imperial college london medicine personal statement

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Ultimate guide to imperial medicine interview | questions & tips (2023), imperial medical school: overview.

Imperial medical school - 4th best medical school in the entire world according to 2022 THE rankings and one of the most prestigious scientific locations in the UK. The medical school is located in the very centre of London and is linked to numerous first-rate clinical hospitals under the Imperial College NHS Trust.

Imperial is known for its world-class researchers and cutting edge research facilities, which play an important role in the science-heavy medical course that Imperial offers. At the same time, Imperial recently introduced more patient-facing activities in the early years striking a better balance between academics and clinical exposure.

It’s one of the few medical schools that include a mandatory iBSc in Year 3, in one of the 17 subjects offered, which is a great opportunity to explore other subjects or get more involved in medical research.

Pre-interview Selection in 2022: 🔢 How does Imperial select candidates for medicine interviews?

GCSE/A-levels:  Imperial only checks if the GCSE and A-level/equivalent grades meet the minimum entry requirements. In other words, a predicted 3A* doesn’t give you a competitive edge over a person with an A*AA.

Personal Statement : The personal statement isn’t used by Imperial medical school when shortlisting candidates for an interview, but may be used during the MMI.

BMAT:  Each year a cut-off is calculated based on the scores of the year’s cohort. Scores from section 1 and section 2 are combined and section 3 is given a separate cut off. Everyone who passes the minimum threshold is invited to an interview at Imperial.

Our dear friend and second-year medical student at Imperial, Akshi Kumar, has made a Q&A on the admissions process with the admissions team at Imperial, where they answer common questions about the application process. You can check it out  here .

📊 What is the lowest required BMAT score to get an interview at Imperial?

Imperial’s BMAT cut off tends to change from year to year. But to give you a rough indication of their level here’s data from the 2020/21 admissions cycle:

Home Students: At least 3.5 from sections 1 and 2, and at least 10.9 combined (5.5 average). Minimum 2.5C from section 3.

International Students: A minimum of 4.0 from sections 1 and 2 and at least 12.3 combined (6.2 average). Minimum section 3 score: 3 C.

Overall, you need a very competitive BMAT score to get invited to an interview at Imperial.

📈  TOP Tip:  Want to save yourself some  time, stress and money  in the process of preparing for interviews at the Imperial Medical School (ICL)? Prepare with  Medfully , the best interview preparation tool for self-paced interview preparation.

📤 When does Imperial send out interview invitations?

Since Imperial relies on the BMAT, they start sending out interview invitations slightly later than most UCAT schools. This is typically around mid-December and lasts until January.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 How many candidates get interviewed for Medicine at Imperial?

Home Students:  In the 2020 application cycle 2560 applications were received and resulted in 1245 interviews. This means roughly  49% of all home candidates are interviewed at Imperial.

International Students:  In the 2020 application cycle 889 applications were received and 129 international students were interviewed. Hence, roughly  15% of all international candidates are interviewed at Imperial.

2022 Medicine Interviews at Imperial: 🗓️ Imperial Medicine Interview dates:

Imperial medicine interviews run from January until March. At Imperial, you cannot choose an interview date that would suit you most, but have to stick to an assigned date.

For the 2022 entry, the interviews were split into two parts, one of which took place in January (online, asynchronous interviews) and the other in February and March (online, face-to-face interviews).

💬 What’s the interview format at Imperial?

Historically, Imperial has always been conducting MMIs and since the interviews were moved online Imperial stuck to MMIs, but slightly tweaked their format. In 2021/22 the interviews were split into two parts:

Part 1:  Asynchronous MMI interviews, held in January. What are asynchronous interviews? These are interviews that aren’t conducted in real-time - questions are written down or pre-recorded, and after listening to the recording you’ll have to record your response and upload it. As such, there is no interaction with the interviewers. At Imperial, you were given 1 minute to read the question and up to 5 minutes to answer it (but you didn’t have to use all allocated time). This part of the interview took place on a specialised platform called Panopto Capture. Candidates who were invited to the interview were given account details and instructions on how to use the website.

Part 2:  Face-to-face online MMI interviews, featuring 7 stations, each of which lasted 5 minutes and included 1 min of prior reading time. In total these MMIs lasted for approx. 40 minutes.

Since the interview dates and format may change from year to year in line with the dynamically changing pandemic, please refer to  Imperial’s official website  for the latest information or contact the admissions office directly.

🏆 How likely is it I’ll be given an offer after an interview at Imperial?

Home Students:  After 1245 interviews, 670 offers were given to home students. This means that  once you’ve received an interview invitation from Imperial you have a roughly 54% chance of receiving an offer!

International Students:  After 129 interviews a total of 63 offers were given to international students at Imperial. This means that  once you’ve received an interview invitation you have approx. 50% chance of receiving an offer!

💅 What to do before the interview at Imperial Medical School?

• familiarise yourself with the Panopto platform for asynchronous interviews
• read carefully the invitation email and all instructions it contains
• review your personal statement
• prepare your interview outfit, check how it fits you and if it’s fit for use

💯 How does Imperial score candidates at the interview?

Interviewers at Imperial score each of your answers from 1 to 10 points - out of which 7 are for content (what you’ve said) and 3 for communication (how you’ve said it).

🚀  TOP Tip:  At Imperial interviews, there is often no right or wrong answer. Feel free to change your mind halfway through a question as this will show your ability to reflect critically on your ideas. However, if you decide to do so, make sure to explicitly explain to the interviewers that you’ve changed your mind and explain why you did so.

⏳ How long does it take to hear back from Imperial?

Imperial medical school replies to candidates usually within 2 weeks from their interview.

🧠 Imperial Medicine Interview Questions:

Teamwork and Leadership

• Tell us about a situation when you had to work in a team.
• What’s more important in medicine - being a good leader or a good follower?
• What makes a good team? Follow-up: How can these values be fostered within a team?
• How would you rate your leadership skills?

Motivation to study medicine

• Why would you like to become a doctor and not a nurse?
• Why are you a good candidate for medicine?
• Did anyone ever try to dissuade you from becoming a doctor? If so, why did you persist?

Understanding the role of a doctor

• What’s more important in medicine - sympathy or empathy?
• What steps have you taken to better understand what being a doctor entails?
• Why do some doctors prefer to become GPs and some prefer being hospital specialists?
• What are the most important qualities of a doctor?

