personal statement about health and social care

Perfecting a Health and Social Care Personal Statement

Introduction

Welcome to The Knowledge Nest, your trusted source for comprehensive guidance on health and social care personal statements. Crafting a compelling personal statement is essential for gaining admission to top educational institutions and securing a successful career in this field. With our expert tips and advice, you'll learn how to stand out from the competition and excel in your application.

Why is the Personal Statement Important?

The personal statement is a crucial component of your application for health and social care programs. It provides an opportunity for you to showcase your passion, experiences, and suitability for the field. Admissions committees carefully review personal statements to assess your ability to articulate your motivations, abilities, and future goals. A well-crafted personal statement can make the difference in securing a place in your desired program.

Understanding the Requirements

Before diving into writing your personal statement, it's vital to understand the specific requirements of your target institutions. Familiarize yourself with their mission, values, and program details. This knowledge will enable you to tailor your personal statement to align with their expectations and demonstrate your enthusiasm for their unique offerings.

Structuring Your Personal Statement

A well-structured personal statement presents your ideas in a logical and engaging manner. Begin by introducing yourself and providing background information that highlights your passion for health and social care. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of your experiences and the impact they've had on your desire to pursue a career in this field.

Subheading 1: Highlighting Your Experiences

In this section, delve into specific experiences that have shaped your interest in health and social care. Discuss any relevant volunteer work, internships, or employment that have exposed you to the challenges and rewards of the field. Highlight the skills and knowledge you've acquired and how they have influenced your decision to pursue this career path.

Subheading 2: Showcasing Your Academic Achievements

Demonstrate your academic prowess in this section. Highlight your relevant coursework, research projects, and any honors or awards you've received. Discuss how your academic achievements have deepened your understanding of health and social care and motivated you to strive for excellence in the field.

Subheading 3: Demonstrating Your Transferable Skills

Transferable skills play a crucial role in health and social care. Discuss how your communication, problem-solving, empathy, and teamwork skills will enable you to excel in this profession. Provide specific examples of situations where you've utilized these skills and their positive impact on those you've interacted with.

Stand Out with Unique Insights

To truly make your personal statement shine, offer unique insights into the field of health and social care. Share your thoughts on current challenges, emerging trends, or innovative approaches. By showcasing your knowledge and critical thinking abilities, you'll demonstrate your potential to contribute to the field and make a lasting impact.

In conclusion, crafting a well-crafted health and social care personal statement is essential for gaining admission to top educational institutions and securing a successful career in this field. Utilize the guidance and tips provided by The Knowledge Nest to perfect your personal statement and stand out from the competition. With dedication and careful planning, you can maximize your chances of success and embark on a fulfilling journey in health and social care. Good luck!

For personalized assistance and further guidance, feel free to reach out to The Knowledge Nest's team of experts. We're here to help you achieve your goals.

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Perfecting a Health and Social Care Personal Statement: a Guide with Examples

By: Angelina Grin

After completing your school studies, you can continue on to university or look for employment. If you decide to go on with your education, your personal statement will be your ticket to receiving the study place you want. What’s more, even if you already have years of work experience behind your shoulders, a personal statement will remain a powerful tool in your job search.

Typical Health and Social Care Personal Statement Examples

Making the introduction engaging, be as specific as possible, writing a memorable conclusion, a brilliant health and social care personal statement is one step away.

In this guide, we will look at a sample personal statement and find out what can be done to perfect it. We will also show you examples of what can ruin the impression about you for the person reading your cover letter.

First, let’s start by taking a look at a typical personal statement a university admissions committee receives from the applicants, written by Angela:

Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Angela Thompson, and I am currently finishing my senior year of high school in Los Angeles. I am applying to the University of Washington for the Health and Social Care program, as my biggest dream is to become a support worker at NHS.

Here is some information about me: I am an 18 years old student passionate about receiving a profession in health care. I have managed to maintain a great academic standing throughout my high school years while participating in a variety of social activities.

The University of Washington is my first choice when it comes to receiving a qualification that will prepare me for working relationships in the healthcare sphere, as its reputation speaks for itself. Besides, it offers a vast selection of specialization opportunities for students, which is definitely a plus for me.

I am an active, sociable, and empathic person. In my spare time, I love watching healthcare-related TED talks and interviews with outstanding people talking about society's problems. To me, studying is the most productive way to spend my free time. I am ready for all the hard work that needs to be done in order to become a qualified healthcare professional.

Thank you for your time and attention,

Angela Thompson

Such a personal statement is something hundreds and even thousands of young people across the country submit to educational institutions throughout their application process. However, there are several major issues with this example because it does not:

• stand out among others
• offer enough details about the author
• focus on subject-related achievements
• specify the applicant’s future plans

Despite the lack of such information, this letter can be upgraded to a personal statement that will not miss the attention of the admissions committee. Read on to find out how!

