UCAS Personal Statement for Medicine

How Should I Structure My UCAS Personal Statement?

As of 2025, the structure of the UCAS personal statement has changed. Instead of writing one extended free-flowing essay, applicants for 2026 entry and beyond (i.e. those applying in autumn 2025) will need to write their personal statement in response to three specific questions/prompts, each in a separate section. This is a significant change from the old format that had been in place for decades. The goal of this new “scaffolded” structure is to help students focus their writing and ensure they cover the key points universities want to know.

The three UCAS personal statement questions for medicine applicants are:

1. Why do you want to study this course or subject? – In other words, “Why medicine?” This is your chance to describe what motivates you to study medicine. Essentially, explain why you want to be a doctor, what attracts you to medicine as a field, and perhaps what moment or experience sparked this interest. (This corresponds to the “motivation” content we discussed above.)

2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course? – Here, you should detail how your academic background has prepared you for medical school. You’ll highlight relevant subjects (like Biology, Chemistry, and Maths) and any other academic activities that give you a good foundation or relevant skills for medicine. (This covers the “academic preparedness” element we discussed.)

3. What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful? – This section is about everything beyond the classroom: work experience, volunteering, extracurriculars, part-time jobs, caregiving responsibilities, etc. You need to describe what you have done aside from your studies to explore or prepare for a career in medicine, and crucially , why those experiences are valuable for your development. (This covers the “work experience/skills and qualities” content mentioned earlier.)

Each of these questions will have its own text box in the UCAS application. You can effectively think of it as writing three mini-essays that together make up your personal statement. There is no set word count per question, but each answer must be at least 350 characters (to ensure you don’t skip one). The overall total is still 4,000 characters across all three answers, so you’ll need to allocate space wisely. You could, for example, use roughly 30-40% of the characters on question 1, another ~30% on question 2, and ~30-40% on question 3 – it doesn’t need to be an even split, but make sure you give sufficient attention to each. Medical schools have suggested that the third question (experience outside education) may carry the most weight, as in medicine, practical experience and extracurricular exploration are highly valued. So you may want to ensure that section is robust (while still writing good content for the others).

To structure your content within these sections:

• Why do you want to study this course or subject?

  Question 1 (Why Medicine?): This is basically your introduction and motivation section. Begin by clearly stating why you are drawn to a career in medicine. A good approach is to mention a specific experience or realisation that ignited your interest. For example: “Witnessing how compassionate yet skilled the doctors were when caring for my ill grandfather first inspired me to pursue medicine…” or “Volunteering at a clinic made me realise how fulfilling and challenging a career in medicine could be…”. Then elaborate on what sustains your desire – perhaps your love of science, your drive to help people, or an aspect of medicine that fascinates you (like the blend of research and human interaction). Show enthusiasm, but also insight. Admissions tutors want to see that you have a genuine motivation and a realistic understanding of what it means to be a doctor. It’s great to be passionate, but ensure you acknowledge that medicine is challenging and explain why that challenge appeals to you.

• Be personal in this section: it should reflect your story. Avoid generic platitudes – for instance, instead of simply saying “I’ve always loved science,” you could mention being captivated by a particular medical case you read about, or how a book or science podcast intrigued you about the human body. Also, avoid clichéd openings, such as quotes or definitions. It’s usually best to dive straight into your motivation.

• By the end of your response to Question 1, the reader should clearly understand what drives you toward medicine. Example of a concise point:“Ever since volunteering weekly at a care home, I’ve been motivated to become a doctor – I saw how small acts of care improved patients’ quality of life, and I want to combine that compassion with scientific training to make a bigger impact.” Show self-awareness: perhaps mention how you’ve confirmed that motivation by learning more about medicine (e.g. through work experience or reading). This section sets the tone, so make it authentic and passionate.

• How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course?