Empathy and breaking bad news

• You are a fresh FY1, 2-weeks into your oncology. You are responsible for a 12-year old patient, who is suspected to have leukaemia. The patient's father, who is visibly anxious and stressed, stops you in the hospital hallway to ask you if the boy's results are available already. They say they are tired of the waiting and uncertainty. At this point, you realise you forgot to bring the blood sample to the lab and need to take the bloods again. Explain your mistake to the patient's father.

Ethics scenarios

• Imagine you are the head of the surgical department in a hospital. There are two patients, A and B, both requiring an urgent liver transplant, but there is only one viable liver. Patient A is a 32-year old social activist, with a drug abuse history. Patient B is a 78-year old woman, who takes care of 3 children, whose parents died in a car accident. How would you allocate the liver and why?
• A  19-year old patient comes to your GP practice and discloses they regularly engage in the use of illicit drugs. They ask you not to tell anyone, including the police. What factors should you consider in such a scenario, and who would you inform about the situation?

Imperial and contribution to the school of medicine

• Why would you like to study at Imperial?
• What makes Imperial better than other medical schools in London?
• How could you contribute to our medical school?
• Tell us about a situation when you had to overcome a challenge.
• Medicine is a demanding field to work in. How do you deal with stress?

🚀  TOP Tip:  Have a hard time answering any of the above questions? Check our  Medicine Interview Preparation Resource , which is guaranteed to help you prepare convincing and structured model answers. Looking for more questions? Check our comprehensive  list of 250+ medicine interview questions .

Please note that these aren’t questions that have been asked at Imperial medical school in past years. Publishing such information would be against Imperial’s policy. The above questions are adjusted for the interview style at Imperial Medical School and are meant to give you a broad sense of the questions you may face.

✅ Imperial Medical School Interviews: 4 Tips

Start preparing early:

Most medical schools leave very little time before sending out an interview invitation and the actual interview date. Therefore, the worst mistake you can do is to wait until you receive an invitation before starting to prepare.

It’s far better if you start early and commit a couple of minutes to interview preparation every day for a couple of weeks or months, than if you were to cram non-stop for two weeks. Want to speed up your interview prep? Check out  Medfully!

Don’t let a challenging station affect your performance:

Remember that on an MMI interview you start each next station with a clean slate - the interviewers don’t know how well you did on your previous stations. Therefore, if something doesn’t go to plan take advantage of that clean slate and don’t let a lousy station affect your performance.

Before entering the next station, take a deep breath, forget about what just happened and channel all your energy to acing the next station. You’ll still have plenty of time to worry afterwards.

Prepare examples for situation-based questions:

Tell me about a situation when... is a common type of questions that can appear on your MMI at Imperial. The best way to prepare for this tricky kind of questions is to come up with a few examples that cover a variety of traits. Eg. In many instances when you’ve demonstrated teamwork you’ve also demonstrated leadership and communication.

Write down 4-6 different examples from your life, where you’ve demonstrated compassion/empathy, good communication, ability to solve a problem or face a challenge, teamwork, leadership. To improve the structure and clarity of your answer you can use the STARR (situation, task, action, result, reflections) framework. Remember that Reflections should form the bulk of your answer!

Find more insider interview tips in our  comprehensive interview guide  written by doctors and medical students from top UK universities.

🤞  Good luck with preparing for the Imperial Medicine interview! Fingers crossed!

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• Undergraduate

Medicine (Graduate Entry) (MBBS 4YFT)

Study at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, a collaborative and inclusive medical school embedded in communities of Cumbria, training clinicians who are innovative, adaptable and focused on the delivery of high-quality person-centred care.

Applications open on 14 May 2024

Study a bespoke, community-focused curriculum at the University of Cumbria and graduate with an Imperial College London degree

Gain early clinical experience to allow you to develop your clinical skills and professional practice

A 4-year graduate entry degree, with a commitment to widening access to under-represented groups in medicine

Course key facts

Qualification, august 2025, ucas course code, not set home, delivered by, pears cumbria school of medicine, minimum entry standard.

2:1 (or above) in a Biosciences or Allied Healthcare degree.

Course overview

Study at an innovative new medical school embedded in the communities of Cumbria, with learning opportunities across the region.

The bespoke programme blends expertise from the highly rated MBBS programme at Imperial College London, with the University of Cumbria's longstanding reputation in training allied healthcare professionals.

You will gain early exposure to clinical practice alongside research-informed medical sciences teaching. You will also complete a community-based project on a topic of interest to you, linked with prevention and healthcare delivery. Clinical skills training and multi-professional collaborative learning will occur across the 4-year programme. 

A professional development programme will support your academic progress and career development. You will be allocated a tutor with clinical experience in Cumbria and be given access to resources to structure your learning. 

You will need to be a home student with at least an upper second-class science or allied healthcare degree to be considered. Successful students will graduate with an MBBS awarded by Imperial College London. 

To encourage applications from groups less well represented in medicine and as part of our commitment to widening access, this 4-year graduate programme does not have any GCSE or A-level requirements.

• A new collaboration between the University of Cumbria and Imperial College London
• No.1 in the Northwest for Graduates into employment or further study within 15 months 97% of Graduates – HESA 2023
• Imperial College London is ranked 8th in the world for Medicine QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.

Find out more about potential course changes .

Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.

• Year 3 & 4

Year 1 will focus on the integration of medical science and clinical knowledge, while you begin to develop the professional values and behaviours needed to become a doctor.  

From early in the programme, you will undertake clinical placements and clinical simulation in a range of settings across North and South Cumbria, which may necessitate travel and/or temporary accommodation.

These sessions will enable you to develop your practical procedural, clinical and communication skills. You will also explore the contributing factors to health and healthcare delivery. There will be a focus on the application of research to healthcare delivery.  

Core modules

Medical sciences 1.

Explore the anatomy and physiology of the major organ systems with a focus on how pathophysiology underpins disease.

Clinical Skills and Professional Practice 1

Develop your clinical skills and professionalism and explore the roles and responsibilities of a medical student and a doctor.

Prevention and Healthcare Delivery 1

Explore the social, psychological, and behavioural factors that contribute to health and healthcare delivery.

Year 2 will delve deeper into medical sciences with continuing focus on the integration of medical science and clinical knowledge, widening your clinical knowledge, and further building on your professional values and behaviours.  

The clinical learning in primary and secondary care settings will increase, allowing further development of your practical procedural, clinical and communication skills. 

You will deepen your understanding of the factors contributing to health and healthcare delivery completing a group project in an area of interest to you.

Medical Sciences 2

Integrate the key concepts introduced in Medical Sciences 1 to adopt an evidence-informed approach to managing patients with multiple long-term conditions.

