How to write a compelling UCAS Med personal statement
That actually works... (2026 entry and later)
If you are applying for Medicine in the coming cycles, this article is for you.
Let me start with a confession.
Writing my UCAS Medicine personal statement was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life.
Picture this: 2 a.m., a blank document glowing on my laptop, and me muttering, “How do I cram 17 years of wanting to be a doctor into 4,000 characters?”
My first draft? A robotic checklist of achievements.
But after surviving the process myself - and helping dozens of students craft theirs - I learned the hard truth.
Your personal statement isn’t a resume. It’s your story.
P.S. Need a personal statement sample? Go check out my LinkedIn post.
Why does your personal statement matter?
Admissions tutors read thousands of essays. Yours need to make them pause and think, “We need this person.” Here’s how:
Show your “why”: Move beyond “I love medicine.” Dig into the moment that physically hooked you.
Prove you’re human: Medicine is messy and emotional. Tutors want candidates who’ve tasted reality - and still want in.
Stand out quietly: You don’t need Nobel-worthy achievements. Share a care home volunteer’s loneliness, a lab mistake that taught you grit, or teaching your grandpa to use a glucose monitor (my COVID-era “clinical experience”).
The new UCAS personal statement format (2026+).
Starting in 2026, the structure shifts to three questions. Here’s how to nail them for medicine:
Why do you want to study this course or subject?
Focus on your “triggering moment” (e.g., a family illness, a volunteer experience) and future aspirations.
For me, I focused on the mishaps that my grandfather went through.
How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
Link A-level subjects to transferable skills.
Did Chemistry teach you about drug manufacturing?
Did Biology spark your curiosity about anatomy?
Did Physics lead you to learn more about radiology?
What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
Highlight shadowing, volunteering, or research. (The hidden gem!)
Reflect on what you learned - not just what you did.
3 top tips for writing your personal statement.
Start with your “Aha!” moment
Mine was my grandfather suffering from an ischemic stroke. Yours might be quieter: a conversation with a hospice patient, a panic attack during exams, or a lab disaster. What made you think, “This is medicine”?Be honest
Admissions tutors smell faux achievements. If you’re drawn to medicine because of a sick parent, say so. If you failed to comfort a grieving family, write about how it fueled your growth.Connect the dots
Volunteering? Don’t just say “rewarding.” Describe the nurse who stayed late to hold a patient’s hand. Research? Share how debugging code for a genetics project mirrored diagnostic thinking.
3 common mistakes by aspiring medics.
Trying to sound “smart”
My early drafts were stuffed with phrases like “holistic patient-centered care.” Spoiler: I had no clue what that meant. Write like you talk.Romanticising medicine
Avoid “I want to save lives.”
Instead, “I want to sit with people in their worst moments.” One student wrote about calming a toddler during a vaccine and the mom’s relief. That’s the gold.
The “I’m perfect” narrative
You’re 17. You’re supposed to be a work in progress. One student I mentored wrote about freezing during hospice volunteering - and how it taught her active listening. Vulnerability > perfection.
The bottom line
Your personal statement isn’t about proving you’re “good enough.”
It’s about showing admissions tutors the human behind the grades - the one who’ll show up on day one ready to work, grow, and care.
Medicine doesn’t need perfect applicants. It needs people who understand that healing is as much about listening as it is about textbooks.
When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:
Need someone to read over your personal statement for a rough feedback for free? Send me an email to themedicadam@gmail.com!