Midwifery personal statement

[minimumeffort]

I am hoping to apply for a midwifery course as a mature student and was hoping for some advice on writing my personal statement. Does anyone know what course providers are looking for or has anyone applied successfully over the last few years.
Many thanks

[Rascalls3]

My daughter is off to Kings to study children's nursing in September I would advise you to check the Student Rooms archive of personal statements to get an idea ( look at the medicine personal statements as they tend to be of a better quality than the nursing/ midwifery ones) There is also plenty of advice on that forum. The Student Room do a personal statement checking service ( I think you may have to pay this year) which could also be worth considering. Check Amazon as there have also been books written on this too. Good luck!

[minimumeffort]

Many thanks rascalls, I'll take a look.

[Rascalls3]

Forgot to add....don't use the word 'passion'!

[themonsteratemyspacebaragain]

Im not doing a midwifery degree but have just been accepted into 3 different unis for another branch as a mature student.
The only thing i can say is to speak from the heart. I never looked at any examples and just told them why i wanted to do it, why i am the best person with what qualities i have etc etc. I got good feedback from all unis and they said it made for a change than the norm as they are all samey and all say the same things. Whereas you being honest and speaking from what you know can only come from you and is individual if that makes sense?

[Boysclothes]

Talk about women, not babies.
Bang on a lot about your relevant experience.
Look up the NMC standards for midwifery practice and chuck the buzzwords in...advocate, holistic, empowerment, woman centred.
The midwifery sanctuary is a great online forum which will help you. Good luck!

[Crazeeladee]

Agree with boysclothes, don't talk about babies, they are the minutest part of our job. Talk about empowering women, being an advocate, have an awareness of issues such as domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and the importance of giving women choice (always informed choice). Good luck!

[whosafraidofnaomiwolf]

Defitiely DO use the words "passion/passionate"; definitely DON'T look at medical student/nursing statements - completely & utterly different to what Midwifery lecturers are looking for; and definitely talk about women rather than babies as Boysclothes & Crazeeladee have said. Sign up for an SMNET 'How to get a Uni Place' one day course - it was fab, I went straight home and re-wrote my personal statement. Submitted it that night, and am now just about to begin the last year of my Midwife training as an (extra) mature student. In fact take a look at SMNET as there's loads of helpful, and subject specific advice on there. I would be very wary of looking outside of Midwifery for advice as it's such a specific degree that advice from other subjects doesn't really apply, even nursing. It's very, very different.

[amyamya]

There some great midwifery personal statement samples that might help you. And here are some great tips on general personal statement writing.
Hope this helps those who are applying now! Best of luck with admissions!

[Needmoresleep]

Out experience is of DD applying for medicine. Print off personal requirements from University websites (including perhaps better examples from similar Universities) . Each will give you a list of the experience and attributes they expect. (Interest in midwifery, involvement with the wider community, leadership, ability to cope under pressure etc) Then make sure you have covered each one, with evidence. I suspect Universities are not unlike other bits of the public sector and to ensure consistency, applications are scored. And that however appealing your PS might be, if you don't tick the boxes, you don't get the interview.

I think hers ended up as four papas, one on interest and motivation, two on experience and shadowing and insights she had gained from these, and a fourth covering interests, but steered to her application. So ability to juggle competing demands, perseverance, leadership, teamwork and other softer skills. One example was to down play sports achievements but instead highlight sharing her enthusiasm and skills by volunteering with a disabled sports group, not least helping others overcome fears and physical barriers.

If you follow what the University says they are looking for, it becomes much easier.