I am currently a doctor working in acute medicine at King's College Hospital in London. My academic journey has been slightly unconventional. I studied Geography, Maths and German at A level (and History to AS Level) and went onto study Geography at the University of Oxford graduating in 2013. In my 2nd year of Oxford I had decided I wanted to be a doctor so applied for graduate-entry medicine and got a place at Newcastle. I graduated from Newcastle University in 2017 after which I moved to London where I have worked as a doctor for nearly 4 years. Being a student at both Oxford and Newcastle was amazing and to anyone considering either of these universities or subjects- you should definitely go for it!
In applying for any university course, start by going on the relevant university website and see what qualities they are seeking in prospective students. Your personal statement is your opportunity to demonstrate those qualities. Ensure everything in your statement is relevant and demonstrates why they should pick you and why you have picked them.
In applying to study geography at Oxford, I did work experience at an Environment agency; visited sites of geographic interest (Creswell Craggs) and subscribed to National Geographic Magazine. I wrote about a couple articles from National Geographic- this also gave me something to talk about in the interview. Articles are a quick and easy way of accessing academic literature and providing material for your statement. Be prepared to talk about anything you have put in your personal statement. I had mentioned some work experience I'd done at a bank in Retford and they asked me in my interview about the role of banks in the financial crash (eek).
Think about being efficient with the things you have already done/read/written. If you've been on a school trip somewhere or already done a project at school, use it! Think about hobbies, places you might have travelled (pre-covid), and previous part-time jobs. They can all be used to demonstrate interest. Even things close to home- has living by a river led to keen interest in river formation? Do you love cycling and therefore been reading about the impact of cycling and cycle lanes on the development of cities and pattern of housing developments? Did you go on the school ski trip and become fascinated with glacier formation? Seems obvious, but climate change! Recycling initiatives your area? Rewilding? Electric cars? And of course, covid. The geographical implications of covid- environmental, physical and human- are infinite. Be creative! You could think about how covid has affected the geography of your own environment. This will be unique from other applicants.
For my application to graduate-entry medicine, I did work experience at Kings Mill Hospital. I volunteered at a care home in Oxford- serving tea and coffee and chatting to the residents. I volunteered at a day centre for disabled young adults in Retford and got a parttime job as an HCA in the summer holidays at a local care home. That said, I actually only did a couple of shifts and only ever went to the care home for a couple of hours, but it still gave me something to talk about in my personal statement and demonstrated commitment. Covid has obviously limited these opportunities for your year group but existing knowledge and previous experiences can always be adapted. You might have had vaccinations, visited the GP, perhaps visited people in hospital, or even been in hospital yourself. Have you ever been a scout leader? Done a first aid course? Been present at a medical emergency or accident and seen paramedics operate? You don't necessarily need to have done work experience to have experiences of healthcare. In terms of academic examples, keep it simple and use specific examples. Studying the plague in history might have triggered a fascination in infectious diseases (but then pick one aspect of one infectious disease); a personal or family experience of illness might have sparked a particular interest; studying the one child policy in geography at GCSE might have led you to read about population studies/public health/fertility. Acknowledge the bigger picture but then hone in on a specific example. If your personal experience is, an allergy, acknowledge the immunology context but then talk about, for example an initiative teaching the use of epipens. Brainstorm your own examples to demonstrate your interest and commitment to medicine. Explain why you are suited to the career, and ultimately why they should pick you.
Hope this provides some inspiration.
Good luck!
Harriet
You can contact Harriet at: harrietmoorhouse@live.co.uk
Or explore her page on the Community Hub
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