Tips to Upgrade a Mediocre Personal Statement

To be completely fair, let’s highlight the good things about Angela’s personal statement:

• it is focusing on the healthcare sphere
• it follows a clear, logical structure: intro, background, motivation, personal traits and skills
• it shows that the person is result-oriented

Knowing the advantages and downsides of this letter, it will be easier to fix and improve it. Here is a list of our suggestions on how to upgrade this personal statement in three easy steps:

Telling everything about yourself in the introduction may seem logical, but make sure you balance this information out with something the reader will remember. For instance, it can be a joke or an unusual fact about you. Here is a sample of a great intro:

My name is Angela Thompson, and I am applying to the Health and Social Care program at the University of Washington. My biggest dream is to do social work on a professional level. I have found this passion during my high school years (“right about time”, as my parents say) when doing voluntary work as a part of my school project. My teammates and I were raising awareness about the mental health issues of domestic violence victims and collecting funds for their support and treatment. It was a win-win situation, as I not only managed to help the local community and figured out what I want to do in life but also got into the Guinness Book of World Records together with my teammates, as the largest school-based volunteering program.

This sample demonstrates a personal statement introduction that makes the applicant wishing to become a social worker stand out due to an unusual story and a sprinkle of humor. Besides, the assessor can understand that the applicant has successful experience in teamwork and is passionate about the field of studies.

An introduction that is uninformative and too short will not hook the reader and can only be taken as an anti example.

Having a well-structured personal statement is not enough if the information you provide in it is vague. In the example, the student writes:

• “receiving a health care profession”
• “a variety of social activities”
• “which is definitely a plus for me”
• “talking about society's problems”

All these statements are really indefinite and could be written by anyone. Make them personal! For example:

• “Receiving a healthcare profession in midwifery is my biggest desire, because…”
• “I am a peer tutor, head of the student council, and take part in local charities, such as…”
• “I appreciate the variety of specializations available at Newcastle University because I am yet to decide whether I want to focus on the childcare or mental health sphere.”
• “I am deeply concerned about society’s problems, such as vaccination shortage and the availability of care homes. My family and I have faced these issues during our immigration process.”

Once you are sure that your personal statement reflects who you really are and contains all subject-related achievements you wish to share, you can move on to the conclusion.

The conclusion you’ve read in the personal statement example is alright. The author writes about notable skills and spending spare time. However, you can do it better by listing them in connection with your spheres of interest. For example:

I believe I would be a good addition to the Health and Social Care program offered by Washington University, as I possess skills that are crucial for carers, such as time management, leadership, responsibility, and empathy. Throughout my volunteering experience, I have learned that a healthcare professional should be multitasking and organized at all times. I don’t panic even when working under pressure, which is yet another valuable quality for the career I wish to pursue. I also have strong communication skills, which will be helpful when assisting health care service users with special needs.

I would be more than grateful if you considered me as a worthy candidate,

We highly recommend avoiding the usage of cliche phrases and quotes, as the university representatives want to hear what you specifically have to say.

Now you know how to improve your personal statement and get that study place you’re aiming for! However, if you are running short on time or you are still not sure what exactly to write, it is better not to risk blowing your chance.

Experts at Studybay have years of successful experience writing masterful personal statements, essays, cover letters, and other texts that get applicants into higher education institutes. Our written works are plagiarism-free and tailored to your needs. Do not hesitate to reach out and order the work, and best of luck with your application process!

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Health & Social Care courses: personal statement tips

The BU admissions team score Health and Social Care courses on the following five criteria: Determination, Resilience, Insight, Values and Experience, or DRIVE for short​. Below are some tips and further detail on what we are looking for in each criterion. 

For any health and social care course, it is also really important that you can demonstrate that your qualities include the ‘ six Cs ’, a set of values that the NHS expect all staff to have.

They are:  Care ,  Compassion , Competence , Commitment , Communication and  Courage ​.

Determination​

We want you to clearly explain what has motivated you to apply to the course​.

You could show us:​

• Why you are enthusiastic about the subject area​
• What your career plans are​
• The future employment opportunities you are considering.​

Resilience​

We are looking for your ability to cope with the demands of studying a Health & Social Care course. This means demonstrating:

• Strong organisational skills ​
• An ability to work independently ​
• An ability to cope under pressure​.

It doesn’t matter where you draw your examples from, we just want to hear about them. They could be from your studies, work experience, volunteering or any employment you have undertaken.​

We want you to demonstrate a clear insight into the subject area and/or relevant profession you are applying for, and demonstrate your ability to reflect on any independent research you have undertaken, showing us you have a good understanding of the profession you want to go into.​

Now is your chance to demonstrate:​

• That you have spoken to professionals in the field to get an insight into the role, or you have proactively attended relevant lectures or talks
• That you have read around the subject area and have a good understanding of what it involves. It is a great idea to familiarise yourself with academic journals related to the profession you are interested in, and doing this research helps show how dedicated you are to the role​.

We want you to show that you understand the values and skills required by the course and profession

Give us some examples of:​

• Your ability to problem-solve and work as part of a team​
• Your strong communication and writing skills​
• If you are applying for a healthcare course, how you share the NHS values.

