How to start Medicine personal statement
Admissions tutors will have seen hundreds of different personal statements, so you need to stand out right from the start. Medicine Personal Statement’s introduction is perhaps the most important part of the whole statement.
Some students find it easier to skip the introduction first and write it once the rest of the statement is finished. It makes sense since the introduction is basically an excerpt of the main body of the statement.
Medicine Personal Statement Introduction Tips
- Don’t use quotes, and don’t try to think of ‘catchy’ openings
- The main thing is why you are interested in the course
- Go straight to the point
- A great start is with a short sentence that captures attention (optional)
- Explain your motivation to study Medicine
- Try to write naturally
- Try to be as specific as possible
- Explain why YOU find Medicine interesting, not why Medicine is interesting in general
- Start with why you are interested in Medicine now, not why you were interested in Medicine when you were 7. Avoid this – ‘I wanted to study Medicine ever since I can remember/since I was 6….’
What the Introduction is about
In the introduction, you need to explain your motivation to study medicine. Most motivations to study medicine include some combination of “people and science”.
To make your own statement stand out, back up your reasoning with personal experience.
Including personal experience in the introduction is a great way to immediately show the admissions tutor you’re serious about medicine and have taken time to understand what it involves.
“My desire to study medicine was confirmed following a period of work experience with a cardiologist where I observed the varied, academically challenging and exciting nature of a career in medicine. This experience highlighted my inherent interest in medical science and love for working with the public” sounds much better than “I want to study medicine because I am interested in medical science and like working with the public”.
Your motivation to study medicine
Dedicating the introduction of your personal statement to explaining why you want to study medicine will allow you to set the tone for your personal statement. Introduce your work experience and articulate why your personal qualities and experience make you suitable for a career in medicine.
How long should my introduction be?
You should aim to keep this section concise. Summarise why you want to study medicine in a couple of sentences and introduce the main themes for your personal statement. Think of it as the blurb of a book; the introduction should include key themes, intrigue the reader and leave them wanting to find out more.
The ideal length of the introduction is somewhere around 3 to 5 lines.
