pharmcas personal statement prompt

Pharmacy School

Best Pharmacy School Personal Statement Examples

Check out top 4 sample statements.

Pharmacy school personal statement examples demonstrate that pharmacy school applications require many different documents to adequately assess you as a potential candidate. In addition to looking at your CV , transcripts, letters of recommendation , and any other required materials, most pharmacy programs ask you to submit a personal statement. After gathering so many materials together, a one-page essay may seem like a trivial item to check off on your application to-do list, but beware of treating the personal statement too lightly! Gaining admission to a graduate pharmacy program certainly requires top grades, competitive test scores, and glowing letters of recommendation from referees who know you well, but these aren’t the only components that admissions committees take into account when evaluating your profile.

Keep in mind that most pharmacy school applicants already have stellar academic records, impressive test scores, and fantastic recommendations. These sorts of accomplishments are important, but are more or less a given in the application process. Furthermore, grades, test scores, and other people’s perceptions of you and the quality of your work are insufficient to determine if you are up for the challenge of the rigors of pharmacy school and the work that follows graduation. With something as serious as pharmacology, it is crucial to determine whether who you are would make you a good fit for the profession. Your knowledge, experiences, and attitudes all play a key role in deciding if you would thrive as a pharmacy student, and eventually, as a pharmacist serving your community. With so many applicants each cycle, admissions officers need some way to gauge these factors in order to narrow the applicant pool down to those they would like to speak to in person, or these days, over the internet. This is where the personal statement comes in! Keep reading to determine what a pharmacy school personal statement measures and how to create one that will make you stand out from other applicants.

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Article Contents 24 min read

4 pharmacy school personal statement examples.

Three days after my thirteenth birthday, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The next twelve months were the toughest in my life, but this experience also gave me something I am forever grateful for—an unwavering passion for pharmacy. I always accompanied my mother to her chemotherapy sessions, where I performed plays for her and the other patients, trying to make them smile. I took an immediate liking to the pharmacist, who returned repeatedly to ask my mother how she was feeling; he explained in detail how these chemo drugs worked and how they interacted with others she had been taking. I listened raptly, entranced by the seemingly magic properties of this medication. It was difficult to watch my mother lose her hair and become frail, but she ultimately made a full recovery, thanks to the wonderful team of medical professionals and to these life-saving drugs. While I lost the naivety of youth that year, I gained a profound new sense of purpose. I was inspired to become a hospital pharmacist and to help patients in times of extreme uncertainty and pain.

Anyone who has ever faced a challenge has probably heard about the deflating nonexistence of a “magic pill” solution. Want to lose weight? There’s no magic pill for that. Trying to learn a new language? No dice. Hard work is always touted as the solution, and rightly so. As a preteen who struggled with confidence, I desperately yearned for a magic pill solution that would make me the bubbly, carefree girl surrounded by laughter in the cafeteria. Instead, the only bubbly aspect of my lunchtime break was the gurgling, broken faucet inside the girl’s restroom. Though unaware of it at the time, the bathroom was not a refuge from the scary, hormonal social scene of junior high, but from my ever-increasing social anxiety. As for a magic pill to rid me of that affliction? I think you know the answer to that.

Though there may not have been a magic pill to rid me of my mounting social anxiety, hard work seemed like an unlikely solution, too. For months, I put on a happy face, trying to convince myself that there was nothing to fear in locker-side conversations and that my worth was not determined by what a group of gangly middle-schoolers thought of me. Eventually, my parents took me to see a psychiatrist, and after many sweaty-palmed conversations, I was diagnosed with social anxiety and handed a prescription for anti-anxiety medication. Of course, the medication I received was no miracle, but with other coping mechanisms, my world began to seem a little more welcoming. Gradually, I interacted with peers more, who became friends. I still had to work hard in therapy, but the capsules I took in the morning each day removed my constant, debilitating worry.

Without the shadow of anxiety darkening my every social interaction, I felt as though I was beginning to become the version of myself I always wanted to be. Years later, I actually was the girl surrounded by laughter in the high school lunchroom. More importantly, though, I took my first chemistry course and discovered my passion. The ways that elements on the periodic table could combine to create entirely new substances fascinated me. I realized that, just like myself, the world around us is in a constant state of flux, with elements combining, reacting to forces, and continuously changing. As I changed from a high school chemistry novice to a university student, one thing remained constant: my passion for chemistry. Delving into how chemistry can be used as a tool inspired me to pursue it as a major, and I worked in various labs on campus investigating how different combinations could be put to use to solve problems, just like my psychiatrist helped me find ways to deal with my social anxiety.