We look for applicants that have undertaken relevant work experience through work, study or volunteering. If you don’t have any at the time of applying, you will be required to demonstrate at interview that you have a clear insight into the nature of the profession that you will be training to enter.​

Tell us about any work experience you have gained and how it relates to the course or profession:

• If you are applying for a Nursing course, this would ideally be related to the field of nursing practice that you are interested in​
• If you are applying for Operating Department Practice, it is strongly recommended that you can demonstrate that you have insight into working in an operating department​
• For Paramedic Science, we like to see experience related to an ambulance, first response, care or healthcare environment, but also consider other types of experience such as lifeguarding, the St John Ambulance or Red Cross​
• Social Work applicants should demonstrate experience in a social work or social care capacity​
• We understand that getting experience in some settings, like a Midwifery setting, can be difficult. There are a few different ways of gaining an insight into the role of a midwife that we recommend, including: talking to midwives, talking to women who run support groups relating to breastfeeding, child health, or family care, or reading relevant Midwifery journals
• If you are applying for Occupational Therapy you should be able to demonstrate insight into the role. You could arrange to shadow an occupational therapist and/or gain voluntary experience in health care settings or charities where you can gain some experience working with groups of people you may work with as an occupational therapist. Some NHS Trusts run virtual shadowing opportunities that you can access. You could speak to an occupational therapist over the phone/Zoom, explore the Royal College of Occupational Therapists website or read relevant Occupational Therapy books and journals
• If you are applying for Physiotherapy you should be able to demonstrate insight into the role and ideally applicants would have some experience shadowing physiotherapists. However, if this is difficult to acheive then any experience in a healthcare environment e.g. nursing home, elderly care home, special needs school, voluntary work as a support worker with individuals with disabilities etc. would be considered. 

If you do not have any relevant experience, you will be required to demonstrate that you have a clear insight into the nature of the profession that you will be training to enter.

Please check the relevant course pages for other helpful information. 

We appreciate that for a couple of years it has been particularly difficult to undertake work experience. If you have limited experience, you might be able to bolster this with:​

• Shadowing someone in a relevant health career​
• Caring for a family member or friend​
• Volunteering experience. This could be in a whole range of different organisations including schools, day centres, hospices, or mental health services. Volunteering for a charity could also help you get experience with a particular group of individuals you are likely to work with in your chosen career, e.g. children’s charities, special educational needs charities, mental health charities, homelessness charities, or specialist addictions charities​​.

It is also worth remembering that you’ve probably had experiences in non-healthcare environments where you have developed relevant transferable skills​.

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Public health is a purposeful, challenging and rewarding career and I experienced it whenIstarted working as a community vaccinator in the health department (Preventive Services). So, I’m writing this letter to apply to Debrecen’s university bachelor's programme in public health...

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Perfecting Your Personal Statement for Health and Social Care Courses

​​​Struggling to start writing your personal statement for a course within the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Gloucestershire? Here are my top tips to help you feel prepared and confident.

The personal statement is undoubtedly a key part of the application process for university courses, allowing you to showcase your subject knowledge, relevant skills and experience and to stand out from others applying.

At the University of Gloucestershire, we are looking for applicants to have work experience or volunteering experience which demonstrates the types of skills that are key for these health and social care courses. How could you demonstrate, for example, proven communication with lots of different community groups and compassion and empathy for others? This experience could include in a care home, community hospital or charity shop for instance. It is also important to note that for our Physiotherapy course, we are looking for specific work experience whether that be within a physiotherapy clinic or shadowing a physiotherapist.

Secondly, try and avoid using empty statements . These are phrases often found in personal statements which provide no real information about you on their own. Examples might be “the Six Cs are important I can demonstrate all of them” or “I have proven teamwork and communication skills”. Rather than using these standalone phrases, always link back to the experiences you’ve had (which could include hobbies and interests) that demonstrate these skills. In fact, make it really clear why you are applying to that specific course and what you will bring to it.

Last but not least, remember it is a personal statement after all. It should be unique to you , to enable you to stand out amongst a sea of other applications and be invited to an interview.

For more tips on writing your personal statement, you can chat to me or visit the UCAS website.

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Writing the Personal Statement for Health Professions Applications

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The personal statement gives you the opportunity to present a compelling snapshot of who you are and perhaps why you want to be a doctor. Use your personal statement to say what others can’t. The personal statement can be a tricky genre to master. On the one hand, you want to give the admissions committee a sense of your personality and who you are. On the other hand, you must sound focused and professional, which sounds like it might impede your ability to capture your personality.

But this does not have to be the case. What you need to do is figure out how to say what drives you to want to become a healthcare professional in as specific a way as possible. The more specific you can be, the more the admissions committee will feel as if they have a sense of who you are.

You don’t need gimmicks, jokes, artificial drama, or hyperbole to express who you are or why you would make a good medical student or doctor. All you need are carefully selected details that you can craft into a unique and compelling story that conveys a sense of purpose and motivation.

What Makes a Good Personal Statement?

• There is no exact template for an effective personal statement. Often, however, strong personal statements combine a concise description of a personal experience with reflection on how this experience either led the writer to pursue medicine or indicates the writer’s character or commitment.
• Good personal statements often have a strong sense of narrative. This does not mean that they read like short stories, though they can relate a few scenes or anecdotes from your life. They have a strong sense of narrative, rather, in how they convey the writer’s sense of dedication to medicine. Strong personal statements often give readers an idea of how applicants see their experiences as leading to the decision to pursue medicine.

How to Get Started

The personal statement is an exercise in self-reflection. Questions to consider:

• Who are you?  I am driven to… I have learned to… I believe…
• What are your most passionate interests or concerns?  What problem(s) most occupy your thinking and your efforts?
• How did you develop those interests?  (Not just the story, but what drives you.)
• What errors or regrets have taught you something important about yourself?
• When does time disappear for you?  What does this tell you about your passions, your values?
• What ideas, books, courses, events have had a profound impact on you?  How so?
• To what extent do your current commitments reflect your most strongly held values?
• When have you changed?  Consider yourself before and after; what does this change mean?
• How do your interests and who you are relate to your goals in medical school and as a doctor?

