2 simple but powerful sentences to start your personal statement. This style of introduction is what I’ve seen across personal statements from students who’ve gotten into both Oxbridge and other top ranking medical schools. Use these to inspire your own introduction!
Now, the introduction is arguably the most important part of your personal statement as it's the front facing, attention grabbing segment. So, it's important to put your best efforts here and make this part the strongest. The introduction heavily features 2 main pillars: motivation and engagement. And these pillars should be used ****to set the scene about the subject and about you.
Let me run through this in more detail.
Step 1: Set the scene about the subject - motivation.
This refers to clearly mentioning the subject you want to study (in this case medicine) and defining why it's such an important and attractive subject. Here's an example.
In medicine I see a purposeful and versatile vocation, yet what I love most is its fusion of a scientific core with a philanthropic heart.
This is a beautifully written sentence that clearly explains why medicine is such a great subject. It also utilises several pillars from our framework like passion (with the use of the word "love"), as well as demonstrating some consideration into what aspects are most attractive.
So we can see here that the introduction and often the first sentence itself goes straight into setting the scene about the subject, defining its importance and dives into the motivation pillar - why they want to do that subject.
Step 2: Set the scene about you - engagement.
The second step for the the introduction is to set the scene about you, by diving straight into a sentence that shows engagement with the subject. Here's an example.
Volunteering on the Lifeline Express, a hospital train in Morena, India first inspired me to study Medicine.
This is a great sentence that both shows engagement (by talking about the volunteering) and motivation by talking about how this was their inspiration.
Here's another example of this.
Last year, my work experience at Dow University Hospital in Karachi was one of the most interesting yet exhausting experiences of my life and although it was both emotionally and physically demanding it instilled in me a resolute desire to study and practise medicine.
This is a fantastic sentence that shows engagement at its core by talking about work experience, but also shows features of the projection pillar namely deep consideration of the challenges medicine will bring.
So, the introduction should definitely feature motivation and engagement to set the scene about the subject and about you, with additional pillars like passion and projection added to increase the uniqueness and ability to grab the reader's attention.