Clinical Skills and Professional Practice 2

Further develop your clinical skills and professionalism; undertake clinical placements across the region, in general practice, community and mental health, and medical and surgical secondary care.

Prevention and Healthcare Delivery 2

Deepen your understanding of the key concepts in social sciences and population health, while considering the practical aspects of applying research and healthcare data to improve health outcomes.

Years 3 and 4 are centred on your preparation for practice as a Foundation Doctor in the NHS.

In Years 3 and 4, you will undertake clinical placements in clinical specialties, medicine, and surgery, based in hospital and community settings. These placements will facilitate the integration of your learning within the medical school, and in the clinical settings, to prepare you for practice.  

In addition to being embedded in clinical teams, a range of structured teaching and simulation sessions will provide you with added experience of unfamiliar situations, managing uncertainty to support you in your practice e.g., making clinical decisions.  

During your final year, there will be the preparation for practice component. This will contain a pre-foundation assistantship, during which you will have a defined role and responsibilities within a local clinical team where you will participate in activities which are like those of a newly qualified doctor.  

You will complete your training with an elective period that will enable you to organise your own extended placement, either in the UK or abroad. 

You will need to complete all components of the Medicine (Graduate Entry) programme to a satisfactory standard to obtain your MBBS award

Clinical Skills and Professional Practice 3

Experience situational learning on clinical placement across the region, in a range of specialties, in both community and secondary care.

Clinical Skills and Professional Practice 4

Builds further on clinical skills, the professional capabilities, and the knowledge that is required for the Medical Licencing Assessment. The module also includes a pre-foundation assistantship and an elective period.

Professional accreditation

Please note: this MBBS programme is subject to ongoing quality assurance by the General Medical Council (GMC) who are responsible for the monitoring standard of medical education in the UK.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning methods, assessment methods, your timetable and learning.

Our timetable is structured to allow you to focus on your Professional Knowledge, Clinical Skills, Professional Values and Behaviours at specific times.   

We will use active learning methods so you can practise and apply your knowledge and critical thinking. 

A variety of assessment modes will be used, specific to the aims of each module in each academic year. These include, but are not restricted to, written, clinical and oral examinations. 

You will also undertake Workplace Based assessments, which examine clinical skills or practical procedures, undertaken in simulated circumstances, and/or in a clinical setting. 

Assessments will take place in class and/or online; they may be open or closed book. Assessments for the MBBS programme are pass/fail. You will receive regular feedback through formative assessments that will allow you to track your progress and prepare for the summative assessments. 

Medical Licensing Assessment

The General Medical Council's Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) aims to demonstrate that those who obtain registration with a licence to practise medicine in the UK meet a common threshold for safe practice. To obtain registration with a licence to practise, you will need to pass both parts of the MLA and demonstrate your fitness to practise.  

Student agreement

Due to the unique nature of Medicine programme, which emphasises clinical placements, all students will be asked to sign an agreement upon entry, which sets out the responsibilities of both Pears Cumbria School of Medicine and the student.    

The agreement complements Imperial College London’s current policies and procedures, promoting a coherent understanding between students and the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine Faculty as to what is expected from each, and improving the student’s learning experience. 

Placements and location of study

The programme is based at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, at the University of Cumbria, Fusehill Street Campus, Carlisle. 

You will complete a number of clinical placements throughout your degree in partner NHS organisations.  

From early in the programme, you will undertake a range of short clinical placements and simulation. These will be across North and South Cumbria, in community, primary and secondary care settings, including mental health.

During the programme you will be expected to complete placements in both north and south Cumbria areas which may necessitate travel and/or temporary accommodation.  

Towards the end of the programme, you will undertake a period of pre-foundation assistantship during which you will be embedded in a clinical team locally; and an elective, where you will organise your own extended placement, either in the UK or abroad. 

Staff expertise

You will be taught by a range of teachers from Professors to local health care experts, plus specialists external to Imperial College London and the University of Cumbria. You may also experience peer teaching.

University of Cumbria Campus, library, and facilities

Based at the University of Cumbria’s Carlisle Fusehill Street Campus you will study alongside students undertaking to a wide variety of different programmes. You'll find a bustling environment for students offering multiple spaces to use for socialising and meeting with friends.  

A 10-minute walk from the centre of Carlisle the campus allows students to enjoy the facilities at Fusehill Street whilst having the flexibility to easily access the city centre. 

Our libraries offer you flexible, accessible, and safe spaces. Our excellent range of digital and physical library resources support your learning. 

Our Skills@Cumbria team support your library, academic and digital skills development throughout your programme of study.  

Library and academic advisors team provide online resources , including our Skills TV channel , webinars , group workshops, individual appointments and email guidance to support you with searching, writing, referencing, presenting, dissertations and more. 

For further information, please refer to our facilities page .

Disability support at the University of Cumbria

Disability support will be provided to the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine students by the University of Cumbria. 

The University of Cumbria is committed to supporting disabled students to participate in their programmes of study. The University seeks to embed policies and procedures which promote disability equality and offer support through the provision of reasonable adjustments. 

Students are encouraged to declare Disabilities/Specific Learning Difficulties within the admission processes e.g., on their application form or UCAS forms, and during your registration and enrolment processes. By declaring information within these processes, the University of Cumbria can send students specific information and contact them to discuss needs. 

Our Disability Support teams will work with you to develop your learner support plan detailing your needs and required and recommended adjustments which will be shared with your programme tutor. Our Specialist Learning Advisors provide support, information, resources, and appointments for students with specific learning difficulties you will have access to a range of specialist equipment, hardware, and software dependent on your specific needs.

On each campus, you will find accessible workstations with specialist hardware such as larger screens, keyboards, and adjustable height desks. All computers have access to a range of assistive software and a selection of over 100 free accessibility apps for everyone to use.

Further details are available on our disability support page .

University of Cumbria Student Accommodation

With a bustling city centre, beautiful surroundings and a wealth of history, Carlisle is a fantastic place to live and study.

Campus accommodation at Fusehill Street offers modern, stylish affordable ensuite accommodation, with 85 ensuite rooms organised into flats of 5-7 rooms per flat.

Accommodation contracts for medical students will be up to 49 weeks so you do not need to vacate your room at Christmas or Easter. Further contract extensions over the summer can usually be facilitated.