Start a “shoebox”; a place to keep random notes for your personal statement; be ready to write at any time. Review these items occasionally; let them tell you more about what you want your personal statement to say. Start writing drafts, experiments; you will know when a paragraph begins to gel.

A Suggested Writing Process

Everyone writes differently, so these are potential strategies rather than rules.

• Make a list of some of your most defining experiences – extracurricular activities, specific classes, volunteer work, research, hobbies, etc. Try not to include overly personal experiences (breakups, trouble with parents, illnesses in the family, and so on). It’s difficult to write about such things without being sentimental or cliché. You want experiences in which you did something and had to make a choice.
• From this list, try to select an experience that particularly demonstrates your intellectual curiosity, your dedication to service, your composure under pressure, your leadership ability, or any other personal trait that you think is particularly relevant to your case that you would make a good doctor or medical student.
• Start writing a draft based on this experience. You want to be specific, but don’t get bogged down with an abundance of anecdotes or minutiae. Try to use your draft to craft a succinct story that demonstrates your character and your motivations.
• Set the draft aside for some time (a number of days or weeks), and then revisit it with fresh eyes. Be as honest with yourself as you can be: What works in this draft? What doesn’t work? What sounds cliché or unspecific? Would a reader who doesn’t know me at all get a sense of my personal character and dedication?
• Revise, revise, revise: tighten the structure, add new things to make your point clearer, take away sentences or sections that now seem unnecessary, use the active voice as much as possible, and anything else that needs to be done. If what you have just doesn’t seem to be coming together, do not be afraid to start over.
• Solicit feedback from a couple of trusted readers and revise again based on the suggestions that you find most useful. Don’t solicit feedback from too many people though – too many responses can be overwhelming.
• Edit your work for grammatical mistakes, typos, clumsy repetitions, and so on. Make your prose impeccable before you submit your statement. Asking help from other readers can be especially helpful with editing, as sometimes it gets difficult to read your work with fresh eyes.

Things to Do

• Use the experience that you describe to tell a story of personal progress, particularly progress towards your commitment to medicine.
• Write with active verbs as much as possible.
• Strive for concision.
• Sound humble but also confident.

Things Not to Do – Common Pitfalls

• Don’t talk in hyperbolic terms about how passionate you are. Everyone applying to medical school can say they are passionate. Instead, show your readers something you have done that indicates your passion.
• Don’t adopt an overly confessional or sentimental tone. You need to sound professional.
• Don’t treat the personal statement like a piece of creative writing.
• Don’t put your resume in narrative form.
• Don’t use jargon, abbreviations, slang, etc.
• Don’t use too many qualifiers: very, quite, rather, really, interesting…
• Don’t write in overly flowery language that you would normally never use.
• Don’t include famous quotations. If you must quote, use something that shows significant knowledge.
• Don’t write about yourself in an overly glorifying or overly self-effacing manner.

What to Remember

• They are read by non-specialists, so write for an intelligent non-medical audience.
• Actions sometimes speaks louder than words so give examples of experiences rather than describing them.
• All information must be accurate – don’t pad, but don’t be falsely modest either.
• The personal statement, in part, serves as a test of your communication skills.  How well you write it is as important as the content.

Writing Resources

• AAMC: 7 Tips for Writing your AMCAS Personal Statement
• Graduate Admission Essays: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why , Donald Asher, Ten Speed Press
• On Writing Well , William Zinsser
• Elements of Style , Strunk and White, Macmillan
• Article :  2 Med School Essays that Admissions Officers Loved
• Guidance for Writing Personal Statements, Work & Activities Section, Secondary Applications

Office of Career Strategy

Visiting yale.

Personal Statement for Health and Social Care

Due to my previous experiences of working in the care sector, I believe that throughout my life as a nurse, I want to be able to communicate effectively with people with learning disabilities and physical impairments. 

My experience of working with people with learning disabilities has helped me gain an understanding of how communication works and how it should be used. 

This knowledge has been applied during my nursing and I am confident that this will help me when I start work.

My experiences in childcare, health and social care have given me invaluable skills and knowledge to work with people. I am now qualified as a health visitor and a social worker. 

I enjoy helping people by listening to them and giving advice. I feel confident and competent in these roles.

My experience helped to broaden my knowledge of working with people and how to deal with children with disabilities. In my free time, I have researched the role and requirements for health promotion to find out what is required. 

To build upon these activities further, I am taking part in a one-week work experience within the health sector. 

I will spend the first week in a nursing home focusing on helping elderly patients who suffer from dementia, and the next week assisting a health promoter in order to experience a more professional role in health care. 

As I am looking forward to both experiences, I am excited about consolidating my desire to study health and social care.

In addition to volunteering, I have also done some voluntary work with a year 6 class to increase my knowledge of working with young people. 

Another activity that I very much enjoy and find extremely rewarding. I have recently volunteered to complete a Level 3 V-Volunteering course. The certificate itself is an accreditation from Newcastle University.

