am currently producing a research project on falls among the elderly. Using data collected from my GP placement, I will assess the risk factors associated and suggest possible precautions to reduce the risk. This will be a valuable activity as today’s ageing population poses many problems to the NHS, injuries from falls being a significant burden, especially in orthopaedics.

I enjoy reading around the subject of medicine . Goldacre’s ‘Bad Science’ revealed the importance of evidence-based medicine in ensuring a patient receives the optimum treatment. Then from Sacks’ ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat’, I learnt a lot of medical terminology and an anecdote on Korsakoff’s syndrome led me to research the disorder further. I was able to see the link between alcoholism and the thiamine deficiency which is the primary cause of the anterograde amnesia that the condition presents due to mammillary body atrophy, and found it interesting that similar atrophy is present in many dementia sufferers. I keep up to date with what is new and developing in medical circles by reading The BMJ and its online research papers. With skills from ‘Bad Science’ I can spot flaws in research and I am aware of some of the strategies that drug companies can use to hide unflattering results.

I play football and have made over 100 appearances for my local youth team, winning the league 3 times, demonstrating my team-working ability. This year, my dad and I refurbished a Merlin Rocket  dinghy to sailing-standard, which we sail on the local Norfolk Broads. I maintain a good balance of my time to include my part-time job, volunteering, social life and academic commitments. This time management shows my determination to succeed and that I can learn to handle the time pressures associated with a medical career.

As my parents have healthcare backgrounds, I have a realistic grasp of what day-to-day medicine involves, having quizzed them with endless questions regarding a medical career: from their personal medical ethics to the current problems facing the NHS, such as the overuse of antidepressants and antibiotics. My academic record, direct experience and extracurricular reading demonstrate that I am self-motivated, keen and ready for a career in medicine.

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This is a question I asked myself when I wrote my nursing personal statement: ‘What do they want from me? What do they really want to hear?’.

You can write as much or little as possible on a personal statement (within the given word count), but what you write has to count - I’d say it was more about quality over quantity with this one.

But hopefully, I can give you some good quality information to help you write the perfect statement to bag you that interview and hopefully, the job!

Firstly, every statement should be unique to the role you’re applying for; so, remember to change it for every time you apply for a new job.

Secondly, always look at the Trust’s values, person specification and any other information they have uploaded for you; this is going to tell you what they are expecting from you to guide you to write your statement.

You will need to follow their essential and desirable criteria and give examples of how you have achieved these.

Upload or create your CV on Nurses.co.uk. Our CV building tool is designed specifically for UK healthcare. Use it to apply for jobs and get hired.

Now, what do most Trusts look for?

From my experience they want you to be the 6 Cs of Nursing; Care, Compassion, Commitment, Courage, Competence, Communication.

So, you have to demonstrate this within your statement along with some nice key themes such as; being empathetic, maintain dignity, being patient centred and showing trust - Trust values are normally built on these.

Furthermore, Trusts will want to provide the best care possible to patients and they want to see how you meet this through your statement and then in your interview.

Is at the heart of nursing and the care you provide should help to improve an individual’s health and wellbeing.

They might also want to see that you genuinely care about other people and helping out.

This is how care is given which is based on empathy, dignity and respect.

This refers to the commitment to paitients and their individual care and overall experience.

This helps you to do the right thing at the right time.

It also enables you to speak up when needed.

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However, everyone will be writing the same skills and experience (more than likely), so you also want to add something to make yourself stand out from the crowd .

Your statement should show you as a person and not just a generic piece of writing of what you can and can’t do.

Moreover, you need to shine, show that personality and passion through your writing.

Some personal statements I have been asked to read, have genuinely given me goose bumps, because you can feel that passion through the page, it’s lovely.

Nonetheless, I know it can be quite hard to get your head in the right place to do this.

Something I do, is, close my eyes and visualise the place, time, experience that I want to talk about.

I put myself back into that place and how lovely it made me feel at the time, which brings back those feelings and I will start writing.

Your statement should also show how committed you are to nursing and your long term goals should incorporate this.

Trusts want to see you are in it for the long run, not just a quick job fix at the time.

Some other things that would be worth mentioning are:

Multi-professional working

How you can effectively work within the multi-disciplinary team and build good relationships with other professionals.

Give examples of how you have done this and why it has benefited your team.

Administering medication safely

How you avoid drug errors?

What thing’s do you do?