Through my lab work on campus, I grew close with Dr. Johnson – the principal investigator in a campus lab and a faculty member in the pharmacy program. One evening, as we were locking up the lab, Dr. Johnson asked me if I had ever considered becoming a pharmacist. Initially hesitant, I finally accepted Dr. Johnson’s offer to facilitate a shadowing opportunity with one of his former colleagues. My first day in the pharmacy was overwhelming. The rattling of pills in bottles served as the backdrop to the near-tangible pressure of making sure no life-threatening mistakes occurred. I was intimidated by the responsibility, but excited by the chemical interactions that the pharmacist discussed with me. This was the ultimate problem-solving chemistry I had been seeking!

After months of shadowing a pharmacist, I was convinced that I wanted to pursue a career in pharmacy. My experiences with Dr. Johnson and his colleague piqued my interest in what seemed like a never-ending field of discovery. Elements combining, reacting to forces, and continuously changing, but in the human body! Figuring out the puzzles of chemical reactions had always been intriguing, but knowing that I could combine that with helping people recover from sickness, manage chronic disease, or even find the strength to leave the middle school bathroom and have lunch with other students was empowering. The medication I took as a preteen may not have been a magic pill for my social anxiety, but there was certainly some magic in it. I look forward to putting in the hard work to bring that magic to others as a pharmacist. (724 words)

‘I want to do more than just counsel on the proper use of Levothyroxine’ was what I told my father when he asked me what kind of pharmacist I wanted to be. He died shortly after, and it saddens me to think that I cannot tell him now how my vision has evolved. Now, besides being someone in charge of educating patients about their medications, I see pharmacists as scientists who design and produce medicines, evaluate lab results and drug interactions for the benefit of the patient, act as a trusted link between doctors and their patients and, ultimately, impact patients’ lives and contribute to their wellbeing. Pharmacists need to be team players, good communicators, detail-oriented problem solvers, and culturally sensitive professionals, and these are some of the characteristics that I have developed through different endeavors.

As the captain of my soccer team in high school, I was put in charge of leading the team both in and outside of the game. On the field, I acted as a mediator between the players, coach, and referee. Successfully guiding players on the strategies dictated by the coach required excellent communication skills. In my team, I was not only a player; I was a key decision maker and a motivator. Making tactical decisions while supporting everyone in their position showed me the true meaning of being a team player and taught me how to handle pressure well. When I look back at those times and think about the titles we won for our school, I know that the characteristics I developed while I led my team to victory will be put to use when I have to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals in the future.

In college, while volunteering at a local pharmacy in my hometown, I helped the pharmacist handle prescriptions and dispense a variety of medications. It became clear to me that following a methodical approach and paying great attention to detail were essential in pharmacy. I made it a point to learn from him, and with time, I found myself being thorough, accurate, and organized not only at the pharmacy but at school as well. I also sought to understand both the cause and the effect of a situation, which is an ability that has guided everything I have done since then, including my research work and my academic activities as a Biology major. Seeing the pharmacist interact with patients was truly rewarding. I watched as he explained the treatment, potential side effects, and desired outcomes to them while evaluating the interactions between the drugs they were taking in order to avoid any harm. This showed me that, besides being a problem-solver and having analytical abilities, pharmacists need to be empathetic and care for their patients. Very soon I found myself interacting with people who visited the pharmacy and exercising the same skills the local pharmacist possessed.

This interaction with people helped me refine different characteristics that I bring with me to this new journey. One of the most significant is, perhaps, the cultural awareness that I developed in my shadowing work at the university hospital. Having a patient who does not speak the language, calming them down, and finding a translator, for instance, or understanding how different cultures view certain health practices and looking for ways to respectfully adapt to them has allowed me to learn and practice cultural sensitivity, which is crucial in a multicultural society, such as in Canada, where the population is becoming more diverse. By seeing pharmacists in action in the university hospital setting, I gained insight into the every-day lives of healthcare professionals who work with patients from every background imaginable. Moreover, I also came to realize the pressure to which pharmacists are exposed when the correct medication has to be provided with extreme urgency. Working under pressure is something I do well since my soccer days, so instead of deterring me, this motivates me.

If anyone were to ask me today about the kind of pharmacist I want to be, I would have a much stronger answer than the one I gave to my father many years ago. I want to be the kind of pharmacist that uses their knowledge, skills, and compassion to improve their patients’ health and one that works with other health care professionals to maximize health outcomes. Furthermore, I want to have patients trust me enough to let me become involved in their lives as I guide them on their medications and help them improve their quality of life. Besides all this, and on a much more personal level, I want to be the kind of pharmacist that will make my father proud. (781 words)

“Why would you want to be a pharmacist?” was the question my father asked me when I shared my decision to pursue pharmacy school. This was a question I had asked myself many times as I solidified my decision to pursue this dream. I shared my experience standing in line at a local pharmacy to fill a prescription. This was something I did every month, and not an experience that I had given much thought, however; when I saw the person in line in front of me experience great distress at learned the price of her daughter’s prescription, I realized that not all patrons had the same experience as me. To many, a trip to the pharmacy may be filled with questions over how their medications will affect their body or their ability to afford groceries for the month. The woman in line was worried about the high prescription price in light of other expenses in providing for her family. As I saw the pharmacist assist her in finding a less costly alternative, and the ease come over the woman as she learned that her family would be alright, I had my first glimpse into my future profession as a pharmacist.

