How to Write a Medicine Personal Statement for UCAS 2026 (With Examples)

From September 2025, UCAS is introducing a new format for the personal statement for those applying for courses starting in 2026. Instead of a single essay, applicants must now answer three separate questions, each with a minimum of 350 characters, within the existing 4,000-character limit. In this article, we’ll learn how to write a medicine personal statement for UCAS 2026 and see some examples.

According to UCAS, this change:

• Improves fairness by offering clear guidance and structure
• Reduces stress and levels the playing field for students from underrepresented backgrounds
• Helps admissions tutors more easily compare applicants

Question 1: Why do you want to study medicine?

What to cover:

• Your motivation and inspiration: Share the pivotal moment, role model, or insight that sparked your interest.
• Subject knowledge and curiosity: Mention relevant books, projects, or research demonstrating genuine engagement.
• Future goals: Explain how medicine aligns with your long-term ambitions.

Avoid saying “I want to help people” without explanation; go deeper. What does helping look like in practice? Why medicine, and not another caring profession (like nursing, radiography, midwifery, etc.)

Example snippet (approx. 500 characters):
“During a week-long hospital shadowing placement, I witnessed the vital role doctors play in patient advocacy. Reading Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal deepened my understanding of compassionate care. I aspire to combine clinical excellence with empathy to support underserved communities and contribute to advances in public health.”

Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies prepared you for medicine?

What to cover:

• Academic preparation: Discuss A-levels or IB subjects (especially sciences) and skills you’ve developed – analytical thinking, essay-writing, lab research.
• Extracurricular activity: Highlight relevant enrichment (e.g., Extended Essay, MOOCs, summer schools).
• Achievements and responsibilities beyond grades: Competitions, leadership roles, awards.

Don’t just list subjects: “I study Biology and Chemistry, which are relevant to medicine.” That’s already assumed. What matters is what you’ve learned and how you’ve developed academically. Vague lines like “I’m good at science” or “I always get good grades” don’t tell the reader anything useful.

Similarly, name-dropping an EPQ or summer school without context adds no value. Just saying “I did an EPQ on cancer” is meaningless unless you reflect on what it taught you.

Instead, explain how a particular topic challenged you, what skills you built (e.g., analysing data, managing a long-term project), and how those skills relate to medical study.

Example snippet:
“A-Level Biology and Chemistry have strengthened my analytical skills, especially through dissecting complex case studies. Completing the IB Extended Essay on epidemiology taught me how to conduct independent research and interpret statistical data—skills directly applicable to a medicine degree.”

Question 3: What else have you done outside of education, and why is it useful?

What to cover:

• Work experience and volunteering: Clinical placements, care-home support, community health initiatives.
• Transferable skills: Communication, teamwork, resilience—developed through part-time work, sports, or extracurriculars.
• Personal responsibilities: Family care or other contexts that demonstrate maturity and empathy.

Avoid empty phrases like “I work well in a team” or “I am a natural leader.” If you’re going to claim a strength, back it up with a real example, and more importantly explain what you learned from it.

Be careful with mentioning extracurriculars that don’t link clearly to medicine. For example, “I love baking cakes and playing video games” may be true, but if you can’t connect it to useful traits (like focus, creativity, or stress relief), leave it out.

Also, avoid exaggerating: “Volunteering at a care home made me realise I want to save lives.” That’s not what you were doing. Keep things grounded and honest.

Instead, choose a couple of meaningful activities and reflect on the skills they helped you build, communication, empathy, leadership, resilience, and why those skills matter in medicine.

Example snippet:
“Volunteering weekly at a care home taught me patience and compassion. Assisting staff with daily tasks, I developed empathy and clear communication with residents. As captain of my school sports team, I honed leadership skills and learned to support teammates under pressure—preparing me for the collaborative and fast-paced environment of medicine.”

Structure and Distribution

• Total character limit: 4,000 (with spaces)
• Minimum 350 characters per question
• Admissions teams will review all three responses as one cohesive statement—so keep it focused and avoid repetition.
• For very competitive courses like medicine, allocate about 80–90% of characters to Questions 1 and 2 (academic focus), and up to 20% to Question 3.
  

Top Personal Statement Tips for Applicants

1. Plan your content carefully: Make sure each answer clearly responds to its question—avoid generic intros.
2. Be reflective, not just descriptive: Explain why your experiences matter and what skills you’ve developed.
3. Back up your claims: Use real examples to evidence your traits instead of vague adjectives.
4. Stick to guidance: Meet the 350-character minimum, stay within 4,000 characters, and use formal language.
5. Avoid duplication: Use each example once; admissions tutors prefer breadth over repetition.
6. Proofread carefully: Maintain an academic tone, check spelling and grammar, and ensure the work is original.
   

Why This Change Matters

• Fairness and clarity: The new format supports students from all backgrounds by guiding structure and focus.
• Consistency for providers: Admissions teams receive targeted responses, improving assessment fairness.
• Reduces anxiety: Removes the pressure of writing one long essay and helps applicants focus on relevant content.
  

Final Personal Statement Checklist

• Three answers with at least 350 characters each
• Total character count does not exceed 4,000 (with spaces)
• Clear, structured, and non-repetitive content
• Balanced focus (80–90% academic, 10–20% extracurricular)
• Fully proofread and well-formatted
• Original and plagiarism-free content
  

Further Personal Statement Support

UCAS provides excellent subject-specific guides, checklists, and adviser toolkits to help students navigate their university applications effectively. In addition to these resources, students can benefit greatly from the personalised support offered by schools, mentors, or specialist services such as MedicHut. At MedicHut, we offer expert guidance in reviewing and refining personal statements to ensure they highlight each student’s unique strengths and experiences. Our experienced tutors provide constructive feedback, help structure ideas clearly, and ensure the statement aligns with what admissions tutors are looking for. This tailored support can boost confidence and significantly improve the quality of applications, making the often overwhelming process more manageable and successful.