Perfecting A Health And Social Care Personal Statement 

•  Make the introduction engaging and be as specific as possible.
• Start by highlighting your strengths. For example, you could say something like, “I am an excellent communicator.”
• Write a memorable conclusion. 

In this guide, we will take a look at a sample personal essay and find out what can make it stand out. We will also show examples of what can ruin your impression on the reader. 

Elements Of An Ideal Personal Statement

It is focused on the healthcare sphere. It follows a clear, logical format: 

• Personal traits and skills

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Health Professions Advising

• Health Professions Resources

Personal Statements

Health Professions Advising CBB 203/205 (Second Floor) E: [email protected]

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Mailing Address: University of Houston ATTN: Health Professions Advising Center University Classroom & Business Building Room 215 4242 Martin Luther King Boulevard Houston, TX 77204 Google Maps

Although most applicants focus on GPA and test-scores, the personal statement is a very important component of your application and should be carefully composed. This is your opportunity to highlight things about yourself that may not be mentioned in other sections of your application and to distinguish yourself from other applicants.

You should have several different people objectively read your personal statement and provide constructive feedback. In addition to the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) , your letter writers are often a great option. There are also resources on campus that can assist you, such as the UH Writing Center , University Career Services , and your major advisor. Consider the feedback you receive carefully, but be sure that the personal statement is still written in your voice!

Below we have outlined some advice and general guidelines to consider while writing your personal statement. Keep in mind that these recommendations are not restricted to medical/dental applications, but can be applied while writing essays for any healthcare professional program.

• See also UH University Career Services Personal Statement Tips
• Sign up for the UH Writing Center Personal Statement Workshops

Types of Prompts

Before beginning your personal statement, it is important you carefully review the specific question (or prompt) that is being asked and the character-limit, as there can be distinct differences between the application services.

TMDSAS ( 5000 characters ):

• Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. You are asked to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.
• Explain your motivation to seek a career in dentistry. You are asked to discuss your philosophy of the dental profession and indicate your goals relevant to the profession.
• Personal Characteristics Essay - Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others. The personal characteristics essay is required to all applicants and limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.
• Optional Essay – The optional essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. The essay is optional, however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Consider briefly discussing any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application which have not previously been presented. Optional Essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

AMCAS ( 5300 characters ):

• Why have you selected the field of medicine?
• What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
• What do you want medical schools to know about you that has not been disclosed in other sections of the application?

AACOMAS ( 5300 characters ):

• What motivates you to learn more about osteopathic medicine?

AADSAS ( 4500 characters ):

• Explain a defining moment that helped steer you toward a career in dentistry. Consider using that moment as the focal point of your essay.
• Be colorful, positive, imaginative and personal when discussing why you are a good candidate for dental school. Ask yourself—in a pile of 100 applications, would I enjoy reading my statement? Be sure to convey your passion for dentistry in your statement.
• Be yourself.  Don’t use jargon, clichés or big phrases that you would not use in daily conversation. Remember, dental schools want to know about the real you.
• Be original and thoughtful: Discuss how you would contribute to the profession and patient care, all of which will help you stand out from other applicants.

AACPMAS (4500 characters):

• State below why you are interested in becoming a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. Provide information about your development for a career in Podiatric Medicine

CASPA (5000 characters):

• In the space provided write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant.

OptomCAS (4500 characters) :

Essays can be customized for each individual Optometry program.  Most Optometry schools include this as their main essay question:

• Please describe what inspires your decision for becoming an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career.

OTCAS (no character limit):

• Your Personal Statement should address why you selected OT as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals.

PTCAS (4500 characters):

• Prompt: Every person has a story that has led them to a career. Since there are a variety of health professions that "help" others, please go beyond your initial interaction or experiences with physical therapy and share the deeper story that has confirmed your decision to specifically pursue physical therapy as your career.

PharmCAS (4500 characters):

• Your Personal Essay should address why you selected pharmacy as a career. How the Doctor of Pharmacy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. You should describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals.

VMCAS (1000 characters):

• There are many career choices within the veterinary What are your future career goals and why?
• In what ways do veterinarians contribute to society and what do you hope to contribute?
• Consider the breadth of society which veterinarians What attributes do you believe are essential to be successful within the veterinary profession? Of these attributes, which do you possess and how have you demonstrated these in the past?

When should I start writing?

You should begin working on your personal statement early in the spring semester prior to your intended application year and submitting your application materials to HPAC (if applicable).  Remember that the people who are helping you with your statement will need time to review it and you will need time to work through multiple drafts before submission.  In addition, some of your letter writers may want to see a copy of your personal statement before they write your letter, so you should strive to have a competent draft by mid-March.

What should be included?

It is important to treat the personal statement as an answer to a question (i.e., the prompt), rather than the opportunity to flex your creative writing muscles. Indeed, most applicants are STEM majors without much experience in creative writing; therefore, it is recommended that you avoid using the essay to practice your creative writing skills and stick to simply addressing the prompt in a direct, concise way. Some questions you may want to consider while planning your essay are:

• Why have you selected the field of medicine, dentistry, or other health profession?
• What motivates you to learn more about medicine, dentistry, or other health profession?
• How have you demonstrated your interest and commitment to your decision?
• What experiences have allowed you to develop the skills necessary to be successful in this program and to become an effective physician, dentist, PA, etc.?
• Did you have any exposure to role models who influenced your decision? Which of their attributes inspired you?
• Are your perceptions of this profession realistic?
• What are your professional goals?
• Is there anything you wish for your chosen health professional schools to know about you that has not been disclosed in other sections of the application?