This day sparked my interest in attending pharmacy school, but also a desire to further explore what it meant to be a pharmacist. While donating blood to the Red Cross, I learned of the growing need for pharmacist volunteers, with many underserved communities necessitating additional support. As I was giving blood, I talked with a current pharmacist volunteer, ‘Samantha,’ who recounted her responsibilities to me when I expressed an interest in wanting to learn more. ‘Samantha’ explained why she felt pharmacists made wonderful volunteers in the community. She reflected that pharmacists have the knowledge to make an impact and valuable experience conversing daily with people of all backgrounds. As I talked with ‘Samantha,’ I thought about my own capacity to strike up a conversation with people I had not met before. I recalled that my friends often joke about how I could talk to anyone about anything, a trait I admire in myself. Everyone is skilled in different ways, but my ability to talk to anyone I come across will be an asset to my future as a pharmacist. I look forward to new experiences every day and speaking with new patrons to get to know their needs and concerns. In addition, I hope to volunteer in my community as a pharmacist to expand the number of people I can impact with my loquacious disposition as I guide them towards safe medication use.

With the personality to be a efficacious pharmacist, I looked to build my experience in the healthcare profession. I secured a volunteer position aiding a hospital pharmacist in educating health professionals on drug side effects. I was responsible for designing educational posters for use in counseling patients about their medications. I was eager to use my artistic talents to help people seeking to understand their prescriptions, like the woman in line ahead of me at the pharmacy. As I designed posters, I asked my friends and family to look at my drafts and provide feedback. I asked if the information was conveyed in a clear, approachable way and I learned that what is clear to one person – such as myself – can be viewed differently by another person with a different background or set of life experiences. As a pharmacist, I will utilize educational materials that have gone through arduous testing to ensure they can deliver the necessary information, but I will also aim to understand community members’ experiences and how this may impact their understanding and outlook towards their medication.

I explained to my father that, to me, pharmacy is about conversation. As patrons share with you why they have come in to the pharmacy that day, or what is troubling them, it is important to truly listen. This is the starting point for the conversation needed to understand their concerns, provide appropriate medication, and educated them as to how best proceed. Although my friends joke about my ability to talk to anyone, this is a trait that will go far in serving my community as a pharmacist. (702 words)

Here're some more tips for your interview:

Pharmacy school personal statements are a crucial aspect of your application because they help to separate you from the crowd of other accomplished applicants. After all, grades, test scores, and letters of recommendation only go so far in presenting who you are and your talents and strengths. Even a CV does not reveal enough about you and your experiences to adequately reflect your ability to succeed in pharmacy school and beyond. Imagine trying to measure a candidate’s level of motivation or ability to persevere through adversity by looking at his or her GPA! Luckily, you have the power to present the strengths and qualities that would make you an incredible future pharmacist and make your case for admission through your personal statement.

Essentially, this short essay asks you to reflect upon who you are, what led you to want to study pharmacology specifically, and why you would be great at it. Most pharmacy programs in the United States use a central application portal called PharmCAS (Pharmacy College Application Service) to distribute application materials like transcripts, test scores, and personal statements to individual university programs. Personal statements for PharmCAS must be 4500 characters or less, including spaces. It is crucial to draft a personal statement that is within the character limit because the online portal will not allow you to save or submit a personal statement that exceeds 4500 characters. As you prepare to write your personal statement, be sure to verify that your program(s) of choice use PharmCAS for receiving application materials. If you find that your university does not utilize PharmCAS, check the program’s website for specific instructions regarding the character or word limit for personal statements.

Canadian pharmacy program application expectations differ from school to school. The University of Toronto’s PharmD program, for example, does not require a personal statement of any kind.

A common mistake that pharmacy school applicants make is relying upon cliches to discuss their motivations for pursuing a career as a pharmacist. Cliches read as tired and don’t reveal anything meaningful about an applicant. Moreover, many personal statement cliches like expressing a desire to “help people” are so vague that they fail to address an applicant’s desire to study pharmacology precisely. There are a multitude of careers that help people: teachers, doctors, non-profit workers, and more. Similarly, a fascination with science applies to any number of medical professions, researchers, scientists, and so on. In your personal statement, you must clearly express why you want to go to pharmacy school specifically.