This will show you are practising safely and will continue to do so when working for the Trust you’re applying for.

Accurate record keeping

However you have kept records whether it is paper and pen or on a computer you have to show how you did this and how you maintained confidentiality.

You need to show that you can write legible and accurately, which is why you need to get someone to proofread your personal statement just in case too!

Evidence-based practice

How you keep up to date with the most recent guidelines, policies and practices.

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• David Oliver: The risk...

David Oliver: The risk assessment for NHS England’s long term workforce plan should worry doctors

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NHS England is accused of complacency over workforce plan risk assessment

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• Peer review
• David Oliver , consultant in geriatrics and acute general medicine
• davidoliver372{at}googlemail.com Follow David on Twitter @mancunianmedic

In June 2023 NHS England (NHSE) published its long awaited and serially delayed long term workforce plan for the NHS. 1 In the 10 months since then we’ve seen pay disputes, difficult contract negotiations, strike action, and ballots of clinical staff. 2 3 4 While the BMA’s Consultants Committee has now settled a long running contract dispute with the government, 5 its Junior Doctors Committee seems no closer to a negotiated settlement. 6 We continue to face serious problems with workforce retention and morale, as well as staffing and rota gaps across a range of clinical disciplines—in nursing even more so than medicine. 7

Last month the BMA published a paper on “tackling medical attrition,” 8 estimating that in 2022-23 some 15 000 to 23 000 doctors had left the NHS workforce, that replacing them would cost £1.6bn to £2.4bn, and that ever more doctors were taking steps to leave. It called for urgent action on retention through a variety of practical actions.

There’s also been considerable controversy over the expansion of physician associate and anaesthesia associate roles announced in the workforce plan and over the General Medical Council’s plans for their regulation. 9 10 This has drawn several medical royal colleges into fractious disputes with their own members. 11 12 13

FOI request

One would hope that NHSE had anticipated some of these troubles and hadn’t been complacent about mitigating or preventing them. I wanted to understand what attempts it had made to anticipate and plan for such problems as part of developing its workforce plan and whether it had tried to modify or avoid serious risks. So, in February I sent NHSE a freedom of information request asking if it could share the risk assessment that had accompanied the workforce plan. My requests were met openly, with only names of individual officials redacted. 14

For such a major policy initiative with such serious long term implications, I was surprised by just how scant the risk assessment was. It contained only 12 areas of risk: these included the timeline for delivery; the fact that the NHS service strategy was in development and so would change workforce needs; that national policy decisions, such as around terms and conditions, could “destabilise industrial relations”; and that “multiple layers of governance” involving multiple organisations might hamper planning and delivery. Industrial relations and the impact of national policy decisions continue to play out, and the other issues remain very real.

The original workforce plan had contained a commitment to “adequate growth in foundation placement capacity” and “a commensurate increase in specialty training places that meets the demands of the NHS of the future,” while pledging “to work with stakeholders to ensure this growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.” Yet these areas lack operational detail in the plan, and right now we have serious concerns about foundation doctors being sent to any part of the country, at short notice with little say in the matter, or finding themselves temporarily unemployed. 15 16 Also worrying is that doctors entering core or higher specialty training, or indeed completing their postgraduate training (for instance, as GPs) are stuck at bottlenecks and unable to find substantive, stable work. 17

There’s currently no financial commitment and no detailed logistical delivery plan or timeline for delivering the aims of the workforce plan. For instance, is there any funding to pay for the workforce or medical and nursing school expansion or capital investment in facilities? There have already been news reports of a pause in the expansion of medical school places, especially for UK citizens, with newer medical schools complaining about the lack of support. 18

Regarding any impact assessment of the growth of various workforce groups including physician and anaesthesia associates on the rest of the workforce or on training, the official answer I received was that “no specific risk assessments were undertaken at programme level.” In view of subsequent events this seems overly complacent.

Watering down

I completely understand the political constraints on a plan whose intended life will traverse at least three parliaments, several spending reviews, and changing economic circumstances. But I have serious doubts about the rigour of the risk assessment, the lack of impact assessment, and the failure to anticipate the backlash against some of the plan’s elements. There’s no cross party commitment to the plan, which puts its delivery at risk after the next general election. Delivery certainly doesn’t seem to be on schedule currently.

