What Qualities are Medical Schools Looking For in your UCAS Personal Statement?
It’s not only what you’ve done that matters, but also the personal qualities you have developed. The Medical Schools Council (which represents all UK medical schools) has outlined a set of core qualities and abilities it expects in applicants. These give a clue as to what admissions tutors evaluate in your UCAS personal statement and later at interview. According to the Medical Schools Council, qualities of a good medical applicant include:
Motivation and genuine interest in medicine – you should demonstrate a real drive to study medicine and serve as a doctor, not just academic ability.
Insight and reflection – show that you understand your own strengths and weaknesses and can reflect on your experiences thoughtfully.
Personal organisation and responsibility – medicine requires being conscientious, managing time well, and taking responsibility for your actions
Communication and teamwork skills – effective reading, writing, listening, and speaking are crucial, as is the ability to work in a team and treat others with respect.
Problem-solving and dealing with uncertainty – doctors often face complex problems and ambiguous situations, so highlight your problem-solving skills and your resilience in uncertain or difficult situations.
Resilience and empathy – you need the emotional strength to handle challenging situations and the compassion to care for people. Medical schools want to see that you can handle stress and demonstrate empathy towards others.
Honesty and integrity – being truthful and ethical is non-negotiable in medicine.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it covers many of the attributes admissions officers hope to gauge from your UCAS personal statement (and later, your interview). You don’t need to explicitly bullet out these words in your statement; instead, let them come through in your stories and examples.
For example, discussing how you overcame a challenge during your volunteering can demonstrate resilience, or reflecting on feedback you received can show your ability to reflect and improve. Keep these qualities in mind as a checklist: if your draft personal statement doesn’t address some of these areas, consider where you could add evidence of them.