Depending on the nature of the prompt, you may also wish to include information such as:

• Unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits.
• Commentary on significant fluctuations in your academic record that are not explained elsewhere in your application.

What should NOT be included?

• Avoid clichés and over-using/mis-using terms : How many times do you think admissions committees have read the phrase, “I want to become a physician because I like science and I want to help people”? Similarly, words like empathy and passion are, while applicable, can become empty in meaning when overused or misused. Consider exemplifying these terms, rather than simply stating them.
• Avoid unnecessary drama: While you may feel compelled to "hook" the reader with a dramatic opening to your statement, doing so may detract from the overall purpose (i.e., describing your decision to pursue medicine/dentistry) and may induce many an eye-roll by committee members.
• Avoid being vague : "[Insert experience] was challenging and rewarding." What does that mean? Be specific about what was impactful and how it affected you.
• Avoid brash decision-making :  Your decision to become a doctor/dentist should be the result of a series of thoughtful, conscious, and reflective decisions. NOT an instantaneous realization or epiphany. Similarly, you have not “always known” that you want to be a physician/dentist. No one is "born to be a doctor." Nothing is innate, you have to work for it.
• Avoid excuses :  In general, there are better uses for your personal statement than explaining away and justifying poor grades, incidents of misconduct, etc. Indeed, TMDSAS offers additional essays and opportunities to discuss these issues. However, if you choose to address these subjects, be sure to focus on what you have learned from those incidents and how your experiences have made you a stronger person.  Always accept responsibility and avoid blaming anyone else for your decisions or mistakes.
• Avoid restating your resume or activities section :  Choose ONE or TWO significant and distinguishing experiences to elaborate upon when outline the reasons behind your decision to pursue a career in healthcare. There is no need to narrate completely your 4+ years of college or carefully detail your activities from year to year; indeed, there are other sections in the application where you can detail your experiences and what you learned from each.
• Avoid grandiosity :  Claiming that you plan to cure cancer (or HIV, or healthcare disparities, or anything else) shows a grave lack of understanding of whatever problem you are planning to solve. Similarly, avoid “I know what it is like to be a physician/dentist from [shadowing/clinical volunteer experience].”  No, you do not.  That is precisely why you are hoping to go to medical/dental school.
• Avoid inflammatory or controversial topics :  You do not know the values, beliefs, and background of the committee member reading your essay.  For these reasons, you are advised to avoid making any strong statements regarding politics, religion, and other polarizing topics.  Be extremely cautious to avoid expressing any views that could be construed as derogatory to any group.  Additionally, your beliefs are not the only “correct” beliefs. 
• Do not lie :  Honesty and ethical behavior are the hallmarks of being a healthcare professional. Do not include details anywhere in your application or essay that you are not prepared to talk about or that are simply untrue.

Additional Recommendations

• Use simple formatting : Avoid the use of bullet-points, italics, and symbols.
• Read your statement aloud : As you draft your statement, reading what you have written aloud can help you determine whether your writing "flows" well and is an easy read for a reviewer.

• Social Care Ltd
• 06 January 2018

How To Write A Personal Statement To Get A Social Care Job When You’ve Got No Experience

• Matt Farrah Nurses.co.uk Co-founder / Co-owner
• Save for later

If you’re applying for your first job in social care and don’t know where to start, this article will help. We break down the three essential parts of a personal statement and explain how the experience you do have can be made relevant.

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Skills and personality

Before you write this section, look back at everything you’ve done in your life.

You will have gained skills and experience from your jobs and school that you might not have ever thought about before.

In order to identify skills you didn’t think you had achieved, look back on different situations and analyse the contribution you made.

For example, say you used to volunteer to look after an elderly relative in their own home by helping them get dressed and undertake every day tasks such as washing up or cooking.

From this experience you will have learnt how to communicate in a respectful way with an individual that is relying on your assistance in order to maintain their independence and wellbeing, to maintain their dignity throughout, and to carry out person-centered care.

You may not have realised you were doing it, but by simply taking into account the needs of that person and their personal preferences, you are beginning to provide person-centered care.

Those are key skills when working in social care, and excellent communication skills are vital in every social care job .

Use the person specification to write a list of the skills deemed essential for the role, and those that are desirable. Then write an example of a time when you demonstrated each skill in a different environment, preferably using some examples from education, employment and voluntary work.

For example, if the person specification calls for someone who can work well in a team with good communication skills and commitment, you need to look back on all the experience you do have and draw out an example that shows how well you worked within a team, how your excellent communication skills contributed to you performance, and your commitment to see that situation through to conclusion.

Be succinct.

How you expect the role to develop, and your ambitions for the future

Now the recruiter is familiar with who you are and what experience you have, you can talk a little about what you expect from the role, how it will help you develop and what you anticipate going on to do in the future.

This section is not just to gain a clearer picture of your ambitions, but also to see how committed you are to working in social care.

In order to show that you are truly committed to a career in social care, you should have an idea of how the experience you will gain should you be offered the job can influence your social care career.

You could go on to be a senior care assistant, support worker or a domiciliary team leader.

