hobbies personal statement medicine

The Best (and Worst) Hobbies to Include in Your Medical School Application

Running in charity 5Ks. Traveling around the globe. Playing the piano.

These might sound like great hobbies to include in your medical school application, but the truth is that every pre-med does them. They’re fine. Average. They won’t hurt you, but they’ll do little to help you stand out.

These hobbies have become cliche, leaving admissions committees feeling underwhelmed.

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So which hobbies should you include on your work/activities section and which should you omit? Before we talk about which to include, let’s first address the question of whether to include hobbies at all.

SHOULD YOU INCLUDE HOBBIES IN YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION?

Some pre-meds seem to think that hobbies shouldn’t matter, that admissions committees don’t care what they do in their free time. There’s some truth to this logic: hobbies won’t make or break your med school application, and no matter how interesting your hobbies are, they won’t help you overcome a low science GPA.

But medicine needs doctors who know how to relieve stress, and hobbies are one way to do that. Including hobbies on your application tells admissions committees that you’re (at least a little) normal, that not EVERYTHING in your life revolves around being pre-med.

Hobbies also humanize you. They can help you bond with your admissions reader or interviewer.

HOW SHOULD YOU INCLUDE YOUR HOBBIES ON THE AMCAS APPLICATION?

We recommend using one work/activity entry to list all of your hobbies. Lump them all together, and describe each with one sentence in the description. This means you’ll need to pick your favorite 2-3 hobbies, so choose wisely. As with any work/activities entry, you’ll be asked to list the total hours. How can you quantify all of the time you’ve spent playing piano for the past 16 years? It’s a little ridiculous, but you should list the total time and list the start date of the activity, even if that was when you were four.

Now that we’ve addressed the Whether and the How of writing about hobbies on the medical school application, let’s talk about the Which. Which activities should you include and which should you omit?

THE MOST CLICHE HOBBIES IN MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

Cliche hobby #1 - exercise and athletics.

Pre-meds tend to be health conscious due to their interest in the body and desire to “practice what they preach” as future care providers. Exercise is vital for successful pre-meds, but not all exercise is created equal when it comes to standing out.

Running, weightlifting, yoga, and intramural sports are probably the most common. However, these can always be made more interesting through a little variety. For example, you could run in a Tough Mudder race, experiment with aerial or karaoke yoga , or play some unusual intramural sport like croquet or curling (yes, those exist).

Some of the most unusual athletic activities I’ve seen include:

*Competing in a community boxing league

*Playing for a national handball team in Ghana

*Serving as a female coxswain on a men’s rowing team

*Auditioning for American Ninja Warrior

You don’t need something this extraordinary, but if your athletic hobby falls into a common category, you may want to try and spice things up a bit.

Verdict : include it, but don’t bank on it to help you stand out.

CLICHE HOBBY #2 - TRAVELING

Traveling is great. It expands your worldview and exposes you to new experiences and cultures.

But many other pre-meds will have travel experiences to discuss, whether for medical mission trips or merely for pleasure. So it’s not usually something that will jump off the page.

Most of the time, the recreational travel includes tropical places like Hawaii or the Bahamas, or the proverbial backpack trip through Europe. It’s often terribly unoriginal and reeks of privilege, and it can even backfire against a candidate if presented the wrong way.

Again, there are ways to make your travel experiences more unique. Maybe you take a personalized road trip to visit the hometowns of your parents and grandparents. Maybe you visit wilderness sanctuaries with endangered animals. Maybe you visit some remote, obscure destination like Isle Royale or Bumpass Hell .

Some of the most unusual traveling activities I’ve seen include:

*A road trip through the deep South to write a travel article about the Underground Railroad

*A silent, meditative retreat with Buddhist monks

*An ongoing life mission to visit every Major League Baseball stadium

Verdict : include it only if your experience is truly unusual or you have nothing more interesting to talk about (see below).

CLICHE HOBBY #3 - PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT

Learning an instrument is a challenging and enriching endeavor that shows dedication and commitment. The problem is that playing an instrument, particularly something classical like piano or violin, has almost become a stereotype for pre-meds (a.k.a. the overachievers whose parents have forced them to stuff their resumes from birth).

I think this hobby is most egregious when it’s clear that the candidates haven’t really dedicated much time to the instrument recently. This becomes evident when the accolades are primarily from high school competitions and concertos. The admissions committees are pretty savvy, so they’ll be able to tell if you’re dredging up something from the past just to look “impressive.”

Music can still be a crucial component in your application, but it’s better if you can find a way to make it distinct. Here are some of the most unusual musical activities I’ve seen:

*Playing live music for nursing homes and hospice patients

*Marching and playing tuba in college band

*Banging a drum kit on top of a moving parade float  

*Composing a song for your college graduation ceremony

Verdict : include it if you’ve continued to play in college. Otherwise, probably omit.

CLICHE HOBBY #4 - COOKING

Another cliche hobby is anything under the umbrella of cooking, baking, or trying new restaurants. This is a bit like exercise - it’s important, it’s enriching, but it basically comes standard for every health-conscious candidate. If you like healthy cooking, do your best to personalize the description through recent attempted recipes or specialty dishes.  

Verdict : include it only if you have nothing more interesting to talk about (see below)

RED-FLAG HOBBIES TO AVOID IN YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION

This list is totally unfair. There are perfectly normal people who enjoy the activities below, many of whom go on to become doctors. But these hobbies are the ones that could make people question whether you have the perspective and temperament to be a physician.

For those who don’t know, cosplay is a “performance art” in which participants wear self-made costumes and fashion accessories to represent specific fictional characters. This could mean attending occasional events like Comic-Con or treating every single day like Halloween. If you want to dress up like Pokemon or Marvel superheroes, keep that under wraps in your medical school application. To most readers, it might seem childish or a bit out of touch with reality.

ADULT COLORING BOOKS

This trend is a relatively new one. These books aim to provide a combination of nostalgia and therapeutic relaxation. But that’s a pretty generous description. Basically, it’s a fine way to relax while you’re on a plane or watching TV, but it hardly counts as a legitimate hobby.    

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS

Nerds! Just kidding. I love D&D. But just like cosplay, this activity carries a certain stigma and stereotype. To some readers, it could make you seem maladjusted and socially awkward, or at least someone with WAY too much time to kill on roleplaying campaigns.

WATCHING NETFLIX

No! Stop right there! The only things you should be “binging” are sleep and self-affirmation.

If you’re only able to afford your hobby because of your wealthy parents or relatives, then it’s probably not smart to highlight it in your medical school application. Certain activities can paint you as privileged or spoiled if you’re not careful in how you present them.

UNIQUE HOBBIES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION

Interesting hobby #1 - arts and entertainment.

Over the years, I have worked with some artistic pre-meds. One was a child actress who later modeled in commercials during college. There was a medical illustrator who produced sketchings and drawings for textbooks. There was also a campus DJ who spun his turntables at community events. There were sculptors, food critics, and art historians.

But these types are few and far between.  

Pre-meds are busy people, and their scientific and academic pursuits can often consume their lives. Arts and entertainment can seem like diversions, but they’re interesting hobbies for a few important reasons: 1.) they’re unusual and stand out, 2.) they show a well-roundedness and your ability to utilize a largely untapped part of the pre-med brain, and 3.) they show your relatability and accessibility to a wider range of people.

Try to embrace the arts, even if you don’t think you have a creative bone in your body. Your months of hard work at the pottery wheel or botched open mic performances will still communicate your desire to expand your perspective and try new things.

INTERESTING HOBBY #2 - CRAFTSMANSHIP

You might be thinking of burly men in wood sheds using power tools, but in this case “craftsmanship” can refer to anything that involves you making something from scratch.

I recall one pre-med who refurbished a non-functioning Harley Davidson motorcycle. One crocheted stuffed animals for newborns in the NICU. Another collaborated with hip-hop artists to produce albums through music editing software. A few have worked on documentary films, designed iPhone games, written and directed one-act plays, and competed in drone races as part of a robotics team.

Why is this attractive to admissions committees? It shows a lot of follow through to complete a project from scratch and make something tangible with your own two hands. Almost all of these endeavors involve trial and error, adaptation, problem solving, and a willingness to fail.

Plus, most of these will result in some kind of evidence that you can share in your application, whether it’s a portfolio, a YouTube link, an Etsy page, or a publication. It’s always good if your hobbies amount to something more than words on a page.

Interesting Hobby #3 - Performance and Public Speaking

These hobbies might strike fear into the hearts of pre-meds, but that’s kind of the point. Choosing a hobby in this category carries a certain degree of risk, since you’ll be regularly in the spotlight and subject to people’s scrutiny.

For example, one former candidate was a standup comedian who had started an improv comedy class at his school. Another was a slam poet who used this medium to decrease the taboos surrounding mental health. There was a candidate who regularly returned to his high school to give talks to the athletic teams and graduating classes.

These hobbies are attractive to admissions committees because they show confidence, healthy risk-taking, social skills, effective rhetoric and communication, and an ability to connect with one’s audience.

Hobbies like this carry the added bonus of honing skills you’ll need for interviewing, collaborating with colleagues, and forming relationships with patients.  

CAN YOU HAVE TOO MANY HOBBIES IN YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION?

Yes! I once had a student write about her interests in knitting, crocheting, costume-making, running, and riflery (a weird combination, I know). If you put too many hobbies on your medical school application, it will look like you have a little TOO much fun, especially if there are already any questions about your commitment to the field or your performance in the classroom.

So keep it to one spot on your Work/Activities section and save any further discussions of the activities for your secondaries and interviews.

Here are 10 Unique Activities That Got People Into Medical School .

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Medical School Expert

Extracurricular Activities For Medicine Applicants (13 Best Choices)

Every article is fact-checked by a medical professional. However, inaccuracies may still persist.

When I was an aspiring medical student, I luckily all too well understood the importance of participating in various extracurricular activities to boost my application for medical school.

These activities not only helped me stand out from the crowd but also provided valuable experiences to develop essential skills for a career in medicine.

Without them, you’ll be stacking the odds against yourself in getting an offer for medicine.

In this article, I’m going to discuss the types of extracurricular activities that medical schools are looking for in applicants and why they matter.

I’m first going to look at what I actually mean by extracurricular activities and why medical schools value them, before diving into more detail on each activity that you could use to boost your application.

INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDE:

What Are Extracurricular Activities?

Extracurricular activities are essentially anything you can engage in outside of your academic studies, which allow you to develop crucial skills for your future career and demonstrate a passion for medicine.

Often, extracurricular activities revolve around helping others, working in teams, or developing leadership qualities.

Volunteering in a clinical setting, such as a hospital, hospice, or care home, could be considered one of the most important extracurricular activities you can do as a medical school applicant.

These experiences provide essential practical knowledge and a deeper understanding of the medical profession.

Although these sorts of experiences are undertaken outside of school and a standard academic setting, I’ve chosen to consider them separately in this article all about gathering medical work experience.

Here, I’m going to focus more on personal extracurricular activities unrelated to medicine.

These pursuits can help you showcase your interests, motivations, and broader personality, which can further appeal to admissions committees.

Why Are Extracurricular Activities Important For Medicine Applicants?

Extracurricular activities play a vital role in demonstrating your dedication to medicine as well as exhibiting essential non-cognitive skills and the emotional intelligence required to handle the rigours of medical school and beyond.

By taking part in a wide range of extracurricular activities, you can show medical schools that you possess diverse skills, well-rounded interests and are able to balance academics with other interests.

With a vast sea of people applying to medical school every year, you need to be able to differentiate yourself from the applicant who interviews directly before and after you.

With the standard of medicine applicants being so high these days, the vast majority of applicants are going to have at least 3 As predicted at A-level.

The vast majority of medicine applicants are going to have a strong selection of 9s, 8s and 7s at GCSE and the vast majority of applicants will have undertaken at least some form of work experience.

Where you can really stand out from the crowd is everything you do outside of the standard medicine application.

If you’re able to do all the above whilst also performing as a talented sportsperson or musician, you’re much more likely to be selected by a medical school compared to someone who only offers the bare minimum of academic requirements.

Additionally, these activities can help you develop essential skills such as teamwork, leadership, and communication, which are all crucial for a successful career in medicine.

What Extracurriculars Should You Do for Medicine?

Below, I’ve outlined several key areas where you can get involved to strengthen your application and provide valuable experiences.

There’s by no means one perfect combination of extracurricular activities that everyone should do.

There are also no activities that are objectively superior to others.

It’s less about what you’re physically doing and more about what you take away from your experiences and how they impact you as an individual.

The medical schools don’t necessarily care about what your hobbies are, whether you’re an international rugby player or you enjoy underwater basket weaving in your spare time.

It’s how you talk about these activities in your personal statement and at your interview that is ultimately going to get you an offer.

That all being said, here are 11 extracurriculars that you can use for inspiration if you’re looking to beef up your medicine application.

Clinical Work Experience

While I did say clinical work experience wasn’t the focus of this article, it is just too important to miss off from a list of extracurricular activities.

The fact is that you do have to go out of your own way to arrange work experience to support your medicine application- valuable experiences won’t just be handed to you on a plate.

You have to spend your own free time volunteering, shadowing healthcare professionals or getting involved in community initiatives that help you develop the key qualities of a doctor.

I generally recommend applicants combine both a longer-term volunteering commitment with a few shorter clinical attachments.

As a rough rule of thumb, I’d aim for one week of shadowing in a hospital environment and one week of shadowing in the community (e.g. GP practice or community nurse).

Engaging in sports can show discipline, teamwork, and a commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Not only all that, but they’re great fun!

Going into year 11, I didn’t actually play a team sport. I’d played rugby in the past but due to an injury had dropped off the team and eventually stopped playing.

While my upcoming application to medical school certainly wasn’t my only motivating factor, I made a conscious decision to join my school’s hockey team.

At the time I swam for a local club, but team sports really do add another layer over and above individual sports.

Word to the wise is that they certainly give you a lot of material to talk about at a medicine interview when it comes to leadership, communication and working together with others towards a common goal!

By participating in sports, whether individual or team-based, you not only improve your physical fitness but will almost certainly give yourself an array of experiences to draw on throughout the application process.

Sadly, I’m not in the least bit musical. However, I do have some very talented friends, a few of whom also applied to medical school with me.

Being involved in music, either through playing an instrument or singing in a choir, can demonstrate creativity and the ability to focus as well as allowing you to express yourself and blow off some steam.

Performing in concerts or competitions can also challenge you as an individual and provide memorable experiences that contribute to personal growth.

I’ll admit I do hold the prestigious award of grade 1 in piano but I’m not certain that made it onto my medicine application…

However, if you are far more talented than me and enjoy playing, whether that be alone or in an orchestra or band, I’d definitely include it in some form on your CV.

Official Programmes (E.g. Duke of Edinburgh)

Joining an official programme, like the Duke of Edinburgh Award , enables you to gain valuable life skills and demonstrate your dedication to personal development.

These programmes usually involve volunteering, physical activities, and skill development, which can further enhance your wellbeing and understanding of the needs of diverse communities.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award unfortunately wasn’t offered at my school so I never actually did it.

However, talking to friends who did, it certainly seems like something that could strengthen your application while at the same time being a great laugh.

Other programs and courses that I’d put in this category include the National Citizen Service or Scouts.

These more official organisations are great as they can provide you with direction as to what you need to do next to progress.

You also generally have a clear end goal with some sort of award you can work towards that will look great on your application.

Tutoring is a fantastic way to showcase your academic prowess while helping others.

By teaching a subject you excel in, you can earn a bit of pocket money while at the same time reinforcing your knowledge, enabling you to be better prepared for your own studies.

Teaching others how to do something is one of the best ways you can build on your communication skills.

Having to explain complicated concepts in an understandable way to someone who doesn’t understand the topic is incredibly relevant to the work of a doctor.

I frequently find myself having to explain side effects, symptoms, diseases and test results to patients who naturally don’t have the same background of medical knowledge as me.

Moreover, tutoring fosters empathy and leadership skills, vital qualities for a future medical professional.

To top it all off, there can definitely be some pretty good money in tutoring- whether you do it more formally through a tutoring service, or more as an informal agreement between you and a family friend say.

Having varied hobbies outside of medicine-related activities can illustrate a well-roundedness and passion for lifelong learning.

In my humble opinion, it’s incredibly important to invest time in hobbies that aren’t directly related to medicine, such as painting, photography or cooking.

This displays your unique interests and helps you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Working in medicine can be highly stressful, so it’s incredibly valuable if you can get home after a busy shift and unwind by doing a hobby you enjoy.

Although it might seem slightly strange, paid employment can sort of straddle the function of extracurricular activities when it comes to a medicine application.

I personally worked as a swimming teacher while at school, which was great to weave into interview answers about communication and tackling challenges.

Ideally, you’ll want to have some other extracurriculars in addition to a job, but you can learn a lot about dealing with the general public (as you will as a doctor) even from just a job in a corner shop, as an example.

Attend A Summer School

Attending a summer school or medicine-focused programme can provide valuable insights into the field and enhance your application at the same time.

Through such programmes, you can explore different medical disciplines, network with professionals, and gain practical experience in a clinical setting.

They generally run in the summertime, before application deadlines and exams really ramp up, and can act as a great springboard to start your medicine application journey.

Leadership Roles In The Community

Taking on leadership roles within my community demonstrates your commitment to making a difference and the ability to inspire others.

Opportunities to lead can be found in loads of different contexts such as student clubs, charity organisations, or volunteering events.

By leading initiatives that serve others or raise awareness about important issues, you showcase your dedication to the greater good and strengthen the skills necessary for a medical career.

Tips For Choosing Extracurriculars For Medical School

If you are thinking about picking up a few new extracurriculars to support your medicine application, here are a few tips to help you choose.

Prioritise Quality Over Quantity

When it comes to selecting the right extracurriculars for your medical school application, you need to focus on quality rather than quantity.

It’s not necessary for me to fill up every spare minute of your week with activities.

Instead, you should concentrate on a few meaningful activities that demonstrate your passion and commitment to medicine.

This approach can help you stand out among other applicants, as it will be evident that you chose quality over just how many organisations you could be accepted into.

Find Something You Genuinely Enjoy

It’s essential you select extracurricular activities that resonate with your interests and ambitions.

If you don’t enjoy something, it’s just going to be a real pain to keep it up.

Engaging in activities you genuinely enjoy will enable you to excel in these pursuits and show medical schools your authentic passion for them.

Your interviewers will immediately be able to tell whether you actually enjoy the things you’re talking about and selling as your ‘hobbies.’

Remember, the most impressive medical school applicants generally focus on fewer things but go into more depth with each one.

Find Multipurpose Activities

To make the most out of your extracurricular experiences and catch the attention of medical school admissions committees, you should look for activities that can serve you in more than one way.

One of the reasons why I said team sports are so great is because of the multitude of different angles you can use your experiences with them to support what you’re saying in an interview or in your personal statement.

If you’re tossing up between two different options and only have time for one, I’d choose the one that you think you could spin in a few different directions and that will allow you to develop more than one non-cognitive skill.

Mistakes To Avoid With Extracurricular Activities

While extracurricular activities will almost always do more good than harm to a candidate’s application, there are some common mistakes to do with them that I’d warn you against.

Doing Too Many

One common mistake students can make when choosing extracurricular activities is taking on too many.

It’s natural to want to give yourself the best possible chance of getting into medical school- so you just take on more and more extracurriculars.

While participating in numerous activities can initially seem impressive, it can lead to a lack of focus and commitment to individual pursuits.

I soon realised that having a few meaningful, dedicated experiences in my chosen activities was far more valuable than simply trying to fill my application with an extensive list.

For example, I initially joined several volunteering organisations but later decided to concentrate on just a care home, enabling me to display consistent dedication and progress within that specific community service.

Losing Focus From School Work

Another very common mistake is allowing your extracurricular activities to negatively impact your academic performance at school.

Balancing these activities with schoolwork can be challenging, but it’s crucial not to let them interfere with your studies.

After all, a strong academic record remains one of the most important factors for getting into medicine.

To manage my time effectively, I started creating a schedule that allocated separate time slots for school work and extracurricular activities.

This approach allowed me to maintain my academic performance (getting the 3As necessary to meet my offer) without limiting my involvement in meaningful pursuits outside of the classroom.

Clearly Just Doing Them For Your Application

The third mistake that can badly sting applicants is participating in extracurricular activities solely for the purpose of boosting their medical application.

Medical schools value genuine passion and commitment to your chosen activities and admissions staff can often tell when an applicant’s involvement is superficial.

To ensure that my activities were meaningful and truly aligned with my interests and goals, I tried to only select opportunities that I knew I’d both enjoy and genuinely get something out of- it’s why I definitely didn’t take the piano back up while I was applying… as I knew I’d be rubbish at it!

Unique Extracurricular Activities For Medical School

To be clear, it really doesn’t matter if your chosen extracurricular activities are unique or not.

You can be the thousandth violin player to apply to that medical school, but if your reflections on what you’ve learnt from pursuing music are of a higher quality than everybody else’s, you’ll get the offer rather than the nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine other candidates.

However, if you are looking for something slightly different that might make you stick out in an interviewer’s mind, here are a few unique extracurricular activities to get some creative ideas flowing:

• Medical mission trips: Participating in medical mission trips, especially to underserved communities or developing countries, showcases a commitment to global health and cultural competency. They can be expensive and are by no means a must, but if you get the opportunity to go on one I don’t think you’ll regret it.
• Medical journalism/blogging: Engaging in medical journalism or creating a healthcare-focused blog could be a unique way for you to demonstrate your ability to communicate complex medical concepts to a broader audience. It would showcase your writing skills, critical thinking, and ability to disseminate medical knowledge effectively.
• Research in non-traditional fields: Engaging in research beyond traditional laboratory settings, such as biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence in healthcare, or medical humanities, could be a great way to stand out from the ‘standard’ applicant.
• Improv/theatre: Participating in improv or theatre workshops can enhance communication skills, empathy, and the ability to handle difficult patient interactions. These activities demonstrate a creative approach to patient care and even an understanding of the importance of effective doctor-patient communication.

Remember, what matters most is not the specific extracurricular activity itself, but your ability to articulate the skills, lessons learned, and personal growth resulting from these experiences.

Extracurricular Activities FAQs

There is no hard and fast rule as to how many extracurricular activities a medicine applicant should undertake. However, as a rough rule of thumb one sport, one hobby and one community engagement activity should be more than enough for the majority of candidates.

Extracurricular activities are less important for Oxbridge medicine applicants compared to those to other medical schools. Oxbridge traditionally has a much larger focus on a student’s academics and is less worried about what they get up to in their spare time.

It is possible for a candidate to get into medical school without any extracurricular activities. However, there will normally need to be some sort of extenuating circumstances as to why the applicant was only able to focus on their school work and has no evidence of outside interests.

Final Thoughts

Participating in extracurricular activities is crucial for you as an aspiring medical student to enhance your application and stand out from the competition.

These activities provide valuable experiences and help develop essential skills for a career in medicine.

While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for choosing extracurricular activities, it’s important to prioritise quality over quantity and select activities that genuinely align with your interests and ambitions.

Ultimately, the impact of extracurricular activities lies not in the activities themselves, but in how you as an applicant reflect on your experiences and convey your passion and growth in your personal statement and interview.

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The Best Hobbies for Medical School Application

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When applying to medical school, you must take your extracurricular activities seriously. Of course, your GPA and MCAT will get your foot in the door. Still, your extracurricular interests will make you stand out during the medical school application process .

You must discover methods to demonstrate your passion for medicine as a potential medical student through your academic endeavors, extracurricular activities, and hobbies. The most significant elements of your experiences will be highlighted when you write your personal statement for medical school and your entries for employment and extracurricular activities.

Even though you do not need to participate in every extracurricular activity to succeed in medical school, the most competitive students make intelligent choices regarding their hobbies. 

Additionally, they explain how the skills they developed in their hobbies will help them succeed in a medical job. 

For advice on selecting extracurriculars to help you get into medical school, continue reading. 

Learn which hobbies, and how many hours of each, will help you stand out from the competition when applying to medical schools.

Why are Hobbies Important for a Medical School Application? 

Our first advice to any aspiring medical student is to put yourself in the admission committee's shoes. Recognize that they review tens of thousands of applications. And that it will be a massive benefit if you can do anything to make it simpler to comprehend or more memorable in any way.

Hobbies are a crucial component of a resume because they humanize you. In addition, they demonstrate your humanness to a medical institution. Moreover, you lead an existence outside of school.

Additionally, your hobbies indicate the following: 

Hobbies Show Your Enthusiasm

Every medical school looks for applicants who love what they do. Developing a hobby and showing dedication to it demonstrates this. 

For instance, playing the piano for ten years and participating in an annual community concert demonstrates a long-term commitment to an art form and discipline in practice and performance.

All these traits can be used to fuel a love for medicine. 

Be detailed when describing your hobby to highlight your passion. For example, do not just state you like making pasta for yourself and your significant other if you enjoy cooking. Instead, talk about your sources of inspiration, the cuisines you have experimented with, and the tips and techniques you have picked up along the way.