University of Cumbria also has a nominated a 3rd party provider, Denton Holme Student Village (‘the Host’). Denton Holme offers 249 rooms within 25 townhouses, with resident parking and bike storage facilities. Offering riverside views, the village is a 20-minute walk from the Fusehill Street campus. Denton Holme Student Village is managed by Host, the student facing brand for Victoria Hall Management Ltd. You can apply for this accommodation via the University of Cumbria application process; however, your contract will be directly with the Host.

For further information, please visit our accommodation page .

Entry requirements

Currently, the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine can accept applications only from prospective students who are considered a home student for fee purposes .

Academic requirements

• Admissions tests (GAMSAT)
• English requirements
• Widening participation

Candidates are required to meet a minimum threshold score for each section of the Graduate Medical School's Admissions Test (GAMSAT) entry exam and are ranked according to this sum.

Subject requirements

Examples of relevant UK biological or allied health professional subjects as relevant to the academic admissions criteria are:

• Anatomy/Anatomical Science
• Biochemistry
• Bioengineering
• Biomedical/Healthcare Science
• Cell and/or Molecular Biology
• Dietetics and Nutrition
• Health & Social Care
• Microbiology
• Neuroscience
• Physiotherapy
• Paramedic Practice/Science
• Pharmacology
• Public Health
• Radiography
• Sports Science/Rehabilitation
• Occupational Therapy/Health
• Veterinary Science/Medicine

*The above list is not intended to be exhaustive because degrees vary. There are many other relevant degrees, and if yours is not listed you are advised to discuss directly with the Imperial admissions team. Candidates with degrees awarded by institutions outside the UK should contact the admissions team .

Graduate Medical School's Admissions Test (GAMSAT)

All applicants applying to the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine are required to take the GAMSAT .

Applicants are required to register for GAMSAT and to follow all instructions from the test administrator.

The GAMSAT results will be made available to the admissions team prior to the applicant's intended entry to the programme.

To apply in 2024 for the programme commencing in 2025 only results from March 2023 , September 2023 , March 2024 , and September 2024 can be used.

Admissions requirement

Applicants who do not apply for the GAMSAT sitting by the required date will not be considered.

Applicants must achieve minimum threshold scores in GAMSAT section I 'Reasoning in Humanities' and section II 'Written Communication' to be considered for interview.

Additional information

The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine will give emphasis to adjustments for those who are identified as coming from groups who are under-represented in medicine, as per the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine widening participation criteria (please see below for a description of this).  

These candidates will have an uplift applied to scores in section I ‘Reasoning in Humanities’ and section II ‘Written Communication.’  

The uplift will be calculated to account for the spread of scores across all candidates applying within a given UCAS cycle. All candidates will be expected to meet the same minimum scores in Section III Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences.  

Data used to identify widening participation candidates within the academic admissions process: 

Application data will be used to identify candidates who meet at least one of the following criteria:   

• Have spent time in care under a local authority. 
• Have a home address* postcode that falls into England’s index of multiple deprivation quintile 1.  

Have a home address** postcode that falls into POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2 and who also meet one of the following four sub-criteria: 

• Are the first generation in their family to have attended university 
• Attended an English school in the past ten years where the key-stage 5 performance is below the Imperial College London's percentile threshold of 20% 
• Attended a school in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland in the past ten years where the Free School Meals percentile is above the Imperial College London’s percentile threshold of 80% 
• Or have at some point, identified as young carers. These candidates will be reviewed on a case-by- case basis with evidence from local council social worker services.  

*Home address is place of permanent residence, not term time address.  

**These candidates will be flagged as Widening Participation candidates for the purposes of the shortlisting and interview. 

How to apply

Apply via ucas.

When applications open, you will be able to start your application via UCAS Hub. There you can add this course as one of your choices and track your application. Currently, the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine can accept applications only from prospective students who are considered a home student for fee purposes.

Application deadlines – 15 October 2024 at 18.00 (UK time)

Admissions test – the GAMSAT

To be considered for this course for 2025 entry, you will need to sit the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) as part of the application process.

Find out more about the GAMSAT and how to register for 2025 entry.

Imperial Bursary

A new Imperial Bursary is now available for students wishing to study the MBBS Medicine (Graduate Entry)   at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine (PCSM) .

For more information and how to apply, please visit our Imperial Bursary page .

Providing that essential examination requirements or predictions are satisfactory, candidates will be short-listed for interview according to their GAMSAT scores.  

Candidates are required to meet a minimum threshold score for each section and are ranked according to the final calculated sum of the three sections. The top-ranking candidates will be invited to interview.  

Multiple mini interviews

The interviewers are comprised of staff and students with experience in the admissions process, who will contribute to the decision process.  

These decisions are ratified by the admissions tutors. The following criteria may be considered when assessing your application:  

• Undergraduate degree classification 
• GAMSAT scores 
• 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  

Fitness to Practise policy

All UK medical schools have a duty to ensure that no member of the public is harmed because of training medical students. The Imperial College London  Fitness to Practise policy  may be activated in cases where significant concerns have been raised about the behaviour of students, including prior to their admission to the School.  

Multiple-Mini interviews (MMIs) may be conducted in a blended format with a mixture of in person and asynchronous interviews.    

MMI stations will seek to assess candidates across the following areas:

• Commitment to medicine and understanding the role of a doctor
• Potential to contribute to the medical school and the region
• Teamwork and leadership
• Resilience and adaptability  

In line with Department of Health and Social Care guidelines, our admissions policy is not restricted to residents of Cumbria, and it promotes equality and fairness for prospective students nationally. Domestic students from other parts of the UK are encouraged to apply. During the MMI, candidates who do not have links with local area will be assessed on their understanding of and interest in improving health outcomes for the people of Cumbria. See supporting information for data used to identify candidates with links to the local area.    

Work experience with service-users is strongly recommended and will be assessed during interview, together with other information in the personal statement.     

Health and age requirements

If you are offered a place on this programme, Imperial College London’s Occupational Health Service will send you a confidential health questionnaire to complete.    

We want to learn about any health problems or disabilities you have which may require special support, so that we can plan for this before you begin your programme. In accordance with our Privacy Statement, this information may be shared with University of Cumbria for the purposes of supporting students on their programme of study.   

We are also required by the  General Medical Council (GMC) to ensure that you are not affected by a condition that would make it impossible for you to acquire the skills to qualify and work safely as a doctor.    

We welcome applications from candidates with disabilities and, wherever possible, seek to provide any extra support that may be necessary. Most disabilities or health problems, even if substantial, can be accommodated.    

