How do Medical Schools use your UCAS Personal Statement 2021 Entry?

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Jun 14

We have trawled through the medical school websites to find out information on how medical schools use your UCAS personal statement in the application process. In summary, it can be used as a screening process to make sure you have the motivation and some of the qualities of a doctor. A few will use it in a tie breaker situation and others will ask you questions from it during an MMI interview station. It is important that you complete the UCAS personal statement correctly in order to maximise your chances of a getting an offer.

Please note this information was obtained directly from the medical school websites in June 2020. Medical schools can and do update their admission policies so always check the medical school websites for updates.

Aberdeen

All Personal Statements will be reviewed prior to interview invites being sent out. If you are invited to interview, your Personal Statement will be assessed during the interview.

Anglia Ruskin

While we do not directly use your personal statement in the selection process, you should be prepared to discuss or use aspects of your statement at the MMIs.

We will be looking to understand your motivation to study medicine, your appreciation of the role and responsibilities of being a doctor, as well as evidence of any work experience you have undertaken to support your application. From your personal statement, we’ll be looking for realistic expectations of what studying medicine entails and that you fully understand the high level of commitment involved. We want to see that you have researched all the aspects of the course and subsequent roles and have a clear view of where you intend the degree to take you.

Aston

This is your opportunity to demonstrate to the Admissions Team that you are passionate about studying Medicine and that you should be accepted on to the course

Barts

Interviewers will also consider your interests, talents, and the contribution you can make to the university. Your personal statement will help us to ask you relevant questions. We look for applicants who have participated as fully as possible in school or college life, and who have also contributed in some way to the outside community.

Birmingham

We will not score your personal statement, but you must offer evidence of commitment to medicine

Brighton and Sussex

Do not mention the personal statement on the website. Ranked by BMAT score.

Bristol

We no longer use the personal statement as a weighted component of our selection criteria. Should we need to differentiate between applicants that have identical scores at interview when making offers, the personal statement may be used to do so. UCAT scores will be used as our primary differentiator.

Buckingham

If the applicant meets our entry requirements, he or she is invited to the second stage which is a Selection event. We hold numerous selection events during each admissions cycle.

Selection Day is when we interview candidates using Multiple Mini Interviews.

Our decision to make an offer is based on how well the candidates do at Selection.

Cambridge

Admissions decisions at Cambridge are based solely on academic criteria (ability and potential). Personal statements are often used as a basis for discussion at interview

Cardiff

Applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements and are sufficiently highly ranked academically are assessed on non-academic criteria according to the information contained in their Personal Statement and the Referee’s Report given on the UCAS Application Form

Dundee

For applicants to Medicine we use the method of interviewing known as Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs)

You will also be asked to expand on some aspects of your UCAS personal statement

Edge Hill University

A score will be given for performance at each MMI station and individual scores combined. Applicants will be ranked according to their overall MMI score and offers made to the top students (for 15 to 30 places).

Offers will be made to candidates who have the highest combined scores subject to satisfactory references. The personal statement and reference will be used to allow us to distinguish between borderline applicants.

Edinburgh

This provides the opportunity to tell us all about you! While it will not be formally assessed, it will play an important part in the assessment day.

Exeter

In addition to academic qualifications, when selecting candidates we will also take into account information provided within the personal statement and reference, particularly where this reveals extenuating or mitigating circumstances which may have affected academic performance. A rank or score is not applied

Glasgow

Revisit your personal statement (interviewers have no knowledge about you other than your name)

Please note that candidates applications will be considered and administered on the basis of the information given on the UCAS application form and applicants must notify us immediately of any changes.

Hull York

We do not score your personal statement; however, it is an important part of your application to Hull York Medical School as it allows you to talk about your interests, achievements and ambitions.

We do read all of these and reserve the right to take them into consideration in selection decisions. We carefully examine all the information submitted on the UCAS form when making decisions about candidates who are borderline at the selection for interview or selection for offer stage.