Hobbies Increase Your Human Relatability

Imagine for a minute that you are the medical school interviewer. They have looked through hundreds of applications, all of which most likely share the same qualifications: fundamental science research, clinical volunteering, and significant volunteerism.

All those extracurricular activities are essential for demonstrating interest in medicine. Still, they only sometimes paint a complete image of the person you are. Hobbies and talents come in handy here.

Showing the interviewer that you are comfortable discussing interests outside of medicine displays your capacity for interpersonal relationships. 

In the end, which question would you prefer to ask a student during an interview—their clinical research or how they first became involved in performing magic or fencing?

Hobbies Add Variety to Your Application

The term "diversity" will undoubtedly be used frequently throughout the application procedure. 

Medical schools are adjusting by preparing an equally diverse cohort of students to become the next generation of doctors as the patient community in America continues to diversify.

The aim is to educate students in the art and science of patient care rather than to turn them into a class of book-reading, test-taking robots. 

Diverse interests like learning a foreign language or taking international trips demonstrate that you have accepted cultures other than your own.

Hobbies Show that You Place a High Value on Your Overall Well-Being

Four years of arduous medical school study can quickly become overpowering at times. You must maintain an existence outside medical school and not give up your hobbies and interests.

Furthermore, it is essential to have regular, healthy stress relief. This may involve getting up early twice a week to catch the surf at the beach or having band practice for the weekly all-school talent show. 

Medical schools want to accept students who have figured out how to keep their sanity throughout those 4+ years of undergrad.

How to Choose Which Hobbies to Include in a Medical School Application?

It is normal to feel overburdened when searching for extracurricular activities to include in your med school CV. There are some methods to focus more specifically and decide which extracurricular activities are most likely to impress admissions committees. 

It will help if you choose activities that are genuinely important to you first. 

If you are unsure whether to include a hobby, consider whether it constitutes a worthwhile endeavor. 

Has it instilled principles in you? 

Has it made you more aware of your desire to seek a career in medicine?

Here are a few things to consider when selecting the interests to list on your medical school applications, as many students find it challenging.

Be Mindful of the Hobbies that You Choose

Only include endeavors in which you have proven a sizable time dedication. 

For instance, listing finishing as a hobby if you have only completed it three times will not please the admissions panel. Instead, talk about lifelong endeavors that have molded you over the years.

Additionally, choose hobbies that you can discuss and meditate on with confidence. When you write about your hobbies, you should be able to discuss what you learn from them and how they help you develop personally.

Focus on Quality Over Quantity

Applicants to medical schools frequently believe that the best method to gain admission is to give the admissions committee a long list of extracurricular activities. Wrong!

Content is what counts when it comes to extracurricular activities. So spend time on a few pursuits that genuinely excite you rather than dabbling in dozens of pastimes for only a few hours.

You can avoid mentioning the week you spent volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in other terms. 

But, on the other hand, if you spent two years volunteering with nursing home residents, you should certainly mention that on your application.

Look for "Triangulated" or Multi-Purpose Activities

It makes sense to prioritize activities because your leisure time is probably limited as a premed student. Look for activities demonstrating several skills or talents simultaneously as one of the best ways to enhance your applicant profile.

For instance, by planning a health fair at your school, you can demonstrate your leadership aptitude and commitment to volunteer work. 

On the other hand, tutoring students in math and science is a beautiful way to display your love of medicine, your talent as a teacher, and your dedication to service.

By combining tasks in this manner, you can gain experience in your chosen field while saving time.

Put Emphasis on Meaning

Medical institutions are interested in more than just a student's interests. 

They are also curious about the significance of these pastimes for the candidates. So, instead of naming your extracurricular activities, outline what you learned from each.

The objective is to give the admission committee a sense of the activities that were particularly advantageous to you and helpful on your path to becoming a doctor.

Remember that you can include any interest, regardless of how peculiar or unique it is. Hobbies can take many different forms. As long as they make sense to you and meet the criteria set forth by medical colleges, it will be beneficial to include them in your application.

The enthusiasm and vigor of the students create the ambiance and allure of a medical school. Many schools encourage cultural celebrations, sports contests, talent shows, art exhibitions, and philanthropic fundraisers to support students' efforts to maintain their well-being and build diverse communities.

While your GPA and MCAT score will satisfy the essential requirements for each school, your interests and extracurricular activities will complete your application and help you stand out as a distinctive candidate.

Here are the best hobbies to make you stand out in your medical school application:

Arts and Entertainment

Premed students lead busy lives frequently consumed by their academic and scientific endeavors. 

Arts and entertainment can appear to be frivolities, but they make fascinating hobbies for several reasons:

• They demonstrate your relatability.
• They demonstrate your ability to relate to a variety of people.
• They show your uniqueness and ability to use a large portion of the pre-med brain.

Even if you do not believe you have a single creative bone in your body, try to appreciate the arts. 

Despite your months of arduous work at the pottery wheel or your hilarious open mic performances, you can still express your wish to broaden your horizons and try new things.

Craftsmanship

Although your image of "craftsmanship" may be of burly men using power tools in wood sheds, this term can describe anything requiring you to create something from scratch.

What draws admissions committees to this? Finishing a job from scratch and creating something tangible with your two hands requires a lot of perseverance. A willingness to fail, adaptation, problem-solving, and trial and error is involved in these pursuits.

Furthermore, whether it is a portfolio, a YouTube link, an Etsy website, or a publication, the majority of these will produce some evidence you can include in your application. It is always a plus if your hobbies involve more than just reading text on a page.

Performance and Public Speaking

Premed students may be terrified of these hobbies, but that is the idea. 

Choosing a hobby in this group entails some risk because the public eye will frequently scrutinize you.

One former candidate, for instance, had begun an improvised comedy class at his school and performed stand-up comedy. 

Another was a slam artist who used this platform to lessen the stigma associated with mental health. 

A candidate frequently visited his high school to speak to the graduating classes and the sports teams.

Because they demonstrate self-assurance, risk-taking within reason, social skills, skillful rhetoric and communication, and an aptitude for audience connection, these pastimes appeal to admissions panels. 

This hobby has the added benefit of helping you develop the abilities needed for patient rapport building, teamwork, and conducting interviews.

Athletics and Exercise

Due to their interest in the body and wish to "practice what they preach" , pre-meds typically have a strong sense of health. 

Exercise is essential for successful pre-med students, but not all forms of exercise will help you stick out.

The most popular activities include running, weightlifting, meditation, and intramural sports. 

However, a little variety can always make these more attractive. 

You could participate in an intramural activity like croquet or curling, try aerial or karaoke yoga, or run a tough mud race. (Yes, those exist).

Although you do not need anything this extraordinary, you might want to try adding variety if your athletic hobby falls into a popular area.

Research and Writing 

Unsurprisingly, medical schools look for students with research experience, given the importance of research in the medical profession. 

Many students conduct hypothesis-based research projects as part of their coursework. 

Nevertheless, selective medical schools are particularly interested in candidates who have completed independent research outside the classroom. 

Getting your name on a publication is excellent, but medical schools know this is not always feasible. As a result, the caliber of your work is far more significant than publishing.

It will leave a good impression if you are passionate about traveling and have sufficient experience to speak about it in depth and quickly. Traveling and everything it entails cultivates consciousness and broadens the mind. 

Your ability to adapt to new situations, countries, and people will help you develop as a person and become a lifelong learner.

Being tolerant, adaptable, and open-minded will help you succeed as a health professional in the future. These are qualities that will help you communicate, comprehend, and empathize with the diverse people who will be your patients.

Playing an Instrument

The challenging and rewarding process of learning an instrument requires dedication and determination. These two qualities are essential in becoming a doctor in the future. 

If you know how to play the cello, guitar, or even a banjo and are good at it. Include it in your medical school application. 

However, only include this hobby if you are genuinely interested in it. The admissions boards are reasonably intelligent. They can tell if you are pulling something out to make yourself seem "impressive."

Learning New Languages

If you want to advance in your medical school application, you might need more than just speaking English. Portuguese, Arabic, and Chinese are three languages expanding quickly worldwide.

According to studies, acquiring a language improves one's intelligence , memory, and problem-solving skills. These qualities are crucial in becoming a doctor. 

In addition, there is also a likelihood that you will encounter a patient whose first language is not English in the future. Also, there might be opportunities to work or volunteer as a medical professional in another country besides the United States or Canada.

Photography

Photography can represent you in more ways than " This candidate likes to take pictures. " After all, photography requires creativity, interpersonal skills, and, most of all, attention to detail. 

The best doctors make sure to include all of the details. The admissions committee will greatly be impressed if you are one of these candidates who takes the best pictures while possessing the qualities a future physician should have.

Blogging/Vlogging

We live in an era where you can reach a wider audience through social media. This includes blogging and vlogging. And this is something you will have shreds of evidence to present to the admissions committee. 

Showing them how articulate, passionate, and creative you give you a significant advantage in your medical school application process. 

Remember that your content does not have to be anything medical-related. It could be about anything you are passionate about. Once you are in medical school and a doctor, you will have more than enough content to focus on.

Final Thoughts

Some pre-med students believe that admissions panels should not consider extracurricular activities. 

This reasoning has some validity: no matter how fascinating your hobbies are, they cannot compensate for a weak science GPA. Hobbies will not make or break your entry to medical school.

However, hobbies are one way to relieve stress, and medicine requires medical professionals who know how to do so. In addition, it demonstrates to admissions committees that you are like any other typical student and that your life does not center entirely around being a pre-med student.

As a candidate, you will undoubtedly have more to boast about the older you are. 

You're no longer alone on your journey to becoming a physician

• UCAS Guide >
• Personal Statement >

Personal Statement: Extra-Curricular Activities

Introduction.

When thinking about extra-curricular activities it is sometimes difficult to decide what to include and what not to in your personal statement. There are many things you can talk about.   Volunteering, Schemes and Hobbies. These are the three main categories that you want to include. 

Table of Contents

• Volunteering – experiences such as volunteering in a care home, hospice or with charities are great to mention. This can help to demonstrate your commitment to a caring role, especially if you have undertaken this volunteering over a long period of time. Remember to think about what your learnt, as your reflection is what the examiner is often looking for.
• Schemes – such as Young Enterprise. This experience will have provided you with some great skills such as leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Think about what you learnt while completing such a scheme, as well as why these skills are essential for doctors to have. 
• Hobbies – Sports and music are great examples here. Think about why you enjoy doing a particular sport of musical instrument for example. Also think about why it is important to have a good work-life balance when studying at university. 

How do I talk about my extracurricular activities? 

Try to link your activities to skills that you have learnt through them, and then on to why you ultimately want to study medicine, and how this will help you. This shows insight and maturity of thought.  

There is more to university than just medicine , and medical schools do want to hear about that aspect of you too. It is really important that you show you do more than just produce good grades. Extracurricular activities is a great way of showing that you do more than just study, so make sure to include it. Some universities even penalise you for not including any information about your extracurriculars. 

Be enthusiastic in your tone, – similarly to your introduction you want to make sure that you have an enthusiastic tone in your writing, however remember it is an academic piece of writing. Therefore, try to avoid talking about things such as watching TV, instead think about sports and other extracurricular activities you do. 

Worked Examples

We wanted to show you a bad and good example of what you can write. These are generic examples, but please do make your own. Remember medical schools want to hear about your unique experiences and what you have learnt. Also they may ask you about it at interview, so be sure to be truthful with your examples. 

“I have a grade 2 piano, and I like playing football every week.”

This is a bad example because the student has just listed what they have done/do. This doesn’t show what you have learnt from your extracurriculars or why you enjoy them. Instead try to focus on one and explain it in more detail.

“I have a passion for creative projects, so being part of a Young Enterprise company enabled me to nurture my skills and explore the world of business. I learnt invaluable lessons on teamwork and leadership. This has also helped completement my role as Captain of the School Football Team.”

This example is much more interesting and you have told the reader much more detail. The reflection on what you have learnt with regards to skills is what they are looking for. You could further add a specific example about your project for a more indepth answer. Do remember the character count, so you may not be able to do this. You can always go into more detail in your interview if asked about this.

Hopefully this helped  guide you as to what to and what not to include, as well as how to write about your extracurricular activities in an interesting way. It is always important to remember that many medical schools mark your personal statements, just like an essay, and this can help to decide which applicants are shortlisted for an interview. It is likely extra-curricular activities on this shortlist, therefore mentioning these is very important.  

Frequently Asked Question

→what kind of extra-curricular activities should be included in a personal statement.

Extra-curricular activities that should be included in a personal statement include activities that demonstrate leadership, teamwork, communication skills, and community involvement. These can include volunteering, sports teams, clubs, student government, or other leadership positions.

→How should extra-curricular activities be presented in a personal statement?

Extra-curricular activities should be presented in a way that highlights the skills and qualities that they have developed through participation. Candidates should provide specific examples and describe their impact on the activity or organization.

→What are some tips for including extra-curricular activities in a personal statement?

Some tips for including extra-curricular activities in a personal statement include choosing activities that are relevant to the program or field, emphasizing leadership and teamwork skills, providing specific examples and achievements, and showing the impact that the activities have had on the candidate’s personal and professional development.

→Why is it important to include extra-curricular activities in a personal statement?

Including extra-curricular activities in a personal statement can help to demonstrate a candidate’s skills, interests, and personal qualities. It can also show that they are well-rounded and have experiences beyond their academic studies.

→What are good extracurricular activities for a medicine personal statement?

You don’t need to showcase medically-related activities in your personal statement! Admissions tutors are looking for you to demonstrate how you have contributed to these activities and how you can relate it back to skills needed as a doctor and how it has strengthened these. They are also looking for skills that you can show that will enable you to take on the challenges of studying medicine.

→How to write extra curricular activities in SOP?

By following our advice above, you should have a good idea about how to write about extracurricular activities in your personal statement. Just remember to continue to link it back to skills that you have demonstrated and not just writing a statement. Reflection is a great way to show that you are able to learn from your experiences.

Cancel reply

Iqra medic mind tutor 28 february 2022.

Thanks this is very helpful. Now i can write about my extracurricular, which is semi classical dancing.

Ebune Franck Medic Mind Tutor 29 June 2022

Thanks a lot I was very helpful 🙂

• Personal Statement: Conclusion
• Personal Statement: Academic Interest

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The best hobbies for your medical school application.

Introduction ‍

As you may already know, applying to medical school is a process that requires a lot of preparation; not only because a good GPA and MCAT score is essential, but because you have to decide how to present yourself so that you can stand out from the other applicants.

Including hobbies in your medical school application allows you to share with the admission committee what you love doing and what has shaped you and your character throughout your life.

From cheerleading to playing the piano, hobbies come in all shapes and forms. They can provide you with values and ways of thinking that help you develop as a person, student, and professional.

What is TMDSAS?

The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) is a centralized application service for students looking to attend medical, dental, and veterinary schools in Texas. It allows applicants to submit one standardized application, which is then distributed to participating schools.

TMDSAS is a gateway to nearly all public medical and dental schools in Texas and the state's only veterinary program.

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

What Makes Texas Medical Schools Stand Out from the Rest?

Texas medical and dental schools stand out for many reasons. Not only are they affordable, but they’re also accessible. Many of them have a preference for Texas residents, which is a good thing for one of the largest states in America.

Texas medical and dental schools offer many diverse clinical training opportunities as Texas is one of the largest states. Students can learn from leading industry experts while also gaining hands-on skills from labs and clinics.

Texas also offers a plethora of medical schools with different program focuses, including MD, DO, and dual-degree programs (e.g., MD/PhD, MD/MPH).

Additionally, several Texas medical schools are affiliated with leading research institutions and hospitals, such as the Texas Medical Center in Houston, one of the world's largest medical complexes. If you’re looking for a medical education in the Lone Star state, you’re in good company.

Why Hobbies are Important for your Medical School Application ‍

Good grades and a good MCAT score are not the whole equation. In fact, along with satisfying all the required coursework, they are just the essential criteria, meaning that they are strictly necessary to be considered for admission. 

Medical schools consider the academic part of your application a given, but they want to get to know the person behind the GPA and the MCAT score. 

The AMCAS application comprises nine sections : background information, coursework, work and activities, letters of evaluation, medical schools, essays, and standardized tests. You can include up to 15 experiences under the “work and activities” section; this is where your hobbies will go. 

While it’s not mandatory for you to include hobbies in your medical school application, these kinds of activities show your passions and who you are after all the work is done. Remember that hobbies are not school or work, or any responsibility; hobbies are activities that you engage in because you enjoy them and they give you valuable, usually intangible rewards.

Your hobbies make you a well-rounded individual, and knowing how to find a balance between work and free time is a crucial aspect of life. Being devoted to working is fine, but if you can show both sides of yourself to the admission committee, they will gain a good impression of you.

Medical schools are looking for real people, human beings who can be future generations' health care providers; good grades are not all there is. 

Hobbies for your medical school application are important because they show the relatable part of you; the admission committee wants to learn about your human side as well, not only about you as a student and professional.

TMDSAS Application Timeline ‍

As the TMDSAS application handbook states, “We simplify the application process for both the applicants and the participating schools by providing ONE standardized application… The applicants benefit by completing one application at an affordable, flat-rate price. Think: win-win.” 

All applicants are subject to a $220 application fee, payable by credit card only. This payment must be made before the end of October to successfully submit your application. 

The TMDSAS application timeline is as follows: 

List of Participating Medical Schools

11 medical schools use the TMDSAS:

• Baylor College of Medicine
• Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
• McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston
• Sam Houston State University College of Medicine
• Texas A&M University School of Medicine
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
• University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
• University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB)
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

‍ List of Dental Schools that Use TMDSAS

Only four dental schools use TMDSAS in their application process:

• Texas A&M University College of Dentistry
• University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry
• University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry
• Texas Tech University Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine

List of TMDSAS Eligible Veterinary Schools

The TMDSAS currently includes only one veterinary school:

• Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

TMDSAS Secondary Applications

After submitting the primary application through TMDSAS, you may also need to complete a secondary application for individual schools. These secondary applications provide each medical, dental, or veterinary school with additional information to evaluate your suitability for their program.

“The secondary essays really do matter. They allow schools to get a deeper understanding of who you are, and give you the opportunity to explain your experiences, values, goals, and whether they align with the school’s mission, values, and culture.” – Jay Vasilev, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine Arizona

Each school has its own secondary application requirements, including essay prompts, questions, or additional forms. These allow schools to assess your qualities to ensure they align with their values.

"It's very important to tailor these essays and make them very specific to the school's mission and values. It's obvious when applicants write something broad and vague that's clearly been reused for other medical schools." – Jay Vasilev, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine Arizona

Secondary applications often include essays that focus on topics such as:

• Why the applicant is interested in that specific school
• Experiences that have prepared the applicant for a career in healthcare
• Commitment to working with underserved populations

Essay length and topics can vary significantly by school, so applicants should tailor their responses accordingly.

"It’s important that this doesn’t become a retelling of your CV. You need to demonstrate some authenticity, differentiate yourself, and go beyond just listing experiences. Tell a story about how you got where you did and why these experiences have led you towards medicine." – Dr. Katherine Munoz, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

If you're feeling overwhelmed by what to include and how to articulate your interest in medicine, don't worry. Use our tool to see real medical school secondary essay examples that helped students get into their dream schools.

Most schools charge a fee for submitting secondary applications, which ranges from $50 to $100 per school. Fee waivers may be available for qualifying applicants.

Secondary applications typically have deadlines that follow the submission of the primary application. Applicants are encouraged to complete them promptly, ideally within two weeks of receiving the invitation to submit a secondary.

Some schools may request additional letters of recommendation or specific evaluators for the secondary application, supplementing those already submitted through TMDSAS.

Once secondary applications are reviewed, schools may extend interview invitations to selected applicants. These responses can significantly impact interview decisions.

List of TMDSAS Medical Schools Without Secondary Essays

These schools do not require a secondary essay from applicants:

• Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
• The University of Texas Health School of Dentistry Houston
• The University of Texas Health San Antonio School of Dentistry
• Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine

How to Portray your Hobbies in the Right Manner ‍

Whatever your hobbies are, what truly matters is how good you are at using them to your advantage for your medical school application. While the word “hobby” might trigger informal and casual language, you should keep in mind that you’re not talking about your hobbies to a friend, you’re writing about them in your medical school application. 

Think about and reflect on the following questions for a minute: 

• What hobbies contribute to either personal, social, or educational growth?
• What values have your hobbies taught you throughout the years?
• How can you strategically use your hobbies to your advantage?
• How have your hobbies made you a different person? Would you be so selfless today if it weren’t for this recreation? Would you be so emphatic, creative, compassionate…?

These thought-provoking questions will help redirect the focus of your hobbies to what medical schools want to know about you.

For example, if one of your hobbies is a team sport, let’s say basketball, perhaps it has helped you develop a team and community spirit, it has taught you social values and how helping each other is the key to success. 

If you enjoy an individual sport like running, the time you invest in it probably not only helps you stay in good shape but also contributes to your mental health and well-being. It enables you to connect and get to know yourself, which will help you interact with others and your community. 

To sum up, you can include any activity you are passionate about that you think aligns with who you are and assists you in your way of becoming the person and professional you aim to become.

Even watching Netflix or playing video games could be included as your hobbies, but only if there’s a good reason to do so, and you follow the considerations mentioned above. Maybe you enjoy watching documentaries because it helps broaden your knowledge, or playing video games helps you focus and concentrate before you study.

Again, focus on the purpose of sharing your hobbies in the context of your medical school application, don’t list an activity just for the sake of it. Portraying your hobbies in the right manner will help you be a competitive applicant, and will let medical schools get to know the person behind the transcript.

How to Choose Which Hobbies to Include in Your Medical School Application ‍

Many students struggle when it comes to choosing the activities to include as hobbies for their medical school applications, so here are several things to consider. 

First of all, choose activities that are truly significant to you. If you’re doubting about whether to include a hobby or not, ask yourself if it’s actually a meaningful activity. Has it taught you values? Has it helped you realize you want to pursue a career as a doctor?

Second, include only activities where you have demonstrated a significant time commitment. Including finishing as a hobby, for example, when you’ve only done it three times isn’t going to impress the admission committee. Talk about long-lasting activities that have shaped you throughout the years.

Third, pick hobbies you can confidently talk about and reflect on. What you learn from them and how they contribute to your personal growth are things that you should be able to include when you write about your hobbies.

And last but not least, keep in mind that you can include any hobby, no matter how weird or special it is. Hobbies come in all shapes and forms, and as long as it makes sense to you and fits the requirements of what medical schools are looking for, it will be useful to include in your application. 

Which Hobbies Can you Include in Your Med School Application?  ‍

As mentioned earlier, in your medical school application you can include up to 15 experiences, some of which can be hobbies. However, it’s important to focus on only  significant hobbies – those that have made a difference in how you view the world and how you interact with people. 

In this section, we’re going to discuss some of the most popular hobbies to include and each one’s strengths and limitations. 

The most typical hobbies students include in their medical school application are hobbies surrounding athletics and exercise. These are common because many kids start practicing a sport in school, and they continue to do so as they make their way through college.

As a future health care provider, it’s a good idea to talk about a physical hobby you may have, which will show that taking care of yourself is one of your main interests. Some sports might include team sports like football or basketball, individual sports like running or swimming, or even hiking or biking.

Each of them is different and can bring diverse values to the table. Even though many applicants may talk about sports-related hobbies, it’s up to you to make your entries original and personal; use your imagination! Another very common hobby students list in their medical school application is playing an instrument.

Including not only a physical hobby but also one that stimulates your mind will immediately make you a well-rounded, competitive candidate. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “healthy mind in a healthy body”; medical schools value the fact that you think both aspects of health are equally important and you take good care of them.

Another hobby to include in your medical school application is traveling. If that’s something you’re passionate about and have enough experience to widely and comfortably talk about it, it will make a good impression.

Traveling and all it involves makes you a conscious human being and expands your worldview. New experiences, new cultures, new people; these are all things that help you grow as a person and make you a lifelong learner.

Being open-minded and culturally educated is a sign that you are tolerant, adaptable, and will be able to do an outstanding job as a health practitioner in the future – interacting, understanding, and empathizing with the diverse people that will be your patients. 

Apart from the hobbies mentioned above, any other passions and activities you think contribute to your personal growth can be included in your application. Maybe you’ve been cooking or baking your whole life, which has brought you a sense of responsibility. Perhaps it has brought you close to your family and has taught you values on bringing people together.

You might also be an artist. Maybe you paint, write, or draw. Or maybe you’re even a content creator on a social media platform. Remember that your creativity says a lot about who you are as a person, so those are great and unique hobbies you might want to consider adding to your application.

How Many Hobbies are too Many? ‍

Can you include too many hobbies in your AMCAS application? The answer is yes! 

Like mentioned earlier, you can include up to 15 experiences, including clinical experience, volunteer experience , research, medical shadowing and hobbies. So, keep in mind that you need a wide and varied range of experiences to talk about.

While you can include more than one hobby, it’s recommended that you don’t include more than three, since you’ll need space for the other experiences, too. The key is to focus on quality, not quantity. 

A list of hobbies becomes too long when they stop being meaningful. Focus on the activities that have made you, and still, today, make you grow personally, mentally, academically, or physically.