If you have a disability or health problem that may affect your fitness to practise or may be difficult to accommodate, contact the  Imperial College London Occupational Health Physician  for confidential advice before applying.  

Age restriction

You must be 18 years of age by the time you would start this programme.

Vaccinations for medical school

If you are offered a place, you must be immunised against a range of infections to meet health and safety standards necessary for working with patients. You will be sent details of the vaccinations you need with your offer. 

You should arrange with your doctor or a health clinic to begin this programme as soon as you receive this information, as it can take eight months to complete. Medical students are also required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.  

Blood-borne infections

Chronic viral infections that are carried in the blood can be transmitted during surgery to patients from an infected healthcare worker.   

When you come to the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, to comply with NHS requirements, you will be offered blood tests to check you are not infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV, before you are cleared for direct surgical experience. 

If you test positive for any of these infections, you can continue your programme, but you will not be allowed to assist with or undertake surgery or other ‘exposure-prone’ procedures on patients. This will not prevent you from qualifying or practising as a doctor, except for the restriction on these procedures.  

Mitigating circumstances

Mitigating circumstances are unforeseen, unpreventable circumstances that significantly disrupt your academic performance, such as an illness or bereavement.

If you feel you have mitigating circumstances that should be taken into consideration when we make decisions about your exam results, we recommend contacting us as soon as possible, ideally through your GP.  

You must provide appropriate, supportive, and independent evidence, not a letter from a family member or friend. The evidence must explain: 

• What the circumstance is 
• Exactly how it affected you in relation to your studies/assessment 
• Precisely when it occurred (i.e., identifying which assessments were affected)  

It is essential that you apply for mitigating circumstances as soon as you are aware of the problem.   

Late claims will not be considered without clear supporting evidence of why an application was not made on or before the deadline.

Resits, deferred entry and transfers

Deferred entry, transferring from another school.

We do not accept students who have previously started at or are already studying at another medical school.

We also do not accept students for transfer from other Imperial College London programmes.

Tuition fees

Inflationary increases.

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A Few Top Tips for Medical School Interviews

Anya Nanchahal

18 November 2021

A couple of weeks ago, a family friend asked if I could look over their medical personal statement. This made me realise that it has been three years since I submitted my own UCAS application. Three years feels like a pretty long time. Hence, I thought now would be a fitting time to refresh my memory on my application experience as it was ultimately what led me to Imperial. Seeing as the UCAS deadline has been and gone and any prospective students will have already sat the BMAT, I’ll focus this post on the interview and see if I can give you a few tips or tricks which might make the experience feel a little less daunting.

• Don’t wait to get an interview before starting to prepare for them

I distinctly remember that when I started preparing for my medical school interviews I had not yet received my BMAT results and therefore had no idea whether or not I would even be invited to interview. This made me exquisitely uncomfortable. I felt as though I was being arrogant, or tempting fate, by preparing for something I may never get to experience. However, medical interviews often have a very short turnaround period and therefore you can’t afford to wait to hear if you’ve been given an interview offer before you start preparing. Have faith in yourself and your UCAS form and just start your preparation without worrying about what you can’t control.

• Plan answers for the ‘classic’ questions.

This tip has a couple of caveats. Some people will tell you that under no circumstances should you ever script an answer to an interview question for the risk of sounding rehearsed. However, there are just some questions which you can be fairly sure will come up at some point. Why do you want to be a doctor?  Why do you want to come to this university? In my opinion, having an answer in your head for these questions just makes you prepared, not rehearsed. These questions also often crop up at the head end of your interviews so having an answer which rolls of your tongue will make you feel so much more relaxed and confident for the remainder of it.

• Speak to people at the university you’re applying to

Most universities will expect you to have a basic understanding of their course structure when you get invited for interview. They want to make sure you are fully committed to their institution and that you didn’t just apply to them as a ‘back up’ option whose offer you’re planning on declining in the end. I personally found it quite onerous and confusing to glean information about medical courses from university websites as they were often full of jargon and acronyms. Instead, in my opinion, a better way to understand how a course works is to speak to someone who is already studying it. They will be able to give you a first-hand run down of the course structure in likely a more comprehensible and useful way.

• Be yourself

It is easy to get bogged down with wanting to ‘seem’ like a particular kind of student in order to get into a university. However, in reality, you want to be at a university which wants you- not someone you were pretending to be. Have confidence in who you are, your experiences and what you can bring to the university. Don’t forget, they will be very lucky to have you.

I hope this was somewhat useful if you’re in the process of preparing for your medical school interviews. Try not to worry about them too much and remember that feeling nervous is completely normal. If you do your best and be yourself you can’t really go far wrong- whatever the outcome.

One comment for “ A Few Top Tips for Medical School Interviews ”

I am still in pg diploma certificate course. This article is useful to me. Thanks…I am keeping my course continue till June…still I will enjoy and afford my study course..shall I take a break for my next course or shall I can join any other new course from September 2022.. .a student imperial college university of london.

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Personal statement

You will need to complete a personal statement as part of your application.

This statement supports your application by demonstrating:

• the course is right for you; and
• you have the skills, knowledge and aptitude to achieve the course requirements.

It is normally one to two pages long.

You'll find a description of the course and the key course requirements, including skills, experiences and technical abilities on our course pages.

Use this description as a guide to the points you address in your statement.

You can also talk about how the course fits in with your desired academic progression or career aspirations.

What to include

You could structure your statement like this:

• Current studies and how they're useful or relevant
• Why you chose this course in particular
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• Extracurricular activities and interests
• Why you chose this university
• Concluding paragraph

Business School personal statements

Personal statements for courses in the Business School are slightly different than for other courses. Your personal statement provides an opportunity for you tell us a bit more about yourself and your motivation for undertaking this programme.

In the personal statement section of the application, we ask you to answer the following questions:

• Please share your motivation for undertaking this programme?
• What is your proudest non-academic achievement?
• What would you contribute to the cohort and to the Imperial community?
• How would you use your degree to make a positive impact?

Each section of the personal statement has a 1500 character limit (including spaces).

Applying for two courses

If you are initially applying to two courses, you can submit two personal statements.

You will have two options when submitting your personal statements:

• You can submit one document with both your first and second choice personal statements (marked clearly with headers); or
• You can submit your first-choice personal statement when applying. If your application to your first-choice course is unsuccessful, you can then send your second choice personal statement to the appropriate  Admissions team . 

Imperial College - Medicine

Medicine – 2013 ( oxford, imperial college, ucl, bristol ).

