medicine personal statement checklist

This book not only gives you the information you need to know to outline, draft, and craft your story but also includes over 30 essays with feedback to show you what works and what doesn't. Don't let a bad personal statement keep you from getting an invitation to interview at your dream school.

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Check this out, get a sample of our personal statement book.

Download our sample personal statement book that includes a lot of chapters about the personal statement as well as several examples of personal statements with edits! You'll also get our personal statement checklist! Already have your essay ready and want our experts to edit it for you? Check out our essay editing services here .

You'll Learn:

Why the medical school personal statement is so important and how medical schools potentially use them.

How to best craft your perfect story so others know your journey.

What the most common mistakes are when it comes to writing a personal statement so you can avoid them.

How I give feedback to personal statements with over 30 real drafts and final essays from students with my feedback.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

"Another superb book from the Premed Playbook series by Dr. Gray. This edition helps medical school applicants approach the personal statement with confidence and inspiration. This is done through easy to read explanations of all relevant topics from beginning to the end. Furthermore, the different stages of drafts with edits are incorporated to elaborate what can seem as ambiguous feedback to applicants. A beginning pre-health advisor looking to get caught up with personal statements would benefit tremendously by reading this book!"

JOON KIM EdD Instructor and Director of Postbaccalaureate Premedical Certificate (PPC) Program

"I found this book to be a fun, practical, easy-to-read guide on helping an applicant fine their voice for their personal statement. Using a clear, systematic approach supported by examples, Dr. Gray unveils the true purpose of the personal statement and why it’s so important for an applicant to know oneself. I think the process through which he guides the reader will prove beneifical not only for the personal statement but for the medical school interview as well. Perhaps even more valuable is that the reader will achieve a better understanding one’s motivations for pursuing a career in medicine."

Gregory M. Polites, MD Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine Chairman, Central Subcommitee on Admissions Washington University School of Medicine

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Ryan Gray is a former United States Air Force Flight Surgeon who found a passion for helping premed students on their journey to medical school. Best known for his podcasts, which have been downloaded over 3,000,000 times, Dr. Gray has interviewed numerous Admissions Committee members and deans of admissions for medical schools.

Through The Premed Years podcast and the Medical School Headquarters sites, Dr. Gray has helped thousands of students gain the confidence they require to successfully navigate the premed path.

Dr. Gray lives outside of Boulder, CO with his wife Allison, who is a Neurologist, and their daughter Hannah. Dr. Gray is also a Clinical Instructor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

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Medicine personal statement checklist

Advice & Insight From Personal Statement Specialists

Using a checklist and creating your own “marking scheme” will ensure there is nothing missing from your personal statement. Writing a personal statement checklist can also help you with time management so you know what topic areas and themes you still need to tackle.

Effective strategies to check your personal statement.

• Read your personal statement out loud; perhaps record yourself dictating it to pick up on any errors.
• Pass it around – although “too many cooks spoil the broth” asking for constructive feedback from others is a vital part of the personal statement writing process. Make sure you have given your personal statement to a mixture of medical and non-medical people. It can be useful to ask a language teacher to read over your work to spot any glaring errors that you have made.

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Content Checklist

• Does your personal statement have a captivating introduction which covers why YOU want to study medicine? If you have specific career plans and ambitions, make sure they are in there.
• Have you referenced your work experience? Think of how you have gained an insight into a career in medicine beyond shadowing or voluntary placements – have you mentioned any medical conferences or health commissioning events you have been to? Have you been reflective and explained the relevance of your work experience?
• Have you shown an interest in medicine and evidenced your scientific intellect? If you’ve completed an Extended Project Qualification, write about it. Any relevant literature that you have read also deserves a mention – reading books or journals shows you have a curious mind and that you would be suited to a career where lifelong independent study is critical.
• A= Activity: What have you done?
• B= Benefit: This is the skill you have gained?
• C= Course: How is this skill relevant for a career in medicine?
• Does your conclusion summarise your key points and ideas highlighting your understanding of medicine and personal attributes?
• Have you double checked that everything in your personal statement is truthful? When it comes to interview preparation, you’ll thank your past self for creating an honest personal statement without embellishments of the truth

Structure Checklist

• Are you within the 4000-character limit? Be aware of the settings on your Microsoft word account and make sure the character is including spaces. The application form will not let you exceed over the maximum character count so don’t risk losing the end of your statement.
• Opening: A gripping first sentence and introductory paragraph
• Middle section: A section building upon why medicine is a career suited to you, your achievements, experiences, and skills?
• Closing: A snappy conclusion to round everything off

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Style Checklist

• Have you double checked that you have used accurate punctuation and grammar in your personal statement? Remember that the UCAS application form doesn’t have a spellcheck function; so, make sure there are no spelling slip ups. Even on word spellchecker doesn’t pick everything up – so proofread, proofread, proofread. Have you asked a fresh pair of eyes to read over your personal statement focusing simply on any mistakes?
• Proofread your personal statement and check for repeated words. Its sometimes useful to count the number of times you have used commonly used words and phrases such as “also” and “in addition.”
• Are your sentences easy to follow and not too long and convoluted? Are there any unhelpful lists or irrelevant points?
• Skim through your personal statement – any overly verbose words or phrases that you do not know the meaning of should be changed or deleted. If you are struggling to find alternative key words or phrases the General Medical Councils “Tomorrow’s Doctors” document. This outlines skill needed by medical students.
• Check for any acronyms or abbreviations used in your work – although they can be great for saving characters, they may cause confusion for the reader.

If your happy with that final draft, then its time to upload and press send. It can be useful to make sure you have a copy of your final draft somewhere which will be accessible when the interviews start rolling in. Be sure which version of your personal statement you have submitted.

Medicine personal statement checklist.

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Medicine Personal Statement Examples

Get some inspiration to start writing your Medicine Personal Statement with these successful examples from current Medical School students. We've got Medicine Personal Statements which were successful for universities including Imperial, UCL, King's, Bristol, Edinburgh and more.

Personal Statement Examples

• Read successful Personal Statements for Medicine
• Pay attention to the structure and the content
• Get inspiration to plan your Personal Statement

Personal Statement Example 1

Check out this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for Imperial, UCL, QMUL and King's.

Personal Statement Example 2

This Personal Statement comes from a student who received Medicine offers from Bristol and Plymouth - and also got an interview at Cambridge.

Personal Statement Example 3

Have a look at this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for Imperial, Edinburgh, Dundee and Newcastle.

Personal Statement Example 4

Take a look at this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for King's, Newcastle, Bristol and Sheffield.

Personal Statement Example 5

Pick up tips from this Medicine Personal Statement which was successful for Imperial, Birmingham and Manchester.

Personal Statement Example 6

This Personal Statement comes from a student who got into Graduate Entry Medicine at King's - and also had interviews for Undergraduate Medicine at King's, QMUL and Exeter.