Hobbies that contribute to shaping you into a well-rounded individual; a conscious, empathic, selfless, and educated person, are the ones you want to include. Thinking about it that way, your list of hobbies is probably already narrowing down.

Do you only have one meaningful hobby? Great! Now focus on explaining why it is significant, what it provides you, what has made you stick with it, and the rewards of doing it.

Are they personal rewards or social rewards? Does it contribute to your physical health, mental health, perhaps both? Does it contribute to the well-being of society? Does it impact other people? Have you learned values from it? And most importantly, has this hobby contributed to the decision to become a doctor?

How this passion aligns with the fact that you want to attend medical school to become a physician is probably the most critical part. Your list of hobbies becomes too long when you can no longer show the admission committee how your hobby aligns with your decision to become a doctor.

Does this mean you can only write about one hobby? No problem! Is it three hobbies? No problem, either. Just focus on how meaningful they are and what they bring to your life. But remember, you only have 15 slots to fit all of your experiences; choose wisely how many of those should be hobbies. 

1. Do I have to include hobbies in my medical school application? ‍

It’s not strictly necessary to include hobbies in your medical school application. Hobbies are included in the “work and activities” section, and as you may have already guessed, you can add work or any activity that is meaningful to you, but that is not a hobby.

While it’s recommended that you do so, you shouldn’t feel like you need to. Including hobbies shows your character and who you really are, and medical schools genuinely appreciate this information about you, but it’s not mandatory. 

The personal statement essay is also a good place to talk about them; if a hobby is really meaningful to you, you can use that space to elaborate on it and save a slot under “work and activities” for other experiences.  ‍

2. How many hobbies can I include? ‍

Technically, there’s no limit of hobbies you can include, but you need to be smart about it. Like already mentioned, you can include up to 15 experiences under the “work and activities'' section.

The wisest idea would be to include 1 to 3 hobbies, and leave at least 12 spots to talk about other activities that should be prioritized above hobbies, like clinical work or volunteering. AMCAS application experts advise students to “enter only significant experiences since medical schools are interested in quality rather than quantity.”  ‍

3. Should I include as many as possible? ‍

No. It would be best if you focused on quality rather than quantity. The fact that you can include up to fifteen activities might give you the wrong idea. Still, medical schools will value one meaningful activity over six random hobbies that don’t align or make sense in the context of your application.  ‍

4. Do medical schools take your hobbies into account? ‍

Yes. As we mentioned earlier, medical schools want to know you as a person, not just as a student. If you satisfactorily portray them, hobbies show your human and most vulnerable side, which will be highly appreciated by the admission committee.

At the end of the day, whether you end up being a good doctor or not depends on this side of you, not on whether you got a perfect grade on a specific class back in college. So, take time to write and elaborate about yourself, your passions, and what makes you human.  ‍

5. My hobbies are cliché. Should I talk about them anyway?  ‍

Definitely, but try giving it a pinch of yourself. Even if your hobby is playing volleyball, think about how it makes you different and why this sport is so important to you. Focus on what it brings you rather than on the sport itself. That way, it doesn’t matter how cliché it is; you will show in your application how this hobby makes you who you are. 

Conclusion ‍

Hobbies for your medical school application are not required but can benefit your chances to stand out. The activities you engage in during your daily life apart from school and your job contribute to your human side and say a lot about who you are and who you aspire to become one day. 

You know that you are more than your grades, so sharing your passions is a perfect way to show admissions committees who you are beyond your GPA and MCAT score Medical schools want people, not numbers. Just like doctors are not robots, medical schools don’t make admission decisions based solely on your grades. 

Who are you after school or after work? Do you do something that contributes to your well-being or the well-being of your community? Do you take pride in what you do and how it contributes to yourself and the world?

Talking about your hobbies is an opportunity for you to show your passions and stand out from other candidates who may have the same transcript as you. Remember, you can have the most cliché hobbies and still be different; it’s what you take and learn from your participation that matters most.

Showcase your passions, abilities and strengths, and make your application unique and personal. At the end of the day, that’s who you are! 

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The Medical School Personal Statement: How To Stand Out

Posted in: Applying to Medical School

Impressive GPAs and MCAT scores, research experience, physician shadowing , and meaningful volunteer work are only one part of a successful medical school application . You may meet all other medical school requirements , yet face rejection.

One thing can help you stand above the rest : A compelling personal statement.

The medical school personal statement is important because it highlights your hard work, your pre-medical school accomplishments, and why you’re a better candidate than everyone else. 

In other words: Who are you, what makes you unique, and why do you deserve a spot in our school?

We’ve helped thousands of prospective medical students increase their odds at acceptance with better personal statements. Now, we’ll show you exactly how to do it. 

Working on your personal statement? Speak with a member of our enrollment team who can walk you through the step-by-step med school application process from start to finish.

Table of contents, what’s in a great med school personal statement.

An excellent medical school personal statement should contain:

• Passion for an area of the healthcare field.
• Storytelling that captures the reader’s attention from the first sentence.
• Emotion and personality to show (not tell) admissions committee members who you are.
• A unique answer to the question, “Why do you want to be a doctor?”

A powerful personal statement shows that you are the kind of candidate who will make an exceptional physician and be a valuable asset to the school during your medical education. Additionally, it helps to distinguish your application from the many other students with similar MCAT scores and GPAs.

A weak personal statement would, in turn, have the opposite effect.

Not only does the personal statement weed out unqualified candidates, but it also serves as a foundation for many interview discussions and questions . 

Admission committee members often only have a few minutes to review an application. Personal statements provide them with the right amount of information. Since it’s possible this is the only part of your application they’ll read, it needs to be perfect .

When writing your personal statement, you’ll also want to note the AAMC core competencies that are expected of all medical professionals. Some, if not all, of these competencies should shine through in your application essay .

The AAMC premed competencies include: 

• Professional competencies:  Factors like communication skills, interpersonal skills, commitment to learning and growth, compassion, dependability, and cultural awareness and humility
• Science competencies:  Understanding of human behaviors and living systems, both of which are best demonstrated in data-driven measures like research, MCAT scores, and science GPA (in other words, not things that necessarily need to be displayed in your personal statement)
• Thinking & Reasoning competencies:  Critical thinking, reasoning, scientific inquiry, and written communication

It’s important to show passion for something specific — a group of underserved people, a type of patient, the benefit of a particular area of medicine, etc. Your passion should be evident, non-generic, and authentic. Ask yourself, “What makes a good doctor?”

It’s crucial to avoid cliches in your personal statement, like claiming you want to become a doctor “to help people.”

Dr. Renee Marinelli, Director of Advising at MedSchoolCoach, warns that certain cliches may not truly represent meaningful experiences that influenced your decision to pursue medicine.

You may have decided to become a doctor from experiencing a kind physician as a child, but that personal experience doesn’t convey genuine passion. Your enthusiasm for medicine doesn’t need to originate from a grand experience or sudden revelation.

Your interest in medicine probably developed gradually, perhaps when you fell in love with psychology during college and volunteered at nursing homes. You don’t need a lifelong dream to demonstrate passion and become an outstanding doctor.

2. Storytelling

A memorable personal statement captures the reader’s attention from the first sentence, which you can do with an interesting personal story or anecdote. Including some creativity, ingenuity, humor, and character.

Immersing the admissions committee in your personal statement allows you to show , not just tell , how your experiences have impacted your journey to medicine.

Don’t repeat the data your admissions committee can read on the rest of your application — SHOW the passions and experiences that have led you to this field using a narrative approach.

Consider the following examples of statements about a student’s volunteer experience at a food pantry:

"“Through my work at the local food pantry, I came to understand the daily battles many individuals face, and it allowed me to develop deeper empathy and compassion.” “When I saw Mr. Jones, a regular at the kitchen, struggling to maneuver his grocery cart through the door, I hustled over to assist him. My heart sunk when I saw he was wearing a new cast after having been assaulted the night prior.”

Which do you think performed better in terms of conveying personal characteristics? Your personal statement is a deep dive into one central theme, not about rehashing all of your experiences. 

3. Emotion & Personality

An engaging personal statement allows your unique personality and real emotions to shine through.

As Dr. Davietta Butty, a Northwestern School of Medicine graduate, avid writer, pediatrician, and MedSchoolCoach advisor, puts it,

“I think the best personal statements are the ones that showcase the applicant’s personality. Remember that this is your story and not anyone else’s, and you get to say it how it makes sense to you.” 

This is why storytelling is such an important part of personal statement writing. Your writing process should involve quite a bit of writing and editing to express emotion in a relatable, appropriate way.

A Note On Writing About Tragedy

One way you can show who you are is by expressing an appropriate level of emotion, particularly about challenging or tragic experiences. (But don’t worry — not everyone has a tragic backstory, and that’s perfectly fine!)

If you are discussing a tragedy, don’t go into an extended explanation of how you feel — show emotion and your personality while sticking to the plot.

Personal tragedies, such as the death of a loved one, can powerfully motivate a personal statement. In a field where life and death constantly clash, experiences with death might appear impressive qualifications; however, approach them cautiously.

Focus on the reasons behind your motivation, rather than the details of the tragedy. Explain how the experience impacted your medical career aspirations, including skill development or perspective changes.

How have you applied these new skills or perspectives? How would they contribute to your success as a medical student?

4. Why You Want To Be a Doctor

Becoming a doctor is no small feat. What journey brought you here?

Writing things like “I want to help people” or “I want to make a difference” won’t set you apart from all the other students applying for medical school .

Knowing who you want to serve, why you want to help them (in story form), and where you’d like to end up will show admissions officers that you are serious about your medical career.

After all, this career doesn’t just involve many years of post-graduate education — you need a significant motivation to see this career through. That’s what admissions committees are looking for!

Read Next: Medical School Interviews: What To Do Before, During & After  

How long is a personal statement for medical school?

Your statement is limited to:

• 5,300 characters (including spaces) on the AMCAS application ( MD programs )
• 5,000 characters on the TMDSAS (Texas MD programs)
• 5,300 characters for AACOMAS ( DO programs )

That’s roughly 500-700 words, or 3 double-spaced pages of text.

We typically suggest our students divide their personal statement into about 5 full paragraphs — an intro, 2-3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Pro tip: Do not type directly into the text box — if something goes wrong, you’ll lose all of your work. Write in another program first, then copy and paste the edited copy into the application text box.

Use a text-only word processing tool (TextEdit on Mac devices or Basic Text Editor on Windows), or type the essay into Microsoft Word or a Google Doc. Just remember to save the file as a *.rtf. This will eliminate formatting issues when you copy and paste the essay into the AMCAS box.

Read Next: How to Successfully Reapply to Medical School and Get a “Yes!”

How To Write a Personal Statement For Medical School

Your personal statement is an opportunity to showcase your passion for medicine and your unique experiences. Be genuine, focused, and concise; your personal statement will leave a lasting impression on medical school admissions committees.

Some questions you may want to consider while writing your personal statement are:

• Why have you selected the field of medicine?
• What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
• What do you want medical schools to know about you that has yet to be disclosed in another application section?

In addition, you may wish to include information such as unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits. Comment on significant academic record fluctuations not explained elsewhere in your application.

With thousands of students, we’ve developed a nine-step process for how to write a personal statement that’s sure to get noticed. Follow these steps in order to uplevel your personal statement writing.

1. Choose a central theme.

Sticking to one central theme for your personal statement may sound tricky, but sticking with a central theme can give your statement more of a rhythm.

Here are a few examples to use when thinking of a central theme:

• What is an experience that challenged or changed your perspective on medicine?
• Is there a relationship with a mentor or another inspiring individual that has significantly influenced you?
• What was a challenging personal experience that you encountered?
• List unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits.
• What is your motivation to seek a career in medicine?

2. Choose 2-4 personal qualities to highlight.

Keep this part brief and highlight the strengths that will make you an exceptional doctor.

What sets you apart from others? What makes you unique? What are you particularly proud of about yourself that may not be explained by a good GPA or MCAT score?

Here are a few examples of quality traits great doctors possess:

• Persistence
• Reliability
• Accountability
• Good judgment under pressure
• Excellent communication skills
• Leadership skills

3. Identify 1-2 significant experiences that demonstrate these qualities.

In this section, you should include that these experiences exemplify the qualities above and outline your path to medicine.

The top experiences college admissions seek are research projects , volunteer activities, and mentorship.

Here are a few ways to narrow down what makes an experience significant:

• Which experiences left you feeling transformed (either immediately, or in retrospect)?
• Which experiences genuinely made you feel like you were making a difference or contributing in a meaningful way?
• Which experiences radically shifted your perspectives or priorities?
• Which experiences have truly made you who you are today?

Pro tip: If you’re still in your third year of pre-med and want to participate in more experiential projects that will support your future medical career, check out Global Medical Brigades . We partner with this student-led movement for better global health, and brigades are a transformative way to begin your medical career.

4. Write a compelling introduction.

Your personal statement introduction is the first thing the admissions committee will read. The first paragraph should be a catchy, attention-grabbing hook or story that grabs the reader’s attention and sets up the main point of your essay .

Check out this webinar for more examples of what makes a great introduction.

5. Use storytelling to write the body paragraphs.

Since the goal is to achieve depth rather than breadth (5,000 characters isn’t a lot!), focus on key experiences instead of discussing everything you’ve accomplished. Remember, you’ll have the Work & Activities section to share other relevant experiences.

Use the following five-step formula to elaborate on important experiences in the body paragraphs of your personal statement:

• Discuss why you pursued the experience.
• Mention how you felt during the experience.
• Describe what you accomplished and learned.
• Discuss how your experience affected you and the world around you.
• Describe how the experience influenced your decision to pursue medicine.

The best personal statements tell a story about who you are. “Show, don’t tell,” what you’ve experienced — immerse the reader in your narrative, and you’ll have a higher chance of being accepted to medical school.

6. Create an engaging conclusion.

Your goal is to make the person reading want to meet you and invite you to their school! Your conclusion should:

• Talk about your future plans.
• Define what medicine means to you.
• Reflect on your growth.
• Reiterate how you’d contribute to your school’s community and vision.

7. Use a spellchecker to proofread for basic errors.

Misusing “your” instead of “you’re” or misspelling a few important words can negatively impact how your personal statement is received. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation should be perfect on your personal statement.

Use Grammarly or a similar spellchecker to check for errors before completing your personal statement. You can also use an AI tool like ChatGPT for proofreading, although it’s more likely to make sweeping changes.

8. Edit your draft.

Editing your personal statement a few times over will benefit you in the long run. Give yourself time to write, edit, reread, and re-edit your personal statement before submitting it with your application.

You can use AI technology like ChatGPT for small edits or to help you add in information where you might feel stuck, but don’t rely too much on it.

9. Ask a few trusted people to read your draft.

Have at least one friend, family member, and at least one person who’s a medical professional review your draft. A  professor in your pre-med program would be a great person to review your draft.

Be willing to receive as much feedback as your trusted people are willing to give. Don’t get caught up in obsessing over one statement you really like if all three of your readers suggest cutting it.

If you’d like a professional eye on your personal statement, consider a personal statement editing service. Our editors are medical professionals, often who have reviewed personal statements and applications submitted to admissions committees.

We’d love to help you craft a personal statement that’s sure to stand out.

30 prompts to inspire your personal statement.

Here are 30 prompts to inspire your personal statement: 

• Describe a defining moment in your life that solidified your desire to pursue a career in medicine.
• Discuss a challenging situation you faced and how it shaped your perspective on healthcare.
• Reflect on a time when you made a meaningful impact on someone’s life through your actions or support.
• Explain your motivation for wanting to become a physician and how it has evolved over time.
• Describe a personal quality or skill that will contribute to your success as a medical professional.
• Discuss the importance of empathy and compassion in the medical profession and share a personal experience demonstrating these qualities.
• Reflect on a specific medical case or patient that inspired you and how it influenced your future goals.
• Share a story about an interaction with a mentor or role model who has inspired your path in medicine.
• Describe a time when you overcame adversity or faced a significant challenge in your journey to medical school.
• Explain how your background, culture, or upbringing has influenced your perspective on healthcare.
• Discuss a medical issue or topic you’re passionate about and why it’s important to you.
• Describe your experience working or volunteering in a healthcare setting and the lessons you’ve learned.
• Reflect on a time when you had to adapt or be resilient in a challenging situation.
• Discuss how your interest in research or innovation will contribute to your career as a physician.
• Share a personal experience that has shaped your understanding of the importance of teamwork in healthcare.
• Describe a leadership role you’ve held and how it has prepared you for a career in medicine.
• Discuss the impact of a specific medical discovery or advancement on your decision to pursue medicine.
• Reflect on your experience with a particular patient population or community and how it has influenced your perspective on healthcare.
• Share your thoughts on the role of social responsibility in the medical profession.
• Explain how your experiences with interdisciplinary collaboration have prepared you for a career in medicine.
• Describe a time when you advocated for a patient or their needs.
• Share your experience with a global health issue or project and how it has impacted your perspective on healthcare.
• Discuss your interest in a specific medical specialty and why it appeals to you.
• Reflect on a time when you encountered an ethical dilemma and how you resolved it.
• Describe an experience that demonstrates your commitment to lifelong learning and personal growth.
• Share a story about a time when you had to think critically and problem-solve in a healthcare setting.
• Discuss how your experiences with diverse populations have informed your approach to patient care.
• Describe an experience that highlights your ability to communicate effectively with others in a medical setting.
• Reflect on a time when you demonstrated your commitment to patient-centered care.
• Share your thoughts on the importance of balance and self-care in the medical profession and how you plan to maintain these practices throughout your career.

Avoid These Common Personal Statement Mistakes

Avoid these 5 common mistakes students make when writing their personal statements: 

• Clichés : “I just want to help people,” “from a young age,” “I’ve always wanted to,” and “for as long as I can remember,” are just some of the overused phrases in personal statements. Other clichés we’ve seen often include saying that you’ve wanted to be a doctor for your whole life, using overly dramatic patient anecdotes, or prideful-sounding stories about how you saved a life as a pre-med student. Eliminate clichés from your writing.
• Typos/grammatical errors: We covered this already, but the grammar in your statement should be flawless . It’s hard to catch your own typos, so use grammar checking tools like Grammarly and ask your readers to look for typographical errors or grammar problems, too.
• Name-dropping: At best, naming a prominent member of the medical community in your statement sounds braggadocious and will probably be brushed off. At worst, an adcom reader may think poorly of the person you mention and dismiss you based on the connection. If you do know a well-known and well-respected person in the medical field and worked closely with them, request a letter of recommendation instead.
• Restating your MCAT score or GPA : Every character in your personal statement counts (literally). Don’t restate information already found on your application. If your application essay is being read, an algorithm has already identified your prerequisite scores as being worthy of reviewing the rest of your application.
• Using extensive quotes from other people: This is your chance to show who you are. Quoting a philosopher or trusted advisor in these few precious characters takes away from the impact you can have. A single short quote might be okay if it’s highly relevant to the story you’re telling, but don’t go beyond that.

Should you use ChatGPT to help you write?

ChatGPT is a great AI tool to help you get your personal statement off the ground. However, since this is your personal statement, ChatGPT won’t be able to effectively write transitions or tie your personal statement together.

Only you can effectively convey what being a doctor means to you. Only you carry the experiences in your mind and heart that have compelled you to pursue this competitive profession. Don’t rely on artificial intelligence to fake those experiences — it will show, and not in a good way.

We’ve found that ChatGPT can help speed the processes of ideation , editing, and grammar-checking. If you’re not using it to emulate human experiences but just treating it as a helpful assistant, go for it! 

When should you start writing your personal statement?

Begin writing your personal statement early enough to have months of reflection and editing time before your application cycle begins. We recommend writing your personal statement as the first step when applying to medical school , starting in December or January before applications open.

As you progress, anticipate revising multiple versions of your draft. Spend time reflecting on your life experiences and aspirations.

Dr. Katzen, MedSchoolCoach Master Advisor and previous admissions committee member at GWU, recommends starting your personal statement in December/January if you plan to apply in May/June (you should!). 

This gives you plenty of time to have others review it or to get professional personal statement editing services. It also gives you time to write multiple drafts and be 100% satisfied with your final essay.

Read Next: A Complete Guide to the Residency Match Process

9 Personal Statement Examples That Led To Med School Acceptance

We’ve included some of our favorite medical school personal statement examples below. Each of these was written by a student who was accepted at one or more programs of their choice.

1. Embracing Diversity: Healing Through Cultural Connections

Student Accepted to Case Western SOM, Washington University SOM, University of Utah SOM, Northwestern University Feinberg SOM

With a flick and a flourish, the tongue depressor vanished, and from behind my ear suddenly appeared a coin. Growing up, my pediatrician often performed magic tricks, making going to the doctors’ feel like literal magic. I believed all healthcare facilities were equally mystifying, especially after experiencing a different type of magic in the organized chaos of the Emergency Department. Although it was no place for a six-year-old, childcare was often a challenge, and while my dad worked extra shifts in nursing school to provide for our family, I would find myself awed by the diligence and warmth of the healthcare providers.

Though I associated the hospital with feelings of comfort and care, it sometimes became a place of fear and uncertainty. One night, my two-year-old brother, Sean, began vomiting and coughing non-stop. My dad was deployed overseas, so my mother and I had no choice but to spend the night at the hospital, watching my brother slowly recover with the help of the healthcare providers. Little did I know, it would not be long before I was in the same place. Months later, I was hospitalized with pneumonia with pleural effusions, and as I struggled to breathe, I was terrified of having fluid sucked out of my chest. But each day physicians comforted me, asking how I was, taking time to reassure me that I was being taken care of, and explaining any questions related to my illness and treatment. Soon, I became excited to speak with the infectious disease doctor and residents, absorbing as much as I could to learn more about different illnesses.

In addition to conventional medical settings, I also came to view the magic of healing through other lenses. Growing up, Native American traditions were an important aspect of my life as my father had been actively involved with native spirituality, connecting back to his Algonquin heritage. We often attended Wi-wanyang-wa-c’i-pi ceremonies or Sun Dances, for healing through prayer and individuals making personal sacrifices for their community. Although I never sun danced myself, I spent hours in inipis, chewing on osha root, finding my own healing through songs. In addition to my father’s heritage, healing came from the curanderismo traditions of Peru, the home of my mother, who came from a long line of healers, which involved herbal remedies and ceremonies in the healing of the mind, body, energy and soul. I can still see my mother preparing mixtures of oils, herbs, and incense while performing healing rituals. The compassion and care she put into healing paralleled the Emergency Department healthcare providers.

Through the influence of these early life experiences, I decided to pursue a career in the health sciences. Shortly after starting college, I entered a difficult time in my life as I struggled with health and personal challenges. I suddenly felt weak and tired most days with aches all over my body. Soon, depression set in. I eventually visited a doctor, and through a series of tests, we discovered I had hypothyroidism. During this time, I also began dealing with an unprocessed childhood trauma. I decided to take time off school, and with thyroid replacement hormones and therapy, I slowly began to recover. But I still had ways to go, and due to financial challenges, I made the difficult decision to continue delaying my education and found work managing a donut shop. Unbeknownst to me, this experience would lead to significant personal growth by working with people from all walks of life and allowing me time for self-reflection. I found myself continuously reflecting on the experiences in the hospital that defined my childhood and the unmatched admiration I had for healthcare workers. With my renewed interest in medicine, I enrolled in classes to get my AEMT license to get more experience in the medical field.

As my health improved, I excelled in my classes, and after craving the connections of working with others, I became a medical assistant. In this position, I met “Marco,” a patient who came from Mexico for treatment. Though I spoke Spanish while growing up, I had little experience as a medical interpreter. However, I took the opportunity to speak with him to learn his story. Afterwards, he became more comfortable, and I helped walk him through the consultation process, interpreting the physician’s words and Marco’s questions. This moment showed me the power of connecting with others in their native language. As a result, I began volunteering at a homeless clinic to continue bridging the language barrier for patients and to help advocate for the Latinx community and those who struggle to find their voice.

My journey to become a doctor has been less direct than planned; however, my personal trials and tribulations have afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with incredible people who have been invaluable to my recovery and personal development. Most importantly, I have seen the value of compassionate and empathetic care. Though I have not recently witnessed any sleight of hand or vanishing acts, what healthcare providers do for patients can only be described as magic. I look forward to bringing my diverse background as a physician and expanding my abilities to help patients in their path to healing.

2. The Calling to Heal From the Battlefield

Student Accepted to Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Harvard Medical School, Yale SOM

I’ll never forget his screams of pain.

It was the first time I had heard a man cry for help, and it shook me to my core. It had been a long night of training in South Korea for me and my fellow Army Rangers. We were reaching the end, heavy with exhaustion, when my friend took the direct impact of an explosive to his leg. The shockwave momentarily rattled my sense of balance. Struggling to see in the dark, I switched on my headlamp. In that instant, all I could focus on was his face. His eyes darted back and forth, sweeping the surroundings for any semblance of help, but all I could do was stand there and watch as our medics treated him.

No amount of training prepared me to see a friend in pain. As I watched the helicopter fly him away, I couldn’t help but think— even though I’d gone through some of the best military training in the world, in that moment, I could do nothing for him. Fortunately, he is okay, but had there been no medic available, the situation could have ended with tragedy. That night, I realized that through a career in medicine, I could be more than just a bystander to suffering— I could be in the position to not only reduce unnecessary pain but to also help those affected by conflict and trauma be restored to the fullness of life.

