Example Operating Department Practitioner Personal Statement
Having worked as a Theatre Support Worker since 2007, I have become convinced that the emotional rewards of helping patients through the traumatic experience of surgery hold the greatest potential for combining my intellectual interests in science with my innately caring nature. Speaking to colleagues, friends and family members who work in the position has also allowed me to see that the role of Operating Department Practitioner will allow me to make an even greater contribution to the field, bringing more specialised knowledge and experience to my work.
Prior to finding my vocation for healthcare I have experienced a rich and varied academic career. Achieving strong grades throughout my schooling, I found that I had the potential to go into any number of fields. My strong interest in sciences dictated that I retained a focus on logical, methodical working practices and encouraged me to pursue the study of Business. After successfully completing an MBA in Banking and Finance in 2010, however, I have realised that the work I had been doing in Theatre Support had always been ultimately more important to me. I am now determined to turn my proven academic ability to gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to progress within a career that I feel has chosen me, rather than me choosing it.
Of course, as a mature student, my five years of work experience in the field has already allowed me to gain a foundation of practical knowledge that will aid me throughout further study. Working as part of the surgical team has proven to be massively exciting and I have gained a good idea of what is involved in each role. The work of an Operating Department Practitioner proves to be an excellent fit for those elements of my present position that I enjoy most and at which I am best. I find that caring for, and communicating with, the patients is the part of the job I enjoy the most and I would relish the chance to progress into a more complex, but essentially patient-centred, role. I have also proven the ability to work well under pressure and to retain both calmness and an eye for detail throughout emergency procedures. These qualities will ensure that I am focused on each aspect of the operating procedure, from preparation to recovery, paying equal attention to the needs of multiple patients and the practical necessities of surgery. Having demonstrated excellent organisational and time management skills by juggling my work with my previous studies, I am also looking forward to bringing these skills to bear within a future career in which accuracy and planning can have a dramatically positive impact on people’s lives.
Outside of my own work within the field, I have made sure to seek out as much information about the specifics of the Operating Department Practitioner role as is possible. My brother works as an ODP so I have been able to both ask him questions about his work and witness the emotional and intellectual rewards that it brings to him first hand. Obviously, working within a hospital setting has also allowed me to observe other ODPs going about their work and has shown me the wide range of experiences and approaches that constitute the field. Speaking to colleagues at all levels, including nurses, doctors and surgeons, about both the range of roles involved in surgery and my own skills and interests, each conversation has reinforced my commitment to pursuing this career. Having already given five years of my life to working within the surgical field, I am now more convinced than ever that this is the professional arena in which I am to make my mark and I am determined to apply my dedicated approach to study to making this goal a reality.
We hope this sample Operating Department Practitioner personal statement is a useful guide to writing a personal statement.