Additionally, admissions officers want to ensure they admit only those applicants who demonstrate their capability of handling the demanding course work as well as possess the correct attitude and motivation to pursue a career in pharmacy. You’ve probably heard that past behavior is one of the best predictors of future behavior, and for good reason. For instance, if you have already persevered and exhibited your resilience, work ethic, and determination in past experiences, chances are you will exhibit those same skills in a pharmacy program, no matter the challenges you may face. Showing your skills through relevant anecdotes and relating them to core attributes you possess that will ensure your future success as a pharmacist goes a long way to separate you from an already qualified pool of applicants.

Pharmacy personal statements also assess the value you will add to your matriculating class, the program, and the institution overall. You want to prove you are a mutually beneficial fit for your pharmacy program of choice. As you craft your personal statement, you will likely need to create several versions that cater to each of the institutions to which you plan to apply, highlighting the attractive elements of each program that motivated you to apply and explaining how you would thrive in such an environment and contribute to the program’s culture and mission. Prove that the school would be missing out on an exceptional candidate if you were not offered admission!

How Are Pharmacy Personal Statements Structured?

Although each program has different requirements, pharmacy personal statements are generally around a page long, or 4500 characters for most applications in the United States, and should be structured similar to a traditional, academic paper. Your personal statement should have a clear introduction, a body composed of about 2-3 paragraphs, and a marked conclusion. It is important that you transition well among each of these elements to enhance the flow and overall readability of your statement. The logical progression of your ideas should also be well-defined so that admissions officers can easily follow your train of thought. Keep in mind that each individual reading your personal statement will be looking at many, many personal statements in any given sitting, which can get exhausting. Make their jobs easier by ensuring that your statement is easy to read and makes your points both concisely and clearly. Given the myriad personal statements each admissions officer must review, your statement must be quite unique and engaging in order to stand out and be memorable.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not the best choice to start your statement at the beginning by working on the introduction. Part of the reason you should avoid starting with the introduction is because an introduction typically sets the stage for what you discuss in the body of your statement. If you don’t have the content of the body prepared, it is unlikely that you will be able to craft an appropriate introduction. Rather, you want to plan out the body of your statement first by creating a rough outline of the topics you wish to address in your statement to give the reader an overview of what led you to pursue pharmacy school, as well as the experiences and qualities that would make you an excellent addition to the program of your choice, and ultimately, a great pharmacist. Utilizing an outline to plan out your response also takes a bit of the pressure off of you as a writer so that you are not focused on making every single sentence perfect until you have a general idea of where you are going with your statement. After you have the “bones” of your statement planned out via an outline structure, begin to add the “meat” little by little, gradually expanding your outline with more substantial content, including anecdotes that serve as evidence or justification for the claims that you make.

Pharmacy personal statements are an opportunity to show the admissions committee your personality, values, and goals. With this in mind, think carefully about which experiences you want to emphasize and the skills and values you want those experiences to illustrate. “Illustrate” is a key word here; be sure to show your readers what you mean instead of telling them. For example, don’t just say you are a lifelong learner. Show your readers evidence that demonstrates you are a lifelong learner by narrating and reflecting upon experiences in which you were continuously eager to learn new information. One of the most important tips to remember as you plan the outline for and later write your pharmacy personal statement is to be true to yourself. When applicants communicate what they believe admissions committees want to hear, or in this case read, their inauthenticity is blatantly evident. Being genuine not only serves you in the short-term by creating a personal statement that reads as truly authentic, which is always more convincing and impactful, but it is to your benefit in the long run as well. After all, pharmacy school is 4 years long, which isn’t exactly an insignificant time commitment. You should aim to gain admission into a program that wants you for who you truly are and the potential you’ve demonstrated, and the only way of guaranteeing this is to show who you truly are through your personal statement.

Once you have crafted a full outline, begin to write a rough draft of your body paragraphs. At this point, you still do not need to worry about choosing the best words or making sure that the stylistic elements of your body paragraphs are top notch. Focus on getting your thoughts out on paper in a way that makes sense and flows well in terms of a logical progression of ideas. So, how many experiences should you write about in your personal statement? While there is no concrete number you should aim for, do be selective about which experiences you choose to include. Think quality over quantity. Essentially, as you answer the question “Why do you want to be a pharmacist?”, trace the origin of your interest in studying pharmacy through each stage of its development. Given the 4500-character limit, at least for most pharmacy programs in the United States, you will have to limit your discussion to two to three experiences, depending upon the level of depth of your discussion of each experience.