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The Residency Personal Statement (2023/2024): The Insider’s Guide (with Examples)

A physician and former residency program director explains how to write your residency personal statement to match in to your top-choice residency program in 2024.

Read example residency personal statements and suggested outlines..

Introduction

The residency personal statement allows residency program directors and associate directors the chance to get a sense of who you are and your commitment to your chosen specialty. 

As a former program director who understands how residency personal statements are reviewed, what “stands out,” and, most importantly, what will earn you interview invitations, the information below will help you write a residency personal statement to match!

It is imperative to make sure you get the most accurate guidance possible with regards to your residency personal statement content and optimal residency personal statement length (up to 5300 characters with spaces).

Want more personalized suggestions? Sign up for a FREE residency personal statement consultation .

Table of Contents

Goals for Writing Your 2024 Residency Personal Statement

Above all else, your residency personal statement offers the opportunity to show your interest in your chosen specialty when applying to residency to illustrate you are a good fit.

The more details you offer about why you are interested in the specialty and how your med school rotations, accomplishments and experiences have reinforced this interest, the stronger your personal statement will be, the more it will appeal to selection committees and the better you will do in the match process .

I encourage applicants to offer as much “evidence” as possible to “show” rather than “tell” what qualities, characteristics and interests they have. “Telling” a reader, for example, that you are compassionate and hard working means nothing. Instead, you must “show” that you embody these qualities based on your experiences in health care and the patients for whom you have cared.

The residency personal statement also offers the opportunity to write about who you are as a person to convey some details about your background, influences, and interests outside of your given specialty.

The Importance of a Balanced Residency Personal Statement

The key when writing your residency personal statement is to ensure that it is well-balanced so it appeals to a large group of people who might read your ERAS residency application.

However, it is important to understand that every program director and faculty member has his or her own idea of what he would like to read in a personal statement. As an applicant, you must go into this process understanding that you cannot please everyone, or a specific program, and your personal statement should therefore have the broadest appeal possible.

For example, some program directors would rather hear about your personal interests and curiosities and get to know who you are rather than have you focus on the specialty in which you are interested.

At MedEdits, we suggest taking a “middle of the road” approach; include some details about who you are but also focus on the specialty itself. In this way, you will make more traditional reviewers who want to hear about your interest in the specialty happy while also satisfying those who would rather learn about you as a person.

Above all, be authentic and true to yourself when writing your statement. This always leads to the best results! Read on to learn more about how to write a winning personal statement.

About MedEdits

Getting into a residency has never been more competitive. Founded by a former associate program director, the experts at MedEdits will make your residency personal statement shine. We’ve worked with more than 5,000 students and 94% have been matched to one of their top-choice programs.

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Residency Personal Statement Outline & Structure

Residency applicants often do well when given outlines or templates to follow, so, we will offer that, but, it is important to realize that many applicants deviate from these rigid rules. One very typical outline that serves applicants quite well in the residency admissions process is:

• Compose a catchy introduction. Your intro can be related to your interest in the specialty to which you are applying, about a hobby or personal experience, or about your background. Regardless of the topic you choose, you want to tell a story and start with something that will interest your reader and engage him.
• The next two to four paragraphs comprise the body of your personal statement. We encourage applicants to write about any significant experiences they have had related to their desired specialty and/or future goals. This would include information about rotations, electives, and sub internships related to the specialty, volunteer and research experiences and even significant outside interests.
• Finally, you want to conclude your essay. In your conclusion, write about what you seek in a residency program, what you will bring to a residency program, and, if you have any idea of your future career goals, write about those as well. Your conclusion is also where you can tailor a personal statement to a specific geographic area of interest or type of program (rural, urban, community).

Residency Personal Statement Length & Residency Personal Statement Word Limit

Residency Personal Statement Length: Our recommendation is that your residency personal statement be between 4000 – 5300 characters with spaces or up to 900 words in length. 

The allowed ERAS residency personal statement length is 28,000 characters which equates to about five pages!

We have been hearing from more and more applicants that the personal statement should not exceed one page when typed in to the ERAS application . Because of this overwhelming trend, we are supporting this guidance unless you have extenuating circumstances that require your personal statement be longer.

Our recommendation is that your residency personal statement be a maximum of 5300 characters with spaces.

ERAS Residency Personal Statement Checklist

• Ensure your personal statement flows well

The best personal statements are easy to read, don’t make the reader think too much, and make your path and interests seem logical. Rarely does a personal statement have a theme. Also try to have each paragraph transition to the next seamlessly. 

2. Your personal statement should be about you!

Your personal statement should be about you and no one else. Focus on your interests, your accomplishments and your path. This is your opportunity to be forthcoming about your achievements – by writing in detail about what you have done.

3. Be sure your personal statement clearly outlines your interest in the specialty.

Since the reader wants to be convinced of your understanding of, experience in, and curiosity about the specialty to which you are applying, be sure you highlight what you have done to explore your interest as well as your insights and observations about the specialty to show your understanding of it.

4. Make it human.

Again, your personal statement should be about you! The reader wants to know who you are, where you are from, what your interests are and who you are outside of medicine. Therefore, try to include those details about your background that are intriguing or important to you.

5. Express your interest in the specialty.

The reader fundamentally wants to know why you are pursuing the specialty. The more details you offer the more convincing you are about your commitment and your understanding of the specialty. Be sure to include details that might seem obvious. For example, in emergency medicine you must like acute care, but try to include more nuanced details about your interest, too. What do you enjoy about the diagnoses and pathologies involved? What do you value about the actual work you will do? What do you enjoy about the patients for whom you will care? How about the setting in which you will practice?

6. The start and evolution of your interest.

Readers want to know how and when you became interested in your specialty. Was this before medical school? During medical school? What have you done to pursue and nurture your interest in the specialty?

7. What you have done to learn more about the specialty.

You should explain what you have done to pursue your interest. What rotations have you done or have planned? What research, scholarly work or community service activities have you pursued to further your interest?

8. Where you see yourself in the future – if you know!

Without going into too much detail, write about the type of setting in which you see yourself in the future. Do you hope to also participate in research, teaching, public health work or community outreach as a part of your career? What are your future goals? Since many programs typically train a certain type of physician, it is important that your goals are aligned with the programs to which you are applying.

9. What do you bring to the specialty?

You should try to identify what you can bring to the program and the specialty to which you are applying as a whole. For example, are you applying to family medicine and have a distinct interest in public health? Are you applying for internal medicine and do you have demonstrated expertise in information technology and hope to improve electronic medical records? Do you have extensive research or teaching experience, and do you hope to continue to pursue these interests in the future? Have you developed a commitment to global health, and do you hope to continue making contributions abroad? Programs have a societal obligation to select residents who will make valuable contributions in the future, so the more ambitions you have the more desirable a candidate you will be.