Upon returning home from this deployment, I shifted my focus to developing my skills in trauma care. I completed various trainings on caring for casualties in a combat environment and preparing non-medic Rangers to provide self-aid or buddy-aid in the absence of a medical provider. In a final scenario-based training lane, I helped lead my team in the treatment and packaging of a trauma patient for evacuation, setting a record time in our company and earning a military medal. This achievement, however, was only the beginning. These trainings and my successes served as a foundation that I built upon to ensure I could provide life-saving care in combat situations.  I continued to hone this skillset over my next two combat deployments as a machine gunner to Afghanistan, where, I was prepared to use these critical abilities to decrease mortality on the battlefield. In medicine, like in the army, the actual practice of one’s craft may be life or death. Therefore, evolving both dependability and proficiency during training is imperative in preparation for that final test, both in war and in medicine.

After leaving the military, confronting injury and trauma continued to be a reality. A year after exiting the service, two Army Ranger leaders whom I knew were critically injured on a mission overseas. One was my former team leader, who was shot in the neck, and the other was caught in an explosion that later resulted in a triple amputation. The relentless efforts of doctors and nurses is the reason why both of these brave men are alive today. Recognizing that without the diligent care of these medical professionals, these men would not have survived, I became ever more dedicated to serving others.

While in college, this dedication pushed me to routinely visit the West Haven VA Hospital to provide a community of support for the older, disabled veterans there. I first began visiting this hospital for my own medical care but witnessing the suffering of the other veterans at the hospital spurred me to return repeatedly not as a patient, but as a friend to my fellow veterans.  As a veteran and student, seeing and hearing about the pain and loss of function experienced by many other veterans reminded me of the importance of advocacy in healthcare: to understand, to care for, and to fight for those who are unable to do so themselves.

I continued to see these effects of conflict while volunteering as a tutor to individuals from the Middle East who were affected by the very war I served in. Alaa lives in Syria and dreams of becoming a surgeon. Together, Alaa and I discussed chemistry, biology, and math. Despite his love of learning and dedication, the instability of his community, which was plagued by violence, often barred him from focusing on his studies and committing to a routine tutoring schedule. Although I’ll never intimately know the reality of growing up in a war-torn country, working with Alaa taught me to keep the bigger picture of healthcare in mind. It reminded me that a career as a physician would provide me with the capability to help those like Alaa who are affected by conflict.

When I reflect on medicine, I draw many parallels to my life in army special operations. The training is intense, the hours are long, and the structure is hierarchical. The mission, above all else, is to provide the best outcome for those around you. On my journey to a career in medicine, I plan to continue to add to what I’ve learned from my experiences so far: humility, empathy, dependability, communication, teamwork, and leading from the front. For over four years I lived by the Ranger Creed, and I plan to imbue the same ethos in serving as a physician— to keep myself mentally alert and morally straight, to shoulder more than my share of whatever task presents itself.  In crossing from the path of a warrior to that of a healer, I hope to continue a life of service to improve the human condition and reduce unnecessary suffering in the world one person at a time.

3. Community-based Health and Empathy: Serving Underserved Communities in Crisis

Student Accepted to Weill Cornell

My path to medicine was first influenced by early adolescent experiences trying to understand my place in society. Though I was not conscious of it at the time, I held a delicate balance between my identity as an Indian-American and an “American-American.”

In a single day, I could be shooting hoops and eating hotdogs at school while spending the evening playing Carrom and enjoying tandoori chicken at a family get-together. When our family moved from New York to California, I had the opportunity to attend a middle school with greater diversity, so I learned Spanish to salve the loss of moving away and assimilate into my new surroundings.

As I partook in related events and cuisine, I built an intermixed friend group and began to understand how culture influences our perception of those around us. While volunteering at senior centers in high school, I noticed a similar pattern to what I sometimes saw at school: seniors socializing in groups of shared ethnicity and culture. Moving from table to table, and therefore language to language, I also observed how each group shared different life experiences and perspectives on what constitutes health and wellness. Many seniors talked about barriers to receiving care or how their care differed from what they had envisioned. Listening to their stories on cultural experiences, healthcare disparities, and care expectations sparked my interest in becoming a physician and providing care for the whole community.

Intrigued by the science behind perception and health, I took electives during my undergraduate years to build a foundation in these domains. In particular, I was amazed by how computational approaches could help model the complexity of the human mind, so I pursued research at Cornell’s Laboratory of Rational Decision-Making. Our team used fMRI analysis to show how the framing of information affects its cognitive processing and perception. Thinking back to my discussions with seniors, I often wondered if more personalized health-related messaging could positively influence their opinions. Through shadowing, I had witnessed physicians engaging in honest and empathetic conversations to deliver medical information and manage patients’ expectations, but how did they navigate delicate conflicts where the patients’ perspectives diverged from their own?

My question was answered when I became a community representative for the Ethics Committee for On Lok PACE, an elderly care program. One memorable case was that of Mr. A.G, a blind 86-year-old man with radiation-induced frontal lobe injury who wanted to return home and cook despite his doctor’s expressed safety concerns. Estranged from family, Mr. A.G. relied on cooking to find fulfillment in his life. Recognizing the conflict between autonomy and beneficence, I joined the physicians in brainstorming and recommending ways he could cook while being supervised. I realized that the role of a physician was to mediate between the medical care plan and the patient’s wishes in order to make a decision that preserves their dignity. As we considered possibilities, the physicians’ genuine concern for the patient’s emotional well-being exemplified the compassion that I want to emulate as a future doctor. Our discussions emphasized the rigor of medicine—the challenge of ambiguity and the importance of working with an individual to serve their needs.

With COVID-19 ravaging our underserved communities, my desire to help others drove me towards community-based health as a contact tracer for my county’s Department of Public Health. My conversations uncovered dozens of heartbreaking stories that revealed how inequities in socioeconomic status and job security left poorer families facing significantly harsher quarantines than their wealthier counterparts. Moreover, many residents expressed fear or mistrust, such as a 7-person family who could not safely isolate in their 1 bedroom/1 bath apartment. I offered to arrange free hotel accommodations but was met with a guarded response from the father: “We’ll be fine. We can maintain the 6 feet.” While initially surprised, I recognized how my government affiliation could lead to a power dynamic that made the family feel uneasy. Thinking how to make myself more approachable, I employed motivational interviewing skills and even simple small talk to build rapport. When we returned to discussing the hotel, he trusted my intentions and accepted the offer. Our bond of mutual trust grew over two weeks of follow-ups, leaving me humbled yet gratified to see his family transition to a safer living situation. As a future physician, I realize I may encounter many first-time or wary patients; and I feel prepared to create a responsive environment that helps them feel comfortable about integrating into our health system.

Through my clinical and non-clinical experiences, I have witnessed the far-reaching impact of physicians, from building lasting connections with patients to being a rock of support during uncertain times. I cannot imagine a career without these dynamics—of improving the health and wellness of patients, families, and society and reducing healthcare disparities. While I know the path ahead is challenging, I am confident that I want to dedicate my life to this profession.

4. Creating a Judgment-Free Zone with The Power of Acceptance in Healthcare

Student Accepted to George Washington SOM and Health Sciences, Drexel University COM

Immigrating into a foreign country without speaking a word of the language is a terrifying task for anyone. My mentee at Computers4kids, Sahil, came to the United States at seventeen and had been struggling to integrate with society due to the language barrier. Although I was born in the United States, I can empathize with the struggle he encounters daily, since both my parents and many members of my family have dealt with the same issues. Often, these barriers exacerbate mundane issues the immigrant population faces as they have difficulty finding people who can understand and care for them. Since I am bilingual in Farsi, when Sahil approached me with his driving instructions manual written in Dari, I thought I could teach him the rules of the road with no issues. I asked him to read the first sentence, but he diverted his gaze and mumbled that he did not know how to read. As I realized he seemed embarrassed by his illiteracy, I placed my hand on his shoulder and assured him that he could learn. I increased my weekly hours at the site to spend an equal amount of time on the rules of the road and on phonetics and reading. Within a few months, he was more comfortable greeting others around the Computers4Kids site and participating in interactive projects. Upon reflection, I appreciate the importance of creating a judgment-free zone that encourages learning and reciprocal care. Once Sahil noticed that I saw him no differently after learning of his illiteracy, he was ready and willing to work on the basics of language and reading, instead of solely memorizing words.

I did not realize how pivotal a judgment-free zone in a medical environment is until I worked at the University of Virginia Emergency Department as a medical scribe. Although I had scribed at a smaller hospital before, I had always strived for a position at a high-volume healthcare center and level one trauma center. Close to the end of a long shift, I walked into the room of a patient with the chief complain of ‘Psychiatric Evaluation’.  A male patient with schizophrenia was hyperventilating and speaking through tears as he described seeing his deceased wife and daughter everywhere he looked. Between short breaths, he mentioned he was going to Florida to attack the person who “murdered his family”. The resident diffused the situation by acknowledging the patient’s feelings and suggesting that he stayed for psychiatric help instead of flying to Florida. Eventually, the patient agreed and was admitted. Seeing the resident create this judgment-free environment was eye opening, as the previously distressed patient was now accepting counseling. The powerful influence of acceptance can lead to valuable insights about patients’ lives, potentially increasing the range of care one can administer.

I decided to transition to primary care in the most recent fall season because I would be able to build a more personal relationship with families in my community. I began working at Union Mill Pediatrics and was finally able to serve the community I grew I up in. I was given the responsibility of acting as the primary contact for a few families with children who have autism. Dr. Maura and I perused the plan of care for one of these children, Ayaan, determined by the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), to ensure that set therapeutic goals were reasonable and generalizable. When I asked Salwa, Ayaan’s mother, about some of the goals set by her BCBA and the school, she mentioned they would repeat exercises he already knew how to complete. I informed Salwa of her right as a patient to bring up her concerns with Ayaan’s teachers. I was overjoyed when she updated me that she instructed Ayaan’s teacher to continue putting his hearing aid in despite Ayaan’s constant cries. Salwa explained that the tantrums would curb after two days, which proved to be true. Similarly to how I encourages Salwa to advocate for her son, I will advocate for my patients and help them develop confidence to speak about their needs. After finding her voice as the patient’s guardian, Salwa gained the confidence to ask about a support group as she faces difficulties raising Ayaan alone. After some research, I found a few active groups to send her. By proving to Salwa I had her best interests in heart, she opened up to me about her mental health issues, which enabled me to extend the appropriate resources her way.

I have witnessed the potential that physicians have at work to forever change a family’s quality of life by being open-minded and remaining judgment-free. As a physician, I will aim to provide for my community through attentive healthcare and community service. I will advocate for my patients with cultural, language or socioeconomic barriers to healthcare. Building a trusting relationship with my future patients can result in a more productive office visit and enhance my ability to administer holistic care. My goal is for patients to leave their visit with not only a reasonable plan of care, but also a greater appreciation of their health and their rights as patients.

5. The Intersection of Medicine and Creativity

Student Accepted to Hackensack Meridian SOM, Nova Southeastern CoOM/KPCOM

Growing up, I inherited a deep admiration for medicine. From my grandfather’s chilling stories as a forensic psychiatrist assessing mental fitness, to my father’s heroic accounts as a pediatric dentist operating on toddlers with severe tooth decay, I was enamored with the honor of healing. These exposures nurtured my natural curiosity and innate aptitude for the sciences. Yet my mother, who had studied dance and theatre, instilled in me a fervent love of the arts and creative practice. Following in her footsteps, I took up multiple musical instruments, attended a high school for the arts, and earned a degree in art history coupled with a dance minor. Still, my dream was to pursue medicine, and though it seems counterintuitive, my love of art has only facilitated my enduring love of science, reinforcing why pursuing a career as a holistic, health-centered physician is my deepest aspiration.

My affinity for the health sciences began in the dance studio, where I devoted many hours of my adolescence. Dance, insidious in its promotion of grotesque health practices, demanded that I limit my calories to 1,200 a day counting everything from ibuprofen to a stick of gum, and to dance through a severe hamstring tear. My conceptions of health were severely warped until college dance came to my rescue. These new progressive teachers uplifted dancers of all physical and cognitive abilities, distributed scientific journals on effective warm-up techniques, and abandoned conventional dance norms. I was disturbed by all the unlearning I had to do, but eager to reacquaint myself with my body and disseminate new knowledge. Thus, I was honored when dance again presented an opportunity in health, as I was hired to teach dance at my childhood summer camp. Here, I could separate my curriculum from unreasonable physical expectations and interpersonal competition. I found a fierce sense of joy and fulfillment from being an advocate for physical and emotional health, and I knew I wanted to continue helping others heal while also deconstructing my own negative health experiences.

These formative experiences in the arts profoundly supported my intellectual development, allowing me to thrive in science-based settings and ultimately prompting me to seek out colleges with robust research programs. At the University of Michigan, I had the privilege of participating in a campus research lab, undoubtedly resulting in my most valuable college experience. The world of scientific inquiry can be intimidating, but after a year of reading dozens of papers and learning novice lab protocols, I began my own independent investigation of zebrafish retinas. My goal was to uncover the mechanisms of retinal regeneration in fish, thus addressing vision loss. The excitement I felt in utilizing challenging lab techniques, working with animals, witnessing the culmination of my efforts through image analysis, and being a part of such life-altering research was unmatched. What once seemed like magic was now tangible; I was an artist helping craft the solutions to science’s unanswered questions. In the context of my multidisciplinary interests, my research reinforced the creative, humanitarian side of science, and that science was where I felt compelled to take action and build a career.

Art continued to deepen my passion for and understanding of medicine. The revolutionary approaches of my dance teachers modeled the importance of critique as it pertains to health. This was not a new concept to me; my high school art teachers had urged us to challenge institutional weaknesses. It was not until college, however, that I realized how this line of thinking intersects with medicine. Studying art history, I repeatedly encountered artists whose work tackled issues in health. Keith Haring confronted the AIDS crisis when society had turned on the gay population, and Marc Quinn confronted the disease of addiction in his self-portrait sculptures, made entirely of his own frozen blood. Art, I learned, is so often a response to disease, be it physical, mental, or sociological. These artists had been champions of health in light of its stigmas and politics; art thus fostered new intentions, instilling within me an ardent goal of social activism through medicine.

Art has contributed to my journey, and while it is not my ultimate goal, I hope to incorporate my artistically based insights into my work in science and medicine as a health and social justice advocate. I am driven to continue exploring these intersections, having compiled an entire portfolio on the connection between dance and science, researched disability in the arts, and pursued my personal interest in LGBTQ+ health advocacy by connecting with and shadowing a variety of gender care physicians. My intention to pursue medicine is personal, fulfilling, and pressing, and I take seriously the responsibility I will have as a physician to be a mogul for change in areas of healthcare that compromise the human experience. Further, my natural inclination towards science and involvement in academic research has instilled in me the confidence and skills necessary to be an effective medical practitioner. With this balanced mindset, I know I will contribute to a more ethical and well-rounded approach to healthcare.

6. Innovation in Medicine and a Quest for Discovery

Student Accepted to Johns Hopkins SOM, Washington University SOM, Hofstra Zucker SOM

As a notoriously picky nine-year-old with a penchant for grilled cheese, I was perplexed when I learned that my younger sister, Rachel, had been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I felt a sting of betrayal knowing my comfort food was the culprit for Rachel’s terrible stomach aches. Yearning to understand how my favorite food was poisoning my favorite person, I developed an insatiable desire to discover the “why” behind Celiac. As Rachel’s doctor explained her disease, I was both fascinated that a simple protein could cause so much damage and inspired by the doctor’s compassion. He described every detail in a way Rachel would understand, addressed her every concern, and held her hand when she was scared. I wanted to be just like Rachel’s doctor so that I too could use science to decipher medical mysteries while also reassuring my patients that I would be their advocate and help them heal.

My interest in medicine drove me to learn more about what it meant to be a doctor. As a freshman in high school, I arranged a shadow day with Dr. M, a cardiologist. He taught me about echoes, showed me a pacemaker implantation, and in the midst of a cardioversion, even beckoned me over to press the button that discharged the defibrillator. I could not contain my excitement recounting how much I had learned during my first day in a clinical setting. From there, my curiosity skyrocketed and I embarked on a relentless pursuit to explore the spectrum of the medical field. I was moved by the supportive atmosphere of the NICU, struck by the precision involved in ophthalmology, absorbed by the puzzle-like reconstruction of Mohs surgery, and awed by the agility of cardiothoracic surgery. Between high school and college, I shadowed over a dozen physicians, cementing my interest and furthering my passion for a future medical career.

My college classes allowed me to immerse myself further in the study of the human body. Following my fascination with cancer, I secured an internship working on a melanoma immunotherapy clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health. I savored the stimulation, grasping new experimental techniques and developing assays; but my work took on even greater meaning when I learned that my grandfather had been enrolled in an early-stage immunotherapy trial himself while battling mucosal melanoma. Although immunotherapy did not heal my grandfather, I was immensely proud to be advancing the science years later. Through long nights and evolving experiments, I gave the trial its final push through an FDA approval checkpoint; ultimately, my contributions will help more grandparents go into remission. The most fulfilling moments came every Monday when I accompanied the leading physician scientists on their rounds. As I met patients, listened to their stories, and celebrated their improvements, the pulsating blister on my thumbpad from endless pipetting became akin to a medal of honor. Reflecting on these encounters, I wanted to continue driving scientific innovation, but I also wanted a more active and personal impact in the patient’s experience.

My desire to connect with patients brought me to Alliance Medical Ministry, a clinic serving uninsured, disadvantaged communities in North Carolina. I stepped up to lead efforts to organize a community COVID-19 vaccination clinic, communicating personally with every eligible patient and arranging vaccine appointments for over a thousand people across the hardest hit areas of Raleigh. The experience became even more rewarding when I trained to administer vaccines, becoming a stable, anchoring presence from the beginning to the end of the process. One memorable patient, “Amy,” had not seen a doctor in years because of the associated financial burden. When she came to the clinic suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis, she was not even aware of her diabetes diagnosis. While I waited with her for transportation to the ER, she expressed her fears about contracting COVID at the hospital. However, she emphatically dismissed my suggestion about receiving a vaccine. I listened intently to all her concerns. Not only was she worried about the vaccine infecting her with the virus, but also her history of being denied healthcare due to her socioeconomic status had instilled fears that she would not be taken care of should she have an adverse reaction. I took her hand in mine and reassured her of the clinic’s mission to provide care regardless of ability to pay. I further explained everything I knew about how the vaccine worked, its safety and efficacy, and how my body reacted when I received my own injection. I could not help but beam behind my N95 when days later, Amy returned, sat in my chair and confidently rolled up her sleeve for me to give her the protective shot.

I have grown by exploring the multifaceted world of medicine through shadowing, pioneering research to advance patient care at the NIH, and cultivating trusting relationships with patients from the vaccine clinic. As a doctor, my desire to be an innovative thinker and problem solver will fuel my unrelenting quest for discovery throughout a lifetime of learning. Most importantly, I aspire to use my medical knowledge to improve lives and establish meaningful patient partnerships, just as Rachel’s doctor did with her.

7. Transforming Pain into Purpose: Inspiring Change in the Field of Medicine

Student Accepted to UCSF SOM, Harvard Medical School

Countless visits to specialists in hope of relief left me with a slew of inconclusive test results and uncertain diagnoses. “We cannot do anything else for you.” After twelve months of waging a war against my burning back, aching neck and tingling limbs, hearing these words at first felt like a death sentence, but I continued to advocate for myself with medical professionals. A year of combatting pain and dismissal led me to a group of compassionate and innovative physicians at the Stanford Pain Management Center (SPMC). Working alongside a diverse team including pain management specialists and my PCP, I began the long, non-linear process of uncovering the girl that had been buried in the devastating rubble of her body’s pain. From struggling with day-to-day activities like washing my hair and sitting in class to thriving as an avid weightlifter and zealous student over the span of a year, I realized I am passionate about preventing, managing and eliminating chronic illnesses through patient-centered incremental care and medical innovation.

A few days after my pain started, I was relieved to hear that I had most likely just strained some muscles, but after an empty bottle of muscle relaxers, the stings and aches had only intensified. I went on to see 15 specialists throughout California, including neurologists, physiatrists, and rheumatologists. Neurological exams. MRIs. Blood tests. All inconclusive. Time and time again, specialists dismissed my experience due to ambiguous test results and limited time. I spent months trying to convince doctors that I was losing my body; they thought I was losing my mind. Despite these letdowns, I did not stop fighting to regain control of my life. Armed with my medical records and a detailed journal of my symptoms, I continued scheduling appointments with the intention of finding a doctor who would dig deeper in the face of the unknown. Between visits, I researched my symptoms and searched for others with similar experiences. One story on Stanford Medicine’s blog, “Young Woman Overcomes Multiple Misdiagnoses and Gets Her Life Back”, particularly stood out to me and was the catalyst that led me to the SPMC. After bouncing from doctor to doctor, I had finally found a team of physicians who would take the profound toll of my pain on my physical and mental well-being seriously.

Throughout my year-long journey with my care team at the SPMC, I showed up for myself even when it felt like I would lose the war against my body. I confronted daily challenges with fortitude. When lifting my arms to tie my hair into a ponytail felt agonizing, YouTube tutorials trained me to become a braiding expert. Instead of lying in bed all day when my medication to relieve nerve pain left me struggling to stay awake, I explored innovative alternative therapies with my physicians; after I was fed up with the frustration of not knowing the source of my symptoms, I became a research subject in a clinical trial aimed at identifying and characterizing pain generators in patients suffering from “mysterious” chronic pain. At times, it felt like my efforts were only resulting in lost time. However, seeing how patient my care team was with me, offering long-term coordinated support and continually steering me towards a pain-free future, motivated me to grow stronger with every step of the process. Success was not  an immediate victory, but rather a long journey of incremental steps that produced steady, life-saving progress over time. My journey brought me relief as well as clarity with regard to  how I will care for my future patients. I will advocate for them even when complex conditions, inconclusive results and stereotypes discourage them from seeking continued care; work with them to continually adapt and improve an individualized plan tailored to their needs and goals, and engage in pioneering research and medical innovations that can directly benefit them.

Reflecting on the support system that enabled me to overcome the challenges of rehabilitation, I was inspired to help others navigate life with chronic pain in a more equitable and accessible way. Not everyone has the means to work indefinitely with a comprehensive care team, but most do have a smartphone. As a result, I partnered with a team of physicians and physical therapists at the University of California San Francisco to develop a free mobile application that guides individuals dealing with chronic pain through recovery. Based on my own journey, I was able to design the app with an understanding of the mental and physical toll that pain, fear, and loss of motivation take on patients struggling with chronic pain. Having features like an exercise bank with a real-time form checker and an AI-based chatbot to motivate users, address their concerns and connect them to specific health care resources, our application helped 65 of the 100 pilot users experience a significant reduction in pain and improvement in mental health in three months.

My journey has fostered my passion for patient-centered incremental medicine and medical innovation. From barely living to thriving, I have become a trailblazing warrior with the perseverance and resilience needed to pursue these passions and help both the patients I engage with and those around the world.

8. Overcoming Bias, Stigma, and Disparities in Medicine

Student Accepted to University of Florida COM

Growing up as a Black woman, my family’s experiences with racial bias in medicine were central to my perception of doctors. From my grandmother’s forced electric shock therapy in the Jim Crow South that resulted in severe brain damage, to my father’s ignored appendicitis that led to a near-death infection after rupturing, every trip to the doctor came with apprehension. Will these strange men with sharp tools heal me or hurt me? This question repeated in my head as I prepared to undergo my first surgery to remove suspiciously inflamed lymph nodes at age 11. I woke up groggy from anesthesia with a negative cancer diagnosis but a blistering third degree burn. The surgeon had successfully removed the malignant masses but had left the cauterizing iron resting on my neck in the process. Today when I look in the mirror and see the scar, I am reminded of the troubling reality that myths such as black people having thicker skin and less sensitive nerve endings are still pervasive in the medical field. By challenging the systemic disparities in medicine that disadvantage minority populations, I vow to my inner child that I will be a different kind of doctor, a doctor who values the patient as much as the procedure.

My experiences with a variety of communities, minority and majority, stem from growing up in a military household that came with frequent relocations. I was exposed to a wide range of communities from an early age—rural Oregon to tropical Hawaii, industrious Japan to politicized D.C, sunny San Diego and finally to radical Berkeley where I  began my pre-medical education. I chose to view medicine from an anthropological lens while at Cal and supplemented my coursework with community service.  As co-coordinator of UC Berkeley’s chapter of Peer Health Exchange, my 9th grade students were, at first,  mistrusting –even with my Angela Davis-esque afro, I was clearly not from Oakland and not quite old enough to be lecturing them. But it was the Good Samaritan Law lecture, during which students learned they would not face police penalty for calling 911 if a friend was in trouble, that I finally gained their trust. One student shared, “I always worried that I wouldn’t be able to call for help because I’m undocumented.”  Later as a health advocate at UCSF, I encountered the same sentiment from families in the pediatric clinic who worried that accessing healthcare for a sick child might put their immigration or legal status at risk. I learned that to get to the root of barriers to access, trust is invaluable. Navigating marginalized spaces with cultural competency is an asset that I pride myself in.

