Sample Medicine Personal Statement
Having witnessed the impact the provision of medical care has on patient’s lives I am convinced that medicine offers the best fit between my academic interests and my desire to fulfil a compassionate role within my community. From the relatively minor treatment that I received to the comprehensive treatment involved during my grandfather’s quadruple heart bypass, the medical profession has proven key to my family’s well being. It is my drive to provide this, combined with the intellectual challenge of an ever-changing discipline, which will motivate me to succeed in undergraduate study and beyond.
I have worked hard to gain knowledge and experience in the field, in order to provide a foundation for study and gain a sense of working in the medical profession. Alongside my strong performance at school I have undertaken a number of voluntary placements. Shadowing a GP taught me that a strong doctor-patient relationship is key to successful treatment, improving my communication skills and introducing me to issues of confidentiality. This placement also offered the opportunity to undertake practical duties, such as checking lung capacity, and taking swabs for swine flu tests. A placement at Stepping Hill Hospital assisting the ward clerk distributing food, making beds and interacting with patients, offered experience of staying calm in a stressful environment. In addition to these experiences I have also undertaken placements at a care home and a primary school. Both hugely rewarding, these placements have impressed upon me the importance of communication and compassion within a position of responsibility, listening and identifying needs.
My experiences of medical care have also inspired me to gain a greater understanding of the field intellectually. My grandfather’s operation encouraged a strong interest in cardiac medicine and dissecting a lamb’s heart and undertaking study of the mechanisms involved in systole and diastole, are experiences that have helped me to understand his condition and how it can be treated. Equally, my sister’s febrile convulsion at 18 months old was a shocking experience that inspired me to gain first aid skills with the St John’s Ambulance, to give me the confidence to respond to such situations in future. Taking part in a ‘medical taster day’ at Stepping Hill offered the opportunity to talk to existing students about the demands of study, as well take part in practical demonstrations. These experiences, alongside reading the Student BMJ and New Scientist and a voracious appetite for medical documentaries, have confirmed that medicine is the correct path for me to pursue.
In addition to my interests in medicine I enjoy engaging with my community through taking part in fundraising activities and playing an active role on the multi-cultural committee at school. Regular debates have increased my confidence at public speaking, my teamwork abilities and my awareness of ethical issues, all of which will prove essential in the practice of medicine. I also enjoy making music, dancing and playing basketball, all activities I regularly take part in to relieve stress, maintain fitness and improve co-ordination.
My personal experiences have shaped me into a compassionate and caring individual with a desire to practice medicine for the benefit of my fellow man. Volunteering in a developing country or specialising in cardiac medicine to alleviate the pressure on those families experiencing similar difficulties are ways in which I would like to pursue this goal. As a motivated, engaged student, who has worked hard to gain the necessary knowledge and experience to progress to undergraduate study, I am confident that I have the ambition and ability to achieve at university and beyond.
This sample Medicine personal statement can be used as an informative point of reference for those who are looking for help with writing a personal statement.