10. What type of program you hope to join?

Do you hope to be part of a community or university-based program? What are you seeking in a residency program? Programs are looking for residents who will be the right “fit” so offering an idea of what you are seeking in a program will help them determine if your values and goals mesh with those of the program.

11. Who you are outside of the hospital?

Try to bring in some personal elements about who you are. You can do this in a few ways. If you have any outside interests or accomplishments that complement your interest in your specialty, such as extracurricular work, global work, teaching or volunteer efforts, write about them in detail, and, in doing so, show the reader a different dimension of your personality. Or, consider opening your statement by writing about an experience related to your hobbies or outside interests. Write about this in the form of an introductory vignette. I suggest taking this nontraditional approach only if you are a talented writer and can somehow relate your outside interest to the specialty you are pursuing, however. An interest in the arts can lend itself to dermatology, plastic surgery or ophthalmology, for example. Or, an interest in technology could relate to radiology .

12. Any personal challenges?

Also explain any obstacles you have overcome: Were you the first in your family to graduate from college? Were you an immigrant? Did you have limited financial resources and work through college? Many applicants tend to shy away from the very things that make them impressive because they are afraid of appearing to be looking for sympathy. As long as you explain how you have overcome adversity in a positive or creative way, your experience will be viewed as the tremendous accomplishment that it is. The personal statement should explain any unusual or distinctive aspects of your background.

• Residency Match: How It Works & How To Get Matched

Common ERAS Residency Personal Statement Mistakes

Do not tell your entire life story or write a statement focused on your childhood or undergraduate career. 

Do not write about why you wanted to be a doctor. This is old news. From the reviewers perspective, you already are a doctor!

Do not write a personal statement focused on one hobby or begin with your birth. Some background information might be useful if it offers context to your choices and path, but your residency personal statement should be focused on the present and what you have done to pursue your interest in the specialty to which you are applying.

Do not preach. The reader understands what it means to practice his specialty and does not need you to tell him. Don’t write, for example: Internal medicine requires that a physician be knowledgeable, kind and compassionate. The reader wants to know about you!

Do not put down other specialties. You don’t need to convince anyone of your interest by writing something negative about other specialties. Doing so just makes you look bad. If you switched residencies or interests, you can explain what else you were seeking and what you found in the specialty of your choice that interests you.

Do not embellish. Program directors are pretty good at sniffing out inconsistencies and dishonesty. Always tell the truth and be honest and authentic. 

Do not plagiarize. While this seems obvious to most people, every year people copy personal statements they find online or hire companies that use stock phrases and statement to compose statements for applicants. Don’t do it!

Do not write about sensitive topics. Even if you were in a relationship that ended and resulted in a poor USMLE score , this is not a topic for a personal statement. In general, it is best to avoid discussing relationships, politics, ethical issues and religion.

Do not boast. Any hint of arrogance or self-righteousness may result in getting rejected. There is a fine line between confidence and self promotion. Some people make the mistake of over-selling themselves or writing about all of their fantastic qualities and characteristics. Rarely do readers view such personal statements favorably.

Do not write an overly creative piece. A residency personal statement should be professional. This work is equivalent to a job application. Don’t get too creative; stay focused.

Writing ERAS Residency Personal Statements For Multiple Specialties

An increasing number of applicants are applying to more than one specialty in medicine especially if the first choice specialty is very competitive. If you are applying to more than one specialty, even if there is disciplinary overlap between the two (for example family medicine and pediatrics ), we advise you write a distinct specialty for each. Remember that a physician who practices the specialty you hope to join will most likely be reviewing your statement. He or she will definitely be able to determine if the personal statement illustrates a true understanding of the specialty. If you try to recycle an entire personal statement or parts of a personal statement for two specialties, there is a high likelihood the personal statement will communicate that you aren’t sincerely interested in that specialty or that you don’t really understand what the specialty is about.

Writing About Red Flags in your ERAS Personal Statement

The personal statement is also the place to explain any red flags in your application, such as gaps in time or a leave of absence. When addressing any red flags, explain what happened succinctly. Be honest, don’t make excuses, and don’t dwell on the topic. Whenever possible, write about how you have matured or grown from the adversity or what you may have learned and how this benefits you.

If you have left a program or had a break in your medical education, you will also have the chance to explain this in your ERAS application . You should also write about this topic in your personal statement only if you have more to explain, however. 

If you have failed a Step exam or one course in medical school, this likely isn’t something to address in the personal statement. However, you should be prepared to discuss any failure during an interview. By the same token, it is best not to address one low grade or poor attending evaluation in your statement. 

Have you taken a circuitous path to medicine? If so you might address why you made these choices and what you found so interesting about medicine that was lacking in your former career.

Residency Personal Statement Example

Below are two great examples of residency personal statements that earned the applicants who wrote them numerous interviews and first choice matches. As you will see, these two applicants took very different approaches when writing the personal statement yet wrote equally persuasive and “successful” personal statements.

Residency Personal Statement Example, Analysis, and Outline: The Traditional Approach

The most common approach to the personal statement is what I will call the traditional approach, in which the applicant conveys her interest in the specialty, when that interest began and what she has done to pursue the particular specialty.

Suggested outline:

• Introduction: Catchy Story
• Paragraph 2: Background Information and how Interest Started
• Paragraph 3: Write about what you did to explore your interest
• Paragraph 4: Second paragraph about your experiences related to your specialty
• Conclusion: Wrap it up. Write something about your future goals.

Below is an example of the traditional approach:

I looked into her eyes and saw terror. She knew the life of her unborn baby was in jeopardy. As tears streamed down her face, she looked to the attending physician. In desperation, she pleaded, “Please save our baby.” She and her husband had been trying to conceive for more than two years, and they knew this could be their only chance to have a healthy child. She went into labor at home and because of a horrible snowstorm was not able to reach the hospital for several hours. When she arrived in labor and delivery, she was crowning. But, the baby was having late decelerations. Because of the sweat on my attending’s forehead I knew the situation was serious. Yet we all tried to remain calm and to keep the patient and her husband calm as well. 

I entered medical school with an open mind as everyone suggested. Even as a first year medical student, however, I was fascinated with embryology. I entered my third year still unsure of what I would pursue. I knew I wanted a career that would be challenging and interesting. Because of my background in drawing and painting, I always loved working with my hands. Yet I also enjoyed working with people. Thankfully, my obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) rotation was the first of my third year and I was immediately hooked.

I quickly sought out opportunities for research and became involved in a clinical study investigating the impact of a vegan diet on birth outcomes. I have always had an interest in wellness and nutrition, and this seemed like a perfect fit for me. My research is still in process, but through this experience I have learned how to analyze data, stay objective and critically evaluate the literature. So far, our findings suggest better than normal outcomes for babies born to vegan mothers. This reinforces my goal to educate my patients about the important of diet and nutrition, which I hope to make a part of my future practice. 

