Writing an essay about yourself and your experience can seem like a daunting task. It’s difficult to put into words why dentistry admission teams should pick you over other candidates. This guide will help you prepare to write your personal statement and make sure that you put your time to good use. You can also read more about Dentistry Personal Statements on our guide.
What makes you stand out from other applicants? Think back to the things you are most proud of achieving and which of these demonstrate the qualities needed to study dentistry. For example, perhaps you completed your Duke of Edinburgh gold award, showing long-term commitment and teamwork.
During your work experience, you should have kept a diary of your experiences, so read back through this. Are there any scenarios that you could include in your personal statement? What qualities did the dentist have?
Writing about these in your personal statement will show that you have reflected on your work experience and have a true understanding of what a career in dentistry involves.
Practise saying out loud why you want to be a dentist. Not only will this give you practice for the interview stage of applications, your answer will also develop into a personal account of your motivations. This way you will avoid the clichés that admission tutors are used to reading.
Admission teams want to read clear examples of how you have displayed the qualities required to be a dentist. Making a list of the qualities you have and how you have shown them will help you to shortlist the traits you want to include in your personal statement.
Thinking about your personal statement early means that you have the time to read any last minute books that could support your application. Thankfully, The Medic Portal have put together a dentistry reading list to help with your preparation.
Following these tips will take the stress out of writing the first draft of your personal statement. Create a mind map and, with each step, add another section to it with your individual notes. This way, when it comes to writing the statement you will already have all the information you will need. Good luck!
Words: Joelle Booth
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