I carried this foundation into my research and clinical work on HIV, a disease that disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities and is often left untreated by the stigmas surrounding medicine for these communities. As an HIV PreP Navigator at the Oasis clinic, I was on rotation when a thirteen-year-old girl was referred to the clinic after testing positive for HIV. We analyzed her T cell count and viral load, and discovered she fit the AIDs criteria.   In the following weeks, we worked on medication adherence, and as the girl’s CD4 count rose, so did her spirits and mine. Medicine is more than just a diagnosis and prescription—it is active compassionate treatment. It is holding steady when the entire ground seems to shake with the magnitude of an illness. It is being able to look a patient in the eye and truly see them despite the myriad of differences.

The disparities and differences in patient circumstances has been emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing this disproportionate effect of the virus on minority communities, I worked at a COVID-19 testing facility in one of the most underserved and impoverished communities in the Los Angeles’ area. Assuring patients of the safety of Covid testing measures was a big part of the job. “Have you done it?” They would ask. “What about Tuskegee?”  Being Black, I felt the burden of responsibility that came with these questions. How could I have such faith in medicine knowing the traumatic past? My response was simple, “I believe in the science. I can explain PCR testing to you if you like.” By eradicating some of the mystery surrounding these lab techniques, people felt more comfortable.  The opportunity to serve as a trusted community leader by directly interacting with patients and working on a team with doctors, EMTs, and nurses amid an international crisis reaffirmed my journey into medicine.

Zora Neale Hurston once wrote, “mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to ‘jump at de sun.’ We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground.” As an aspiring physician, these words have served as a motivating mantra. To “get off the ground” for me means to become the first medical doctor in a lineage of sharecroppers and farmers. Medicine has been my “sun” for as long as I can remember; its promise to bring light has kept me jumping at every opportunity. Like my grandmother, my father, and so many others, I have experienced disparity in medicine. The scars that mar our bodies are my constant reminder that there is much work to be done. I see medicine as the ability to directly enact that change, one patient at a time.

9. Navigating Personal Struggles to Become a Compassionate Physician

Student Accepted to Touro CoOM, Nova Southeastern CoOM/KPCOM

I fight the heavy sleepiness that comes over me, but before I know it, I am out like a light. Forty-five minutes later, I wake up with a sore throat, watery eyes, and an intensely cold, painful feeling plaguing my entire right leg. Earlier, my parents and I arrived at the Beckman Laser Institute for another treatment of my port-wine stain birthmark. Despite my pleas to not undergo these procedures, my parents still took me twice a year. As I was rolled into the cold, sterile operating room on a gurney, I felt like I was experiencing everything from outside of myself. Despite my doctor’s and nurses’ best efforts to comfort me, I felt my heart racing. Feelings of apprehension and fear of the unknown flooded my senses at the sight of beeping machines and tubes that seemed to go everywhere. As the anesthesiologist began to administer the “sleepy juice,” I felt sad, realizing that my birthmark was a permanent resident on my leg and that I would have to receive this treatment for the rest of my life.

As an adult, I am grateful my parents continued to take me to the laser institute. Starting treatment so early aided in the lightening of my birthmark, which did wonders to improve my self-confidence. However, I suffered daily, feeling like I constantly had to hide something about myself. I kept my secret from everyone except my parents. Despite there being several medical doctors in my family, I knew that any sign of illness or disease would be held against me socially amongst other Egyptians. My secrecy was made even more difficult by the advice of my doctor to avoid certain physical activities, as they could worsen the underlying pathology of the veins in my legs. On his advice, I only wore long pants and would not run with other children during recess and gym class. This all added to the isolation I felt growing up, not knowing anyone with a similar condition to mine. Even as a child, no amount of explaining or encouragement could make me understand the benefit of those painful laser treatments.

What eventually changed my perspective was the team of compassionate doctors and nurses who have been caring for me since I began this journey. I was particularly touched when one of my doctors shared with me that she had also undergone a procedure that she would be performing on me. In that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Not only was she a specialist in the field, but her empathy for what I would soon go through became a source of instant comfort and ease for me. I knew that what she said was heartfelt, and not simply an attempt to convince me to undergo a procedure. I realized then that one of the reasons I had felt so afraid was because I had been alone in what I was going through.

A few years later, I attended a conference held by the Vascular Birthmark Foundation, where a variety of specialists convened to discuss port-wine stain birthmarks and other related conditions. Once we arrived at the hotel where the conference would take place, I met a woman who had a facial port-wine stain birthmark. As we began sharing stories about our experiences with our condition, we connected over how difficult it had been to receive treatment. We both knew what it felt like to be told that the birthmark was simply a cosmetic issue, and that any form of treatment we received would have no corrective purpose, if it was even considered treatment in the first place. There was a certain sense of freedom that I felt in finally being able to talk about my illness with someone I could trust to understand. Thinking back to the doctor who connected with me over a procedure she had also experienced as a patient, I felt truly called in that moment to pursue my goal of becoming a vascular physician. My goal would be to become a source of comfort and familiarity for patients who struggle as I have, to give them the same relief that I experienced from finally being understood.

Despite the pains I went through, I now realize that the experiences I have had as a patient can help me better understand what it means to be a physician. By being an excellent listener and openly sharing my experiences with receiving treatment, I can foster an honest and safe physician-patient relationship. I believe this approach will not only comfort my patients, but also help them make informed decisions about their treatment. My commitment to this approach has also led me to choose a DO path for my medical career. Having researched the holistic treatment approach that a DO delivers, I realized that being treated by a DO would have done wonders for my self-confidence and overall health as a young patient. The aspects of my port wine stain that were always left untreated were the emotional and social side effects of my condition. As a DO in the dermatology or interventional radiology specialty, I hope to gain the tools to provide empathetic and comprehensive care to my patients that reassures them that they are not alone in their journey to better health.

Want to read a few more great samples? We also broke down the things that make these 3 personal statements excellent and compelling.

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Where to Begin When Writing Your Personal Statement : Hosted by MedSchoolCoach Associate Director of Writing and College Advising, Jennifer Speegle, Associate Director of Advising, Ziggy Yoediono MD, and Writing Advisor, Carrie Coaplen Ph. D.

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• By Med School Insiders
• January 16, 2023
• Extracurricular Activities , Work and Activities

Your medical school application has several different components, and each plays a vital role in your success. You know you need a stellar personal statement , strong letters of recommendation , and a solid MCAT score , but why would schools care about your hobbies? What hobbies do schools look for? Will the AMCAS hobbies you select in the Work and Activities section affect the outcome of your application?

Your hobbies may not be as important as other experiences on your application, such as notable clinical or research experiences, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable. Effectively utilizing hobbies in the experiences section of your application can show that you are a well-rounded candidate who has a lot to offer the student body of the schools you’re applying to.

In this post, we break down why medical schools care about hobbies, which hobbies add value to your application, and how to effectively describe hobby experiences.

Why Do Medical Schools Care About Hobbies?

Medical schools want to know who you are, not only as a future professional and someone who can succeed in academia, but more importantly, who you are as a person. Hobbies can show your well-roundedness much more than statistics or letters of recommendation can. Even if you share hobbies with other candidates, your unique experience and take on it can help you stand out from other applicants.

Schools want to build a well-rounded class, and this goes for any school, from something brand new to something as prestigious as Stanford or Harvard. Schools want to build a balanced and diverse class who will be effective future colleagues and peers to one another. Hobbies give admissions committees special insight into who you are and what you can contribute to your school.

For example, a medical school is unlikely to select athletes exclusively, as this won’t add diversity to the thoughts and conversations of the student body. It’s better for schools to have a blend of voices, including athletes and also creatives, such as writers, artists, people with travel experience, etc.

Medical schools intentionally craft diverse classes so that students learn not only from the school but also from each other. Your hobbies provide admissions committees with special insight into what you have to offer and how you can contribute to the diversity of their student body. So, effectively discussing one or two unique hobbies in your application will help admissions committees take a more active interest in you and help them determine if you are a good fit for their school.

What Hobbies Add Value to Your Application?

There’s no such thing as a bad hobby. That said, you only have space to mention 15 experiences in the AMCAS Work and Activities section, including research, extracurriculars, jobs, etc., so don’t go above two or three hobbies. It’s also vital that these hobbies indicate a lifelong passion. If you started the hobby in the last year or so, don’t include it. Choose a hobby you’ve had since high school, as this better shows your passion for it and commitment to it.

If you choose a more recent hobby that you developed in college, be prepared to be able to illustrate why you have such a passion for that hobby and why it has had a significant impact on you in a short time.

Examples of Hobbies include:

• Playing an instrument
• Team sports
• Weight lifting
• Martial arts
• Creative writing
• Filmography

What hobbies have you continued throughout all of your studies? Schools want someone with longstanding hobbies, as this shows them you’re able to find balance in your life. If all you make time for is your studies, you’re going to burn out , and the last thing medical schools want is a class of students on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Choose hobbies that have had a profound impact on you. You must be able to reflect on the hobbies and demonstrate how the hobby has altered the course of your life. Who would you be if not for your hobby?

It’s natural for students to second guess whether or not to include hobbies. Is being an avid film buff really relevant to your medical school application?

You don’t have to include hobbies that are exclusively related to healthcare. You want to demonstrate you’re a well-rounded person. Hobbies allow admissions committees to see who you are outside of the classroom, outside of research, and outside of volunteering.

Hobbies aren’t an escape; they’re how you recenter, connect back to the world, and refresh your mental health. Hobbies set you apart and lend insight into how you see and connect with the world around you.

For example, you might be passionate about documentaries. On the surface, this could feel like a lazy hobby. But why do you have that passion? What makes you turn to documentaries instead of reality TV? Connect your passion for documentaries to a thirst for knowledge and a quest for a deeper understanding of the world—a good passion for all doctors to have.

Remember, you also include hobbies to help admissions committees determine where you’ll have the most opportunities to meet people and network at school. You may think your passion for cooking isn’t relevant, but it could be that there’s a passionate community of amateur chefs within a school’s student body. Admissions committees will remember you better, thanks to your descriptive hobbies.

It’s not so much about which hobbies you choose; it’s more about showing depth, passion, and the length of your participation. Choose hobbies that form the building blocks of your identity—ones you can speak about in-depth during interviews. Interviewers will be much more interested in discussing your unique hobbies as opposed to your MCAT score.

The AMCAS Hobbies Section

The Work and Activities section, where you can mention the hobbies you want to include, is the first place admissions committees look to get a sense of your personality and whether or not you fit the mold of the medical student they’re looking for. You can select up to 15 premed experiences, ranging from extracurricular activities to jobs to volunteering experiences to hobbies and more.

You have 700 characters of space to discuss each of these activities and their impact on you. Of those 15, you can select up to three most meaningful experiences, which grants you 1325 characters of extra space to speak about these experiences in more detail.

First and foremost, admissions committees are looking for activities in a few core areas : research experience, clinical exposure, and community involvement. Most of your activities will fall into these categories, so we recommend only including two or at most three hobbies.

You don’t have a lot of space to discuss these activities, so ensure your titles are as descriptive as possible and make every word count when you describe the activity. Don’t describe the activity itself, but rather your experience with it. Use one or two sentences to describe what you learned or gained from the experience.

Learn more in our comprehensive Guide to the AMCAS Work and Activities Section .

What it Looks Like on Other Applications (AACOMAS and TMDSAS)

If you’re applying to osteopathic (DO) schools or medical schools in Texas, you will need to apply through their respective application services—The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service ( AACOMAS ) and The Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service ( TMDSAS ).

While similar, the application requirements of each service differ slightly, and the Work and Activities section is no different. AACOMAS has no limit to the number of experiences you can mention, but it does not have a Most Meaningful Experience section. TMDSAS has applicants create a Chronology of Activities, which includes everything between high school graduation and the summer of your application.

Learn more about each of the AMCAS vs. AACOMAS vs. TMDSAS Med School Application Differences .

For osteopathic applicants, read our AACOMAS Experiences and Achievements Guide , and for Texas medical school applicants, read our TMDSAS Activities Section Guide .

Effectively Writing Medical School Application Hobbies

In order to write about your hobbies effectively, you must connect the activity to your personal growth and how it has impacted your relationship to medicine.

Admissions committees are looking for depth. Don’t provide superficial reasons, such as, “I like to travel,” or, “I just play basketball for the fun of it.” Dive deep into the specific elements of the hobby—a hobby you’ll continue to practice throughout your future medical career. Explain the what and the how of the hobby, but always leave room for the why . The why is the most important aspect to break down, and it will make the hobby unique to you.

If you’ve participated in a lot of team sports, regardless of the level you played at, you can connect your experience with working as a team and being a team player to medical school and your future career.

Doctors work as part of a team on a daily basis, and your ability to be a functioning member of the team is crucial to your future success. You must know each team member’s strengths and weaknesses and how best to utilize them in order to function optimally. Explain how your participation in team sports has shown you the value of teamwork and how to work as an effective part of a team.

If your interests are more artistic in nature, such as music, art, or acting, you might speak about how your hobby has taught you to live in the moment and be present.

So much of being a premed and medical student is looking toward the future. It takes a long, long time to become a professional physician, and it’s easy for medical students to constantly look to the horizon, never keeping their minds on where they are and what they’re doing. You may explain how a passion for the arts has helped you cultivate an ability to appreciate the little things in life and focus on the journey, not the destination.

Not only can this help you with your studies, but your artistic passion and insight could also help your bedside manner, as you’ll be able to engage with patients about music, movies, or art. Your ability to be present and make the most of the moment could also help you ease the mind of a patient you had to deliver bad news to.

Or let’s say you’re interested in global health. You can speak about how your travel hobby has helped you learn how to be open-minded about and mindful of other people’s cultural differences—a major asset to your career if you plan to work with communities around the world.

No matter what your hobby is, highlight the amount of time and effort you’ve put into it. If your hobby is traveling, how many places have you traveled to? If you’re a chef, how long have you been cooking? If you’re into team sports, how many years have you played?

Now, it’s possible you haven’t spent much time thinking about how your hobbies have impacted your development or why they’re so important to you. A great way to reflect on this is by journaling (something we also recommend you do throughout your extracurricular activities.)

Journaling provides a resource to fall back on when you’re asked questions about how an activity has impacted you, and it can help you remember anecdotes or insights you might otherwise forget. Take time to reflect in a journal on the hobbies that have most shaped your identity, the ones you’ll use to help balance your life in medical school and beyond.

Learn How Students Can Harness the Powerful Benefits of Journaling .

How to Keep Up With Hobbies as a Premed

Finding balance between your studies, extracurricular positions, social engagements, and hobbies is key to maintaining your energy, enthusiasm, and mental health. You won’t find time for your hobbies—you must make time for them. Hobbies you are passionate about are not a waste of time so long as you can keep up with your studies. With the right routines and time management practices , you can succeed in school and have a life outside of it.

While your studies are extremely important, you can’t study every minute of the day. Your brain needs time to rest. Crafting a solid routine will help you ensure you get to all of your priorities. Build your hobbies into your downtime, which could be during your morning routine , your night routine , or when you take a break in the afternoon.

It all comes down to creating a daily routine and schedule that you can follow day after day. Don’t wait to see if you’ll get to it; intentionally block time in your week for the hobbies you’re passionate about.

What If You Don’t Have Any Hobbies?

While it’s probably unlikely you don’t have anything that you do for fun, this question is part of the reason it’s so important to start thinking about these aspects of your application early on as a premed.

Schools are looking for well-rounded students who can demonstrate they know how to work hard while still maintaining their balance and wellness. Medical school is extremely challenging; without a way to decompress, you could easily burn out. Admissions committees know this, which is why it’s important to include at least one hobby in your application.

If you’re looking for a hobby, remember not to force it. A hobby you don’t like and can’t speak positively about won’t help you. Check out what clubs your school has available. Ask friends about their hobbies. Step outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Reflect on each of the activities you try in a journal to determine their impact on you. Did you have fun? Did you learn anything about yourself? Could you see yourself participating in the activity regularly?

If you don’t have any hobbies, it’s important to get outside and find one. Admissions committees aren’t only considering your grades; they’re considering who you are as an entire human being.

Don’t neglect your own personal growth believing your strict, exclusive focus on medicine will make you stand out from the crowd. Medical schools want well-rounded, balanced individuals. What hobby or activity have you always been curious about but felt like you never had time to try? Now is the time to give it a shot and challenge yourself in ways you never have before.

Learn more: Why You Should Step Outside Your Comfort Zone—Student Guide .

Crafting the Path to Success

Med School Insiders offers one-on-one advising that pairs you with a physician advisor who can answer your questions about medical school applications, what to do with the time between your studies, how to transition into your first year of medical school, and much more. It’s our goal to help you create a future that aligns with your vision, which includes your hobbies, studies, career goals, lifestyle, and habits.

Sign up for our newsletter and follow our blog for the latest medical school application news, guides, and resources. Our content library is filled with articles that will help you prepare for every aspect of your application, as well as how to succeed during medical school and residency.

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Personal Statement for Medicine

Composing a personal statement for any degree is a challenge but for medicine, this is your chance to illustrate your academic prowess and work experience alongside a genuine passion and fascination for the medical subjects you love. a personal statement can support your application if your exam results are slightly below your expectations or can enhance a strong set of grades for the best chance of acceptance., make the most of your words.

UCAS , the admissions service for universities in the UK, describes a personal statement as “your opportunity to sell yourself to your prospective school, college or training provider.” Students are given a 47 line, 4,000 character limit (which roughly equates to 500 words) in which to show off their appeal to the institutions of their choosing. 

Here, it’s important to get into the mind of the member of admissions staff that will be reading your statement – what do they want to see? 500 words may seem like plenty, but you’ll likely find that space is at a premium when you’re trying to find the perfect formula to impress your chosen university.

Research a career in medicine before you apply

The key things that medical schools will be looking for are evidence of motivation, explorative work experience and suitability for fitting into their learning environment.

Your personal statement is not only an opportunity to demonstrate your motivations for studying medicine, but also to convey a sense of insight into medicine as a career. It is a chance to reflect on your experiences thus far and outline your personal qualities which will enable you to excel as both a medical student and future doctor.

Developing an understanding about the roles and responsibilities of a doctor will help you prepare your personal statement with ease. Volunteering in your local community and undertaking work experience placements are examples of activities which may allow you to gain a deeper insight into medicine. However, reading official resources such as those produced by the General Medical Council (GMC) before you even begin to think about the content of your personal statement, can help to give your writing a clear focus and direction.

Check how universities will use your personal statement 

Your personal statement may be used in the selection process for interviews to a varying degree by each medical school. Having said this, on the whole, personal statements do not feature heavily in the selection process for interview. Whilst this is the case for most medical schools in the UK, a few medical schools will utilise a scoring system to assess the personal statement at some point in their selection process; either before interview (for interview selection) or at the interview itself.

If this is the case for one or more of the universities you intend to apply to, pay careful attention to any details on their website which discuss exactly what the admissions team are looking for in a personal statement. For example, the University of Oxford place a larger emphasis on showing an interest in medical science and academia.

Where to find this information

It is important to check exactly how the medical schools you intend to apply to will use your personal statement both before and during the interview. To access the most relevant and up-to-date information you should check the websites for each of the medical schools you may apply to. If you have any queries about how your personal statement will be used, or if anything you find on their websites is unclear, email the admissions team directly.

Key things to remember about your personal statement 

Writing a personal statement can be daunting, but we are here to help make the process less stressful. To break it down, we have listed some essential factors you should remember to focus on when writing your own personal statement:

• Structure and flow: Creating a clear and organised structure allows the reader to follow your thought process and enables you, the writer, to include the most relevant information about yourself, given the restricted word count.
• Authenticity: The clue is in the title; your personal statement should be personal! Be genuine and honest about your experiences and skills and let your personality shine through your writing. 
• Relevance: With the limited word count, you need to include only the most relevant experiences and skills you have that are directly relevant to medicine. 
• Specificity: Provide details about your experiences and give examples. Avoid any vague and general statements. 

Goals and aspirations: You should mention your goals and aspirations and what you want to get out of a degree in medicine. What are your short-term and long-term goals?

The aim of this section is for you to establish a structure that works for you, by deciding what the main components of your personal statement will be about.

Before diving into finding the best structure for your personal statement, it is important to remember there is no set format or st ructure. Reading a few example statements may help to give you an idea of where you start ; however it is all about finding the right balance that is appropriate for you. This balance will be based on your personal experiences and what has been important in shaping your journey towards Medicine.

You should start your personal statement with a clear introduction and end with a conclusion .

DEVELOPING A STRUCTURE THAT WORKS FOR YOU

Here, we will focus on developing a structure for the main body of your personal statement. The importance of having a well-thought-out structure is that it will make your thoughts and experiences easier to follow. A good structure will help reinforce the key content of your statement, further giving admissions tutors the impression that you have a focused understanding of medicine and yourself. 

T here is no one way to structure the main body ; in fact , there are many ways! The components you discuss will differ according to your experiences, and the weighting given to these components will largely be based on what medical schools you apply to.

EXAMPLES OF PERSONAL STATEMENT STRUCTURE 

Here is an example of how to divide the main body of your personal statement:

• Interest in academia and wider reading
• Work experience and voluntary commitments
• Extra-curricular Activities

Remember, this is only one example. Alternatively, you could base your paragraphs on the qualities you want to demonstrate, such as:

• Interest in medicine, science, and academia
• Compassion, communication skills and empathy
• Leadership, teamwork and problem-solving

These ideas are here to prompt you, so work around them based on your experiences. If there is a particularly valuable quality, such as resilience, that you are passionate about and have relevant experiences in, of course , this should be included!

The idea of convincing an admissions tutor, in around 500 words, that you are an ideal prospective medical student can be overwhelming. This, as well as the fact that they will be reading through hundreds of personal statements of people applying for the same course, might make you feel pressured to have an introduction that will grab their attention and set you aside from the majority.

DON’T FOCUS TOO MUCH ON YOUR INTRODUCTION

A powerful introduction will state an intrinsic motivation to study medicine, whilst also outlining your understanding of the career. However, your reasons for wanting to pursue medicine do not have to be entirely crammed into your introduction. 

W hile there is no set length for an introduction, you should make sure it is not too short that it seems rushed and neglected, but not so long that it is the same size as the paragraphs of your main body. A few sentences should be sufficient for an introduction.

TRY STARTING WITH THE MAIN BODY FIRST

It might seem logical and necessary to begin by writing the introduction, but this is not the case! It is perfectly reasonable to work on other parts of your personal statement and return to write the introduction at a later point in time. Some people even find that once they have written the majority of their personal statement, they are able to pick out points they think will work well for their introduction.

• Be original: It is a personal statement , so keep it personal. It should accurately depict why you want to study medicine .
• Give examples: Stories can add to the personal element of motivation to study medicine but ensure that this comes across as genuine. Do not try and pin your motivation down to a single event as this can appear naïve . I nstead , state how this scenario was one of the elements that led you to pursue medicine.
• Use your time wisely: Do not spend all your time trying to think of a catchy opening. Remember that you can always come back to the introduction.
• Remember you have a word limit: Keep your statements succinct and to the point.
• Use a professional tone: Stay away from using humour as the person reading your personal statement may not receive it as well as you would hope. The aim is to be professional and put across your interest in medicine.

Keep in mind that depending on the interview style of the medical schools you are applying to; your personal statement can be used as part of your interview. They may pick out parts of your introduction and ask you to elaborate on them. 

C heck this beforehand and if applicable, remember this when stating your motivations to study medicine. If you would not be happy to talk about it in your interview, then avoid including it!

• Using cliché words and phrases such as ‘passionate’, ‘fascinated’ and ‘from a young age I have always wanted to’
• Using a quote without reflecting on how it adds to what you are trying to convey. If possible, avoid quotes and use your own words. After all, they are interested in what you have to say, not a scientist or author
• Making blank statements that do not add to what you are saying.
• Describing how TV shows attracted you to medicine, even if other reasons are raised, as this will reduce the power of your introduction.

Reflecting on your work experiences, wider reading and other relevant activities will form the bulk of the main body of your personal statement. Reflection is imperative to a successful application. A well-reflected personal statement shows that you have given serious thought to healthcare as a life-long career , and it goes down extremely well with the admission officers. The General Medical Council (GMC) has created a guide for medical students about reflection – most of the information is transferrable to medical applicants.

It is crucial to understand that the lessons and skills that you take away from an experience are far more superior to the number of activities you have undertaken or descriptions of consultations you may have seen. Therefore, this section will delve deeper into how you should reflect on an experience whilst undertaking it, as well as how this reflection can be incorporated concisely into your personal statement.

HOW TO REFLECT ON AN EXPERIENCE

Below are some general questions to think about when reflecting on any type of experience you have partaken in . R anging from clinical work experience placements to leadership roles, voluntary commitments, and par t-ti me jobs , you should ask yourself these questions when reflecting on your experiences.