Early in my fourth year, I completed an elective rotation at Inner City Medical Center. There I cared for a diverse group of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. I realized how much I enjoy labor and delivery, but I also value the operative aspects of ob/gyn. I appreciate the importance of understanding the female anatomy so I can operate with precision.  I also value the diversity of practice in ob/gyn. Whether caring for a woman about to give birth, helping a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer navigate her treatment options, or caring for a perimenopausal woman who is coping with symptoms of hormone fluctuations, I enjoy caring for patients with knowledge and compassion. The outpatient aspect of ob/gyn brings satisfaction as well. I look forward to building relationships with my patients, helping them to lead the healthiest lives possible. I have also realized how much I want to care for those who lack access to care. The work I have done at Medical School Free Clinic has helped me realize the gaps that exist in access to care and education. As a future practicing ob/gyn, I hope to work in such a setting at least on a part time basis.

On that snowy night, when we realized the baby was having difficulty being born because of shoulder dystocia, a simple maneuver eased the situation. The baby’s first cry brought such joy and relief to everyone in the room and, at that moment, I knew I had to be part of this specialty. I hope to join a program where I will have the clinical exposure that will give me the skills and experience to care for a wide range of patients. I do not yet know if I will subspecialize, and I will seek out mentors and experiences as a resident to make an informed decision. I would be honored to interview at your program and thank you for your consideration.

Why It’s Great

This is a great personal statement because it clearly conveys the applicant’s interest in, and understanding of, obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and what the applicant has done to pursue that interest. Not only does this applicant have a long-standing interest in OB/GYN, but, she conveys that she has experienced the specialty in different settings and understands the diverse nature of the specialty. She also includes information about her hobbies and interests and writes about her exploration of OB/GYN outside of the clinical arena. An added bonus is that the applicant writes well and uses descriptive language making her statement interesting and fun to read.

Residency Personal Statement Example, Analysis, and Outline: The Outside Interests Approach

Many mentors advise applicants to tell the reader something about them that is unrelated to medicine or the specialty they are pursuing. This is a fine idea, but be sure your personal statement also includes some details about your interest in your specialty if you decide to move in this direction.

Suggested Outline:

• Introduction: Write a Catchy Introduction. Be creative! Think outside the box.
• Paragraph 2:Elaborate on your introduction offering more details
• Paragraph 3: Write about your specialty choice and what appeals to you.
• Paragraph 4: Write more about your explorations in medical school.
• Concluding paragraph(s): Write about your future goals, the type of program you hope to join and consider looping back to your introduction.

Below is an example of the outside interests approach:

The landscape before me was lush and magical. We had been hiking for hours and had found a great spot to set up camp. As I was unloading my backpack and helping to pitch the tent, I saw a scene I knew I had to capture. I quickly grabbed my carefully packed Leica before the magnificent sunset disappeared. Trying to get the perfect exposure, I somehow managed to capture this image so accurately that it reflected the beauty of what was before us high in the mountains of Utah, so far away from the hustle and bustle of New York City where we attended medical school.

Throughout my life, I have pursued my interests and curiosities with focus and creativity. One of those interests is photography. Even as a small child, I wanted my own camera, and I started snapping interesting scenes and images at the age of 6. As I grew older, this hobby took on more significance. I took a college level course in photography as a high school student, worked as a photographer’s assistant and even considered a career in photography. Paralleling my interest, however, was a desire to travel and experience new places, foods, and cultures.

I have been fortunate to travel all over the world. Rather than stopping in a city or place for a couple of days and seeing the sights, I prefer to immerse myself in my surroundings, eating the food, meeting the people, and staying for as long as I can. My fluency in Spanish and Italian has made it easier to “fit in” naturally. My most recent trip to Costa Rica allowed me to visit sugar cane fields and rain forests. I also volunteered in a clinic that helps the most desperate citizens. Of course, because I never travel without my camera, I also captured the beauty of this country; those pictures can be found on my blog.

Surgery seemed like a natural choice for me. It is a very tactile and visual field that requires patience, attention to detail and creativity—just like photography. The operating room setting is invigorating. I love to be a member of a team, and in surgery team work is an essential part of practice. The ability to deal with anatomical variations also satisfies my creative side; I have always been fond of puzzles, and the field of surgery represents a real-world puzzle to me. I also appreciate the intensity of surgery and believe I have the personality and demeanor for the field. I have always enjoyed solving problems quickly, something the field of surgery requires. My rotations in surgery – in addition to my core surgery rotation I have done trauma and cardiothoracic surgery – have helped me to understand the tremendous opportunities and diversity of the field. I have heard some residents lament that the only reason they went into surgery is to operate. However, I really enjoy seeing patients postoperatively. It is only at that time that a surgeon can really appreciate the impact of his or her work.

Finally, my trip to Honduras with a surgical team from my hospital and medical school made me realize that I can make a great contribution globally in the field of surgery. There we saw patients who had no resources or access to care. The facilities in which we worked were bare-bones. Yet the impact we made was tremendous, given that this was a group of people who otherwise would have no surgical care. In this way, I hope to combine my interests in travel and surgery as a resident, if I have time, and certainly as a practicing physician. My ultimate goal is to use my training to help populations globally and domestically.

To gain the most clinical exposure possible, I hope to train in a busy urban hospital. I believe that such a setting will give me the operative experience I need to be able to navigate many situations in the future. Such a setting will also give me the outpatient experience to understand how to manage patients once the surgery is completed.

I look forward to the day when I can be snapping my camera intraoperatively, documenting what I am doing and seeking to help other surgeons. For some, such pictures may not represent the art of those pictures I take in the wilderness, but for me they reflect the beauty of surgery and the great opportunity to make a lasting impression on another human being’s life.

This is a really intriguing personal statement because the author writes about his outside interests in a compelling way that makes him instinctively likable. He then goes on to explain what he enjoys about surgery and what he has done to pursue that interest. As you can see, this applicant writes less about his specialty (surgery) than the applicant in statement #1 did, but, he still convinces the reader of his understanding of, and commitment to, surgery. In this statement, the reader gains a much broader understanding of who the applicant is as a person and what he likes to do in his free time.

Final Thoughts

Writing your residency personal statement should be about telling your story in your own voice and style. You want to highlight your interest in the specialty for which you are applying while also conveying some ideas about who you are as a person to keep your reader engaged in learning about you as a person.

Residency Personal Statement Consulting Services

MedEdits Medical Admissions offers comprehensive guidance and document review services for residency applicants to every specialty in medicine. With more than twenty years of experience in residency admissions and founded by a former residency admissions officer and physician, MedEdits understands what program directors want to read and can help you decide what aspects of your background to focus on in your residency personal statement to earn the most interviews possible.

