My Personal Statement

I mentioned in a previous post (PERSONAL STATEMENT TIPS) that I'd put a copy of my own Personal Statement up that successfully got me several offers for University Paramedic Courses. Interestingly I haven't looked at this for a few months, re-reading it now there's small refinements I'd make to it - which goes to show you really need to write this up a good few weeks/months before you intend to submit it so you can proof read it again and again!

REMEMBER: DO NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE THIS AND USE IT AS YOUR OWN - ALL PERSONAL STATEMENTS GO THROUGH A PLAGIARISM TEST, IF IT'S FOUND TO BE TOO SIMILAR TO AN EXISTING STATEMENT YOU WILL GET REJECTED!! - Friendly warning!

"After the long run following the sound of voices screaming “Medic!” I arrived at a scene of utter confusion and trauma, a veteran Sergeant Major of 22 years was looking at me to take control and decide how to treat and evacuate this casualty; this 18 year old Soldier covered in blood slipping in and out of consciousness was now my patient, my responsibility, and his life was literally in my hands.

After several years serving in the British Army, most of which as a Combat Medical Technician in the Royal Army Medical Corps, I have delivered an ALS/ATLS standard of emergency healthcare within my clinical scope of practice as well as Primary healthcare around the world, including in remote and hostile environments - I now wish to embark on a lifelong career as a Paramedic within the Ambulance Service. I can only describe pre-hospital healthcare as an absolute passion of mine – being at the start of a multi-disciplinary chain of Professionals that will ensure that not only a person has the best chance of surviving an emergency, but also that their quality of life is protected. 

As well as delivering Health Care for the Army, I have also regularly taught Battlefield First Aid to Soldiers, planned mass casualty exercises, mentored Junior-Medics, and delivered more domestic First Aid training to civilian students.

Recently I have begun volunteering as a Community First Responder with the Ambulance Service; this has given me a great insight to a diverse range of patients with an even more diverse range of medical conditions that I rarely got exposure to in the Army. It has been excellent learning working with Paramedics on scene, observing how they take medical histories and administer time-critical medical treatment within their scope of practice. It has shown me the importance of understanding the wide range of medical conditions and the associated medicines that a Paramedic will come across day to day.

Whilst clinical expertise is incredibly important to me, I also believe it’s important to adopt a caring and compassionate approach with my patients – to be able to put myself in their shoes. I recently attended an incident as a First Responder alongside an Emergency Care Practitioner where it wasn’t necessary in the end to administer any medical treatment to this elderly patient. However the patient clearly had a low quality of life being bed bound and without any family or friends for support. Whilst the ECP arranged for a specialist to come and assess the patients mobility needs I sat and talked to her for an hour learning all about her life and I realised that she was incredibly lonely. I’d arrived on scene expecting to have to administer medical treatment, but I left realising that the time taken to have that conversation with her and to give her reassurances was actually treatment in itself and I was confident that with the ECPs referral of her case that her quality of life will improve.

I am currently studying an Access Health Science course in order to top up my education and prepare me for the demands of University study. I thoroughly enjoy my Physiology modules where we are going into great depth around the bodies key systems and also Bio-Chemistry where I am learning on a molecular level how things work within the body.

I hold a full, clean Car Drivers Licence with Provisional C1 entitlement. It is also important to me to adopt a lifelong approach to learning – as such I maintain a fully up to date clinical CPD Portfolio and regularly take the opportunity to attend events and training that will improve my own medical practice.

Away from work and study I enjoy spending time with my Fiancée and Children and maintaining an active lifestyle with running and rock climbing being passions of mine – I am particularly proud of a recent 75 mile charity endurance march I completed to raise money for Help for Heroes. 

To me a Paramedic is the welcome face that someone see’s when in a Crisis, often the first face a person see’s of the NHS, therefore your abilities and attitude has to be beyond reproach at all times – there is no excuse for anything less. It is a complicated, challenging, and sometimes traumatic world to work in – but it can also give you the opportunity to give a person and their loved ones the very best of gifts, a life saved."

So there it is, hope it helps someone out there!