You could also go on to university to train to become a registered nurse or social worker.

What Do You Think?

Ask questions, comment and like this article below! Share your thoughts, add your opinion in the comments below.

After this blog post...

Once you've used our guide and applied for your job and have (hopefully) got to the interview stage, I bet you'll be worrying about what to say in your interview, right?

Well, we've got a blog post on interview tips for social workers . Using the knowledge you now have on applying for social work jobs with no experience, you can apply these to your interview, too.

You can also look at how to perfect your CV to really ensure you impress your future employer. Here's how to write a CV as a social worker .

Looking for job in social care ?

Next steps..., create an account., we will help you build a cv as part of that process., this will get you ready to start searching for jobs., care professionals helping one another.

Socialcare.co.uk is a website where people like you can contribute and share advice. Learn & never miss out on updates. Subscribe to receive email updates.

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About this contributor

I believe people working in healthcare should be able to choose to enjoy work. That is, choose an employer who reflects their values and provides them with a sustainable career. This leads to better patient care, higher retention rates and happier working lives in this most important employment sector.

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HIPAA Right of Access Videos

OCR has teamed up with the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to create Your Health Information, Your Rights! , a series of three short, educational videos (in English and option for Spanish captions) to help you understand your right under HIPAA to access and receive a copy of your health information.

• Individual’s Right under HIPAA to Access their Health Information
• HIPAA Access Associated Fees and Timing
• HIPAA Access and Third Parties

HIPAA Right of Access Infographic

OCR has teamed up with the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to create this one-page fact sheet, with illustrations, that provides an overall summary of your rights under HIPAA:

• Your Health Information, Your Rights!

HIPAA General Fact Sheets

• Your Health Information Privacy Rights
• Privacy, Security, and Electronic Health Records
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Who Must Follow These Laws

We call the entities that must follow the HIPAA regulations "covered entities."

Covered entities include:

• Health Plans , including health insurance companies, HMOs, company health plans, and certain government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid.
• Most Health Care Providers —those that conduct certain business electronically, such as electronically billing your health insurance—including most doctors, clinics, hospitals, psychologists, chiropractors, nursing homes, pharmacies, and dentists.
• Health Care Clearinghouses —entities that process nonstandard health information they receive from another entity into a standard (i.e., standard electronic format or data content), or vice versa.

In addition, business associates of covered entities must follow parts of the HIPAA regulations.

Often, contractors, subcontractors, and other outside persons and companies that are not employees of a covered entity will need to have access to your health information when providing services to the covered entity. We call these entities “business associates.” Examples of business associates include:

• Companies that help your doctors get paid for providing health care, including billing companies and companies that process your health care claims
• Companies that help administer health plans
• People like outside lawyers, accountants, and IT specialists
• Companies that store or destroy medical records

Covered entities must have contracts in place with their business associates, ensuring that they use and disclose your health information properly and safeguard it appropriately. Business associates must also have similar contracts with subcontractors. Business associates (including subcontractors) must follow the use and disclosure provisions of their contracts and the Privacy Rule, and the safeguard requirements of the Security Rule.

Who Is Not Required to Follow These Laws

Many organizations that have health information about you do not have to follow these laws .

Examples of organizations that do not have to follow  the Privacy and Security Rules include:

• Life insurers
• Workers compensation carriers
• Most schools and school districts
• Many state agencies like child protective service agencies
• Most law enforcement agencies
• Many municipal offices

What Information Is Protected 

• Information your doctors, nurses, and other health care providers put in your medical record
• Conversations your doctor has about your care or treatment with nurses and others
• Information about you in your health insurer’s computer system
• Billing information about you at your clinic
• Most other health information about you held by those who must follow these laws

How This Information Is Protected

• Covered entities must put in place safeguards to protect your health information and ensure they do not use or disclose your health information improperly.
• Covered entities must reasonably limit uses and disclosures to the minimum necessary to accomplish their intended purpose.
• Covered entities must have procedures in place to limit who can view and access your health information as well as implement training programs for employees about how to protect your health information.
• Business associates also must put in place safeguards to protect your health information and ensure they do not use or disclose your health information improperly.

What Rights Does the Privacy Rule Give Me over My Health Information?

Health insurers and providers who are covered entities must comply with your right to: 

• Ask to see and get a copy of your health records
• Have corrections added to your health information
• Receive a notice that tells you how your health information may be used and shared
• Decide if you want to give your permission before your health information can be used or shared for certain purposes, such as for marketing
• Request that a covered entity restrict how it uses or discloses your health information
• Get a report on when and why your health information was shared for certain purposes
• File a complaint with your provider or health insurer
• File a complaint with HHS

You should get to know these important rights, which help you protect your health information.

You can ask your provider or health insurer questions about your rights.

Learn more about your health information privacy rights .

Who Can Look at and Receive Your Health Information

The Privacy Rule sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive your health information

To make sure that your health information is protected in a way that does not interfere with your health care, your information can be used and shared:

• For your treatment and care coordination
• To pay doctors and hospitals for your health care and to help run their businesses
• With your family, relatives, friends, or others you identify who are involved with your health care or your health care bills, unless you object
• To make sure doctors give good care and nursing homes are clean and safe
• To protect the public's health, such as by reporting when the flu is in your area
• To make required reports to the police, such as reporting gunshot wounds

Your health information cannot be used or shared without your written permission unless this law allows it. For example, without your authorization, your provider generally cannot:

• Give your information to your employer
• Use or share your information for marketing or advertising purposes or sell your information

Sign Up for the OCR Privacy Listserv   Keep up-to-date as OCR releases updated health information privacy FAQs, guidance, and technical assistance materials.