Getting into a residency has never been more competitive. Let the experts at MedEdits help you with your ERAS personal statement. We’ve worked with more than 5,000 students and 94% have been matched to one of their top-choice programs.

Sample Residency Personal Statements

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Medicine personal statement checklist - MasterMedPrep

Why medicine or dentistry?

A very important question, look out for a future blog post about how to best address this question in an honest and authentic way

Work Experience

This can take many forms, but finding somewhere you can get experience of a healthcare professional is great for your PS as well as your own opinions on a medical or dental career.

Example from my personal statement: “ The morale of the team was an inspiration to me and only reinforced my desire to pursue medicine and eventually make valuable contributions to an MDT myself. I also work as part of a small team whilst waitressing for private parties, during which I have gained skills in both taking on and delegating responsibilities”.

Have you read anything that had an impact on your decision to study medicine or dentistry? Include it as it likely provides a helpful background into your thought process in choosing healthcare.

See my previous blog post on reading for your personal statement!

Try to avoid listing random interests, keep them organised and integrate them into the text. Briefly mention if there was an aspect of your work experience that particularly interested you, why you think it did and reflect on it.

Reflections

Use the STAR method for reflection. State your experience, what skills you learnt, and why they’ll be useful to your degree.

Again, keep this brief. Talk about what you get up to in your spare time, whether its reading, writing, sport or knitting. This allows the medical school to paint a small picture of you as an individual. Try out new hobbies, but don’t force yourself to read anatomy textbooks in your spare time – there’s plenty of time for this at medical school – being authentic will be a huge advantage at interview. There’s nothing worse than lying or exaggerating on your personal statement, so be true to yourself even if you think your hobbies aren’t medical-student-orientated.

Example from my personal statement: “I admired the comradery of the team in how they communicated efficiently and worked together, similarly to my own experience within my netball and hockey teams – both of which I play for in a weekly league”

Word count – 4000 characters, including spaces and punctuation. This is straight forward so don’t get it wrong.

Read through – don’t read through it every day or obsess over it (put a few days between personal read throughs), rather ask your teacher, parent or sibling to have a look at it. This may not be beneficial towards a medicine/dentistry specific PS but might help in making the text more readable as a whole.

Getting professional reviewing is key! Only doctors and medical students will spot small details or inconsistencies related to any healthcare details – you wouldn’t believe the difference this will make! Get in touch and we will review your personal statement.

• Personal Statements

Recent Posts

What should I read for my medical school personal statement? Which books should I write about?

Successful Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement Example (St George’s, Swansea, Nottingham)

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My success at getting into Graduate Entry Medicine was partly thanks to my personal statement. Of all the universities I applied to, I got into the one I wanted to go to the most!

I received invites to interview at St George’s, University of London, Swansea University Medical School and University of Nottingham Medical School.

Check out my blog post 7 Steps to a Successful Personal Statement for Graduate Entry Medicine for further guidance and my Ultimate Medicine Personal Statement Checklist (free download) .

One last thing:  DO NOT COPY ANY PART OF MY OR ANYONE ELSE’S PERSONAL STATEMENT . Nowadays, clever software will identify any similarities and you will be caught out. Also, it’s just not ethical and the best way to make your personal statement stand out is to make it unique to you anyway!

From a young age I have had a passion and aptitude for medical science. I acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and I am now completing a Master’s in biomedical engineering. Subsequent to volunteering in multiple healthcare environments and shadowing multiple doctors I am now certain that medicine as a career is the correct choice for me.

I highly value the privilege of being able to support someone in their time of need. Over the past several years I have arranged four medical work experience programmes: shadowing radiologists, a general practitioner and two medical teams for elite rugby players. When I had the opportunity to sit in on the consultations of a general practitioner I observed that despite the time pressure he was under he was patient and genuinely warm towards all his patients. This touched me and impressed upon me the more empathetic aspects of being a doctor. Having a career to which empathy is central greatly appeals to me. Since June 2015 I have volunteered at a support helpline and I have further grasped that having even several minutes to talk to a non-judgemental and impartial listener can make a huge difference to someone’s well-being. I recently volunteered weekly at a hospital facilitating fun activities for patients on wards. Through building relationships with patients I have seen first-hand how lonely and restless patients can become and how chatting with someone familiar can improve their day.  To be able to build positive relationships with others daily also draws me to the medical profession.

I am compelled to pursue a vocation in which lifelong learning of medical science and use of scientific methods are key. For example, in the third year of my Bachelor’s degree I wrote a dissertation that explored the possible mechanisms that influence musculoskeletal performance as a result of a genetic polymorphism. Despite the amount of data I analysed it was not possible to deduce the exact biomechanisms at work as a result of this single genetic element. It showed me how much there is still to learn about the human body. I am now studying biomedical engineering for a Master’s in order to learn more about the body as well as the engineering of cutting-edge medical technology.

Through reading books in my spare time I have developed a keen interest in medical ethics. For instance, I found The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot a very thought-provoking book in its treatment of the ethics of medical research and the duties doctors have towards their patients. The upsetting experience of Henrietta Lacks’ family as they tried to understand what happened to her cells following her death echoed to me the importance of clear and honest communication with patients. The latter is an art I am excited to develop further as a physician.

As a doctor I realise that it will be essential to be an excellent leader and team player.  Whilst studying my bachelor’s degree I was elected captain of the women’s rugby club and was awarded Captain of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year by my students’ union for outstanding organisation and leadership. I learnt that teamwork is paramount for maximal success, for example working collaboratively within the rugby club’s committee to achieve a national team of the year award. I found undertaking my degree, being captain of a sports team and volunteering in other roles all in my second year challenging at times however I have gained huge confidence in my ability to cope under stress and to balance my academic and extracurricular duties.

While the life of a doctor will be a challenging one, I feel I have what it takes to be a successful doctor. I have an enthusiasm for science as well as other peoples’ well-being. My work experience with doctors has shown me the realities of such a career. I am a hard worker with an open and enquiring mind and medicine is the most stimulating career I could hope for as well as being one for which I feel ideally suited.

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Personal Statement for Medical and Dental Schools

Last updated: 6/3/2023

• Is Medicine Right for Me?
• What do Doctors do?
• The Daily Life of a Doctor
• How to apply to medical school
• Different Routes into Medicine
• Factors to Consider
• Medicine at Oxford and Cambridge
• Your Fifth UCAS Choice
• Getting Your Grades
• Extra-curricular Activities
• What is the UCAT?
• Preparing for Your UCAT Test Day
• After Your UCAT
• BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT)
• Work Experience and Dental Schools
• NHS Work Experience

Personal Statement

• Medicine PS Examples
• Dentistry PS Examples
• UCAS References
• Medical and Dental School Interviews
• Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs)
• Medical School Interview Questions
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• Graduate Entry Courses
• Foundation and Access Courses
• International students
• Taking a Gap Year
• Medicine in Australia and NZ
• Medicine in Ireland Medicine in Eastern Europe
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• What Our "Plan B" Looked Like

Your UCAS personal statement is an essay about yourself.