Which kinds of experiences work best? Keeping in mind that the experiences you decide to address and the way in which you write about them should be authentic to you, aim for experiences that involve exposure to the field. Of course, exposure to pharmacy can come in many forms! Perhaps you were exposed to pharmacy and the positive impact it can make in people’s lives through your own use of prescribed pharmaceuticals to treat a chronic illness, which inspired you to learn more about how medications work. Or, maybe you were considering a career in either medicine or pharmacy, decided to shadow physicians and pharmacists alike to accrue more knowledge about the day-to-day responsibilities of each profession, and found yourself enamored with your pharmacy shadowing experience. In any case, make sure that you are specific about which aspects of your experience were particularly influential in your developing desire to study pharmacy and what convinced you that you would make a great pharmacist yourself!

Once you have completed your rough draft, take a day or so away from your statement so that you can achieve mental distance from your writing in order to review it with fresh eyes the next time you read it. With this new perspective, revise your body paragraphs, choosing the strongest vocabulary possible to convey your meaning. Remember, though, that it is important to be authentic, so don’t abuse your thesaurus! Work on strengthening the wording of your statement and try reading it out loud to see how well each sentence fits together. Rinse and repeat.

Tip #1: Be authentic.

The personal statement should explain why you want to study pharmacy, so your discussion of this should be true to your experiences. Instead of writing what you think would be appealing to admissions officers, present a genuine account of why you want to be a pharmacist and the experiences that led you to that conclusion. Inauthenticity is actually quite easy to detect, so it is always preferrable to be authentic.

Tip#2: Start early.

The strength of your personal statement is crucial, and with limited space to show the admissions committee who you are and why you are passionate about becoming a pharmacist, you will likely go through many drafts before you arrive at the final product. In order to accommodate multiple rounds of edits and give yourself time to gain mental distance from each draft before revising again, you must start early.

Tip#3: Get expert feedback.

Notice that we suggest expert feedback, not just feedback in general. Everyone can give you an opinion on the strength of your pharmacy school personal statement, but only a select few can give you constructive criticism that will actually serve to improve your statement. Trusted professors, pharmacist mentors, or admissions experts like the ones at BeMo are all great choices to give you informed and insightful advice.

Tip#4: Be concise.

Since you have limited space to convince your reader that you are passionate about pursuing pharmacy and would make an excellent future pharmacist, every word counts. Recount your experiences in a succinct manner so that you can maximize your character count and include valuable reflections that will demonstrate how strong of an applicant you are!

Tip#5: Avoid cliches.

While it can definitely be tempting to rely upon commonly used motivations for pursuing pharmacy school like “to help others” or “to give back,” leaning upon these cliches will only hurt your application. Even though part of your motivation for becoming a pharmacist may genuinely be to help others, you need your statement to stand out. If hundreds of other applicants express the same sentiment, your sincere altruism may be lost in the crowd of other personal statements communicating the same thing. Further, helping others and giving back can be achieved in various careers. Your job is to convince the reader that you want to make that impact through pharmacy.

If you are applying to pharmacy schools in the United States, check out PharmCAS’ website to see if your program utilizes this application service. If so, your personal statement will be restricted to 4,500 characters, including spaces. If not, check out the program’s website to discover that school’s specific personal statement requirements.

On the other hand, if you are applying to pharmacy schools in Canada, you will need to go directly to that school’s website to see its specific requirements. Some programs don’t require a personal statement at all.

No, some schools like the University of Toronto don’t require a personal statement or essay of any kind. Double check the website(s) of your program(s) of choice to see what the specific requirements are.

Unless directed otherwise by your program of choice, your pharmacy personal statement should be structured like a traditional academic essay. Include an introduction, 2-3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Please see above for further details.

Overall, your personal statement should answer the question “Why do you want to be a pharmacist?” or “Why do you want to go to pharmacy school?” Your answer to this question should show your reader why you want to pursue this career instead of telling them. Show your desire to become a pharmacist by discussing key experiences that sparked your interest in pharmacy and developed that interest into a true passion. Include experiences that exposed you to the profession, whether that is as a patient, working as a pharmacy assistant, or shadowing a pharmacist.

Although it may seem illogical, your introduction should be one of the last things that you write. The introduction of your personal statement must introduce the content that appears in your 2-3 body paragraphs, so it makes sense to write your body paragraphs first in order to know which content you are introducing. In order to capture your reader’s attention from the very beginning of your personal statement, the first sentence of your introduction should employ an opening hook that uses some sort of creative element to generate interest in your statement. Opening hooks often use relevant quotes, pieces of dialogue, or vignettes of a particularly impactful experience to “hook” the reader and make them more invested in the document before them. Following your opening hook, you should discuss the significance of it, whether that is how a quote relates to your life or an explanation of the significance of the situation described in your vignette. Finally, your introduction should establish your interest in pharmacy and set the stage for the more substantial content that will follow in subsequent body paragraphs.

