Reflecting on Work Experience: How to Turn Hospital Shifts into a Standout Personal Statement

By Zayan Khalil

If you’re applying to medicine, you already know that work experience is essential. You’ve shadowed doctors, volunteered in hospitals, or spent time in care homes. But here’s the harsh truth: most applicants don’t make the most of these experiences.

Instead of reflecting deeply on what they learned, they simply describe what they saw and admissions tutors lose interest fast.

This guide will show you how to reflect properly on your work experience, so your personal statement demonstrates genuine insight, maturity and a realistic understanding of medicine.

Why Reflection Matters More Than the Experience Itself

Medical schools aren’t impressed by long lists of placements. What they really want to know is what you took away from them.

Consider two students with the exact same A&E placement:

•  Student A writes:“I observed doctors treating patients in the emergency department.”

•  Student B writes:“I saw how doctors had to remain calm and professional when patients were distressed or aggressive and realised that communication is often just as important as clinical treatment.”

Same experience yet vastly different impact.

Deep reflection proves you can think critically, handle challenging situations, and grasp the realities of a career in medicine. These are exactly the qualities admissions teams look for.

A Simple Framework That Actually Works: What? → So What? → Now What?

You don’t need fancy vocabulary or lengthy philosophical discussions. This straightforward three-step model is all you need to transform any experience into powerful insight.

1.  What? Briefly describe what happened. Keep it factual and concise.Example:During my placement in A&E, an intoxicated patient became verbally aggressive towards staff while being treated for a facial injury.

2.  So What? (The heart of reflection)Why did this matter? What did it reveal about medicine or about yourself?Example:It showed me that being a doctor isn’t only about clinical knowledge. The team had to manage risk, de-escalate the situation and continue providing care without judgement while staying calm under pressure.

3.  Now What? What did you take away, and how has it influenced you going forward?Example:This highlighted the importance of emotional resilience and strong communication skills. Since then, I’ve actively sought situations that challenge me to remain patient and composed.

Use this structure for each reflective paragraph and your writing will feel focused, mature and purposeful.

How to Weave Reflection into Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement isn’t a diary of everything you have done, it is an argument for why medicine is the right path for you.

A strong structure could look like this:

•  An opening paragraph rooted in a powerful reflective moment

•  Two or three key experiences explored in depth (using the framework above)

•  A conclusion that ties your insights to the kind of doctor you aspire to be

Whenever possible, explicitly link your reflections to core qualities such as empathy, communication, teamwork, resilience and ethical awareness.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

•  Being too descriptive – Listing a timetable of your day shows no insight. Keep descriptions short, spend most of the paragraph analysing lessons learned.

•  Relying on clichés –> Phrases like “I want to help people” or “medicine is rewarding” are meaningless without evidence from your experiences.

•  Ignoring the difficult side of medicine – Reflecting on uncomfortable or emotionally challenging moments often demonstrates greater maturity than focusing solely on positives.

Real Examples of Meaningful Reflection

1. A Patient with Dementia

What?

While volunteering in a care home, a resident repeatedly asked for her mother, who had passed away many years earlier.

So What?

It showed me that medicine isn’t always about curing illness. The staff prioritised maintaining dignity and providing comfort, offering reassurance rather than correction.

Now What?

This shifted my perspective on patient care and deepened my appreciation for compassion in managing long-term conditions.

2. A Teenager Who Declined Treatment

What?

I observed an oncology consultation where a 16-year-old chose to stop chemotherapy.

So What?

It forced me to grapple with patient autonomy and the delicate balance between respecting decisions and the instinct to help. The doctor’s empathetic yet honest approach was eye-opening.

Now What?

This sparked my interest in medical ethics and reinforced how vital clear, compassionate communication is in shared decision-making.

3. An Overworked Junior Doctor

What?

During a night shift, I watched a junior doctor manage multiple admissions for hours without a break.

So What?

It highlighted the intense pressures doctors face and the real risk of burnout, despite their unwavering commitment to patients.

Now What?

It made me think about resilience and the need to support healthcare professionals as well as patients within the system.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need dramatic or rare experiences to write compelling reflections. Often, it is the small moments, a quiet conversation, an uncomfortable realisation or something that challenged your assumptions that reveal the most about you.

Pick one experience. Apply What? → So What? → Now What? thoughtfully.

That’s how you transform ordinary hospital shifts into powerful evidence that you truly understand medicine and are ready for its challenges.

Good luck with your application! Need more advice or help, get in touch!