  Question 2 (How Your Studies Prepared You): In this part, highlight your academic preparedness and intellectual curiosity. Talk about relevant courses you’ve taken – likely your science courses. For example, describe how studying A-level Biology gave you an appreciation of human physiology or how Chemistry taught you to think analytically and solve problems, skills that are vital in medicine. If you excelled in a particular topic or found it fascinating (say genetics, immunology, or statistics), mention that and perhaps connect it to something in healthcare (e.g. an interest in how gene therapy works, sparked by what you learned in class).

• You should also mention any notable academic achievements: high grades are evident from your transcript, but if you won a science prize, participated in a science Olympiad, completed an EPQ, or even did a first aid course or online class, this is a good place to note it. The key is to link your academics to medicine – show that you have a strong foundation and that your academic experiences have reinforced your decision. For instance: “Through my Chemistry coursework, I learned to methodically analyse data – a skill I applied when researching a medical ethics case for my EPQ, strengthening my resolve to study medicine.”

• Also, emphasise study skills or personal qualities that you’ve developed through academics: time management, ability to handle a heavy workload, teamwork from group projects, etc., which will be helpful in medical school. The best answers here will convey that you are scholarly and prepared for the rigour of a medical degree, and that you actually enjoy learning (since medicine is a career of lifelong learning). Remember, this section is not just to say “I meet the requirements” – it’s to show you have gone a bit beyond. For example, mentioning a relevant book or article you read related to your studies (like a book on neuroscience after loving a biology unit on the brain) can show intellectual curiosity. Overall, this section should reassure the reader that you possess the necessary knowledge base, skills, and mindset to thrive in medical academia. (And by extension, that you won’t struggle with the science or drop out because you didn’t know what you signed up for.)

• What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful? 

  Question 3 (What You’ve Done Outside Academics): This section is often the longest, as it covers work experience, volunteering, extracurriculars – essentially your practical exploration of medicine and development of relevant skills. Here, you should discuss the placements or activities you’ve done (clinical and non-clinical) and, most importantly, reflect on why they are valuable to you as a future medic. Consider grouping experiences: you might start with clinical experiences (e.g., hospital shadowing, GP observation), then mention volunteering (e.g., care home, charity), and extracurricular roles. For each, identify a key learning point. For example: “Shadowing a surgeon for a week taught me how crucial teamwork and clear communication are in healthcare, as I observed how the surgical team coordinated in the operating theatre.” Or: “Volunteering at a hospice showed me the importance of empathy and listening – I learned how comforting a simple conversation can be to someone in distress.” If you had a part-time job or cared for a family member, you can absolutely use that – perhaps it taught responsibility, resilience, or insight into patient perspectives.

• Even non-medical extracurriculars can be relevant if framed correctly: leading your school’s debate club could have improved your public speaking and confidence, playing in a sports team might have taught you teamwork and handling pressure. Medical schools value these transferable skills. Just make sure you explicitly connect them: e.g. “Through my role as head girl, I honed my leadership and time-management skills – qualities important for doctors when managing teams or stressful situations.” Also mention any initiatives you took, like attending a medicine summer school or doing a virtual work experience, and what you gained from it. This section should convey that you haven’t lived in an academic bubble; you’ve actively sought out learning experiences related to medicine and grown from them. 

• Reflection is key: always tie it back to “why is this experience useful for my goal to be a doctor?”. For instance, instead of “I volunteered at a disability support group,” say “Volunteering at a disability support group every week improved my patience and communication – essential skills for supporting vulnerable patients, which I practiced by helping a non-verbal child express his needs.” If you have a lot to cover, prioritise depth on the most impactful experiences. Show that you understand the value of each experience (e.g., it’s not about ticking boxes like “hospital – check, care home – check,” but what did those teach you about being a doctor?). Conclude this section with a statement of how these experiences have solidified your decision to study medicine – e.g. “Collectively, these experiences have given me a realistic understanding of the challenges and rewards of medicine, strengthening my determination to join the profession.”