• Description of the experience: W hat was your role? If you are telling a story, what happened , or what was the task at hand?
• Feelings and thoughts about the experience: What resonated with you or affected you the most?
• Analysis and evaluation of the experience: W hat went well and what didn’t? Which parts stood out to you? Did you have any challenging experiences? How did you deal with them?
• Conclusion and action plan: S ummary of what you learned and what you could have done differently . H ow could you relate this to your development as a doctor ?

HOW TO REFLECT ON YOUR LEARNING

The following questions will help you reflect and think critically about learning experiences. This includes anything you have read, listened to, or watched to gain a deeper insight into the life of a medical student and/or doctor.

• Description: What is the idea or concept you have been exposed to?
• Feelings and thoughts about what you have learned: What resonated with you or affected you the most?
• Analysis: Is there anything that drew your attention or anything you found challenging? Does this build upon what you had previously known or read about? Has it changed the way you think, opened your eyes to something new, or made you more confident and assured in a belief you already had?
• Conclusion and action plan: What other avenues of this concept would you like to explore? How can you implement what you’ve learned in your clinical practice?

HOW TO INCLUDE REFLECTION IN YOUR MEDICINE PERSONAL STATEMENT

Before you sit down and start typing away at your statement, we highly suggest that you first read through all of the reflective notes you wrote when undertaking any experience or activity that gave you an insight into medicine. This will allow you to look back at all of the wonderful experiences you have had and focus on the key points you can take away from them.

REFLECTION METHODS TO TRY

There are so many different approaches you can take to reflective writing in your personal statement , and different people prefer different methods. For example, you can structure your reflection according to Gibb’s reflective cycle . Another approach is the ‘STARR’ framework , which stands for ‘Situation, Task, Action, Result and Reflection’ . This is often a favourite among applicants for medicine interviews but can also be used in the personal statement to write structured reflections.

• S ituation: What is the setting in which you have undertaken your experience?
• T ask: What was the position or role you held?
• A ction: What actions did you specifically carry out on a regular basis?
• R esults: What was the most relevant and significant outcome of your activities?
• R eflection: What skills and knowledge have you acquired as a result of this activity? How and why had this experience influence d you?

Work experience can be loosely defined as any activity that is designed to sufficiently broaden your understanding of a particular career path. The aim of this section is to provide you with examples of the different types of work experiences you can undertake and how you should go about reflecting on them in your personal statement.

WHY IS MEDICAL WORK EXPERIENCE IMPORTANT?

Most students will feel that work experience gives the most realistic perspective of medicine as a career. Through shadowing in consultations, watching surgeries, and perhaps even just being in a clinical environment, you will start to build your understanding of the role of a doctor. 

A pplying to medical school is a huge commitment, so exploring the working life of a physician is definitely a wise thing to do. Work experience allows you to gain valuable skills that may be useful throughout your university life and your career as well.

WHAT IS THE AIM OF WORK EXPERIENCE?

W ork experience is evidence to show that you have taken the time to find out more about the realities of a career in medicine. Therefore, it is a vital aspect of not only the personal statement but your medical school application as a whole. The purpose and overall aim of your work experience will broadly fall into one or more of the following categories:

• To understand the realities of life as a doctor and medical student
• To develop the skills and qualities needed for a career in medicine
• To acquire more knowledge about your particular interests

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE WORK EXPERIENCE

Firstly, we will consider traditional in-person work experience activities, which are usually undertaken in a healthcare environment. This can include hospital, general practi c e, or pharmacy shadowing placements, as well as voluntary roles in a care home or hospice. To make the most out of these types of experiences, we would recommend the following:

• Listen to the types of questions that healthcare professionals use when taking a history or interacting with patients. What did you think about their interactions with patients? How do they adapt their communication style?
• Ask questions. This is an opportunity to ask all those burning questions ; don’t be shy! If possible, ask questions to a wide range of health care professionals about each of their individual roles as well as their experiences working in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Research one of the common conditions that you have seen during your placement and are interested in finding out more about it.

The above points will form the basis of your reflection, so it is important to start thinking about them as you go along with your work experience. Keep a reflective diary to jot down these thoughts and experiences. This diary will become especially useful when sitting down to write your personal statement.

TIPS FOR WRITING ABOUT MEDICAL WORK EXPERIENCE

• Mention the transferrable skills and attributes you will have developed. Skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving and resilience in the face of adversity are vital to a career in medicine.
• State clearly the insights you have gained. For example, as the GP demonstrates active listening and shows empathy, you will see that the patient immediately opens up and gives more information , which will be helpful in establishing a diagnosis. If this resonates with you, include this in your personal statement.
• It is important to show that you understand the challenges a doctor will face. Be sure to reflect on any negative experiences which made you more aware of the demanding nature of the profession. What could have been done differently in the scenario you witnessed?
• Be as concise as possible . D escriptions should be kept to a minimum. It is more important to highlight your thoughts, understanding and values before and after an experience, rather than details about the experience itself.
• Viewing medical work experience as merely a tick box exercise. Try not to view work experience as a requirement for university statements or interviews. Instead, you should view this as a learning opportunity for yourself so that you can develop both academically and personally. If you have this mindset, you will be able to truly discover a lot more about the subject and about yourself too!
• Concerning yourself too much with the medical jargon and knowledge you come across during your work experience, whether in-person or virtual. Focus on the attitudes and transferrable skills, and definitely do try to explore the science , but ultimately , medical school will teach you the required knowledge for your career
• Breaching confidentiality when writing about your work experience, whether it be in your personal statement or reflective diary. This means that you do not include any identifiable information in your personal statement, such as, ‘I witnessed Mr Smith undergoing an ECG’.

Volunteering is the idea of offering your time or skills to benefit an unrelated person or organisation with no formal payment in return.

Relevant volunteering can be considered a form of work experience and can significantly enhance your personal statement. Whilst grades are important, medical schools are also highly interested in students who exhibit genuine care and compassion. 

Doing voluntary work can highlight this side of you and give some insight into the life of a doctor, which is very much a caring profession. Volunteering can assist you in developing the necessary skills and qualities relevant to medicine.

EXAMPLES OF VOLUNTEERING ROLES

The types of volunteering roles and commitments you can include in your personal statement, can vary extensively. Moreover, the volunteering you have undertaken does not need to be within a healthcare setting. It is more important that you can reflect on your experiences and appreciate how the skills you have developed are relevant to career in medicine. Below are just some examples of voluntary roles you may include in your personal statement:

• Carehome/hospice volunteer
• Hospital volunteer
• School mentor
• Charity shop assistant
• Youth group coordinator
• Foodbank volunteer

TIPS FOR WRITING ABOUT VOLUNTARY ROLES

• Emphasise any long-term or frequent volunteering commitments. This shows commitment to medicine and determination. Whilst long-term volunteering is favoured, do not worry if you were unable to complete any due to the pandemic!
• Use buzzwords alluding to the relevant skills and qualities learnt. Examples of buzzwords can include “contributed”, “enhanced” and “implemented”. 
• Discuss briefly how you found any volunteering opportunities , especially if you organised it yourself. This shows initiative! If an opportunity is extremely rare or competitive, make sure to highlight this.
• Group together experiences where you gained similar skills and insights, rather than discussing multiple experiences individually. This can get messy and take up a lot of your time
• Speak about your feelings and emotions during your volunteering! This shows you are human and comes across much more genuine and sincere.
• Clearly state your contribution and actions , not someone else’s!
• Discuss any sacrifices, mistakes, or challenges you faced during your volunteering. Also , make sure you are prepared to describe what you did/would do differently to overcome these challenges!
• Rambling on about experiences . U se the STARR structure to organise thoughts. Keep it concise!
• Writing a long list of all the voluntary roles you have ever held. Focus on one or two that you benefitted from greatly and reflect on them.
• Repeating experiences, certain insights, or qualities. Demonstrate variety in what you have learned.
• Lie or exaggerate any details!
• Superficially state what happened. If you are able to, delve further into your thoughts before, during and after volunteering.

When it comes to extra-curriculars, it ’s easy to get confused on what you should include and how to include it in your personal statement. As an aspiring medic, you might have done many different activities at school (and outside) that may be related or seemingly have nothing to do with each other. This could range from part-time jobs to being a prefect in your school, societies, clubs , or even your personal hobbies or sporting interests.

HOW TO WRITE ABOUT EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 

In your personal statement, a great way to tie it all together is to use your activities to reflect on how they made you the person you are today. Instead of simply listing all of your positions or engagements, think about what qualities you were able to gain from them that would make you a better doctor. 

A mong others, qualities like compassion, empathy, time management, organisation, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership are essential in medicine, but they’re not necessarily born in a hospital or through direct engagement in clinical experiences. You have probably been doing some of these activities for a really long time, now let’s frame it in a different context for your application.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

In a large pool of applicants, it is easy to think , ‘ H ave I done enough?’. Sometimes, this can be the wrong question to ask, as most medical schools do not look at the ‘number’ of things you have done but rather how the things you’ve done can help you as a doctor. 

D o not worry if you have not done a lot of activities in your time at school. The number of things you’ve done doesn’t matter as much as:

• What you’ve learned from them
• How you’ve reflected on them
• What moments and experiences you can improve on
• How you’ve later developed as a person and an aspiring medic based on those experiences

WHAT GOES WHERE?

With a limited number of characters, every word counts. You want to make sure you make the most of everything you have done, but at the same time , frame it in the most effective way for your application. This is why you might want to focus on some activities over others or group some activities together to give yourself space to write about and reflect on your experiences in a more elaborate way and relate them to your future career. There are many ways you can group your activities, mainly either by the type of activity ( e.g., academic, sports, or volunteering ) or based on what qualities or skills you’ve developed as a result of partaking in this activity.

SHOULD I INCLUDE MY HOBBIES?

The short answer is yes if you want to, but – make sure you’re not just taking up space by listing them. You don’t need to elaborate on them too much if you don’t want to, but try to strike the balance so as to show the admissions committee you value your time spent doing these hobbies, but at the same time you’re not taking away from all the other elements of your personal statement. You could also relate them to having a work-life balance – an essential trait in medicine.

TIPS FOR WRITING ABOUT EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• Use your experiences to highlight your strengths and your skills. How did your activity help you develop a unique skill?
• Focus on the activities that have benefited you the most.
• Elaborate with insight and introspection on the activities you’ve chosen to focus on.
• Group other activities together to help you use your limited characters where they matter most.
• Listing things you have done without further elaborating on them.
• Elaborating on every single activity or being repetitive – if they sound similar, group them, or take some out if you don’t think they’re important.
• Faking interest or passion in something you do not actually like or mention ing an activity you did not really do. It takes away from the space you have to talk about things you are passionate about, which is a lot more valuable and impactful.

This is your final chance to make an impression on the admissions tutor, so make it count! The aim of your conclusion should be to tie together the key points that you included in the main body of your personal statement. Along with the introduction, this is one of the most difficult parts to write, so writing both at the end, after you have a coherent idea of the flow of your piece is advisable.

Ideally, it should only be a few sentences long. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to revisit your conclusion multiple times before submitting. It is important to end on a confident note by expressing a real passion for medicine.

TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR CONCLUSION 

• Summarise and reiterate your key points: Include s kills, experiences, and interests and how these make you suitable for studying medicine. For example, if your experiences have taught you the importance of resilience, how will this skill help you to progress in your future career?
• Mention the takeaway points: What do you want the admission tutor to remember about you ?
• Revisit your conclusion and read it aloud to yourself: Reading it out to yourself and others helps to determine if you’re being concise and getting straight to the point without waffling.
• Write a couple of drafts: By writing different versions of your conclusion, you might find various ways of conveying the same idea, some that you like more than others. This will help you write the best conclusion to suit you.
• Acknowledge the difficulties and demanding nature of studying medicine: Studying medicine can be difficult, but you are equipped with the skills to handle this! You should showcase how the skills you’ve developed will assist you in overcoming difficulties .This will show you are the ideal candidate for studying medicine.
• Writing a conclusion that is too long. You will probably find that the 4000 – character limit of the personal statement will restrict the length of your conclusion. So ideally, one or two succinct sentences should be more than enough to summarise.
• Introducing completely new points – you do not want to leave the admissions tutor confused by bringing in new ideas that you cannot elaborate on further.
• As with the introduction, avoid clichés and quotes.
• Avoid repeating sentences from the main body of the personal statement.
• Avoid making your conclusion too specific to one university. For example, don’t mention a particular teaching style if it is not offered by all the universities that you are applying for.

Now that you have written your personal statement, the hard part is over, right? Well, in all honesty , you might find yourself spending more time editing your personal statement than writing it! It is important to give yourself enough time to perfect your personal statement before the deadline. 

O ur advice at this point is – before you start editing, put your personal statement away. By the time you have finished writing, you will have read and re-read it countless times in the process. You need to take the time away from it to get a fresh look. This will be invaluable when you start editing.

SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, AND GRAMMAR

First things first, triple-check that your word processor has spell-check on with UK English, so that you can correct any spelling mistakes. It may sound obvious; however, technology can often malfunction!

You are a school-age pupil, so the piece should sound like you wrote it. It does not have to sound like you have taken letter-writing classes and have used a thesaurus on every other word. However, you also need to come across as professional. It is best not to use contractions such as don’t (do not), as it is too informal. Make sure you have used a combination of long and short sentences so that it has structure, as well as making sure every sentence doesn’t start with ‘I’.

READ YOUR STATEMENT OUT ALOUD

There are many ways of making sure your personal statement reads well. One method, which is particularly helpful is to read your personal statement aloud to someone else. It becomes very obvious when a sentence is too long and does not flow or make sense when you say it aloud. The person listening will be able to tell you which parts do not sound right. 

W hen we write, we often overestimate how well the writing sounds because you will , of course , know what you meant to say. However, to another person and the admissions team reading it – you want them to know exactly what you mean, rather than having to decode paragraphs that are not crystal clear .

You could try asking an English teacher at your school, or a friend who is studying English to read through it. The spelling, grammar and syntax are independent of the content , so this could be really useful in ensuring it flows well.

SEEKING ANOTHER OPINION

Whilst it may seem tempting to gain as many opinions as possible on your personal statement, it is better to seek the advice of a few trusted individuals. The medicine personal statement is , by nature , a subjective piece of writing. Having too many people read your personal statement and suggest changes, can become quite confusing and stressful very quickly! Here’s how you can avoid this situation: 

• Make sure you are close to your final draft before giving your personal statement to someone else to read. However, still ensure you have enough time to make changes.
• If your school has a careers advisor or team of teachers familiar with reading personal statements, it is worth having your personal statement read and critiqued by them.
• When listening to feedback from others, consider all you can get, but don’t be afraid to not include all the feedback you receive since your personal statement should be truly reflective of only you.
• If you would really like a raw opinion, find a way to have a teacher read it anonymously ! The admissions tutor will be reading your personal statement with no knowledge of who you are. If you want someone to read your personal statement with no knowledge of your background, print off a copy with your details omitted.

TIPS TO SHORTEN YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT

• Do not waste characters writing about things that are elsewhere on your UCAS form. For example, your A-level (or equivalent) choices can all be entered in the qualifications section.
• Remove unnecessary adverbs such as somewhat, rather, sometimes, fairly, pretty really, quite, basically, hopefully, luckily.
• Use the verb form of a word over the noun form – this should reduce words. For example, ‘I created a MedSoc’ vs ‘A MedSoc was created by me’
• Print off your personal statement to edit and cut words. Print it off in a different font to the one you typed it in. This will provide an experience of looking at your personal statement with ‘fresh eyes’.
• Use the ‘Build, Blur, Corrode’ method to identify the weakest parts of your personal statement.
• If you cannot bear to cut sentences, copy and paste them into a document called ‘Scrap’ , that way you know exactly where to find them if you were to want to add them again.
• When focusing on a specific paragraph, copy it into a new blank document and separate each sentence with a line between them. Use this technique to perfect each individual sentence and identify those that are too long.
• When retelling encounters from your work experience, details of what exactly happened are not always necessary!

YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT IS READY TO GO

Once you’ve followed the steps and tips we have outlined, your personal statement is all ready to be submitted. You’ve finished another step in your application to med school! You’re essentially mid-way through the application process ; you should be proud of yourself that you have made it this far. 

Next, you should think about references from your teachers and prepare yourself for a medical school interview. Interviews can be intimidating, but don’t worry! We have created a guide to help you understand the process and how to complete the interviews to the best of your ability. 

HOW PREMED CAN HELP YOU

If you need some work experience to help enhance your med school application, we are here to help! At Premed, we offer in-person and online work experience to ensure you get a taste of life in the medical field. Boost your chances of getting into medical school by applying to one of our work experience courses today.

What should a medicine personal statement include?

When writing a personal statement for medicine, you should focus on including relevant work experience and any volunteer work. The majority of your writing should focus on these aspects as it is important to reflect on your experiences and how this makes the ideal candidate to study medicine. You may also want to include a few short sentences about some extra-curricular activities you partake in as well. 

What should you not say in a medical personal statement?

Don’t be generic about why you want to study medicine. You should demonstrate you have a passion for helping people by providing examples through any work experience or volunteering. Remember, an admissions tutor will read hundreds of personal statements so your application needs to be personal to you. 

Additionally, don’t provide general statements about your skills and experiences or simply list them. You should reflect on your experience and skills by supplying concrete examples to support your statements. This will show you can demonstrate these skills, enhancing your application. 

What do medical schools want in a personal statement?

What your personal statement should contain may differ from university to university but there are some common trends. For example, you should focus on writing about your skills and work experience and reflect on what you have learned from them. It is also ideal to state you understand what a career in medicine entails and how you are prepared to manage the challenges that come with a career in medicine. 

How should I structure my personal statement?

There are several ways you can structure a personal statement, there is no set structure! The way you write your personal statement should be personal to you based on your own experiences. An example of how you can structure your personal statement is:

Another example of a personal statement structure is: 

• Interest in academia and medicine
• Group of skills related to each other (e.g., compassion, empathy and communication)
• Another group of skills related to each other (e.g., leadership, teamwork and problem-solving)

Remember, you also need to include an introduction and conclusion! 

How long should a personal statement be?

You have a limit of 4,000 characters for your personal statement based on UCAS guidelines . This is equivalent to approximately 550-1,000 words. This shows you need to be precise with what you include in your personal statement as you are limited by the words you have. 

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How To Write The Perfect Medical School Personal Statement

“In nothing do men more nearly approach the gods, than in giving health to men” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 - 43 BCE)

You have already chosen to commit yourself to studying medicine in Europe, and we want to help you every step of the way. Many future students don’t know how to write their medicine personal statement. Every day, we get asked questions such as:

• What is a personal statement for a medical university?
• How to write one?
• What should I include in it?
• What is the purpose of the medical personal statement?

Based on years of experience and our expert advisor’s guidelines, this article will provide the best tips and examples for writing your personal statement.

This post will assist you whether you haven't even considered what to include in your personal statement or have written it and want to double-check that you're on the right track.

Table of Contents

• 1 What is a medical personal statement?
• 2 What is the difference between a personal statement and a motivation letter?
• 3 What is the length of a personal statement?
• 4 What role do personal statements play in medical schools?
• 5 What do medical universities want to see in your personal statement?
• 6 Which medical schools in Europe should you apply to with a personal statement?
• 7 Why is a personal statement so important?
• 8 What should I include in my personal statement?
• 9 How do you structure a medical personal statement?
• 10.1.1 Step 1. Create a list of the qualities that you want to demonstrate
• 10.1.2 Step 2. Think about a situation when you have shown these qualities
• 10.1.3 Step 3. Present your experience as a captivating story
• 10.1.4 Step 4. Show, don’t tell
• 11 How do you create great body paragraphs in a medicine personal statement?
• 12 How do you end a personal statement in a meaningful way?
• 13.2 DON’TS:
• 14 Checklist for your MD personal statement

What is a medical personal statement?

More than 100 medical schools in Europe teach medicine, dentistry, veterinary, and pharmacy in English. Each university has its entry requirements . Some may require you to sit an entrance exam in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or Mathematics. Others have no entrance exam but just an interview.

As part of the application process, some medical schools will ask for additional materials such as CVs ( application resume ), recommendations, and, more often, medicine personal statements or motivation letters.

A medical personal statement is a kind of essay. You get the chance to tell your personal story of why you have chosen medicine as a career. It is the first opportunity for admissions tutors to evaluate you as a person rather than a collection of grades and achievements. Therefore, you must create a strong first impression. You have to think of it not as a burdensome part of the application process but as an excellent opportunity to shine among the other applicants.

What is the difference between a personal statement and a motivation letter?

As we mentioned, some schools require a personal statement and another motivation letter. It is essential to know the difference between them.

A personal statement is more about self-promotion . You should explain why you are the best candidate for a particular course and want to become a doctor. It is more about your personality traits and skills that will help you achieve your dream career.

A motivation letter is more about your future study ambitions and how the programme you're applying to will assist you in achieving your objectives. In other words, why and how will studying medicine help you in the future .

What is the length of a personal statement?

Every medical university has its requirements regarding the length of the personal statement. Therefore, before you start writing it, you must check the specific guidelines of the university you are applying to.

However, often, it will have to be around 500 words . Yes, it must be short, accurate, and straightforward.

What role do personal statements play in medical schools?

There are a few ways that medical schools will use your personal statement.

• It may not play a role in the selection process at all.
• It will be read but not evaluated . However, if you manage to prepare an excellent essay, it will demonstrate your passion for medicine and will certainly not harm you in the long run.
• It is used to aid in decision-making between two candidates with identical academic results. An essay can be a turning point in your path to becoming a doctor.
• Usually, medical universities use students' personal statements before interviews to prepare a few questions you will be asked during the interview. This is another reason many schools ask for this kind of essay. They use it as a starting point in discussions. As a result, it's a good idea to write about things you'd be willing to expand on if requested.

What do medical universities want to see in your personal statement?

Medical universities know that to be a good doctor, you need skills such as:

• Self-reflection
• Prioritising
• Good time management
• Working under pressure
• Critical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving skills
• Willingness to accept accountability for your actions
• Soft skills

Keep these things in mind when you draft your essay. You shouldn’t just say, “I am empathetic”. Rather than that, you have to give an example and write about a situation when you demonstrated these skills.

Which medical schools in Europe should you apply to with a personal statement?

Some of the medical universities in Europe that require a medical student personal statement as part of the application process are:

• European University In Tbilisi (Georgia)
• Poznan University of Medical Science (Poland)
• Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Kosice (Slovakia)

Why is a personal statement so important?

It's one thing to demonstrate academic success and another to present yourself positively as an individual. Striking a balance between the two is crucial. So, take your time and carefully consider what you want to include and how you will present it.

The top 3 reasons why a medicine personal statement is so important are:

• It allows you to show your best qualities
• It can help you stand out from your competition
• It is a great way to prepare for your medical school interview

What should I include in my personal statement?

Let’s make it clear one more time. A personal statement about YOU and your personal skills make you an ideal applicant to study medicine in Europe. Hence, medical schools are looking to know more about:

• What motivated you to study medicine? ( Motivation )
• Why in this country? Why in this particular university? ( Motivation and exploration )
• What steps have you taken to get knowledge about it? ( Exploration )
• Why do you think you'd be a good fit for medicine? ( Suitability )

Describe your passion for medicine and the reason for making your statement unique. Learn more about the country's history, and find things that you can name as an advantage for studying there. Read about the university's history and the city where it is located. Find prominent people who have studied and contributed to science development at a given university. Show originality.

Make sure to include a line about your hobbies/interests outside of school and reflect on past experiences that taught you something valuable like commitment, the ability to work in a team, and the importance of helping those in need.

How do you structure a medical personal statement?

In general, medicine personal statement structure can be divided into 3 parts:

• Introduction - motivation

In this paragraph, your main goal is to make the reader want to read more and tell what made you choose medicine as a career.

• Main body - exploration and suitability

This is where you have to tell your story and how your qualities make you a perfect applicant. It is the ideal place to write about the knowledge you gained while shadowing a doctor , for example.

• Conclusion - motivation

Bring everything together.

How to write a strong medical personal statement introduction?

Ensure you have an original and intriguing starting phrase that will entice the reader to continue reading. This is your only chance to leave a lasting impression and grab the admissions tutors' attention.

One method to get their attention is to start with an incident or an “Aha!” moment that inspired your decision to pursue a career in medicine. What inspires or motivates you will reveal a lot about your personality. But from our experience, we know that very few students have such a moment.

Many applicants have known they wanted to be a doctor since childhood or have developed an interest in medicine.

If you are one of them, the simple truth is that you can’t start your essay with a fascinating experience or life-changing story. And that’s okay.

What to do, then?

Step-by-step guide on how to start writing a personal statement for medicine:

Step 1. create a list of the qualities that you want to demonstrate.

Take a piece of paper and write down the traits and abilities you want to reveal to the reader. There is no need to create a long list. Just think of 10 qualities that will help you become a great doctor. Some examples include:

• Effective communication skills
• Knowledge-seeking
• Understanding
• Team worker

We have all heard the phrase “Quality over Quantity”. This seeing relates to your writing, too. If you try to include all 10 points on your list, you will end up with an inconsistent and uninfluential opening of your essay. Therefore, you have to revise your list and pick up only 2 or 3 qualities. Please don’t waste time figuring out which ones are ideal because they don’t exist. Here, the trick is to choose those that describe you best and that you can actually write about.