Imperial

The selection panel comprises of teachers in undergraduate education with experience in the admissions process, who will decide whether to offer the candidate an interview. These decisions are ratified by one of the admissions tutors. The following criteria may be considered when assessing applications:

Evidence of commitment to the values of the NHS Constitution
Motivation and understanding of medicine as a career
Community activities
Leadership and teamwork
Extracurricular interests
Referee’s report

Keele

The personal statement is important in your application to Keele because one of the stations in the multiple mini-interview (MMI) will involve discussion of your relevant experiences.

The interviewer will be able to question you on any of the following aspects of your personal statement so it is important that you address all of the points.

Understanding of the role of a doctor
Examples of regular hands-on experience involving supporting, helping or caring for people
Depth of experience in one or more role(s) involving personal interaction
Reflection on what was learnt from these experiences
Initiative/enterprise
Ability to balance work and personal priorities
Working in teams
Communication (particularly outside your peer group)

Kent and Medway

Very vague on website and in online videos. Be prepared for it to be the basis of questions during the circuit.

King's

Vague on website.

Lancaster

You should demonstrate what you have done to establish that medicine is the right career path for you.

You should also demonstrate an understanding of the NHS constitution and core values in your personal statement.

Voluntary and caring roles can also be useful to demonstrate your commitment to improving the lives of others. You should describe the skills you have developed through engaging in these roles and explain their relevance to a career in Medicine.

Leeds

The personal statement of the UCAS form helps us to assess the non-academic attributes that are important in a career in medicine and is an important part of the selection process. It is essential that as an applicant you take this opportunity to demonstrate your motivation and enthusiasm to study medicine. Accurate spelling and grammar are of paramount importance.

Leicester

Although not routinely read, your personal statement may be assessed in some situations and so should be clear and concise. It should outline your ambitions and experiences, and how they have shaped your personal development.

Medical work experience is not essential but you should be able to demonstrate that you have undertaken some kind of work where you are able to communicate with the public.

From the information on your UCAS form we will calculate a numerical score. The highest-scoring applicants will be invited to interview.

Liverpool

The personal statement and academic reference, although required, are not routinely screened as part of the decision to invite individuals to interview

Manchester

The personal statement is the crucial part of your application for undergraduate or fast track medicine. Admissions staff will be looking for evidence of the following areas (these will be followed up at interview):

Motivation for medicine. Why do you want to train as a doctor? Need to demonstrate this with actions you have taken - eg work experience, work shadowing, talking to clinicians, etc. You should show understanding of the basic career structure, although not much more depth is expected at this stage.
Work experience. Focus on where you had active involvement rather than where you simply observed - this is very important! More menial work is relevant here - eg hands-on care support, or auxiliary work. Reflect on this experience, don't just describe it. What did you gain from it? How did it influence your decision to apply for medicine?
Evidence of your commitment to caring. You need to show concern for the welfare of others, and understanding that patient care is the first duty of a doctor. This can be supported by evidence from work experience, as well as from personal experience.
Understanding of the nature of medicine. Showing an understanding of the ethical and scientific issues under-pinning the profession (what it is really like). This is usually tested at interview, so be prepared to discuss your comments here in more depth
Communication skills. Your statement must be well organised, with a good structure, and be clearly written. This is will be further explored at interview, where they look for articulate candidates who can develop a reasoned argument.

Newcastle

At some stage it is likely to be used as part of the process to assess your suitability for the course. You need a strong personal statement.

In addition to your academic capability, it gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you’ve learned from work experience. It demonstrates you have the personal skills required for medicine.

Focus on your reasons for applying, how your work experience has prepared you for the course and career and supporting information, such as extra-curricular activities.

Norwich

Medicine is a highly competitive subject and Personal Statements are closely scrutinised

Nottingham

Following your interview, we will review your application and offer places to the best applicants. Offers will only be based on your performance at interview. We will also review personal statements, references and your work experience information to make sure they are satisfactory, but they will not be scored.