My interest in health and disease first blossomed in year 9, when I studied the impact of Bazalgette's sewage system on the cholera epidemics ravaging London in the 1800's. The ...

Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.

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Medical school profile.

Here, we’ll detail how Imperial College London School of Medicine selects candidates during the medical application process.

Use the menu below to help you navigate the profile:, grade requirements.

So you have questions about the grades needed to get into Imperial College London School of Medicine? You’re in the right place to find the answers!

• What GCSE grades does Imperial College look for?

Minimum of GCSE grade B in English Language or equivalent qualification.There is no longer any other GCSE or Scottish Nationals requirement.

• What IB score are Imperial College looking for in prospective medical applicants?
• Which A-Level subjects do Imperial College require?

Chemistry and Biology plus a third subject.

• Which Scottish Highers Subject combination do Imperial College look for?

Chemistry and Biology and one Science or Maths subject and one additional subject at Scottish Higher.

You’ll find this information summarised in the table below:

Summary Grade Requirements Table

Application requirements.

So you have questions about the medical application requirements to get into Imperial College London School of Medicine? You’re in the right place to find the answers!

• What are Imperial College London’s work experience requirements?

Work experience in a healthcare setting is strongly favoured.

• How does Imperial College London use the Medical Personal Statement?

Evidence of motivation to study medicine, understanding of medicine as a career, community activities, leadership qualities, ability to work in a team and general interests.

• Does Imperial College London require the UCAT or BMAT for medicine?
• Which interview style does Imperial College London use in it’s selection of medical students?

Multiple mini-interviews

Summary Application Requirements Table

Please note: the information listed above has been submitted from the medical school and is updated by them each application cycle., to confirm this information, see details on the course’s entry requirements, and learn more about the course itself, take a look at their webpage..

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Medicine personal statement example 3.

The complex structure of the human body is a unique beauty. However, when witnessing my uncle deteriorating due to cancer it showed that complexity inescapably meant that problems arise.

I realised the effects such illness can have on the patient and their families and appreciate how fulfilling being a doctor would be in such circumstances.

I have experienced first-hand how diverse a doctor’s job can be; not just prescribing drugs or performing surgery but also empathy and compassion being key to delivering an effective care.

This fact was highlighted during a period of shadowing a Professorial unit at a Department of Psychiatry.

Here, I realised the importance of treating patients in a holistic manner; doctors need to be skilful enough to deal with the health implications of both physical and psychological complaints.

I was able to observe doctors communicating in difficult situations such as witnessing the emotional despair of a patient suffering from profound depression, where key skills such as empathy, patience and compassion are essential to enhance the doctor-patient relationship.

Having observed clinical multidisciplinary team meetings, I am able to appreciate the input various teams have in providing effective care and ensuring a better outcome overall for the patient and their families.

Having worked in a care home, I was able to work closely with elderly patients. This made me aware of their specific healthcare needs and challenges in relation to their care. Healthcare needs are influenced by various other factors including gender, ethnicity and social class.

Doctors need to demonstrate the capability of recognising these specific healthcare needs and addressing them appropriately. Many patients were in a poor state of health and usually in terminal phases of their illness. This environment exemplified how healthcare staffs are often faced with emotionally stressing situations.

My experience of shadowing a GP and the attached community staff exemplified how modern primary care in partnership with secondary care is central to an effective NHS.

Furthermore, I understand the research aspect of medicine providing an evidence base for modern medicine as well as the need for clinicians to undertake lifelong learning for the benefit of their patients.

Having attended a medical summer school, I had the opportunity to speak to medical professionals and students; Speaking to them made me aware of the challenges associated with a career as a doctor such as the proactive balance between work with long hour shifts with social and family life.

I have completed my Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh awards, which enabled me to develop my interpersonal and speaking skills whilst teaching a range of children with different abilities.

I am the founder member of my school’s debating club from which I have learnt methods of critical thinking and respectful discourse which may benefit my career in multidisciplinary meetings and case conferences. Within my role as a science prefect, I have been proactively involved in organising open days.

Being chair of Doncaster Interfaith has enabled me to discuss and develop my views on ethical and moral issues.

Involving me delivering lectures to the public, furthering my skills in public speaking and leadership. I have started the Crest award to independently explore science alongside my A levels.

Biology and chemistry allowed me to develop analytical skills and Physics and Maths have developed my deduction skills in following logical processes to infer results. I love reading as a hobby to increase my knowledge and as entertainment.

The medical world is full of intellectual, ethical, physical and emotional challenges which doctors face on a daily basis, but yet this creates a dynamic profession which is one of the most rewarding. My aspiration for excellence and to succeed within the medical profession will no doubt help make a difference to the lives of the future.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by DMohammed for application in 2014.

DMohammed's university choices St George's Hospital Medical School Queen Mary, University of London The University of Nottingham Imperial College London Queen Mary, University of London

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

DMohammed's Comments

well.... this took me about 16 drafts before i got to this! but this isn't even what i wanted , i think i could have improved but considering i finished this 5 hours before the deadline i didn't really have anymore of a choice

i started it like in the summer holidays and have had it critiqued by a GP, a clinical doctor who teaches at Sheffield uni, a medic student, a junior doctor and an admissions doctor. alongside school staff such as careers advisor, head of sixth form , form teacher .

a few comments on what i was thinking while writing it , hopefully this should help you ,

mainly i wanted a good intro, mine might not seem amazing but i think it fits its purpose, it gives an interesting start and adds a personal experience and touch to it which i think kinda removes the cliché(ness) from it . then i thought i needed to show my wide knowledge of all aspects of medicine so used my work experience to describe an example and skills learnt and relation to medicine, then i used my other pieces of work experience to show an emotional side to medicine and aspect of care etc and what i saw and how i learnt/adapted... then used some work experience to show a bit of understanding to the NHS and also to medical research. i used my Sutton trust summer school as a way of showing my inquisitiveness into work life balance etc within the medicine course and in a career , showing i know what im going into etc then used my extra curricular stuff to add personal skills, DofE is perfect because of the volunteering which i got to do in a science class, so like allowing me to prove i can talk to different people of different education levels and abilities and adapt my skills into practice not just observing.