It’s part of your UCAS application and can be seen by all your universities. It is designed to give admissions tutors an idea of the person behind the application. 

Getting into medical school is a long road and your personal statement is written after much of the journey has already taken place. For this reason, it should be full of what you learnt and reflections.

Read on to find out about:

How is my medicine/dentistry personal statement used?

What are admissions tutors looking for, how is my personal statement marked, how long does the personal statement need to be.

• Personal statement checklist

What shouldn’t I include in my personal statement?

Answering 'why do you want to study medicine or dentistry', when should i start writing my personal statement, how do i structure my personal statement, how do i reflect deeply on my experience in my personal statement, how should i format my personal statement, can i copy an old personal statement i found.

• Do I have to be honest in my personal statement?

Once I’ve written my personal statement, what should I do?

Writing a personal statement for oxford or cambridge.

• Personal statements for graduate entry medicine

Medify’s Medicine and Dentistry Personal Statement Course

• Selection for interview

The personal statement can be used to rank students prior to being selected for interview.

• Getting to know you

Admissions tutors want to understand your motivations for becoming a doctor and why you think they should select you. They will see applications from hundreds of people, so the personal statement is a way for you to stand out.

• Information for interviewers

The personal statement is a resource for interviewers, giving them material for questions about your experiences and activities you’ve mentioned. Need help with reflecting on experiences mentioned in your personal statement during interviews? Check out our UK Interviews Online Course which provides in-depth tutorials and authentic example video responses from real students.

You don’t have to get every single one of these skills down in your personal statement but you should try to mention as many as possible while still making it sound natural and creating flow.

Medical and dental schools will differ in how they mark their personal statements. However, each school’s markers will use fixed marking criteria to ensure applicants are fairly marked, and these will align closely with the core values of the Medical and Dental Schools Councils. This means the marking criteria can be predicted and will generally break down into three overall areas.

• Commitment to the area

They will look at your motivation to study medicine/dentistry, your understanding of medicine/dentistry as a career, and your work experience.

• Aptitude for medicine/dentistry

They will look at your community activities, leadership qualities, evidence of working in a team, and your general interests.

• Academic ability

They will look at your GCSE results, predicted/actual grades, and academic distinctions.

Here’s an example of the marking criteria previously used by University College London for medicine:

Motivation to study medicine

Understanding of medicine as a career

Community activities

Evidence of leadership

Evidence of ability to work in a team

General interest

The limit for your personal statement is 4,000 characters, or 47 lines, whichever comes first. This limit is firm - your application simply can’t be submitted if your personal statement is too long. You really have to make every word count!

For good and bad examples of UCAS personal statements, check out ‘ Medical school personal statement examples ’ or ' Dental school personal statement examples' .

What does a good personal statement for medicine and dentistry contain?

▢ Motivation to study medicine/dentistry

You need to demonstrate why you really want to study your chosen course. This means showing passion and deep reflection, and is most powerful when tied into your personal experience.

▢ Commitment to study medicine/dentistry

You need to show that you’re committed to medicine or dentistry. 5+ years is a long time and medicine/dentistry is a lifelong career. You can show your commitment by discussing extra reading and work experience.

▢ Key personal attributes 

Get a few important attributes into your personal statement, such as communication, teamwork and empathy.

▢ Any work experience

Write about your work experience, what you did, and more importantly, what you learnt from it.

▢ Any voluntary work

Talking about voluntary work is an effective way of showing your empathetic side. 

▢ Academic achievements

Be proud of what you’ve achieved and talk about it, such as how the courses you studied at A-Level or equivalent grew your interest in medicine or dentistry.

▢ Extra reading

Write about books, articles and anything else that you’ve read that fuelled your passion for medicine/dentistry. 

▢ Extracurricular activities

Sometimes this is easy to overlook when you've got a lot of things to fit into your personal statement, but this is important to mention. 

Healthcare careers can be stressful, and admissions tutors want to see that you have stress-release mechanisms in place to help you cope. 

• Descriptions of feelings

Compare ‘I love working with others’ with ‘I visited a care home every day for 2 months to get a feel for the difficulties the elderly face’. The latter is concrete and specific, while the former only uses empty phrases.

• Long, waffling sentences

Long sentences dilute the impact of the message, so keep it short and avoid repetition.

• Sentences like ‘I want to help people...’

This phrase is overused and naive. If you write it, the admissions department will assume you haven’t fully thought about why you want to become a doctor or a dentist. Show, don’t tell.

• Family tradition as a motivation for studying medicine or dentistry

This is not good motivation to study medicine or dentistry. The fact that some members of your family are healthcare professionals will not make you a better doctor or dentist. Universities want applicants with intrinsic motivation. This means showing why medicine or dentistry is right for you and how your skills and attributes are best suited to it.

• Any examples which show immaturity

Don’t write ‘I will be running from one hospital room to another saving lives’. Instead, write about your experience of shadowing a doctor or a dentist and having a realistic understanding of what they do.

• Apologies for low grades/lack of experience

The personal statement is for you to build yourself up. Use your UCAS reference letter , written by someone in authority, to explain any extenuating circumstances.

• Controversial topics

For example, abortion or religion. Your reader might have differing views, and you will put them in a difficult position by forcing them to make a decision based on your personal beliefs rather than your ability to become a doctor.

This is overused and a bit clichéd. It doesn't add anything to your personal statement so it’s best not to include it. 

• Overuse of metaphors and poetic language

Don’t waste characters with expressions like 'My passion for studying dentistry is as boundless as the night sky.' You’re applying to study medicine or dentistry, not English literature, and taking up space with sentences like this suggests that you don’t have enough to say about what's important.

Keep your statement succinct and to the point. It’s perfectly fine to be passionate about medicine or dentistry, but try to show this through your insight and reflection rather than stating it directly.

• Listing achievement after achievement

'I volunteered in my local care home, organised work experience in the ICU of a large hospital, completed my gold Duke of Edinburgh…' Don’t list your achievements. Schools are looking for quality over quantity, so focus on one of these experiences and explore it in more detail. For example, what did you learn about yourself? What skills did you develop? How has your perception changed as a result of this?

Withholding some of your experiences and placements entirely from your statement (if you have more than enough already) means you’ll have more space to focus on the few you choose to include. This will also give you ammunition in your interview that your assessors might not be expecting.

This question is absolutely central to writing your personal statement. Avoid using clichés and give an honest answer. For instance, many students connect this to some childhood event, so you only want to say this if it’s overwhelmingly true and convincing.

