Everyone always tells aspiring medical students to reflect on their personal statements. This can seem daunting, especially if you feel like you don’t have enough direct experience in healthcare (e.g. shadowing in a hospital).
As much as medical schools understand that many applicants, particularly sixth-form students, won’t have had the chance to work in a clinical setting yet, they still want to see how your personal experiences—whether they’re from school, volunteering, or other activities you have done—demonstrate the key qualities needed to thrive in medicine.
The NHS core values are a great guide for reflecting on your work experience in your personal statement. Here’s how you can reflect on these values, even if your experiences don’t come from direct clinical/ shadowing experience.
1. Respect and Dignity:
Respect isn’t only demonstrated in a medical career – you can use many experiences to demonstrate your understanding.
Have you ever been part of a team or group project where you listened to others’ ideas and helped everyone feel included? Maybe you’ve helped resolve a conflict between team members by ensuring everyone’s perspective was respected.
You could even draw from a personal experience, like when you supported a friend or a family member going through a tough time by being there for them and respecting their need for privacy. These examples show that you understand the importance of treating people with respect and dignity, which is at the heart of good patient care.
2. Commitment to Quality of Care
While you might not have had the chance to care for patients yet, you can still show how you value quality and strive for excellence in what you do. For example, think about any projects you might have completed. Have you ever gone the extra mile to improve a project or assignment by doing extra research?
Tutoring is a great example of how you may have demonstrated this quality. You could also work/ volunteer with children, elderly people or people with special needs. Alongside improving a myriad of other skills, you will demonstrate your commitment to delivering quality care.
You could also reflect on something you have seen whilst completing some work shadowing. Commitment to quality of care is an essential part of the NHS - doctors need to ensure their patients receive the best care. You can also talk about how you’re curious and eager to learn about new things, which shows that you’re committed to staying updated and always striving for the best outcomes.
3. Compassion
Compassion is the way care is provided through relationships built on empathy, respect, and dignity. It can also be characterised as thoughtful kindness and is fundamental to how individuals experience their care. As aspiring doctors, it’s important to remember that patients are more than just their medical conditions; they are individuals with unique stories and worries. You should be able to demonstrate your understanding of this.
In your personal statement, discuss any training or experiences that have equipped you with strong communication skills. This could include workshops, volunteer experiences, or coursework that emphasizes active listening and empathetic communication.
For instance, if you’ve volunteered in a healthcare setting, describe how you interacted with patients. Did you listen to their concerns? How did your communication skills help you understand their needs better? Sharing specific anecdotes can demonstrate your ability to build rapport and trust with patients, which is essential in providing compassionate care.
Patient-centred care is another vital aspect to include in your personal statement. This approach emphasizes involving patients in their own healthcare decisions, ensuring they feel respected and valued.
Here is an example from a personal statement – it is from a graduate statement, but it will help you understand how to incorporate this core value:
Completing a six-week placement as a project manager at a clinical trial site allowed me to consider ethical dilemmas regarding autonomy and non-maleficence. I interacted with volunteers to communicate the objectives and process of the trial. This showed me the importance of providing scientific information in a clear, transparent manner. I learnt the significance of informed consent and adapting communication methods to ensure complete comprehension and to cater to a range of individual needs. As an academic tutor and mentor, I have refined this ability, alongside the ability to be compassionate and empathetic when dealing with challenging people and circumstances.
(Remember that this is a means of inspiration from you, but should not be plagiarised.)
4. Improving Lives
Improving lives doesn’t always mean curing diseases—it’s about making a positive impact, big or small. Think about ways you’ve helped people in your life or community. Maybe you volunteered at a local charity, tutored younger students, or raised awareness for a cause you care about. Even something like being part of a sports team or running a school club where you helped other members succeed can count as improving lives. These examples show that you’re committed to improving the world, which is ultimately what being a doctor is all about.
5. Working Together for Patients
Medicine is all about teamwork, and you’ve probably already been part of many teams, even if it wasn’t in a healthcare setting. Have you worked on group projects at school or been part of a sports team or extracurricular group? These experiences teach you how to communicate, collaborate, and work towards a common goal, which are essential skills in medicine. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals work closely together to care for patients, so highlighting your ability to work well with others—whether it was planning an event, completing a project, or working part-time at a job—will show that you’re ready for the teamwork needed in healthcare.
6. Everyone Counts
The value of "Everyone Counts" is about inclusivity and fairness. It’s important to show that you understand the importance of treating everyone equally, no matter their background, race, or social situation. Maybe you’ve been involved in an initiative at school that promoted diversity and inclusion, or you’ve stood up for someone who was being excluded or treated unfairly. You could also mention times when you made sure that everyone’s voice was heard in a group setting, or when you volunteered with a diverse community. This shows that you’re committed to making sure everyone gets the care and respect they deserve, which is a crucial part of being a doctor.
When you write your statement, don’t worry if you haven’t had direct experience in healthcare just yet. Focus on showing how your experiences—whether they’re from school, volunteering, or your personal life—demonstrate the values that matter most in medicine. Use stories and examples that highlight these qualities, and be honest about what you’ve learned from them. Remember, medical schools aren’t just looking for students who already know everything about healthcare. They’re looking for people who have the potential to grow into compassionate, skilled, and thoughtful doctors. By reflecting on how you’ve demonstrated the NHS core values in your own life, you’ll show that you’re ready to take the next step in your journey to becoming a doctor.
Good luck, and remember—you’ve got this!
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