Sample Midwifery Personal Statements
My ambition to become a midwife has its origins in my own experience of witnessing childbirth when I assisted at the home birth of my brother. I was struck by the professional competence of the midwife, her genuine attention to the needs of her patient at such a critical time and the skill with which she managed each stage of the labour and gave comfort and confidence to both mother and bystanders. With an aunt who is an A&E nurse and a grandmother a physiotherapist, my early life was filled with discussions about healthcare issues and I was able to satisfy a continuing curiosity about the medical world by asking them questions about their jobs. My ambition is to be able to use my skills and training to help prepare women and their families for this major life event and ensure that they have every confidence in my ability to lead things to a successful conclusion. I am interested in the complexities of the subject, in the core questions of microbiology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology which govern the medical process. I am keen to explore ways to establish successful breastfeeding, and to learn about the necessary responses to complicated childbirth, the use of drugs, the special care for neonates and the medical conditions which can affect them. I know too that there is a need to be prepared, both practically and mentally, to deal with emergencies, and that this can call for considerable personal strength and resilience. At the same time I am also very interested in the public health role of midwives, in their responsibility for educating new mothers both before and after giving birth. One of the important aspects of the midwife’s job which appeals to me particularly is the need to pass on my own knowledge and experience by visiting secondary schools and educating teenage girls about the disadvantages of pregnancies at a young age, a health and social problem which does not seem to be getting better. I am also attracted by the idea of working as a volunteer in a third world country, teaching new skills to midwives there.
I always try to keep abreast of new developments in my subject by following stories in the media, and I subscribe to the British Journal of Midwifery. One of my inspirations has been the books of Dot May Dunn, such as Twelve Babies on a Bike, and Bread, Jam and a Borrowed Pram, which are great fun, but also informative about the profession. She makes it clear what human satisfaction is to be gained from being a midwife. It was moving to see her struggling against the difficulties which she encountered in the 1950s and made me feel how much I could achieve in the present day with the advantages of modern medical technology and knowledge.
At school I performed well academically and enjoyed sports, earning a number of awards for outstanding achievements. Maintaining my own fitness continues to be important to me and I play football and netball as well as swimming and running. I was a member of the school council for two years and became a prefect in my final year, supervising younger pupils and helping to maintain order and discipline. I have worked as a volunteer helper at Mount Talbot National School in Roscommon, with many duties, such as guiding reading groups, organising pre-reading activities with infant classes, supervising art activities and play periods, as well as administrative tasks. It has served to develop my powers of leadership and patience and taught me much about responsibility.
Aptitude tests have suggested that my greatest skill is in communicating, which is of course essential for a midwife. I am a competent and capable young woman who always gives 110% to everything I do and I pride myself on being thorough, caring and considerate to the needs of others. I enjoy working in a team but am equally happy working on my own. My commitment to my chosen career is total, and I believe I have the necessary qualities to become a very successful student and midwife.
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