What we can hope for is that sufficiently good governance, learning, engagement, and review structures and mechanisms can be put in place so that the workforce plan can be updated and improved as it’s implemented, to mitigate some of the risks currently unfolding. However, if our economic performance as a nation continues to decline, I can envisage further watering down or delayed timelines for the headline commitments.

Competing interests: See bmj.com/about-bmj/freelance-contributors

Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; not externally peer reviewed.

• ↵ NHS England. NHS long term workforce plan. Updated 22 Apr 2024. https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-long-term-workforce-plan/
• ↵ Government and health unions agree pay deal paving way for an end to strike action - GOV https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-and-health-unions-agree-pay-deal-paving-way-for-an-end-to-strike-action
• ↵ Junior doctors vote for strikes in England over NHS pay - BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64653488
• ↵ Consultants to ballot for industrial action on pay and pensions. https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/consultants-to-ballot-for-industrial-action-on-pay-and-pensions
• ↵ NHS consultants accept pay offer, ending year-long dispute with government | NHS | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/05/nhs-consultants-accept-government-pay-offer-bma-end-strike-dispute
• ↵ Pay restoration for junior doctors in England. https://www.bma.org.uk/our-campaigns/junior-doctor-campaigns/pay/pay-restoration-for-junior-doctors-in-england
• ↵ Waste not, want not. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/NuffieldTrust-Wastenotwantnot_WEB_FINAL.pdf
• ↵ Tackling medical attrition in the UK’s health services. https://www.bma.org.uk/attrition-costs
• ↵ Why the fuss about physician associates? | The BMJ https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj.q862.full
• ↵ Physician associates. Doctors raise alarm over legislation to allow GMC regulation | The BMJ https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj.q156
• ↵ Royal College of Physicians announces independent review among next steps post EGM | RCP London https://www.rcp.ac.uk/news-and-media/news-and-opinion/royal-college-of-physicians-announces-independent-review-among-next-steps-post-egm/
• Physician associates
• ↵ RCoA position statement on anaesthesia associates | The Royal College of Anaesthetists https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/news/rcoa-position-statement-anaesthesia-associates
• ↵ New foundation doctors express anger at being allocated “placeholder job” | The BMJ https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj.q953
• ↵ Placeholder jobs” are isolating doctors at the start of their careers | The BMJ https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj.q1056
• ↵ The growing bottlenecks in specialty training | The BMJ https://www.bmj.com/content/382/bmj.p1732
• ↵ Government delays plans to double number of medical students in England | NHS | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/25/government-u-turn-on-plans-to-double-number-of-medical-students-in-england

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Medicine Personal Statement Example 3

This Medicine Personal Statement was successful for Imperial, Edinburgh, Dundee and Newcastle.

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This successful Medicine Personal Statement example will give you some inspiration to help you plan and structure your Personal Statement .

A BBC documentary on Antibiotic Resistance first set me on this path: I was mesmerised by the intricacy behind science and research. The documentary brought home to me that the human body is an amazingly complex machine, and that medical doctors have the opportunity to be engineers of health. Medicine, in particular, satisfies my curiosity for scientific research, where the latest discoveries have huge impacts on well-being and longevity. Furthermore, I am inspired by the prospect of being able to apply my knowledge of the sciences to make a profound impact on the lives of patients.

Eager to learn more about the science behind medicine, I arranged work experience in a university cancer research lab where it was exhilarating to see medical research happening first-hand. I learned about the science behind using zebrafish as model cells to study melanoma progression and the possible development of new therapies to combat the disease. This highlighted to me that medicine is a career that allows for constant academic development and life-long learning.

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Aware of the scholarship aspect of medicine, I have also begun to gain an insight into its application in a clinical setting. I have undertaken work experience in various specialities – from paediatric surgery and GP clinics to radiology – all of which have highlighted to me the essential skills required of today’s doctors. I learnt the importance of good interpersonal skills during a particular GP consultation: the patient came in evidently distressed and emotional, unable to communicate across her concerns to the doctor. I was able to appreciate how the doctor stayed empathetic and composed, making sure the patient was comfortable throughout the consultation. It also exemplified to me the importance of doctors being able to empathise with both a patient’s physical pain and psychological struggles.

The patient interactions I witnessed from work experience led me to seek opportunities to develop my own interpersonal skills. At school, my teamwork and leadership skills have been developed through my participation in a dance leadership course and running a peer-reading program and break time social club. Through interacting with the younger pupils, with various physical and mental barriers to learning, I have been able to refine and progress my own communication skills, discovering the importance of tone, pace and positive body language when engaging with others. Outside of school, being a dedicated volunteer at my local elderly care home for over two years has given me the opportunity to form personal connections with the residents there, developing the qualities of patience and compassion within myself.