The conclusion of your personal statement should not just be a summary of the content covered. Rather, it should be comprised of reflections upon the experiences you’ve described, draw connections among your experiences, and/or discuss future goals in the field of pharmacy. Make sure that the last sentence of your conclusion leaves the reader wanting to know more about you. How memorable your statement is depends heavily on your last sentence, so you should use a creative approach as you did with your opening hook. Some applicants find it useful to refer back to their opening hook in a creative way. Try out different endings and see which works best with the statement you’ve written!

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How to make your pharmacy application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 mistakes that get most rejected).

Pharmacy School Personal Statement Tips

Many programs require a personal statement as part of the pharmacy school application. This is essentially an essay that addresses why you want to be a pharmacist, and how your personal background and achievements support this goal. This writing sample provides the only opportunity to express yourself in writing to differentiate your application from your competitors. A significant effort should be made to have the best possible personal statement that addresses the interests of the admissions committee.

How to write a pharmacy school personal statement

PharmCAS provides general guidance on how to craft a personal statement. Each year, they provide a prompt that directs the topic of the statement. They recommend that applicants do not tailor their writing to one program, because you will only be permitted to submit one personal statement per application cycle. PharmCAS will send this statement to all programs to which you are applying that year.

For many applicants, the personal statement will be the most difficult part of the application preparation. Applicants know this is important, so they may overthink it or suffer from writer’s block. A useful exercise before you begin writing is to think about the answers to the following questions:

Why do you want to be a pharmacist? You should demonstrate a genuine interest in the profession and helping people.
What experiences have prepared you to be successful in this career?
What qualities do you most admire in pharmacists? Can you demonstrate that you have these same qualities through your academic achievements or work experience?
What makes you stand out as a unique candidate? Do you have real-life experience? Have you volunteered in health care settings?
Is there any deficiency in your application that you want to proactively explain? This may be your only opportunity to explain any low grades, gaps in education, or suboptimal PCAT scores. However, do not make excuses; own your mistakes and show how you have learned from them.

The personal statement should address the topics that you think are the most important to paint a picture of you as a successful pharmacy student.

The personal statement should address the topics that you think are the most important to paint a picture of you as a successful pharmacy student. Mission statements of the schools to which you are applying can help direct your writing, but you should keep the statement general enough that it can resonate with the admissions committees of any program.

Ultimately, the personal statement is a story that will show the admissions committee that you are a unique person who is worth more than their GPA and PCAT scores. The statement should be an authentic representation of your story and give the reader a glimpse into what you would be like as a pharmacy student and professional. The text should show, not tell, the reader what you bring to the table. A strong opening is important: Grab their attention with a relatable anecdote or quote.

One approach to writing the statement is to brainstorm all the questions above, taking notes as you think of the answers. Then, sketch an outline of the statement that will help get the juices flowing. Try to write the first rough draft in one setting, not worrying about the exact words. You can go back later to refine wording, add details, and revise. Lastly, you should proofread the statement multiple times. Essays riddled with grammatical errors and typos send a message to the reader that you do not pay attention to detail , which is an important skill for pharmacists. Consider having another person who is unbiased proofread it. Numerous companies offer professional essay proofreading and editing services, such as Scribd .

What does a school look for in a personal statement?

Each program is looking for well-rounded students who are likely to succeed at their institution. They do not expect all students to be the same.

Each program is looking for well-rounded students who are likely to succeed at their institution. They do not expect all students to be the same. Diversity is desirable, so don’t pretend to be something you are not because you think it is what they want to hear. Admissions committees can see right through disingenuous statements. Content that schools may be looking for include the following:

Is this person applying to pharmacy school for the right reasons? You won’t be happy or motivated in a job that you are doing only for money, job security, or to meet someone else’s expectations.
Do they understand the job and its demands? Speak to any relevant experience you have working, volunteering, or shadowing pharmacists.
Has the applicant demonstrated personal growth in the years leading up to their application? If your grades improved in the last year, you can explain that it shows your commitment to education and renewed work ethic. If you took on new extracurricular responsibilities or work assignments, highlight any leadership skills you’ve developed.
Is the essay organized and clearly written? Communication skills are important for pharmacists, because they communicate with customers, physicians, and insurers daily.
Has the applicant explained any weak points in their application? Admissions committees realize that life can be messy. Be honest if personal circumstances affected your grades or PCAT scores. Make it clear that you’ve moved past these circumstances and they won’t impact your ability to be a successful pharmacy student. However, don’t make excuses for shortcomings that don’t have a good explanation.
Do they demonstrate a “fit” for the values of the program? Use anecdotes to demonstrate that you live their values and mission.