one thing i think is really important is to make this Personal statement PERSONAL (lol i know you're thinking " isn't that obvious?") but what you've got to achieve is a balance between what the university is expecting from you, and what you really have and you're happy to talk and write about. don't be one of those weirdos who writes it exactly how admissions want it , because too good to be true usually is , and they'll pick up on anything that seems false or too "perfect" . so get that balance right, yes , do write it like they want , but keep it personal. Big up on your personal traits which make you unique ! i love debating and interfaith discussion , i've lead protests and meetings and spoke in front of leaders of faiths and politicians , so for me i added that in to show them my personal things (yes i know , sounds boring , but i love it) , but remember link it back to medicine! also take up a hobby, i didn't and i regret it . everyone likes to see a hobby as its something unique to you and can get a lot of skills from it . (i tried to blag it with my "reading"... don't do that aha i don't think it works very well)

Anywayssssss.... erm i hope i helped and , god willing, i get into university , if i don't , its probs my UKCAT score which let me down, so don't disregard my advice! hope it helps/helped !

p.s. don't bother stealing even a sentence because plagiarism is detected , and also if you cant be bothered or are too lazy to write your own stuff then medicine isn't for you mate. try looking at childcare at your local college instead :)

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How Universities Use Your Medicine Personal Statement

Check our table to see how every Medical School uses your Personal Statement - and find out which ones place a strong emphasis on this part of your application.

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You need to understand how universities use your Medicine Personal Statement because you’ll need to know whether it can make – or break – your UCAS application .

How Do Med Schools Use Personal Statements?

In general, there are five main ways that your Personal Statement could be used by Medical Schools:

• Not used in any part of the selection process at all
• Read but not assessed
• To shortlist candidates to invite to interview
• To form the basis of questions at interview
• To help decide between two candidates who are otherwise equally tied

For example, Brighton and Sussex say they will not use your Personal Statement in the selection process – whereas others, like King’s College London , will look at it when considering applicants to shortlist for interview.

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Why Do I Need to Know This?

It’s important that you know how your target Medical Schools will use your Personal Statement, so you can decide how much effort to put into it.

For example, if you’re applying to universities that won’t use the Personal Statement for shortlisting candidates at all, you may be wiser to dedicate more time to preparing for the UCAT or BMAT . Likewise, if you’re applying to universities that place a greater emphasis on your Personal Statement for Medicine, you’ll need to really scrutinise how you structure and how you write your Personal Statement to boost your chances.

How Every Med School Uses Personal Statements

This table sums up what Medical Schools are currently saying about how they will use your Personal Statement. For more detail, and for the most up-to-date information, make sure you check their websites directly.

Once you understand how your Personal Statement for Medicine will be used, it’s time to start planning it to ensure your application is as strong as possible.

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Medicine Personal Statement Examples – Cambridge (Lucy)

Home » Application Guide » Medicine Personal Statement Examples – Cambridge (Lucy)

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Welcome to our collection of Medicine Personal Statement Examples! We’ve searched far and wide to find personal statements from successful applicants all around the UK and asked them to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their work for your own inspiration. Today’s subject is from Lucy, who studies Medicine at the University of Cambridge.

Lucy applied to study medicine in 2020 at some of the top Universities in the UK, including Imperial and Birmingham , and subsequently received offers from three of her four choices, of which she chose Cambridge.  

Let’s read the personal statement that got her a place at the University of Cambridge , or skip straight to her feedback to learn what made her personal statement a success!

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

Cambridge Medicine Personal Statement Example

Whole personal statement.

My interest in medicine stems originally from my fascination with science and its relation to the human body, and the opportunity to apply medical research to improve people’s lives. However, it was volunteering in a nursing home for a year and realising how much joy just offering care and empathy can give that motivated me to pursue a medical career.

Watching one of the residents with whom I had built a bond gradually showing the unrelenting impacts of ageing highlighted the difficulty in maintaining emotional resilience in medicine. This inspired me to read ‘Being Mortal’ which shed light on the roles of a doctor in end of life care whilst making me increasingly aware of the ethical dilemmas in supporting an ageing population. To enhance my interpersonal skills, I also volunteered at a charity shop where facing difficult customers has made me more confident and versatile in my interactions with the public.

Shadowing a GP emphasised to me the incredible demand put on primary care services but also the efficacy of triage and good organisation. Nurses ran minor illness clinics, freeing up GPs to see more urgent or complex patients which enabled the practice to run smoothly and efficiently. Despite having a backlog of patients to see, the GP’s calm and sensitive manner towards each individual was inspiring. A high level of care I aspire to achieve as a doctor. My hospital work experience reiterated the value of cohesive team-work during an anterior cruciate ligament replacement and I was impressed by how team members’ roles and responsibilities complemented each other. Team-work and leadership are integral to my role as a Prefect and as co-secretary in BAYouth, the Welsh NHS’ youth advisory panel, ensuring that minutes are written and projects completed. Sitting on interview panels has given me an insight into the diversity of roles within healthcare and the importance of each member in a multidisciplinary team.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing my Extended Project on nanomedicine as it showed how the scientific disciplines of physics, biology and chemistry overlap each other in medicine. Synthesising complex scientific literature taught me valuable critical thinking and extended writing skills. Through time-consuming amendments, challenging me to deal with uncertainty and situations not going to plan, I found that effective organisation made the research process much more manageable, allowing me to complete my EPQ to a high standard in one year. The scientific principles that underpin medicine continue to fascinate me, and therefore, I arranged work experience in the Centre for Nanohealth. It was exciting to successfully make and test my own glucose microneedle biosensor and assist in cutting-edge medical research.

As a naturally curious person, I enjoy investigating medical advancements in the New Scientist magazine. Since coming across a patient with fibromyalgia in my work experience, I have also been interested in topics surrounding neuroscience. The prospect of utilising scientific innovation in clinical contexts excites me and I look forward to furthering my understanding of science throughout my career.

As a Grade 8 pianist, I relish in performing in concerts and competitions under pressure. However, music, alongside badminton, mainly helps me to relax. I enjoyed completing my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award and the UKMT Mathematics challenges which made use of my problem-solving skills, and doing Grade 8 LAMDA examinations enhanced my communication skills. I believe effective time-management enables me to integrate academia with relaxation so that I can maintain a good work-life balance.

My resolve to study medicine is the result of long contemplation. I know that it will often be gruelling and will involve sacrifices, but I believe it will offer a sense of satisfaction like no other job. My intrinsic scientific curiosity along with my desire for social interaction drive a commitment to medicine as a life-long endeavour.

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Cambridge Medicine Personal Statement Example Analysis

Now, let’s go section by section and see what Lucy has to say about what she wrote:  

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

The introduction is simple & clear, with no filler or frills. My intention was simply to state why I wanted to go into healthcare rather than a purely scientific career . It’s always good to hone in on what is about medicine in particular that interests you, as it is very easy to discuss topics that could apply to other subjects like Biology, Chemistry, etc. It was also backed by evidence from my time in the care home. It is not too long which is important for maintaining attention, but gets across a lot of points and provides topics for further discussion in the main body of the statement.