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Volunteering at a children’s hospital this past year has meant I have been able to further test these two qualities. Additionally, I remain committed to my wider community and I am currently a Youth Culture Ambassador, helping to promote Chinese culture. I have worked on various shows – helping to host in both Mandarin and English – and volunteered as a translator and guide in the disability conference ‘Rehabilitation International’. This led me to become a translator for a health magazine in the US called ‘Ability’ which has given me the chance to learn about the stigma connected to disability and mental health issues in China. Through further reading and my own work placements, I am constantly developing an awareness of the current dilemmas facing the NHS and clinicians across the world.

Lastly, my life-long dedication to pursuing ballet to Grade Eight and personal artistic pursuits demonstrates that I have an ability to maintain a good work-life balance, essential for a life-long medical career. It is my firm belief that my journey so far successfully shows I possess the correct conviction and capacity to be able to make a lasting contribution to my chosen speciality one day and prosper as part of tomorrow’s doctors.

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Medicine Personal Statement Example 2

Medicine personal statement example 4.

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First ever life-saving treatment for rare heart condition available on the NHS

• Heart disease
• Patient care

NHS patients with a life-threatening heart condition are set to benefit from a cutting-edge new medicine which can significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death. The drug, tafamidis, is the first ever approved treatment for a cohort of patients in England with a rare heart condition known as transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), where clumps of protein build up in the heart, often resulting in heart failure and potentially proving fatal.

People living with the progressive condition will now be able to benefit from the once-a-day capsule following a recommendation to offer the innovative treatment to more than one thousand eligible patients.

Tafamidis works by slowing the build-up of dangerous protein deposits, with clinical trials showing a 41% reduction in the risk of death in patients taking the treatment compared to patients on a placebo. Patients receiving tafamidis through clinical trials also experienced fewer hospitalisations due to their condition than the placebo group.

The drug is available on the NHS from today (13 May) thanks to interim funding from the Innovative Medicines Fund after the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) gave the treatment the green light.

Around 1,500 people across England have been diagnosed with ATTR-CM.

Everyday symptoms of the condition can include shortness of breath, palpitations and abnormal heart rhythms, fatigue, fainting and chest pain.

Previous treatment options for ATTR-CM have been limited and mainly focus on symptom management and supportive care.

Professor Simon Ray, National Clinical Director for heart disease at NHS England said: ”A first of its kind, tafamidis will give those living with this rare progressive condition new hope – with NHS patients now able to benefit from a once-a-day treatment that can reduce the risk of hospitalisation and heart failure.

“This pioneering drug is just one example of the NHS delivering on its commitment to ensure patients across the country have access to the latest and most effective treatments to help significantly improve their quality of life”.

Peter Salussolia, an 80 year-old from South West London and chairman of a hotel and leisure group was diagnosed with ATTR-CM in 2018. He received tafamidis as part of an early access scheme at The Royal Free Hospital.

Peter said: “Since taking tafamidis, I have seen no deterioration in my condition and if anything, my condition is stable and slightly improved. It truly has been amazing after I was initially told my condition had no treatment and I was given around five years plus to live.

“This rollout offers a great beacon of hope for NHS patients who live with this debilitating and progressive condition. Personally, I have been able to continue skiing and boating and I am truly grateful for the effect that tafamidis has had on my condition”.

The NHS has rolled out a number of breakthrough drugs this year, including a new immunotherapy for women with advanced endometrial cancer, and a targeted combination treatment that can significantly slow the progress of brain tumours in children.

Cardiomyopathy UK CEO Joel Rose said: “ATTR-CM has significant impacts on an individual’s everyday life and we are really pleased there is now a treatment option which could help improve their care. We now must make sure that this treatment can get to those who will benefit as quickly as possible as ATTR-CM often worsens over time”.

Susan Rienow, Country President, Pfizer UK said: “This positive NICE decision, and interim funding through the Innovative Medicines Fund, is a significant milestone for eligible patients. We’ve remained committed to ensuring access to tafamidis and we’re pleased that it will now be available across the UK. We hope this step will contribute towards further improving the diagnosis and care of people with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy”.

