What should I include in my personal statement?

Your personal statement is your opportunity to show the university exactly what makes you the ideal candidate.

The most important question you will have to answer in your personal statement is why you wish to study medicine.The answer to this question is not simply that you want to help people. Although that is an admirable quality the admissions officers will then want to know why exactly you wish to be a doctor in order to help people rather than a nurse or a healthcare assistant.

You should use your personal statement to give a clear narrative of the unique experience you have had which have guided you towards studying medicine.

Admissions officers are aware of the difficulty of finding experience in the healthcare field and so will not judge you on where you experience has come from but more on what you have learnt from your experience.

Medical school is not easy and they want to know that you have the capacity for for sustained and intense work, that you work well with others and that you can be empathic.

Try and think of experiences that you have had which highlight these characteristics in yourself and make you stand out from other applicant.

However, most importantly be honest! You will often be asked about things you have included in your personal statement at interview and so be sure you are prepared to talk about all areas of your personal statement.