Step 2. Think about a situation when you have shown these qualities

This step is self-explanatory, but here are some guidelines that you can follow to pick the perfect event to write about.

Choose a story you can share in a few sentences (5 or 6). A good option is an event that comes from shadowing doctors, working in a clinic, volunteering, and extracurricular activities related to medicine.

Suppose you want to be original. Connect a travel story or work experience with the abilities you have chosen to highlight. This will guarantee a unique story that will impress the admissions committee.

Step 3. Present your experience as a captivating story

If you are worried about the story you picked, let us tell you a secret. It is not about choosing the perfect topic but presenting it engagingly. Remember that one event can be written in both dull and intriguing ways. Strive for the second!

Step 4. Show, don’t tell

Maybe this is the most crucial step of writing a medical personal statement. Don’t tell: “I have great communication skills.” Show it with your compelling story! The key is to demonstrate your qualities.

How do you create great body paragraphs in a medicine personal statement?

In the body of your essay, you essentially want to expand the concepts stated in your introduction paragraph by using personal experiences as proof.

You have already written about why you want to study medicine. So, it's time to dive in. Write in detail about the experiences that helped you grow and led to your decision to study medicine. Each key point should be given its own paragraph.

Here are a few steps that you can follow to write the best medicine personal statement ever:

• Explain why you wanted to participate in the experience you are writing about.
• Describe how you felt during the event.
• Describe your accomplishments and lessons learned.
• What impact did your experience have on you and the environment around you?
• Explain how your experience influenced your desire to apply to medical school.

How do you end a personal statement in a meaningful way?

Your medical personal statement conclusion should be like your introduction: showing your interest in studying medicine. You have to wrap everything together and leave the reader wanting to learn more about you.

You should re-emphasise your essay's main points and highlight these 3 things one more time:

• Qualities that will make you one of the best doctors
• Knowledge gained as a result of your formative experiences
• Your sincere passion for being a medical student

Top tips for medicine personal statement from our expert advisors:

• Connect your extracurricular activities to how they will help you become a better doctor
• Tell a story
• Always double-check for grammar and spelling mistakes
• Show professionalism
• Use clear, direct language
• Ask your family for an opinion
• Don’t lie, be true to yourself
• Don’t try to cover everything
• Don’t use cliches
• Don't forget about the proper structure

Checklist for your MD personal statement

Before sending your medical personal statement, make sure you cover the following:

• Is your first paragraph clear about why you want to be a doctor?
• Have you thought about what you learned from each of the situations you've mentioned?
• Is there a phrase or two regarding your hobbies or outside interests?
• Is your grammar correct?
• Do you show that you possess the qualities necessary for this profession?
• Do you indicate that you understand the reality of a career in medicine?
• Is your final paragraph a summary of why you believe you are well-suited for the medicine course and career?

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Medicine Personal Statement

Your medicine personal statement is one of the most important elements of your medical school application. Competition for medical school is always fierce, and you can expect more of the same if you are submitting an application in 2024. Therefore, your personal statement will be essential to distinguish yourself from other applicants.

Universities will factor it into their decision-making process by comparing candidates before or after an interview , along with the result from your admission exam (if applicable) and your predicted grades. You should see your personal statement as an opportunity to show universities more about you, your experiences and your motivation for applying.

Is the personal statement changing in 2024?

If you're applying in 2024 for 2025 entry, you may have heard that changes were expected for your personal statement. However, UCAS has confirmed that this won't be happening in 2024. Instead, changes are expected for those applying in 2025 for 2026 entry. This isn’t going to be a complete overhaul. Instead, the personal statement is being reformed to include a series of questions, providing more structure to those writing it.

As it stands, UCAS has confirmed personal statements will be written around the following questions:

• Motivation for the course: Why do you want to study these courses? You should research medicine courses at different universities and look at which modules you’d like to study, ensuring they provide what you’re looking for. The question itself is an opportunity to express which parts of medicine you’re most interested in, the area of speciality training you’d like to commit to after university, and your future career ambitions ‍
• Preparation for the course: How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses? This question will require you to highlight the knowledge and skills you have gained from school, college or any other formal learning opportunities. Of course, your answers will be personal to you. However, you should demonstrate an understanding of what will help you succeed in your medicine course. ‍
• Preparedness through other experiences: What else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful? Shadowing a doctor or volunteering at a hospital are great opportunities and provide you with valuable insight into what it’s like to be a doctor. However, securing clinical experience while you’re still in school is difficult. Finding a role that allows you to care for and support ill, disabled, disadvantaged, or vulnerable people is just as valuable at this stage, though. You should explain what you’ve learned from these experiences, the skills you’ve developed, and why they’ll help you in your medicine course.

The good news is that you would be writing about these subjects anyway. If anything, the questions might make the writing process easier, as it ensures that you only include relevant material. Remember, this is expected to come into effect in 2025, so if you’re applying this year, you don’t need to follow this structure.

How to write a personal statement for medicine

Your personal statement is a key opportunity to show your chosen universities the skills and experiences that make you a suitable candidate, as well as your ambitions for a career in medicine. You’ll find some guidance on what you should aim to include in your personal statement in the next section, but it’ll also be useful to consider the following when preparing to write your personal statement:

1. The UCAS character limit

One of the biggest challenges when looking at areas that you need to cover is trying to include everything within the tight UCAS character limit. Remember, you only have 4,000 characters, which is roughly 550–1000 words or two sides of A4. Consider which elements are most important to you and which qualities and experiences you want to demonstrate, as there may be things you have to sacrifice to avoid exceeding the character limit.

2. Your writing style

The quality of your writing is important within your personal statement, so consider your choice of language carefully and remember your audience and what you’re trying to convey. Equally, ensure that your writing is cohesive and flows well; so while you'll undoubtedly have a list of skills, experiences and information you want to include, you want to avoid it reading like a list.

3. Making your experiences relevant

Whether you’re discussing work experience you’ve undertaken or hobbies or clubs that you partake in, you should always focus on making them relevant to your future studies. Universities aren’t looking for a narrative of work experience that you’ve carried out; they’re interested in what you learned as a result of the experience. Your personal statement should reflect on any work experience and demonstrate what skills and/or qualities you’ve developed which are required within the medical profession. Similarly, with your hobbies or clubs, you should reflect on relevant skills and qualities that you have developed as a result of these.

4. How you will demonstrate your knowledge of working within the medical profession

As well as demonstrating your motivation for working within the medical profession, it’s also important to show that you have a realistic understanding of what this entails, which can be achieved by acknowledging the less attractive side of medicine. However, ensure that you put a positive spin on any negatives you present and allow your passion for medicine to come through. Linking to your work experience is a great way of doing this. For example, you could highlight challenges that you observed within medical practice but focus on the positives that came from this: was it multidisciplinary teamwork, effective communication, or challenging individuals to continue to develop their skills and knowledge?

Medicine Personal Statement Structure

There isn’t a set personal statement template which you need to follow, however, there are some essential things which you should try to include. The UCAS website previously advised that university admissions tutors are looking for evidence of the following:

1. Your understanding of the subject area and the demands of the medical profession, as well as your motivation to study and fulfil the requirements of your future role.

This can be demonstrated in a number of ways:

• Relevant work experience and shadowing - remember to focus on what you learnt and the skills and qualities you developed as a result of the work experience, and only include concise descriptions of what tasks you did, and only when relevant.
• Reference to additional reading around key issues, topics and the latest research - only include things you will be confident discussing at your interview, should it be referred to.
• Membership of relevant societies / clubs - don’t simply list these, make meaningful links between the knowledge, skills and qualities you have developed through your participation in these.

2. Your interests outside of your academic study.

For example, sports, music, volunteering. Again, remember to use these to demonstrate your skills and qualities that will make you a suitable candidate for medical school.

3. Your ability to work individually and as a member of a team.

Give examples of occasions when you’ve demonstrated that you can work effectively within a team and as an individual. You may also want to include examples of situations where you’ve led a group, if you have experience of this.

4. Your personal qualities which make you suitable for a career in medicine.

Try to provide examples which demonstrate your personal qualities which make you a suitable candidate for medical school, for example your empathy, your resilience, your drive, etc., by linking to your work experience, your hobbies and even your academic studies.

5. Your analytical and critical thinking skills demonstrated through a well written personal statement.

The most effective way to demonstrate your skills is by providing examples, using your experiences to show that you process the required analytical and critical thinking skills to make you a suitable candidate.

Excellent Medicine Personal Statement Tips

Writing your personal statement can seem daunting; keep it simple with the following useful tips:

1. Plan what you want to include

Using the information above to help you, create a plan of what you want to include, whether that’s using a mind map, lists, or any other method that works for you. This will ensure you know which experiences, skills, and qualities you want to share before starting your personal statement.

2. Draft, draft and draft again

Don’t worry about making your personal statement perfect the first time around (or keeping within the character limit for that matter). Once you’ve written everything you want to include you can begin rewording sentences, moving sections around, and editing parts that are less significant so you can get within the character limit.

3. Give yourself lots of time

It's simple but so important. All those drafts take time, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write. You don’t want your personal statement to appear rushed or to miss important information that will help your application.

4. Draw on trusted family members, friends or teachers to check over your statement

Getting a second opinion is useful for picking up errors you might have missed or showing you where you can sell yourself more. Just be careful to avoid taking on board too many opinions, as you want you to make sure it’s your voice which comes through.

5. Read it aloud

It’s so basic but it makes spotting punctuation and grammatical errors easier. It’ll also help ensure that it flows and reads well, which admissions tutors will be looking for.

How to Start a Medicine Personal Statement

Often the most difficult part with any written piece is getting started; there is generally a focus on ensuring that your first paragraph captivates your reader and makes them want to read more, which can create a stumbling block when you begin writing. A useful tactic to help you to avoid staring at a blank page for hours, is to ignore your opening altogether, and to begin as if you’re picking it up after an introductory sentence or two. Once you’ve written your first draft, you’ll find it easier to draw out interesting points and to rework them to create an opening statement.

It’s important within your opening paragraph to show your passion and your reasons for wanting to study medicine; the difficulty is trying to avoid cliches, when it’s highly likely that your reasons for wanting to study medicine are similar to many students who have come before you. Sharing your interests which are related to medicine, or your personal experiences (your work experience, volunteering, etc.), which have developed your passion, is an effective way to achieve this in an individual way. Don’t get fixated on trying to stand out; focus on giving an honest account of why you want to study medicine and your interests and experiences that have helped you to decide this, and avoid using unrealistic or exaggerated reasons or experiences.

Remember, while your opening section is important, it is also just one part of your overall statement; make sure that it adds to your personal statement (remember that tight character limit) and isn’t just there to grab attention.

Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement

If you’re applying for the graduate entry route, not only will the UCAS rules be the same for your personal statement (for example, the character limit, deadline, etc.), but what you should aim to include will also remain the same. However, university admission tutors will have higher expectations for graduate entry applicants’ skills, competencies and experiences, given that you have undertaken a degree previously and likely have more experience.Therefore, sharing relevant work experience, as well as any academic achievements or other accomplishments which are relevant, will allow you to demonstrate that you meet these expectations.

Even if your current or previous employment is not health-related, it may still be relevant to your application, if you're able to demonstrate the transferable skills which will be useful for a career in medicine. Where possible, provide examples of additional work experience within medical or care settings, if your employment isn’t health-related, to demonstrate your commitment to studying medicine and your development of skills to support this. Remember to limit your descriptions of your work experience, to include only what is necessary, and focus on reflecting on your experiences and the skills and qualities you have developed as a result of them.

Writing a Graduate Entry Medicine Personal Statement

As with other routes into medicine, you’ll be expected to demonstrate why you want to study and your passion for a future career in medicine. Admission tutors will also assess whether you have the required attributes for a career in medicine and a realistic view of what it entails. Again, reflecting on your previous work experiences, either voluntary or paid, as well as your previous degree, if it’s relevant, will allow you to demonstrate that you meet these requirements.

You can find more guidance on entry requirements, funding and admissions exams in our Graduate Entry Medicine blog .

A Good Medicine Personal Statement

Finally, remember that a good medical personal statement will look completely different depending on the candidate. Focus on sharing your unique experiences, skills, and qualities, as well as your personal ambitions and passion for a career in medicine. Admission tutors want to see that, and it will make you stand out as an individual.

For more personal statement tips visit the UCAS ‘How to write your undergraduate personal statement’. Our dedicated ‘Applying to medical school' section can also help you with all aspects of your medical school application and interview.

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Successful UCAS Medicine Personal Statement Example & Analysis

An example of a successful medicine personal statement.

Below is an example of a strong medicine personal statement that the Medicine Answered team improved. This medicine personal statement rewarded the applicant with interviews at all four medical schools, helping them to secure four offers. We have kindly been granted permission to post it. A complete analysis follows, showing paragraph by paragraph precisely what makes this medicine personal statement strong and how the multiple weaknesses initially present were corrected. This will help you to do the same and write a powerful medicine personal statement. Note: this medicine personal statement is of an A-level candidate. It is still very relevant to graduates. However, later in this article, we advise specifically on writing a Graduate Entry Medicine personal statement and the critical differences all graduates must consider.

This medicine personal statement does an excellent job of using the limited characters available to illustrate what skills the candidate gained from their activities; rather than using most of the characters to explain what these activities are. However, this is done skilfully so that the reader still clearly knows enough from these brief descriptions to understand what the activities are. This use of succinct language frees up characters so that they can instead be used to discuss the meaning and insight that the candidate gained from these activities.

Failure to illustrate what a candidate has learned is a classic mistake in many medicine personal statements. This was a particular issue this candidate had in their initial Medicine personal statement. They had many different types of experiences to list and could not describe them succinctly, causing their Medicine personal statement to far exceed the character limit. By using a more succinct writing style and focusing on illustrating activities rather than describing them, this reviewed version corrected this common medicine personal statement weakness.

UCAS UK Medicine personal statement example which received four offers for interview

“I wish to study medicine as I have long held the ambition to pursue a career that would help others and contribute to the community. As a carer for my grandmother, who has severe arthritis, I have seen how much of a difference good healthcare can make to her life. Shadowing a GP and witnessing the reassurance and help given to patients reinforced this and strengthened my ambition to study medicine. A Medlink lecture on psychiatry sparked my interest, so in college, I co-founded and led a mentoring group called ____ mentoring. Using concepts from cognitive behavioural therapy, I mentored students with low self-esteem or who were having problems at college. I taught after-school lessons on topics such as dealing with failure, stress and goal setting. Selecting a team, delegating work and organising meetings strengthened my leadership skills, while working to strict deadlines improved my organisation. We presented our work to an NHS psychologist, who gave us valuable feedback. We are currently filming our programme to make it available online and in other colleges. I undertook a residential stay at a holiday home for disabled people, where I took guests on day trips and helped to feed and toilet them. Many guests were completely reliant on carers and could not communicate verbally. At times, they would become violent. At first, I found this intimidating, but during the two weeks I learnt how to deal with these situations. I also volunteered at a summer playscheme where several children had learning disabilities. Being responsible for groups of children increased my confidence in caring for others: I found dealing with quieter children and including them in group activities to be rewarding. To develop my understanding of the children I read several books about how learning disabilities affect peoples’ lives. Teamwork is vital in all aspects of medicine, which I find very appealing. I witnessed a live scoliosis surgery, during which I saw how the outcome depended on the skill and dedication not only of the surgeon but also of every other member of the team. At the GP, I learnt how the clerical staff and nurses were vital in the running of the practice. Medicine is a dynamic profession that will continue to undergo major advances in the next few decades. These developments will require a commitment to lifelong learning, and I find the prospect of this exciting. I have attended lectures on topics such as premature birth and pharmacogenetics. During a lecture on RNA Interference (RNAi), the lecturer stated RNAi could be the most important development in medicine since antibiotics. Intrigued by this claim, I completed a 2500-word essay on RNAi and its impact on medicine. It was a challenging topic, but I found that I enjoyed using post-A-level books and medical journals, which improved my research skills. Next year, I will be travelling through Asia and Europe. I have secured work at a Romanian orphanage and will start a placement at ______________ hospital this October. I have also applied for a 10-week development and teaching project in Africa. I am currently learning Thai Boxing and sign language and taking courses in self-development and memory improvement. I participate in basketball tournaments and play tennis. I play the violin to grade 3 and find music helps me to relax. I gained a 200-hour Millennium Volunteers award, a v50 award and I am currently completing a Gold DofE award. I am part of a focus group for a national volunteering organisation. We organise events and promote the benefits of voluntary work to individuals and organisations. My experiences have made me absolutely committed to becoming a doctor, and I believe that they have also prepared me to cope with the demands of studying medicine. I realise that the long hours and often stressful situations which doctors work in are daunting, but it is a challenge I am willing to meet because of the satisfaction that I find in making a difference to peoples’ lives.”

Analysis of this Medicine personal statement

The overall structure of this medicine personal statement..

The initial medical school personal statement lacked a smooth flow as it skipped from point to point without any clear connection between the points. This also made it very easy for the reader to miss certain points or to forget them after they finished reading the Medicine personal statement. Therefore in this reviewed version, we took different scattered points throughout the document and grouped them into themed paragraphs giving the medicine personal statement structure and flow, making it easier to follow and read more like a story.

Paragraph 1 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

Notice that this Medicine personal statement opening paragraph has one central theme: doctors can help people -> the author has seen this for himself -> this fuels his desire to study Medicine -> he has confirmed this through work experience.

What is done well in this edited opening paragraph, is an event is described, and this is followed up by explaining the reason why this makes the author want to study Medicine. The candidate says how he was a carer for his disabled grandmother, and he shadowed a GP. In the unedited version, this was all he wrote. These are just statements and don’t say why that would want to make him study Medicine. Plenty of people look after a disabled relative but do not want to be a doctor so why does the author? However, in the edited medicine personal statement, we added the reason why his grandmother and the GP work experience caused him to want to study Medicine. Of course, the space is so limited in a medicine personal statement that you cannot expand on points very much. A deliberate choice has to be made about which points should be developed and which should not.

Note that the reasons for studying Medicine and examples used in this opening paragraph are not original. There is no unique Medicine personal statement opening line. This is a relatively typical Medicine personal statement opening paragraph. However, that is completely fine. These are solid reasons for studying Medicine and are true for the candidate.

Paragraph 2 Of This Medical Personal Statement

The edited version of paragraph 2 does an excellent job of succinctly explaining an unknown project to the reader without becoming verbose or complicated. It demonstrates what skills the candidate has learned, and they are perfect for studying Medicine, so this is a great example to use. Very few characters are wasted on describing the contents of the lecture or attending Medlink as the other content in this paragraph is far more impressive and important to write. For this reason, it was edited in this way as the unedited version was verbose and wasted many characters on explaining things such as “I attended the Medlink residential course which had various lectures including ….etc.” These do not add anything to enhance the author’s accomplishments and are not needed for narrative purposes either. The assessor already knows what Medlink is.

Many candidates try to state in their Medicine personal statement that they possess the ability to deal with pressure and have good stress/time management skills etc. The edited personal statement makes it more obvious to the reader that the candidate has taught these skills to others. This implies to the reader that the candidate understands these concepts well enough to be able to teach them to others. This is far more effective than if the candidate merely claimed to have these skills. The original wording in the candidate’s initial medicine personal statement was sloppy, so the teaching element was less clear. This is corrected in the reviewed medical school personal statement.

Paragraph 3 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

These are two good examples of caring role work experience, and in the unedited version, the candidate gave some insightful thoughts on things he learned. However, it was mixed in with lots of unnecessary content which diluted the strength of the good points. In this edited version, this is a powerful paragraph because the writer omits the extra material. This causes the remaining text to be more powerful, and it now shows that the candidate has keen self-awareness and insight. He can extract solid learning points from his experiences.

Essentially the candidate is saying he was acutely aware of how he felt during the experiences. He knew that it was challenging to deal with people who had limited communication skills, who could become violent (he even used the word intimidating) and when he was responsible for groups of children. Despite this, he persisted with these experiences and learnt from them. This demonstrates that he is a self-reflective learner. The statement about doing further reading shows how he is an independent learner. He can identify his own learning needs and knows how to pursue them. Being a self-reflective and independent learner is essential for studying Medicine particularly in PBL courses. The candidate is showing he has these skills as well as a lot of maturity and self-awareness in this paragraph of his medicine personal statement.

Paragraph 4 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

You will notice that the things mentioned in this paragraph are very routine things to put into a Medical personal statement and are very passive in nature (i.e. the candidate is not actively doing anything, he is just watching a procedure, he is watching the GP staff). In the unedited version, it very much read like this, i.e. the candidate was a passive observer. In the edited paragraph, however, it becomes more active and unique. Look how once again the author describes an event and then explains a learning point or gives a reflection. Notice how only a few of the words in this paragraph describe what the candidate did. Most of the words describe what the candidate learned and his reflections on the experiences. This is far more powerful than just listing the steps of the operation or describing the activities of the admin staff.

Paragraph 5 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

This paragraph is themed around the author’s keen scientific curiosity and passion for learning. He describes attending lectures and doing activities which are clearly outside of his A-level curriculum. This paragraph is cleverly constructed to make use of the limited character count by not wasting words on how or where he attended these lectures or stating that they are in addition to his A-levels. It is self-evident that they are extracurricular and he does not need to waste words to spell this out. The topics discussed are things that the author needs to understand well as they can be brought up in the Medicine interview. We highlighted to the candidate suggested areas which may be raised at interview, which indeed did arise.

He once again demonstrates that he is a self-reflective and independent learner by talking about various lectures he attends, and how he explored one lecture further by writing an essay on the topic. Note that the author in paragraph two also states how a Medlink talk sparked his interest and he developed things further. This is an individual with curiosity and a desire to understand things further. He once again shows self-reflection when he says that it was challenging to use post-A-level books and medical journals, but he enjoyed the challenge and looks forward to the academic challenges of the ever-evolving field of Medicine.

Paragraph 6 + 7 Of This Medicine Personal Statement

Note that with the correct reflective style it is possible to show the benefits of almost any hobby . For example, if we look at another medicine personal statement we reviewed, the candidate initially stated that playing doubles badminton enhanced their teamwork skills and gave a few basic reflections. This is not bad, but more could be extracted from this hobby. In the reviewed version this was discussed in greater depth and placed as part of an entire paragraph where the theme was teamwork – both in medicine and how the candidate also works to enhance their teamwork skills. See how it was possible to extract much more from this hobby: First we discussed teamwork in medicine and how then how the candidate also seeks to improve their teamwork skills followed by “working as a pair necessitates an awareness of each other’s strengths & weaknesses. We must then work to merge these in a way that potentiates our combined strengths & mitigates our weaknesses. We must consider how our opponents’ factor into this. The fast-pace of badminton requires the ability to make rapid decisions under pressure while still working towards an overall game plan.” This is far better than what the candidate originally said in their medical school personal statement about badminton being good for teamwork and thinking fast.

Making the most of the candidates work experience

How can Medicine Answered help you with your medicine personal statement?

Our Premium Medicine Personal Statement Review Service

This is a highly specialised service. Your medicine personal statement will be reviewed by both a professional editor with specific expertise in medical admissions to ensure the writing style is flawless; and also a qualified doctor who received all four offers to study Medicine to ensure all the content is excellent. This is our minimum standard. We do not use medical students or non-professional editors.

360 Application Review

This includes a full Medicine personal statement review as detailed. Additionally, a doctor will look at your academic grades, UKCAT scores (comparing them with the current 2018 results for this cycle) and work experience. In the context of your whole application , they will also suggest topics which may be discussed at your interview. They will provide a plan for what to do next to move forward and prepare for the rest of your Medicine application. They will give tailored feedback on these elements and based on this provide further suggestions on making strategically sound medical school choices in a way that maximises your individual strengths and minimises your weaknesses.

For more information about both services, visit the Medical Personal Statement Review page, or contact a member of our team.

Our free guides to helping you write an excellent medicine personal statement

Medicine Answered offer the following entirely free guides which will help you to write a superb Medicine personal statement:

How to write a medical school personal statement in 10 steps – this will help to take you from step 1, with no ideas and nothing written down; to step 10, a completed medical school personal statement.

How to write a Graduate Entry Medical School Personal Statement – this discusses how graduates should write their medicine personal statement whether they are applying to Standard Entry Medicine or Graduate Entry Medicine courses.

Further Related Questions 2023

What are the Manchester Medical School “non-academic information form” or the Keele Medical School “roles and responsibilities form”?

Manchester Medical School asks all candidates to also complete a non-academic information form after submitting their UCAS application. The other medical schools do not see this form as it is sent directly to Manchester. This form is very similar to a medical school personal statement but is under a format that the medical school controls. It contains headings which are the same types of topic that you would discuss in a medicine personal statement. The headings are “Experience in a caring role” “Hobbies and interests” “Teamwork” and “Motivation for Medicine”. Keele Medical School has a similar form called the roles and responsibilities form. Again it is sent directly to Keele Medical School. Both these forms should be treated as a separate piece of work from the medicine personal statement even though there is large overlap.

What is the UCAS word limit for medical school personal statements?