Other ideas might be:

• Your love for practical science
• A strong desire to help people
• Work experience that you enjoyed
• Wanting an empathetic career
• An ability to problem solve
• Opportunities for lifelong learning
• A balance of practical and theoretical learning

But don’t just say 'I love practical science.' Prove it, then link it to your chosen career, such as:

'I am part of a science club in which we test hypotheses through experimentation. For example, we tested whether there is a correlation between time spent playing video games and eyesight. This experience taught me how to create and test hypotheses in a systematic way.

'I saw how I could apply these skills during my work experience at a local GP surgery. I witnessed the doctor making a diagnosis, interpreting the test results and adapting their response based on the evidence. I get a lot of intellectual satisfaction from this type of process and the fact that it is in aid of helping others enhances this.'

Good things don’t always come to those who wait. 

Preparing a compelling personal statement takes time and planning. With applications for medicine and dentistry due on 16 October, you should start drafting your personal statement in the summer before Year 13, just after your UCAT exam. It may take several drafts to refine your statement, and the earlier you start, the more time you will have to make improvements.

Personal statements can be hard to write. We have all experienced writer’s block, so start by listing all the things you want to mention and work from there.

Remember, whatever structure you use for your personal statement, make it punchy and memorable.

When reflecting on an experience, ask yourself the following questions:

• What could I have done better?
• What did I learn from this?
• What skills have I developed from this and how?
• How does this relate to the medical/dental field?
• How did my decisions affect the people around me?
• What if I looked at this scenario from another person's perspective, such as that of the patient or the patient’s family?
• Did anything surprise me?

A good model for reflection is the 'What? So What? Now What?' model:

There are no formatting options on the UCAS site. All personal statements will be the same font and size. The only way you can make it different to someone else's is through writing better content, so focus on that.

Reading some example personal statements can be helpful when you’re getting started or are facing writer’s block.

However, remember that all personal statements submitted to UCAS go through a plagiarism checker. If any part of your personal statement is found to be plagiarised, this information will be passed on to the universities you’ve applied to and could result in your disqualification.

Do I have to be honest in my personal statement? 

A tiny white lie that no one will ever discover? Don’t do it. It can be tempting, but don’t. 

Your personal statement isn’t only read by admissions tutors, you may also be asked questions about it in your interview.

It doesn't take much for an interviewer to work out that you’re lying. If you’re found to have lied on your personal statement, your application will be rejected.

You wouldn't lie about your grades on your UCAS form or the school that you went to, so don’t lie in your personal statement.

You should take care in writing and editing your personal statement as there is a lot riding on it. Show it to your teachers for their input and advice. Then rewrite it again and again until you have perfected it.

There is always room for improvement. You should give it to at least two or three people for their input. An English teacher would be helpful for checking your grammar and use of English. 

Your reference writer can be another useful person to proofread your personal statement, as they can fill in the gaps in your application with their reference.

• Pitch and tone ‍

Make sure your pitch and tone are appropriate - your statement should be personal and specific to make you memorable while avoiding the use of abbreviations or slang.  

Imagine you’re the admissions tutor and use our sample marking criteria above to help you. Are you impressed by what you’re reading? If not, then go back and re-draft.

• Print a copy ‍

Keep a copy of your statement close by throughout your application process, even after you have finished and submitted it. Your interviewers can base their questions on your personal statement, so you need to be able to recall what you have written quickly and effectively.

Cecilia, from the University of Liverpool, told us:

‘After writing my personal statement, I gave it to several people I trusted to read it - my parents, close friends and career advisor. 

'I received generally positive feedback. However, since they were people who knew me well, they observed my PS was too rigid and wooden, and my enthusiasm for this career path wasn’t shining through. I scrapped my initial PS, only retaining the salient points which I was confident about. 

'Then, I took a step back and reflected on my work experience more deeply and went on to produce a more heartfelt personal statement which embodied my passion leaps and bounds more than my first version. 

'Needless to say I felt more confident speaking about my experiences during my interview, which was based on the new and improved version of my PS.’

The focus of a personal statement in this case should be academics. Oxford University recommends an 80:20 split between academics and extracurricular activities. 

Don’t just list the qualifications you have, and don’t mention any qualifications you’ve mentioned elsewhere in your UCAS application, like your GCSE grades. 

Talk about:

If you’ve read any books related to medicine, talk about them. Discuss what you learnt, what interested you and your further reading on any topics mentioned in the book. 

Oxford also has a recommended reading list . It’s not compulsory, but if you have the time, read a couple of books from there that interest you.

You can also check out Medify’s top books to read before medical school.

• Work experience

Be sure to take a reflective approach with your work experience. Discuss the personal attributes that you have developed, any specific clinical cases that interest you, as well as any further research you have done.

• Interest beyond the classroom

Discuss how you’ve completed further reading on topics studied at school. You could reflect on how these relate to medicine.

• The selection criteria

Oxford has specific selection criteria, which are as follows:

Addressing attributes from this list will make it clear to admissions tutors that you’re suited to study medicine. Take a look at an admissions tutor’s analysis of a personal statement for medicine .

Personal statements for graduate entry medicine 

Graduate entry medicine (GEM) is extremely competitive, even more than direct entry. You have had more time to build life experience and demonstrate your aptitude for medicine, so your personal statement needs to reflect that.

Differences between direct entry and graduate entry medicine personal statements

As well as demonstrating a motivation for medicine, you need to be able to justify why you’re deciding on medicine now. If you’re coming from an unrelated field like finance, then this becomes especially important. You need to convince tutors that your interest in medicine isn’t just a passing phase.

Having already undertaken a degree, you need to show a deeper level of reflection based on a richer repertoire of experience, as well as a firm understanding of medicine/dentistry as a career and how your personal attributes align. 

• Writing style

The candidates you will be competing with have taken one or more degrees. This means you all have much more experience with formal writing. As a result, it is doubly important that the quality of writing is of a consistently high level with an appropriate style.

• Previous degree and qualifications  

Reflect on your previous degree(s). Discuss what you learnt from it/them and what skills it/they helped you to develop.

Are you prepared for the 16 October UCAS application deadline? Have you perfected your personal statement yet?

Medify’s Personal Statement Course can help you to complete a ready-to-submit personal statement in just three days. You’ll be guided by admissions experts on how to frame your experiences and demonstrate your suitability for medicine or dentistry. You’ll also get access to over 100 personal statement examples.

How do I write my personal statement if I’m an international student?

Here's some key information for international students - you should aim to mention everything discussed on this page. Additionally, you should also talk about why you want to study medicine or dentistry in the UK and how you think that will benefit you. You can also reflect on the differences in healthcare systems between your home country and in the UK.

If I’m taking a gap year, do I need to talk about it in my personal statement?

If you’re deferring your entry so that you can take a gap year, you should mention it in your personal statement. Talk about why you’re taking a gap year, what you’re going to do, and what you hope to learn from it. This will show admissions tutors that you’re an organised individual.