It does feel a bit cliched to speak about medicine in such a noble and positive way, but it is how I genuinely felt when writing this statement. This can be seen in some of my choices of words, such as ‘joy’, which could have been a bit more sincere and less idealistic. The admissions team want to see people with an actual desire to enter medicine, but it can perhaps seem naive to describe experience like this in such a way. It also reads as if the nursing home was the only reason for me to pursue medicine rather than an accumulation of experiences, which wasn’t the case.  

Paragraph 1

This paragraph follows on from the introduction very directly as it goes into my experience in a nursing home which linked to my reading of ‘Being Mortal’, indicating that I have followed up on my interests and reflections. You should always be looking to demonstrate you understanding of the subject by discussing the connections between different experiences, as well as discussing how they link with medicine as a whole. Not only does it show an understanding of the things you do, but it also tells a story, which makes the statement more interesting to read. I also stated what steps I had done to improve on the skills I saw/read, another key element of writing a personal statement; reflection of one’s experiences.

I was a bit too vague with my discussion of ‘ ethical issues ‘ but it does give some room for exploration in the interview. However, the biggest flaw with this paragraph is the last sentence. While the connection between difficult customers and difficult patients may seem fairly obvious, this is still the type of thing that I should have actually explored in writing. Even with this in mind though, trying to connect retail experience with medical work was a very big stretch, one that makes me seem even more naive as the two fields are on completely different levels. This was a case of me having experience I wanted to mention without thinking about how it would work in the statement as a whole.  

Paragraph 2

Here, I delve into my most relevant work experience , which is essential for any medical personal statement. Through my description of the things I saw and did, I was able to express the various lessons and values I learnt from my time there. Showing how meaningful the experience was to my development is important for showing my commitment and engagement with the subject. As a more general example, I emphasised the importance of teamwork and showed appreciation for all healthcare workers I had encountered rather than just the doctor, further displaying my appreciation of the work it takes to enter the medical field.  

My first major issue isn’t really with the paragraph itself but with the format of the statement as a whole. This should have been my first main body paragraph, as it is a much stronger introduction to my abilities and understanding compared to my experience in care or retail. Those two things are important to mention, but I didn’t start with my best foot forward, which is a definite mistake. In terms of the actual writing here, I didn’t go into detail of specific experiences/things I saw that showed teamwork and was quite vague in ‘complemented each other’- in what way? Instead of describing that I saw a lot of teamwork, I could have cut down the experiences and went into one specific one in more detail.  

Paragraph 3

This paragraph emphasises my scientific interest which is an important skill to demonstrate,   especially for Oxbridge applications. Since I sought out work experience in an area related to my EPQ, it shows I am truly interested and dedicated in the topic. While you need to be prepared to branch out into other area throughout your studies, demonstrating that you have already formed an interest in a specialist subject is great for showing that you are proactive and independent.  

Instead of just saying I arranged work experience, I should have reflected more on what I gained from it or learnt from it. I could have also described a more specific area of nanomedicine or an interesting case I saw to guide/predict interview questions more easily. The amount of detail I went into was decent, but you can always go deeper into topics, provided you’ve got the word count for it. Either way, it creates a good discussion point at you interview.  

Paragraph 4/5

These two paragraphs delve deeper into my research and extra-curricular activities , which is always an important thing to discuss in the latter half of your personal statement. The research especially further demonstrates my interest in the subject, while my extra curricular activities help to portray me as a hard-working, well-rounded and multi-skilled individual, something that’s always important for admissions teams.

While my research shows further dedication and understanding for the medicine, I have not linked any of my extra-curricular activities to the subject in anyway. I do mention so very general skills that have been developed from these activities, but the best personal statements would link these activities back to medicine in some way, even just with a brief sentence or passing mention. How do my piano or badminton skills make me a better medical student? This is the type of question you should aim to answer.  

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This conclusion is short and sums up my reasons to study medicine nicely, which is exactly what a good conclusion should do. However, it also describes how I appreciate the challenges that come with it, which show a level of self-awareness and realism that I perhaps missed in my introduction. It follows from the paragraph about my work/life balance which demonstrates appreciation of the sacrifices made in medicine, while demonstrating that these are sacrifices I would happily make for a chance to study, and eventually work, in medicine.

I think that ‘ social interaction’ could have been replaced by something more specific to medicine such as saving lives or advancing medicinal technology, as social interaction could encompass quite a lot of professions. Overall though, I feel this is a very solid conclusion!

Final Thoughts

I have covered practically everything that is expected of a good personal statement in some form here. Despite a couple of structural issues, I believe I have prioritised the the most important and most effective parts of my experience in order to create a statement that paints me in a very good light. From almost all of my work experiences, I have tried to improve certain skills and I showed that I took action to do so. The introduction is as clear as I could make it which is important to convey my key reasons to study medicine while the conclusion sums everything up nicely without repeating too much from the rest of the statement.

There are various smaller issues scattered around this personal statement, but nothing that makes it become a weak piece of work. For one, some of the statements I made were unnecessary and vague. Rather than aiming for quantity of experiences/skills, I think that delving into the most important ones with good reflection and understanding of their relevance would have been better. I could have also removed the section about LAMDA exams and piano exams as they would have been described in my UCAS application anyway, and don’t link to medicine in any meaningful way in my writing.  

As I said before, I didn’t start the discussion of my experiences with the most impressive and important part, my work experience, which undervalues all the work I did during the time somewhat. My final paragraph about my extra-curricular activities was also a bit weak looking back at it, as the admissions team will only be so impressed by these achievements if I haven’t explained how they have improved my abilities in medicine.  

So there you have it! This personal statement helped Lucy get 3/4 offers in her application, which is an incredibly desirable position for any applicant to be in!

Everyone has different experiences and abilities, so you may not be able to relate to everything that was said in this personal statement. However, the information and advice provided by Lucy is universal and will help any applicant write a better personal statement!  

Be sure to check out more Medicine Personal Statement Analyses to see advice from all different kinds of applicants, including Ali Abdaal himself, who also attended Cambridge! Or if you want to get started on your own statement, check out 6med’s Personal Statement Bundle for all the support and resources you’ll ever need! If you want full support on every part of your application and a guaranteed place at med school, the Complete Bundle will be perfect for you.  

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