I have been thinking for a while that we should ask members that are happy to share their personal statements to post them here in a section, and after Debz posted asking for help with a PS after 3 attempts to get a place, I thought, less thinking and more doing! So here it is....

My PS is on a past PC and I dont have a copy but heres how I did mine, and given I got in first time, I guess its along the right lines!

In short tell them why you would make a good midwife and a good student and back it up with examples and let your passion show!

Why you want to be a midwife

• personal passion
• to work with women and families
• to be an advocate for women
• to care for women
• to provide women with informed choice
• to educate women
• to give them the birth experience they want
• to work as an independant practitioner
• to work as part of a multidisciplinary team

Relevant skills to bring to midwifery i.e. transferable skills from a past life, personal etc

Here's some examples;

• Working as an HCA/MCA in care environment (I didnt have any direct care experience)
• Being a birth partner/doula (I was my sisters pregnancy/birth partner and was hooked)
• Coming from a large family where pregnancy and birth were normal events, so you are familiar with pregnancy/birth/new babies
• Having a baby and wanting to care for other women in pregnancy/labour, because of your experience whether that be a good or bad experience
• Skills you may have, maybe you have volunteered for an organisation or worked in a particular role that makes you a good organiser, listener, having experience of working with women and families, or as part of a multidisciplinary team.... even if you havent worked for years and have been raising a family - how you organise family life and responsibilities, how you have fed your love of midwifery in that time

If you have NVQ's/qualifications that are relevant then highlight these and explain why they are relevant. Say why these make you a good student.

• if you have a degree already say how you are educated to degree level, show you can complete degree level work
• if not say how your access course has prepared you, or your A Levels, or that you have the 210 UCAS points (or whatever your insitution requires) via whatever route it is you have them!
• You will need to show evidence that you have studied in the past 3-5 years (usually) even if its totally irrelevant to midwifery put what you have studied and if you got good grades then tell them you are an excellent student and why!
• Say how you organised your time between home and study, whatever your age and background say how you achieved a study/life balance and how you enjoyed researching assignments or reading or whatever it is you loved!

Your passion for midwifery - unleash it on paper!

• books you have read
• articles
• websites (like this one shows interest and enthusiasm in midwifery plus lots of Uni's now have a link to us from thier websites so they must like what we do here )
• journals
• midwifery magazines i.e The Practising Midwife, British Journal of Midwifery, Midwifery Matters
• organisations you are part of/aware of Royal College of Midwives, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Association of Radical Midwives....
• talk to a cuurent student midwife via here or 'real life' read our interviews section demonstrating ou have researched life a student midwife and say how it is for you
• talk to a current practising midwife show you have researched the job by reading around and also by going to the real people that do the job, look under our interviews with a midwife section, show you have researched what it is really like out there in midwifery today

Im happy to look over anyones PS, I had a previous life in employment law and personnel (from recruitment to case work) so have lots of experience of application form sifting and interviewing, writing person specifications etc. Just drop me a PM and let me know or post in here.

Good luck!

__________________
Josie
StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director



MidwiferyWorld.NET our sister site for Senior Students and Midwives is now live, tell your mentors and tutors!

Hi, I recently qualifeid as a midwife and have applied for a few positions but I've not even been offered an interview. I'm sure this is because my personal statement probably needs improving but I'm really struggling with it could you give me any advice please? I sent my present one to my ex-tutor and she said it was to "gentle".

I am very depressed about the whole thing.

Hi Mrs Moo

You wanna send it over to me to have a look at? copy and paste in a PM. In my previous life I was an Employment Law Consultant and have an extensive personnel background so I may be able to help

Dont feel depressed hun, we'll sort it.

Jxx

__________________
Josie
StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director



MidwiferyWorld.NET our sister site for Senior Students and Midwives is now live, tell your mentors and tutors!

Thanks.

Hi Josie

I am following your guidelines following the decision to re-write my personal statement - It was my first draft - I repeated myself and it was far too long. Would you have a word limit as I feel I could go on forever....can you help....how long is too long - what would you stick to...any help would be gratefully received as I feel like I am totally on my own at the moment - doing distance learning and trying my best...

Hi,

If you check on the UCAS webiste I am sure it gives you advice on what the word count is, I am sorry I can't remember what it is now.

MM.

__________________
Bless you Mum & Dad x
Student Midwife 2007

Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

Hi MM

Thanks again.

Just about to look it up.

xx

Your very welcome. x

__________________
Bless you Mum & Dad x
Student Midwife 2007

Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)