Learn More about Pharmacy School Requirements by State

AR Arkansas
CA California
CO Colorado
CT Connecticut
DE Delaware
IL Illinois
KY Kentucky
LA Louisiana
MD Maryland
MA Massachusetts
MI Michigan
MN Minnesota
MS Mississippi
MO Missouri
NE Nebraska
NH New Hampshire
NJ New Jersey
NM New Mexico
NY New York
NC North Carolina
ND North Dakota
OK Oklahoma
PA Pennsylvania
RI Rhode Island
SC South Carolina
SD South Dakota
TN Tennessee
VA Virginia
WA Washington
DC Washington, DC
WV West Virginia
WI Wisconsin

What should you avoid in a pharmacy school personal statement?

Admissions committees have numerous applications to review. You want to make sure every sentence in your personal statement adds value and has no chance of leaving a negative impression. Here are examples of things to avoid:

Don’t repeat your transcript and PCAT scores. They already have these in their file. Essay word counts are limited, so make the most of every word of your essay to provide new information.
Don’t write off topic. Tell your story directly and concisely. Going off on a tangent or adding words just to make it appear longer will distract from the message you are trying to convey.
Don’t include irrelevant academic achievements. No matter how proud you are that you won the geography bee in fifth grade, it isn’t relevant to your aptitude for success in a pharmacy career.
Do not plagiarize. This is a major sin in academia. It will get your application tossed to the “no” pile without a second thought.
Avoid clichés. Cue eye roll from the admissions committee who is forced to read hundreds of statements, many with poor attempts to use clichés or humor.
Do not talk about controversial topics. The essay should be professional. Topics like religion, personal emotions, money, and politics have no place in the workplace.
Don’t have grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. Hire a professional editor to proofread your writing, or use a do-it-yourself tool, such as Grammarly .

Pharmacy school personal statement examples

Personal statements are one of the most important components of your application. They are your only opportunity to show the admissions committee that you are more than your GPA and PCAT score. This is your chance to stand out from the crowd. The quality of your essay will be determined by how much work you put into the writing. Several examples of essays from students who were accepted to pharmacy programs can be found on the internet at sites like Studential and Applytouni . Reading these can give you an idea what a good statement looks like before you begin writing your own.

Additional Resources:
Pharmacy School Directory
Pharmacy School Letter of Recommendation Tips

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The Pharmacy Personal Statement Guide w/Prompts & Examples

Image of a Pharmacist with a customer at a Pharmacy store

The Importance of Writing a Great Pharmacy Personal Statement

To become a pharmacist anywhere in the UK, you’ll need to be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and have, at minimum, a master’s degree from an accredited university. This requires you to enter into a graduate-level programme for pharmacology. When applying to these types of programmes, it’s very important that you have a strong pharmacy personal statement.

When it comes to applying to a pharmacy programme at the graduate level, there are many requirements to meet. Many of these come in the form of prerequisites you need before you can be considered for grad school.

Pharmacy Programme Prerequisites

The common prerequisites for applying to university for pharmacology mostly involve classes you should’ve taken before applying to the programme. These classes include three (3) A-levels in the following subjects:

and various Maths

You must receive a grade of B or higher in each of these for it to meet the prerequisite.

You must also take five (5) General Certificates of Secondary Education, otherwise known as GCSEs, in the following subjects:

Various Maths
English/Language

For these courses, you must have received a grade of C or higher.

There are a few alternate routes you can take if you don’t meet the above listed prerequisites. These include having a foundational degree in the field of pharmacy, having an HNC, HND or BTEC with a science focus, having earned the equivalent qualifications at an Irish or Scottish university and a few others. Having work or internship experience with a pharmacist also helps.

Depending on the particular Uni you plan on attending, you may have some additional institutional requirements. These will be listed on the university’s website and/or in the admissions packet for the school.

Steps to Obtaining Admission

Once you’ve covered all your prerequisite courses, it’s time to start the actual process of admissions. Do your research first; find the best Uni for you and check the website to see what types of admissions requirements they have in place. Some universities require you to take the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admissions Test) and earn a certain score before they’ll consider you for admission.

If you’ve not already taken the PCAT, though, check the admissions requirements for your particular Uni to see if you need to do so. Several universities across the country are eliminating the PCAT requirement, and there’s no reason to take it if it isn’t a requirement for your specific school. The next step is to fill out and submit an application to the school.

Applications require a lot of personal information, including your name, contact information, educational history, professional resume, personal and professional references, and a pharmacy personal statement, which is one of the most important parts of the application packet. Some universities require you to pay a fee or provide them with a fee waiver when submitting your application.

After you’ve submitted your application, it’ll be reviewed by the university’s admissions team. At this point, they may call you in for an interview . After that, you should be ready to enter the pharmacy programme.

But how do you make sure you get to the interview stage? Aside from having good grades and an impressive personal resume, writing an exceptional and memorable pharmacy personal statement is the best way to make sure you’re called in for that final step.

What is a Pharmacy Personal Statement?

