Sample Medicine Personal Statement
My motivation to study medicine is based partly on a personal experience. Whilst growing up in Nigeria I attended fundraising events organized by the health charity COPE. I was taken to the events by my mother, a breast cancer survivor and committed volunteer of the charity. From attending these events I learnt about the stigma that is attached in some parts of the world, even today, to sufferers of cancer and HIV/AIDS. The experience of hearing the testimonies of sufferers and the stories of people who died due to lack of medicines and access to qualified medical staff moved me to pursue a career in medicine.
My studies have been focused on preparing to study medicine, at the same time as strongly increasing my interest in the science of human health.Studying biology has helped me understand the body’s internal mechanisms with regard, for example, to how the immune system responds to diseases. My enjoyment of human biology is enhanced by the way it links into the other subjects that I study. Chemistry, for example, has given me a solid foundation for understanding the chemical reactions in the body which cause processes such as blood circulation and anaerobic respiration in muscles.
Medicine involves far more than a theoretical understanding of the human body; I am fortunate to have experienced the day-to-day challenges that doctors can face through two placements that I took at St. Mary’s Specialist Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.On the placements I observed doctors in a wide range of departments. I discovered that being a doctor is a continual learning process, regardless of the seniority or specialization of the doctor. The chance to experience laboratory work, such as viewing malaria parasites in a blood sample, gave me a greater appreciation of how the fundamental sciences relate to doctors’ abilities to diagnose diseases and treat patients. This summer I spent a week shadowing a senior nurse at a surgery, which gave me a practical view of medicine from a different perspective. Observing a wide range of procedures, the experience made me more aware of the broad range of people who need access to health services, ranging from babies receiving vaccinations, to young women getting Pap tests, to people of all ages with diabetes. The week made me understand the difficult balancing act for health professionals between treating patients with empathy and maintaining a professional distance.
I feel I have developed some of the interpersonal skills that doctors need through my involvement in voluntary work. At the moment, I am a volunteer at an old people’s home. Through this I have learnt that perseverance and patience are key qualities to possess when helping people who are in a state of mental distress due to their condition, such as sufferers of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. Some of the activities with which I am involved at school are also helping me to develop the personal skills that are important for medical practitioners. As a student listener, part of my job is to help younger pupils with problems that range from academic difficulties to personal issues. Attending a Global Youth Leaders conference recently gave me the opportunity to improve my team-working skills and gave me the chance to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.
The studies, voluntary work and work experience in hospitals that I have experienced since my initial experience of the difficulties facing cancer and HIV/AIDS sufferers have all strengthened my original desire to work as a doctor. I have discovered that I have an aptitude and motivation for the academic requirements for medical study, and I feel that I understand the nature of the work that doctors do and the demands that are placed on them. But above all, I have been inspired by the differences that doctors can make to the lives of people who are suffering, and as a consequence I am committed to a career in medicine.
This sample Medicine personal statement should be used as an informative guide to relevant content and structure when writing a personal statement.