Oxford

Your personal statement is an important part of your application to Oxford. It allows you to tell us about your interests, achievements and ambitions in your own words. Although we do not formally score your statement we read it carefully. If you are invited for interview, the statement is likely to provide a focus for the questions that you are asked. It is therefore essential that your statement is an accurate, unembellished account of your activities. We may check the claims that you make on your statement: discovery of fabricated or exaggerated material – during the admissions exercise, or even later on during your time as a student – may bring into question your suitability to practise Medicine.

For A100 Medicine at Oxford, GCSE and BMAT performance data are predominantly used initially to determine whether or not you are short-listed for interview. The information that you provide in your personal statement becomes increasingly important if you are not short-listed on the basis of GCSE and BMAT scores.

Plymouth

Your personal statement supports your academic qualifications because we don’t just want students who can meet our entry requirements; we will also consider whether the applicant is suitably motivated to complete their chosen programme of study. We want to know whether you will enjoy the course content (this is where ensuring you’ve researched the course you’re applying for really comes in to play).

Please note that the University of Plymouth does use personal statements as a selection tool for interview.

Queen's

Personal Statements are not scored as part of the selection process. The following

is general guidance on what is expected:

Candidates are expected to state explicitly that Medicine is their career choice. (Please note that an applicant cannot normally be considered for both Medicine and Dentistry). There should be evidence of commitment and motivation in the personal statement. This should include evidence of what the candidate has done to find out about Medicine as a career. This can be demonstrated in a number of ways including: opportunities for observational experience in a clinical setting, attending medical careers conferences, or undertaking voluntary work in a care setting. Participation in activities within or outside School demonstrating transferable skills such as leadership, empathy, teamwork and communication skills is also important information for you to include.

Sheffield

We do not read or score UCAS Personal Statements as part of the selection process. However, the activities, interests and values that candidates express in their Personal Statements are commonly explored during the Multiple Mini-Interviews.

Southampton

Your personal statement should clearly identify and provide evidence of:

why you are applying to medicine - i.e. what has motivated you to apply and your appreciation of the career pathways available to you.
how your degree programme has prepared you for medical school - i.e. able to work as part of a team, critically evaluate data, enhanced independent study etc.
relevant experience - i.e. show your commitment to learn about medicine and demonstrate your ability to understand empathy, compassion, cross-discipline team working, the importance of diagnosis but also an appreciation of budget and time constraints placed on the NHS.
other experience - i.e. demonstrate your personality and that you are a well-rounded individual and maintain a healthy work-life balance. You should be able to relate skills gained in retail and/or voluntary work with medical professions i.e. team working, communication, time-management etc.

St Andrews

Your personal statement should explain your reasons for wanting to study Medicine and why you think you would make a good doctor. The School will expect you to have an insight into medicine and healthcare gained from general reading or from attending medical careers conferences, talking to doctors or medical students. Your statement needs to explain what medically related work experience you have had.

St George's

For example, while we take the time to read your personal statement, it is not formally assessed, or used to determine whether you will be invited for a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI).

UCL

All applications are read carefully by several people, the criteria below being considered, and an overall ‘priority’ score is assigned to each.

Candidates are then invited to interview in order of priority and we continue interviewing until we run out of places. This usually means that we invite around 30% of applicants to attend an interview at UCL, starting in December and finishing in March.

The following factors are taken into account when deciding which candidates to interview.

Evidence of independent learning skills. This could be demonstrated with qualifications such as the EPQ or other forms of study (for example Open University modules), extra-curricular reading and research etc
Previous experience (both personal and through work experience or volunteering), particularly if it has involved contact with the healthcare profession or laboratory work, or if the candidate has been involved with the sick, disabled, very young or elderly, and, importantly, is able to reflect on their experiences
Demonstration of motivation to study Medicine and an appropriate attitude
Other interests, for example music, travel, sports, or any activities that are considered to broaden the general education of the candidate.
Evidence of teamwork, leadership and communication skills.
The referee’s assessment of academic ability, study skills, motivation for medicine and personal qualities.

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