A medicine personal statement must meet the following two criteria:

1. Be less than 4000 characters (the counter UCAS use to determine the character count is slightly different from the word counter on most word processors, e.g. Microsoft Word. This is because the UCAS system counts punctuation, spaces, tabs and paragraph lines).

2. Be no longer than 47 lines on the UCAS system (again this is different to what 47 lines on a word processor would look like).

What are the Best Hobbies for a Medical School Application?

The best hobbies for a medical school application should be ones you’re the most passionate about. Because that’s where your personal assets; responsibility, commitment and drive, are most on display. Each of these are qualities that any medical admissions office will value and appreciate.

Putting together a medical school application is difficult. Each system, whether its the US-based AMCAS or not, has its own intricacies. And you’ll want to be familiar with each before you apply.

As a general rule though, some hobbies stand above others when it comes to showing you’re well suited to a career in medicine. So let’s take a look at what those could be – especially now that I’m better placed to appreciate what studying medicine entails !

Why Are Hobbies Important for a Medical School Application?

Medical school applications can be lengthy. Usually there’s a lot of box filling. But there’s also a chance to be creative too. Especially when it comes to the essay or personal statement sections.

My first piece of advice to any pre-med student going through this? Put yourself in the position of the reader. Understand that they go through literally thousands of applications. And that anything you can do to make it easier to read or make it memorable in any way will be a huge asset .

Hobbies are an important part of an application because they humanise you. They show a medical school you’re not a robot. Also that you have a life outside of studying.

Other reasons include the following:

• Hobbies show you as a well-rounded applicant
• Interests outside of medicine/studying show your capability to deal with stress (medical school can be an overwhelming environment)
• They give the interviewer something more personal to connect your application with
• They show what your capabilities are outside of academia (in the real world)
• Demonstrate how familiar and comfortable you might be dealing with the general public

Obviously the older you are as an applicant the more things you’ll inevitably be able to show off. But there’s plenty of things for non-graduates and younger students to write about also. So don’t let this section put you off!

How Many Hobbies Should I Include?

Most medical school application boards advise you keep this section brief (2-3 responses). Listing every interest and hobby you have? Misses the point of the process entirely.

You’ll need to polish this section to show why the things you’ve listed are meaningful and pertinent. Not just give a general list. So think carefully about what you include and always consider their relevance.

A general rule of thumb is to pick at least a couple. And use the rest of the space to talk about why you’ve chosen to include them and what you feel they more broadly say about you and your character.

In applications I’ve made I generally gave only two; my experience doing a cross-country pilgrimage and building a remote business that enabled me to learn Spanish to fluency.

Now, you might have things you deem better or worse than those but the point is not to worry too much. The main crux of your efforts should be drawing whatever it is you’ve chosen back to the rest of application. To sell your personality and your suitability to the course rather than trying to impress or depress anyone with your perceived grand (or absent) experiences.

A good example I use is to say to talk about my experiences in business as proof of my organisation and leadership skills. As well as suggesting how these might help with a career in medicine; delegating to teams on a ward etc.

But the key is not to overthink it. It might take some work to understand best to apply your hobbies to a study program but I assure you; there are plenty of ways.

And please, whatever you do, don’t assume you have nothing relevant to say either! My experiences, given my age , are very far from the norm!

Common Pitfalls (and How to Fix Them)

The mistake most pre-meds make when it comes to selecting hobbies and interests to put on an application is that of making it too generic.

You know; answers like “travel”, or “playing guitar”, or “soccer”. Typical things that most of the world does. And things whoever has read your application is likely to have seen hundreds of thousands of times over.

My opinion is it’s almost better to write nothing here than go with something that obvious.

To avoid this, here’s a process you can go through to come up with different things:

• Think about where participating in certain hobbies has taken you; i.e. odd countries, unusual competitions, strange meeting places. Include these details.
• Think about why you chose particular hobbies. OK, so you play tennis, but why? What drew you to the sport in the first place and how did your story unfold?
• Do you have an interest in or practice something that none of your friends do? What about members of your family? The more obscure the better.
• Have you started a business or any other entrepreneurial endeavour? It doesn’t matter if it’s been successful or not! Talk about it.

The key is to turn bland answers into something more impactful. Provide context as to why you do these things. As well as what motivated you.

These are the things that show admissions board what kind of a student you’ll be. They also help you look like someone they might want to sit down with and get to know better too.

Things Not to Do

If your interests are obscure bordering on the controversial? Probably best to leave them off an application for now.

I’ve already talked about how tattoos might go down at a conservative college, so listing dubious hobbies could be comparable. At the end of the day you don’t know who is going to read your application. So it’s probably best to play it as safe (but as interesting) as possible.

Just use your common sense here. Like you’d be expected to do in any public-facing role.

If you’re really not sure about a hobby or interest though? Contact me and I’ll tell you if I think it’s a good idea or not! Chances are if you take the time to send an email, it’s most probably not.

Other things to be aware of:

• Overly niche things that people have never heard of (will give you little to talk about and thus waste a chance at connecting – although this could go the other way if you’re interviewed by someone very curious!)
• Anything too obvious or things that make it look like you’re lazy or uncommitted (Netflix, 1000 hours plus in particular video games etc – unless you stream or have a YouTube channel!)
• Basic life skills; cooking, cleaning, shopping – these are not hobbies or interests!

I Don’t Have Any Hobbies, What Should I Do?

Well now’s a good time to start something. Failing that though, I bet there are at least a couple of things you could list. If you sit down and really take the time to see what you come up with.

One of the big issues here is mindset. Perhaps you don’t feel you have anything particularly interesting or exciting to list. But don’t be intimidated by that. Just work with what you have and embellish it a little if you have to.

Obviously you don’t want to flat out lie on an application. Because that could look very awkward if you get caught out with questions on the interview. But you can play a little fast and loose with the truth.

At least if you’re really stuck!

Still if you’re really stuck with lack of ideas put down something you’re willing to start exploring right now. By the time the interview rolls around you’ll hopefully have gathered more experience and be better placed to talk about it.

• Hobbies are an important part of a medical school application that can help humanise you in the eyes of an interview panel
• Talk about the impact and influence of your hobbies on your personality rather than describing, in depth, what it is that you do
• Think outside the box as much as possible when it comes to the things you list. Always write with the image of the reader at hand. If you feel what you’re writing is tired and boring? Probably better to go with something else.

A medical school application can be a stressful thing. Hopefully some of these suggestions as to how to best represent your interests and hobbies might help!

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more .

Write About Your Hobbies on the Medical School Application

Under the Work/Activities section of the AMCAS, there is a experience type called “Extracurricular/Hobbies/Avocations”. Describing interesting hobbies such as traveling, cooking, playing intramural sports or an instrument, and website building are all ways to show a school that you’ll be able to contribute to the school in more ways than just academics. For example, one of my classmates with whom I coordinated a student-run clinic with is an avid long distance runner and is currently training for the Boston Marathon. Earlier in the year, she encouraged classmates to train together and participate in San Francisco’s Nike Women’s Half Marathon. The diversity of student keeps medical school exciting by providing opportunities for students to share their passions with one another.

Below are four reasons why you should not underestimate the strength of describing your avocations and hobbies on the medical school application Work/Activities section.

Read: How To Stand Out With Extracurriculars  || 5 Parts of a Competitive Medical School Application

1. Hobbies demonstrate your passion

Cultivating a hobby and demonstrating commitment to that activity reveals a passion that every medical school searches for in its applicants. For example, playing the piano for 10 years and performing in a yearly community concert shows discipline in practicing, confidence in performing, and long-term dedication to an art. These are all qualities that can be channeled into a passion for medicine. In order to emphasize your passion, be specific in describing your hobby. If you cook, don’t just say you enjoy preparing pasta for yourself and your significant other. Instead, describe where you gain your inspiration from, the types of cuisine that you’ve tried your hand at, and what tricks you’ve learned in the kitchen.

2. They make you more relatable as a person

For a moment, put yourself into the seat of the interviewer at a medical school. They’ve read over dozens, if not hundreds, of applications that most likely fall under the same mold: basic science research, clinical volunteering, and plenty of community service. While all of those extracurricular activities are crucial in demonstrating interest in medicine, they don’t necessarily provide a wholesome picture about who you are as an individual. This is where hobbies and interests help. Showing the interviewer that you are well versed in discussing interests outside of medicine demonstrates that you are capable of relating to people on multiple levels. After all, if you were an interviewer, would you prefer to ask a student about their clinical research, or discuss how they became interested in performing magic or fencing?

3. They round out your application with diversity

Throughout the application process, you will undoubtedly find mention of the word “ diversity ” numerous times. As the American patient population continues to grow more diverse, medical schools are adapting by training an equally diverse cohort of students to become the next generation of physicians. The end goal is not to produce a class of book-reading, test-taking robots, but to educate students on the art and science of patient care – to take care of the most diverse group of human beings. Diverse hobbies such as speaking a foreign language or traveling to different countries shows that you have embraced cultures besides your own.

4. They demonstrate that wellbeing is a priority in your life

Medical school is 4 years of hard work and can easily become overwhelming at times. It’s important that you don’t sacrifice your interests and hobbies and continue to have a life outside of medical school. Whether it’s waking up early twice a week to catch the surf down at Venice Beach (shout-out to PDr’s Evan Laveman) or holding band practice for the all-school Talent Show one evening a week, it’s important to have regular, positive stress relief. Medical schools have figured out how to train doctors, but they haven’t quite figured out how to maintain everybody’s sanity throughout those 4+ years, so they want to accept students who are already experts at doing so.

|| Read about medical school essay editing service

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ProspectiveDoctor

Related posts:

• Tips from a Medical School Admissions Officer
• Pre-Med Myths
• Pre-Med Myths Part 3
• How To Write About Extracurriculars

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To get into medical school you need to pull out all the stops.

When an admissions tutor is faced with two candidates with equally good grades , the range and quality of extra-curricular activities could swing their decision, along with work experience , personal statement and UCAS references .

Why do extra-curricular activities?

1. Good for Mental Health

‍ Hobbies are not a nice-to-have, they are a must-have.

Doctors need to keep their mental health in a fit state to do the job, whatever the circumstances. De-stressing with hobbies is part of this, so make time for it even if you have a lot on your plate.

Many students burn out in medical school, and admissions tutors want to see a student who can strike a balance between work and play.

2. Time Management

‍ Getting good grades alongside high-quality hobbies, such as playing in an orchestra, is admirable because it demonstrates that you are efficient with your time.

3. Transferable Skills

‍ Playing in a rugby team, for example, demonstrates teamwork skills which can be useful in intense situations at medical school.

Nina – University of Leeds ‘I thoroughly enjoyed involving myself in extra-curricular activities at school. I joined the STEM Society (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) and am on the Sixth Form Council as the Events Coordinator. It allowed me to meet many interesting people and to learn the power of being adaptable in a team context.’

Mark – University of Exeter ‘I was always interested in dance, music and volunteering. At medical school, I've realised that maintaining these interests alongside my studies is extremely important. It helps to maintain my work–life balance and a broader identity. You are not just a medical student or budding doctor, but an interesting person with a diverse range of interests and skillsets. This is invaluable for your mental wellbeing and helps you develop skills you just can't learn in textbooks.’

Extracurricular activities examples

Team sports such as rugby, football, netball or hockey demonstrate commitment and show you are a team player. Playing in a school team and being the captain, for example, is better than just having an interest in the sport, or kicking a football around for fun with friends.

Proactively being a part of a band is better than being an individual player as it demonstrates the ability to work in a team. The completion of grades in musical studies demonstrates a structured approach to progression.

3. School activities ‍

The Combined Cadet Force, Air Cadets and Scouts are all useful experiences. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme demonstrates a well-rounded individual who has done a range of activities.

4. Community ‍

This can include working in a care home, volunteering with homeless people or taking part in charity fundraising. Find out how to volunteer for the NHS .

Pitfalls of doing extra-curricular activities

1. doing too much ‍.

Activities should demonstrate achievement rather than just participation. It is better to do one activity to a fairly high level rather than five activities superficially.

2. Time consuming ‍

Too much time spent away from your studies may be detrimental to your academic grades. Your hobbies and extra-curricular activities are a supplement for a reason, and should not be your main focus.

3. Doing it for the sake of it ‍

You should demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm, and this will be noted in your interview. There is no point turning up to your piano lesson just because you paid for the lessons for the benefit of the UCAS application form. This lack of conviction will show during the interview, as, when probed, you will only demonstrate a superficial knowledge of the process or activity involved.

Ben – University of Bristol ‘I found it difficult at times to balance my extra-curricular commitments with my academic work, which sometimes showed in my grades. I learned how to slow down and not to take too many things on to allow myself to enjoy my other activities without compromising on my studies.’

Nicholas – Hull York Medical School ‘Try to pick something you genuinely enjoy doing or can learn from. Picking something dull that you’ve been talked into doing won’t translate into much genuine enthusiasm or passion in your interviews and won’t be an enjoyable break from studying. There are no rules about what is useful and what admissions tutors look for in terms of extra-curricular activities. In fact, if you can do something a little different, it can make you stand out and be more memorable.’

Remember, it is important to demonstrate the linkages between your extra-curricular activities and medicine in your personal statement, whenever possible.

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How Your Personal Statement Will Be Used At Your Medicine Interview

Find out which Med Schools will ask you about your Personal Statement at interview – and get some tips to make sure you know how to answer these questions.

During your Medicine interview , it’s possible that you will be asked to talk about aspects of your Personal Statement . Here’s a guide to which Med Schools are likely to do this, plus some guidance to help you with your answers.

Why Will I Be Asked About My Personal Statement?

Your Personal Statement should provide a clear explanation as to why you want to study Medicine, why you would be suited to the course/the career, and what you have done to expand your knowledge and your experience. These are things that interviewers should want to know about during your interview – so they might use what’s already in your Personal Statement as a starting point to quiz you on your motivation for Medicine , your work experience , and your extracurricular activities . 

Even if the Med School doesn’t say anything specific on their website or in your interview invite about using Personal Statements at interview, it’s still a good idea to re-familiarise yourself with the content of your Personal Statement in order to prepare. 

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Which Med Schools Will Ask About My Personal Statement?

We’ve had a look at what all of the Med Schools are saying about interviews on their websites, so here’s a guide to the ones that mention using Personal Statements at interview…

• Aberdeen University says that your Personal Statement will be assessed during your interview.
• Anglia Ruskin University advises that you should be prepared to discuss or use aspects of your Personal Statement at your MMI . 
• Barts (Queen Mary University of London) states that interview panelists will use your Personal Statement to ask questions about your work experience.
• Exeter University suggests that you keep a copy of your Personal Statement, because it will likely be referred to at interview. 
• Glasgow University recommends that you revisit your Personal Statement to prepare for interview, because the interviewers will have no knowledge about you other than your name.
• Imperial College London says that you could face questions about your Personal Statement at interview, and that you should use your Personal Statement to highlight the skills you have that make you suited to the course.
• Keele University mentions that you can expect to be asked at some length about your hobbies and interests, and that an obvious starting point for these questions will be areas mentioned in your Personal Statement. 
• Kent and Medway Medical School suggests that you could be asked about your Personal Statement at one of the MMI stations.
• Lancaster University advises that interviewers will want to explore your understanding of your chosen career through discussion of your Personal Statement and your work/voluntary experience.
• Liverpool University mentions that information relevant to your Personal Statement is likely to be considered as part of the interview process. 
• Queen’s University Belfast states that your Personal Statement will be considered as part of the MMI process. 
• Southampton University uses Personal Statements at their Selection Days.
• Sunderland University says that you will have an opportunity to discuss your Personal Statement at your MMI.

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How Should I Answer Questions About My Personal Statement?

Before the interview, look over your Personal Statement to refresh your memory of the information – but don’t just learn it off by heart. If the interviewers have seen your Personal Statement in advance, or have it in front of them, they will know if you’re regurgitating it instead of speaking more spontaneously. 

If you’re asked about aspects of your Personal Statement at interview, use the opportunity to expand on any points you want to say more about. For example, you could reflect on lessons learned from your work experience in more depth, or give further details about your hobbies and how these skills could be relevant to a career in Medicine. 

You can also use this opportunity to tell the interviewers about anything you’ve done since submitting your Personal Statement (e.g. if you’ve recently started a new work experience or volunteering placement), because obviously they won’t know about this already and it could strengthen your application.

Even if you aren’t asked about your Personal Statement by the interviewers directly, you can use information from your Personal Statement to discuss yourself and your experience in a clear, structured way.

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Home › University › How To Write A Personal Statement? 10 Tips + Student Questions Answered › How To Write A Medicine Personal Statement & Impress Admissions

How To Write A Medicine Personal Statement & Impress Admissions

• Published January 20, 2023

Are you considering a career in medicine but feeling overwhelmed by the thought of writing your medical personal statement? You’re not alone. In the UK, medicine is one of the most competitive fields to enter, with on average, over 20,000 applicants for around 6,000 places each year.

But there’s hope, have you considered attending medicine summer schools ? These programs can give you a great insight into what it’s like to study medicine at a UK university and network with your competition in your personal statement.

In this post, we’ll give you tips and tricks to make the process of writing your medical personal statement a breeze. So, whether you’re just starting or looking to revise, keep reading and take the first step towards a successful medical school application.

Brainstorm Your “WHY”

Why do you want to become a doctor ? How do you know this is the career for you?

How will it benefit you and the people around you? These are just some of the questions that can help you connect with your “WHY.”

If there’s one thing to remember on writing a medical personal statement, they should reflect not just who you are but also what motivates you. There are two techniques you can learn to help you with the brainstorming process.

The first technique is journaling. Just start writing about your passion for medicine without overthinking what people will say when they read it after. Write in complete freedom and just let it flow.

After a day or two of journaling, go back and review what you wrote. How do the words make you feel? How does it connect with your goals as a future doctor? Circle those parts that strike an emotional chord within you and use them as material for writing a medical personal statement.

We’ve also covered the exact method of  how to write a personal statement  – don’t miss out!

The second technique is to read books about motivation and inspiration. Inspiring stories surround us. By reading some of them, you’ll have a basic idea of expressing why you want to study medicine.

Books may even help you remember pivotal experiences in your life that inspired you to pursue a  career in the medical field .

In both techniques, the goal is to help you discover what motivates and inspires you to use it as material on how to write a medical personal statement. The more you are connected with your “why,” the easier it will be to write a personal statement that will touch the hearts of the admissions committee.

State Your Skills  For Medical School

What makes you qualified? How will your skills help you become a successful doctor in the future? These are the questions that can help you validate your reasons for pursuing this career path.

After coming up with your “why,” it’s now time to think about what sets you apart from other applicants, and highlight your skills to prove that you are qualified to become a medical student. If you don’t know where to start, here are skills that are valuable to the medical field:

• A genuine desire to study medicine
• Self-awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses
• Intellectual ability
• Communication skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Personal Organisation
• Capable of working under pressure
• Knows how to deal with uncertainty
• Responsible for one’s own actions
• Conscientiousness
• Conscious of one’s own health
• Confidence and efficiency in communication
• Team player

Which of these is your strongest suit? Pinpoint at least one to three skills you have that will help you succeed as a doctor. Focus on these strengths when you’re thinking about how to write a medical personal statement.

Related Read :  How To Include Work Experience In Your Personal Statement?

Back-Up Your Skills With Credentials

Of course, it’s not enough to state your skills. Back them up with credentials and the admissions tutors will remember you —state awards, accomplishments, or experiences showcasing your strengths when writing your personal statement. Check out this list for inspiration:

• Extracurricular activities (clubs/organisations)
• Awards or certifications
• Volunteering
• Leadership positions
• Meaningful life experiences
• If you shadowed a doctor

Tell A Story

You may have all the necessary qualifications to be accepted as a medical student, but what counts is how you stand out from others.

Remember, the admissions committee reads thousands of medical personal statements every year. So it would be best if you found a way how to make yours memorable. The best way medical school applicants can give a lasting impression is to present the piece as a story. Can you imagine reading a personal statement structured like a grocery list of skills and credentials? 

Dive Further Into The Top With The :  Best UK Universities For Medicine

If you were the reader, you might not even proceed to read the next paragraph! But if you were to tell a captivating story, your reader will want to keep reading to know how it ends! That is our goal on how to write a medical personal statement.

How can you do it?

Start with a sentence that leads the reader on. Then, write about a time in your life when you experienced an event that set you on fire about being a doctor.

How did it happen? Why did you think of becoming a doctor and not choosing other career paths?

Here’s a pro tip: don’t mention your childhood. It’s in our  what not to put in personal statements  guide and many students still make the mistake of saying, “Since I was a child, I always wanted to become a doctor.” But children have very little reason and experience to make reasonable decisions. The admissions committee is well aware of this. And mentioning your childhood dreams  will not  impress them!

You have to share a significant life event that inspired you to become a doctor when you were old enough to mull it over. As you unfold your story, weave in crucial skills, credentials, and experiences. Be specific with names, dates, and places. Follow this strategy, and your reader will hardly recognise they’re nearing the end of your personal statement!

Write A Strong Opening

You should start your medical personal statement with an opening sentence that hooks the admissions tutors and makes them want to read more. Make the sentence exciting and unique to make people curious about what’s coming next. Have a look at some personal statement introduction examples to understand what exactly a good personal statement opening is.

If possible, don’t open with “I want to pursue medicine as a career because I have a passion for caring for others,” which is a dull opening line. After all, this phrase has been used so often it hardly makes an impact.

Here are some opening sentence ideas on how to write a medical personal statement:“Caring for others is my reason to live.”“My heart beats with the rhythm of the hospital’s emergency room.”“I was one of the fortunate ones.”“It all started with a patient named Mrs Sanchez….”

Reading these opening sentences sparks interest that makes your readers eager to read more. Although, we don’t recommend quotes as openers as they can be really hit and miss – be concise, use the tips mentioned and you’ll ace it.

The trick is to make sure the rest of your personal statement supports your first sentence to ensure coherency. 

Proofread Your Personal Statement

Proofreading is a vital step on how to write a medical personal statement. Handling human lives requires careful attention to detail. Demonstrate your keen attention to detail by ensuring your personal statement is free of spelling and grammatical errors.

It’s essential to point out that the admissions committee not only reads your content. But they also pay close attention to  how you present  your content. A well-organised and coherent write-up reflects a sound writer.

So don’t speed through this stage! Take your time. Run your personal statement through Grammarly.

Read it out loud! Enjoy the process of perfecting your personal statement. After all, this is a vital step in achieving your dream to become a medic!

Ask Others To Read Your Personal Statement

It’s challenging to judge your personal statement with unbiased eyes because you are its author. That’s why asking for other people’s feedback is essential on how to write a medical personal statement.

Approach your family, friends, and acquaintances. Tell them you need their opinion on your personal statement. Do they find it easy to understand? Is it coherent? Do they hear  you  while they’re reading your personal statement?

Ask them as many questions as you can. Don’t be afraid to listen to their criticism. It’s much better to hear corrections now while you still have the chance to revise your work. The result is worth the extra time and effort!

Put Some Distance 

After noting down feedback and revising your medical school personal statement multiple times, it’s best to put it down for a short time. You need to see it with a clear set of eyes.

So forget about it for a few days. Play your favourite sport. Read your favourite book. Or chill by your couch with your music on. Go about your daily life as if you didn’t spend the last few days working hard writing your medical personal statement.

You’d be surprised what happens when you come back to reread your work. Little details you didn’t notice before will stand out like glaring red lights. You may even catch sentences that don’t fit well together. So revise as much as you need!

What should you not say in a medical personal statement?

• Instead of using your personal statement to focus on your own or family member’s medical conditions, use it to highlight your experiences that have led you to pursue a career in medicine and the skills and qualities you have developed as a result.
• Use negative experiences to demonstrate growth and resilience, rather than to create pity. Show how you have overcome challenges and how you have grown as a person.
• Show your compassion and empathy through your experiences, highlighting how they have helped you understand the needs of patients and how you plan to use this understanding to serve your community.
• Share specific examples of how you have already demonstrated your abilities and potential, rather than making promises about what you will do in the future. Use concrete examples to show the admissions committee what you are capable of.
• Discuss the challenges in healthcare and identify ways to improve in these areas without pointing any fingers. Show that you have a realistic understanding of patient needs and that you have potential solutions to improve healthcare.

How Long Should Your Medical Personal Statement Be?

According to UCAS, your medical school personal statement can be up to 4000 characters long. The average word is 4.7 characters, so that’s about 850 words.

When To Write Your Med School Personal Statement?

Don’t wait until the eleventh hour to begin crafting your medical school personal statement. Instead, take advantage of the summer break to start working on it well ahead of the UCAS deadline, typically in October. This will not only relieve the stress of having to write it alongside A-Level work and BMAT revision but also give you ample time to perfect your statement and make it truly stand out.

Start Writing Your Medicine Personal Statement

Writing a successful medical personal statement is no easy feat. How you open your essay, how well-organised it is, and how well it communicates who you are, are crucial elements in writing a medical personal statement. This article aimed to give you practical tips on how to write a medical personal statement that will help get your foot in the door.

We hope these insights into successful college essays will make the process easier for you. We wish you the best of luck!

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