So I've been the worst blogger ever of late... fourth year freshers came and went and I almost forgot all about this little blog, then I remembered and drafted this little post but, between incessant deadlines I forgot to publish - SORRY!!!
Anyway, as the title suggests, this post is about UCAS with its October 15th deadline looming I thought now is as good a time as any to have a little chat about that dreaded PS and how to fill in UCAS forms.
So - the whole UCAS process for most of us graduate entry applicants will be at least 3/4 years ago if not more! And if your school was anything like mine, you got quite a lot of help on how to fill it in. Well people in cyberspace - this is no longer the case.... something I spent the summer trying to wrap my head around! The good news is that the lovely people at UCAS who answer the phone very quickly (if you phone at a good time) are absolutely great and extremely helpful! When I was done with mine, I gave them a quick call and they went through the various sections of my application with me and I checked that I'd filled in all the right boxes, and had done so correctly. To be honest, its all pretty self-explanatory but there's always that fear that you've screwed it up a little when no-one's there to hold your hand!
Then there's the personal statement (PS from now on because I'm lazy). So although I'm sitting here writing a blog, I actually find it very difficult to write things that aren't Biology essays (sad, I know!!). Even harder is the prospect of writing a whole document all about you! The only advice I have for you here is SELL YOURSELF! You're trying to get into medical school and although you might not think you've done enough to get a place, you probably have so TELL THEM ABOUT IT!!! Another piece of advice is not to make your PS just a long list of stuff - tell a story about yourself/your life/whatever it is you want to say. No-one likes to read lists so make it interesting.
I've got another post just after this one for more helpful hints about personal statement writing!
Finally there's your reference - you're no longer in school and you're either in the big wide world of work or at uni. If you're like me and at uni you might be thinking 'but I never talk in lectures so no-one knows who I am'.... I also had that fear but finally realised that lecturers (well most of them!) are more than willing to help so will have a meeting with you and read your PS so they can get to know you and write a reference. My uni has 'advisers' (I think some unis call these 'tutors') and they will definitely know something about them. You have to chose who you think will do you justice but importantly - have you given them enough time to actually write you a good reference?!
Obviously there's that little thing of choosing which four unis your going to be applying to but I've already written about open days and this is a personal choice so I can't help you there.
That's it for now my dears - don't forget the deadline is looming so get to typing.
GOOD LUCK!
Dr Wannabe x
You can look on internal medicine residency personal statement sample if you are not understnading our format. Writing a letter or statment should be technical just have clear mind before to write.
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