Andrew Stephenson, Health Minister Stephenson said: “We’re working to make healthcare faster, simpler and fairer for everyone, including people with very rare conditions such as this. Thanks to the Innovative Medicines Fund, patients with this life-threating condition will be able to access the new medicine on the NHS immediately at a price that is fair to the taxpayer”.

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• Health and social care
• National Health Service

NHS Constitution plans to strengthen privacy, dignity and safety

Proposed updates to NHS Constitution for England will reflect biological needs of patients and empower people to request same-sex wards and care.

• Proposed updated NHS Constitution for England would introduce new rapid reviews for patients and better recognise the important role of NHS volunteers
• Putting patients and their families, carers and advocates at the heart of decision making, and strengthening links between NHS services

The privacy, dignity and safety of all patients are to be embedded in how the NHS operates under a new constitution that aims to shape the principles and values of the NHS.  

In the proposed changes to the NHS Constitution for England , patients will be empowered to request that intimate care is carried out by someone of the same biological sex, where reasonably possible.   

An updated NHS Constitution would reinforce the NHS’s commitment to providing single-sex wards. This includes setting out that placing transgender patients in single-room accommodation is permissible under the Equality Act 2010 when it is appropriate, such as respecting a patient’s wish to be in a single-sex ward. 

The government has been clear that biological sex matters. The constitution proposal makes clear what patients can expect from NHS services in meeting their needs, including the different biological needs of the sexes. Illnesses and conditions that we know impact men and women differently should be communicated in a clear and accurate way.   

The consultation also plans to embed the right for patients’ and their loved ones’ access to a rapid review from outside the care team if the patient is deteriorating. The importance of this pledge has been made clear by the tragic story of Martha Mills.

It will run for 8 weeks. The government will consider responses from everyone including patients, the public, staff and NHS organisations, before publishing a response and a new NHS Constitution. 

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:  

We want to make it abundantly clear that if a patient wants same-sex care they should have access to it wherever reasonably possible.   We have always been clear that sex matters and our services should respect that. By putting this in the NHS Constitution we’re highlighting the importance of balancing the rights and needs of all patients to make a healthcare system that is faster, simpler and fairer for all.

Additional updates the government is proposing include:   

• embedding the commitment for patients and their family members in acute and specialist settings to initiate a rapid review of care from outside their initial care team, where the patient’s condition is deteriorating. Not only does this provide a boost to patient safety, but it also puts patients at the heart of their own care
• ensuring the health system works together to understand the needs of different groups within each community and reduce disparities in access, experience and outcomes for all
• strengthening responsibilities on patients to cancel or reschedule appointments and on the NHS to communicate appointment information clearly
• making clear that patients can expect their physical and mental health care to be person-centred, co-ordinated and tailored to their needs
• reinforcing the NHS’s commitment to unpaid carers

Minister for Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield, said:  

Updating the NHS Constitution is crucial to ensuring the principles underpinning our NHS work for everyone.   This is about putting patients first, giving them the dignity and respect that they deserve when they are at their most vulnerable. Our plans include accommodating requests for same-sex intimate care and respecting single-sex wards.  We’ll also recognise the important role of patients’ loved ones in raising concerns about their care.

The constitution aims to safeguard the principles and values of the NHS. It empowers staff to help improve the care it provides by setting out legal rights for patients and staff when using NHS services. It also sets out clear expectations about the behaviour of both staff and patients, and the role they need to play in supporting the NHS.   

The proposed updates to the constitution will also support the government’s mission to help people to remain in, and return to work, which reflects the important impact that work can have on a person’s health and wellbeing.

Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England, said: 

The NHS Constitution plays a crucial role in shaping the culture of our NHS and helping the public to know their rights.  Since the NHS Constitution launched, it has helped to shift the balance of power from services towards patients and their families. But, with only a third of people knowing their rights, there is still a long way to go.  Given the challenges our NHS faces, a conversation to reaffirm and raise awareness of the most important rights to the public has never been more timely.  We urge everyone to take part in the consultation and have their say. This is your opportunity to send a clear message about the rights you hold most dear. 

Background information

The NHS Constitution for England was last updated in 2015. It has to be updated at least every 10 years by the Secretary of State. It is a document outlining the rights of patients and staff.

The consultation will be the first stage of a review of the constitution and will run for 8 weeks.

The government will consider responses from everyone, including the public, clinicians and medical professionals, patients, carers and organisations representing patients and staff and health stakeholders, before publishing the consultation response.

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