If you’ve already taken a gap year and are now applying, you should mention what you did during your gap year and what you learnt from it. The most important part of all that you write is how you reflect on it.

How many personal statements do I write?

You only write one personal statement, and the same one goes to all the universities you apply to, irrespective of the course. Be careful not to mention anything overly specific, like the name of the medical school you like.

I’m applying to another course as well. Should I do anything differently?

It can be hard to write a personal statement for two separate courses. If medicine or dentistry is really what you want to do then you need to give it your best shot. Focus your application entirely on medicine or dentistry. Sometimes if the rest of your application is strong, you’ll still get an offer from your fifth option.

Should I talk about my grades and qualifications?

You don’t need to mention your qualifications in your personal statement, as you’ll have already mentioned it in another part of your UCAS application. You don’t need to waste your characters repeating information your admissions tutors already know about you.

What’s more important? My personal statement or my UCAT/BMAT?

Different universities give different weights to different parts of your application. Some universities may give a greater weighting to your personal statement, but on the whole your UCAT/BMAT score tends to have a greater impact on your chance of success.

Don’t let that stop you from focusing on your personal statement though. In the case where your interview score, UCAT/ BMAT score and your academics are the same as someone else’s, it could be your personal statement that swings the decision in your favour.

I’m still stuck on how to write my personal statement. What should I do?

It’s perfectly normal to feel stuck when writing your personal statement. Summarising your motivation and life experience in 4,000 characters can be challenging.

Remember, we offer a Personal Statement Course with in-depth tutorials, guidance from admissions experts, and over 100 personal statement examples for just £20.

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10-Step Checklist For Your Medicine Personal Statement

If you wish to attend a college or university that is located in a different country, one of the most important documents that you submit will be a motivation letter, often known as a statement of purpose. An unprepared student may have a difficult time writing an application essay that has the required structure, absence of mistakes, message, and presentation of oneself as a successful and potential student. This may be one of the reasons why so many students use medical school personal statement writing service and so few students are accepted. To be of assistance to you, we have compiled a detailed guidebook that is just for your use.

What does the commission expect from the applicant?

The admissions staff is seeking for a young man with a background story that, despite its brevity, nonetheless manages to be engaging and intriguing due to the fact typical medical school schedule can be very harsh for a young person. Who will have the opportunity to learn from them? Where does he want to go, and what is it that he hopes to achieve with his life? What are some things that he will bring to the university, and what are some things that he hopes to learn there?

In many cases, the admissions committee keeps the student’s best interests in mind while making decisions:

• Enthusiastic and interested (don’t forget the “hooks”) in the subject matter
• Educated (style and accuracy, literacy of writing, consistency, logical narration) (style and correctness, literacy of writing, consistency, logical narration)
• Educated at a scholarly level (for example, you can use highly specialised terms, mention profile achievements and successes, internship or work practice)
• Capable of dealing with challenging responsibilities and challenges (remember that if there were moments of overcoming in your history, they can become your main trump cards)
• being able to communicate, as well as maintaining interaction with other students and teachers
• With significant potential, the commission is seeking for pupils who can bring honour to their school and represent it in a positive light.

Naturally, it will be difficult to fit all of this into 300 words, so you should place more focus on the information that will be the most illuminating (and, of course, this order of qualities is not necessary to follow at all). Because, sadly, your charisma will be rendered useless in written form, you should endeavour to be yourself while simultaneously being more vivid and detailed than you would be in regular speech.

Also Read: 5 Benefits Of Attending a Live Continuing Education Course

THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST FOR PERSONAL STATEMENT IN MEDICINE

In the personal statement portion of your application to medical school, you will have the opportunity to highlight aspects of your character that make you fit into typical medical school schedule.  Also, don’t forget the experiences and passions that have led you to become interested in a future in medicine. It is a chance to show the admissions committee why you are a good match for their program and how you will contribute to the profession of medicine if you are accepted into it.

Applicants to medical school can benefit from all the best medical school books as well as the following advice when crafting a compelling personal statement for the application:

1) Start by brainstorming.

You should compile a list of the activities you’ve participated in, the things you’ve accomplished, and the characteristics you possess that make you a good candidate for medical school. Think about the things that set you different from other candidates and the things that make you excited about pursuing a career in the medical field.

2) Tell a story

A personal statement need to be more than just a list of the achievements that the individual has achieved. Create a narrative about your path to medical school and your ambitions, like working while in med school, using your experiences and accomplishments as the building blocks. The admissions committee will have a greater chance of getting to know you and understanding your motivations for pursuing a career in medicine if you provide them with this information.

3) Be specific

When illustrating your views, be sure to provide concrete instances and explicit information. The admissions committee will have a greater understanding of who you are and what you can contribute to the program as a result of this.

4) Keep it concise

Your personal statement should not be any more than a couple of paragraphs at the very most. Be sure to concentrate on the material that is the most significant and relevant, and try to avoid inserting any details that aren’t required.

5) Start early

Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to think about ideas, compose your personal statement, and go over it again. You’ll be able to put your best foot forward and make a statement that’s well-written and polished if you follow these steps.

6) Follow the prompt

It is imperative that you adhere to the direction that has been supplied by the medical school. This will guarantee that you respond to the question or address the issue that the admissions committee is interested in learning more about, which is often the most scary med school difficulty.

7) Show, don’t tell

Use concrete illustrations and personal tales to bring life to your arguments rather than merely stating your experiences and accomplishments in order to make your personal statement more interesting to the reader.

8) Use active voice

By using the active voice in your writing, you may make your personal statement more interesting to read and improve the effectiveness with which you transmit your views.

9) Use concrete language

In your personal statement, try to avoid using terminology that is ambiguous or abstract. Make use of terminology that is clear and detailed rather than general if you want the admissions committee to have a better understanding of your experiences and accomplishments.

10) Edit and proofread

Be sure to give your personal statement plenty of attention in terms of editing and proofreading. A good impression may be made on the admissions committee by submitting a personal statement that is both well-written and free of errors.

Your personal statement tells the medical school admissions committee more about you than your GPA and test scores. It’s an opportunity to showcase your character, life experiences, and interests in medicine, as well as your readiness for any med-school difficulty.

Your personal statement might demonstrate how you will improve medicine and medical school. It’s a terrific place to boast about your triumphs and explain your failures. In conclusion, the personal statement is your chance to stand out and prove you’re the finest medical student. It’s an important part of the application and will help the admissions board decide if you’re a good fit.

Hi, I’m the Founder and Developer of Paramedics World, a blog truly devoted to Paramedics. I am a Medical Lab Tech, a Web Developer and Bibliophiliac. My greatest hobby is to teach and motivate other peoples to do whatever they wanna do in life.