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• How To Write Your Postgraduate Personal Statement

Choosing a university

• Fairs and open days
• Entry requirements
• What are the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement?

What's on this page?

What is a personal statement, preparing to write your personal statement, opening your personal statement, work experience and future plans, ending your personal statement.

Your postgraduate personal statement is your chance to get noticed for your expertise and experience you’ve gathered. It’s an important part of the application process as it allows you to talk about yourself and your passions and prove the value you can bring to your chosen university.

In this article, we’re going to talk you through how to write a postgraduate personal statement that stands out and gives you the best chance of being offered a place on the master’s programme you’re applying for. 

Shona Barrie – Director of Admissions, University of Stirling

You’ll have already written a personal statement for your undergraduate study, so you’ll know the importance of preparation. There are two things to think about when you’re planning:

• The practical and factual information you need to get across.
• Then, the more emotional, human parts of you that make you different to everyone else. 

Before you start writing, take some time to think about the key things you’d want your chosen university to know about you, and get them down on paper.

Questions to focus your mind

• Why have you chosen this master’s programme?
• Why are you passionate about this subject matter? 
• How has your undergraduate study influenced your decision to apply?
• Have you got any work experience that might help you?
• What life experiences have you had that you could talk about?
• What achievements can you talk about to support your application?
• Why do you want to study at this particular university?
• What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Three top tips

Be specific.

Remember that a postgraduate personal statement needs you to talk specifically about the university you’ve chosen.

Demonstrate experience

Universities will be looking for postgraduate students who are able to demonstrate expertise in a particular subject – so include that.

Show what you've learnt

Tell the university about your university life as an undergraduate and include any clubs or societies you were involved in.

Admissions tutors will be reading a lot of personal statements so it’s important to grab their attention right from the start. 

You can find a full guide on How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber but here are the main things for you to think about. 

• Don’t overthink the opening . Just start by showing your enthusiasm for the subject, showcasing your knowledge and understanding, and sharing your ambitions of what you want to achieve.
• Avoid cliches . Remember, this opening part is simply about introducing yourself, so let the admissions tutor reading your personal statement get to know you. 
• Keep it relevant and simple . You’re limited on how much you can include so avoid long-winded explanations. Why use 50 words when ten can make your point?

Talking about the course

Now you’re ready to start talking about the course and subject you’re applying for.

There are four main areas you’ll need to cover in this section of your personal statement. 

• Why are you applying for this master’s?  Think about your undergraduate study and how this master’s will develop your expertise further. Do you have career aspirations this course will help you achieve?
• Why does the subject interest you? This is your chance to show your passion and really demonstrate who you are. If you have work or volunteering experiences related to the subject, include them here.
• Why do you think you’ll be an asset to the university?  Your personal and practical skills combined together create a unique picture of who you are and why you’ll be a successful postgraduate student, so include both. 
• How does your previous undergraduate study relate to the course? Showcase your enthusiasm for your current study and take the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge now, and how you want to build on that. 

Next, you’ll need to write about your personal skills and achievements.

Universities like to know the abilities you have that’ll help you on the course, or generally with life at university. Don’t forget to include evidence to back up why you’re so passionate about the programme you’ve chosen.

Your personal skills and achievements

Be bold and talk about the achievements you’re proud of., include positions of responsibility you hold, or have held, both in and out of school., what are the things that make you interesting, special, or unique .

Your work experience and future plans are important to include in your personal statement. You should share details of jobs, placements, work experience, or voluntary work, particularly if it's relevant to your course. 

• Try to link any experience to skills or qualities that’ll make you successful on your course.
• If you know what you’d like to do after as a career, explain how you plan to use the knowledge and experience you’ll gain.

It’s always good to connect the beginning of your statement to the end and a great way to reinforce what you said at the start. You want to see the ending as your chance to end in a way that’ll make the university remember you. 

This final part of your personal statement should emphasise the great points you’ve already made and answer the question of why you should be offered a place on the course. 

Read our full guide on How to finish your statement the right way .

Aakriti Labra – MSc Occupational and Organisational Psychology, University of Surrey

Now you’ve written your postgraduate personal statement, you’ll need to do a couple of final things before you submit it. 

• Have you proofread your personal statement? Don’t just rely on spellcheckers. We’d recommend reading it out loud as that’s a great way to spot any errors as well as checking it sounds like you. 
• Have you asked for feedback? Ask friends, family or your undergraduate university tutors to have a read through your personal statement and take their feedback on board.
• Check out our personal statement dos and don'ts Have a look at the common pitfalls against your final draft to make sure you haven't made any obvious errors!

Postgraduate

More advice.

Use the UCAS’ personal statement tool alongside this guide to help you structure your ideas.

Do you want to understand the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement? Take a look at our guide here.

Why study a postgraduate course? Find out here.  

What funding is there for postgraduate courses?  

Sponsored articles UCAS Media Service

Student finance for postgraduate loans, how to find a job, five reasons to sign up to the ucas newsletter.

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