  “I observed the importance of empathy and compassion when I shadowed a GP. The challenging nature of the profession was depicted when an elderly woman received an inappropriate antibiotic prescription, causing an allergic skin rash. Through her compassionate and empathetic tone, the GP apologised for the error, upholding the duty of candour. This reassured the patient and eased her worries. Building rapport with patients establishes mutual trust and helps gain insight into their symptoms”.

After addressing these three questions, you will essentially have written the equivalent of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion of a personal statement – just segmented by UCAS prompts. The content you need to cover hasn’t fundamentally changed with this new format– you still must convey motivation, academic readiness, and extracurricular exploration, just in a more structured way. In fact, UCAS has noted that the expectation of what students include is “mostly unchanged” despite the new question format. So if you had started writing a traditional personal statement, you can adapt it to these three sections by distributing your content accordingly.

A few structural tips:

• Treat each answer as a short essay: it should have a logical flow with perhaps a topic sentence and supporting examples. Even though UCAS will show them as separate sections, admissions tutors will read all three in order – so you want each to be coherent and well-written.

• While you don’t need explicit transitional sentences between the sections (since they are distinct questions), ensure each section on its own is clear and focused on answering that specific prompt. Don’t accidentally mix content – e.g. leave your academic prep mainly for section 2, your work experience for section 3, etc. (Some overlap is okay if it flows, but each question exists for a reason.)

• Allocate your character count smartly. If you have extensive work and volunteering experience to describe, section 3 might be longer. If your motivation story is very compelling, ensure that section 1 has enough characters to do it justice without overrunning the others. And remember the 350-character minimum per section – don’t shortchange any prompt.

• Don’t mention university names or specific programs in your personal statement. Since the same statement applies to all your choices, it should remain general to “medicine” as a whole. For example, do not write “I am excited to study at University X because…” – other universities will see that and it’s not appropriate. (The only exception is if you apply to Cambridge, they give you an additional separate statement for them where you can be course-specific.) In your UCAS statement, remain broad and passionate about the field of medicine itself. As a rule, never copy-paste any unique course details or hospital names into your UCAS personal statement – admissions tutors know you’re applying to multiple schools. Focus on you, not on them.

• Emphasise reflection and insight over description. This was true in the old format and remains true now. The structured questions guide you to be reflective (“Why is this useful?” and so on). Make sure you answer that part of the question: why are your experiences valuable? Don’t let any section become just narrative without analysis.

• Keep it professional and positive throughout. The tone should be enthusiastic but not exaggerated. Write in the first person (“I”) and avoid overly casual language or jokes – a bit of personality is fine, but remember this is a formal application document. At the same time, it shouldn’t read like a dry academic paper; instead, it should convey the voice of a motivated student who is mature and self-aware.

• Proofreading and flow: Even though these are separate sections, a good personal statement will still feel like it tells a cohesive story when read top to bottom. After writing, read your entire statement (all three answers in order) and see if it gives a consistent portrayal of you. Check that your writing style is consistent across sections (it’s okay to have a slightly different focus/tone, but you shouldn’t sound like a completely different person in each answer). Make sure there are no redundant sentences between sections. And of course, check grammar/spelling meticulously. A well-structured statement also means it’s free of technical errors.

If you follow these guidelines, you will end up with a structured, well-organised personal statement that covers all the bases: why you want to do medicine, how you’re academically and personally prepared for it, and what you’ve done to understand and work towards this goal. This new format actually helps ensure you don’t forget any of these crucial components. Use it to your advantage – by tackling each question thoughtfully, you’ll present a comprehensive picture of yourself. The format might be new, but it’s levelling the playing field and encouraging clarity. As long as you address each prompt with genuine examples and reflection, your content will shine through.

(Note: Always double-check each medical school’s website for any specific guidance on personal statements. By 2025, most will have updated their advice to reflect the new question-based format. For instance, Oxford has noted the change but says its existing advice on content remains relevant mainly, and Cambridge advises that they don’t mind how you split the content as long as you cover your academic interests in depth. Knowing individual nuances can be helpful, though the UCAS questions have basically standardised what you need to cover.)