What should I include in my personal statement for Medicine?

Personal statements are something that fill people with dread. 

There are a few core things that you should include in your medical school personal statement. 

1) Demonstrate WHY you want to apply for medicine. You must be succinct and to the point here; after all you only have so many characters! So really think about it and try and write a list of words that sum up why you want to do medicine. This is by far the most important aspect of your statement.

2) Demonstrate abilities that will make you a good doctor. To prepare for this, think about what makes a good doctor. For me, a good doctor is someone who shows empathy, has excellent skill and knowledge, has good communication, can work well in a team but also can show leadership and someone who does not shy away from pressure. Try and show that you have these traits with evidence to back it up. For example, to show that you work well in a team, write about how you play sports for your school or engage in other team activities. To prove that you have the determination to succeed, write about learning a musical instrument or anything that you have achieved that you are proud of. Don't be afraid to gloat a little, this is the time to prove your worth!

3) Show that you have gained experience in the medical field so that you know what you are getting into. This is crucial! Try to look for alternative or different types of work experience. Working in nursing home is an excellent way to show that you can care for people, just as shadowing a doctor on a ward proves that you have gone out of your way to find out what it is like to work in the medical profession. Think about applying for experience overseas too; often this will give you even more exposure to what it is like to work in medicine than you will find in the UK; it is a good opportunity to find out if this is really what you want to do!

Finally, a concise summary and ending statement will make you stand out from the rest. Stick to your strengths and really think about what differentiates you from the pack; this is what medical schools want to see!