A pharmacy personal statement is a personal essay you write about yourself. Many unis will give you a specific prompt to help guide your writing. For those few that don’t, there are several things you’ll want to include , such as why you want to pursue pharmacology, what about that particular university’s programme appeals to you, any achievements or awards you’ve received, any relevant internship or work experience and why you’d make a good candidate.

There are also attributes about yourself you’ll want to mention in your personal statement. These are things you can’t simply write out in sentences. Instead, you’ll want to discuss relevant topics and tell personal stories that show that you have these qualities without you directly saying, “ I work well with others and have good communication skills. “

These important attributes include, but aren’t limited to:

Excellent people skills
Strong attention to detail
Honesty and integrity
Good communication skills
The ability to work on a team
Leadership skills
Strong organisational skills
Highly motivated to succeed
A strong sense of responsibility and professionalism

All of these qualities make you a good candidate for a pharmacy programme. The more of these you can show you have, the more likely you’ll be called for an interview.

What is a Prompt, and Why Should You Follow It?

If your specific university provides you with a prompt, they’re simply giving you a question to help focus what you write about in your personal statement. There are several different prompts unis use, and we’ll discuss some of the most common of those later.

No matter what the prompt is, it’s important you answer it completely. Most universities use prompts relative to your interest in pharmacology, your educational history, or attributes that would make you a good candidate for their programme. There will occasionally be a prompt that surprises you though. In those cases, still, answer the prompt.

Be as honest and as thorough as you can, and remember, even if the prompt is something strange or unusual, there are usually still ways to work in stories that show you in your best light. You may just have to be a little more creative.

Below, you’ll find a few of the most common prompts for writing your pharmacy personal statement on your admissions applications.

Pharmacy Personal Statement Prompts

Prompt 1: tell us about yourself (kings university london).

Many universities use a very vague prompt that just instructs you to talk about yourself. As Kingston University London puts it, “You are the main topic of this essay.”

This is a great, easy prompt to get. Don’t be afraid to be honest and really talk yourself up in this kind of statement.

For this particular prompt, you’ll want to cover everything we mentioned above, particularly why you’re interested in pursuing a career in Pharmacy, what education you’ve had that qualifies you for the programme, any relevant work or leadership experience that would make you a good candidate and anything that showcases the attributes we listed above.

Again, be honest and as thorough as possible. Remember, the goal of this statement is to make you memorable and desirable. As a result, talking about all the great accomplishments or achievements you have isn’t bragging or boasting. It’s what’s required if you want to stand out from the other applicants.

Prompt 2: Demonstrate your commitment to pursuing a career in Pharmacy, and tell us why you’re better suited to the programme than other applicants (King’s College London).

This prompt is quite similar to the above “Tell us about yourself” prompt. In it, you’ll cover much of the same things, especially when you start talking about why you should be chosen for the programme over other applicants.

Just remember that there’s a direct question about why you want to work in pharmacology. Because it’s being asked directly, you want to spend a bit of time giving a complete answer. You can talk about why you became interested in pharmaceuticals in the first place. Was there a specific event in your childhood that inspired you to want to help take care of sick people? Have you had a strong love of chemistry for as long as you can remember? What inspired you to choose this field over all the over available career fields?

This prompt also allows you to talk about your career goals. What do you want to do with your MPharm once you get it? How is this degree going to help you in those goals, and how are you going to use your skills and your degree to make the world better once you do get a job? It would also benefit you to talk about the classes you’ve already taken and the work you’ve already done to work towards your goals.

Prompt 3: What benefits do you expect to gain from admission into our programme? (Cardiff University)

For this prompt, you can still talk a little about why you chose pharmacology and what you hope to do with your degree once you’ve earned it. More importantly, though, you’ll want to answer the actual question the prompt asks. What are you hoping to gain from this particular programme that sets it apart from all the other pharmacy programmes you could have chosen instead?

Talk about specific courses or labs for which this programme is well-known. This is a great way to showcase that you’ve done your research and really looked into what this university has to offer. By highlighting particular aspects of the programme, you prove to the admissions team you didn’t just pick this university on a whim or because it was the closest one to your flat. Instead, you did some reading and compared the programme to those at other schools and decided this one was the best fit for you because… You fill in the blanks!

Proving to a school that you know something about the school and that you hope to gain the actual knowledge and skills they’re famous for providing to students is a huge point in your favour. This specific prompt allows you to do that.

Prompt 4: Tell us about any work experience, internships, leadership positions you’ve held or outside activities that would support your application for admission (The University of Manchester).

This prompt is another one that’s similar to the “ Tell us about yourself ” prompt. In answering this prompt, you’ll be able to talk about yourself, your history, your past accomplishments, your interest in pharmacy, and more. You’ll want to put your largest focus, though, on the actual work you’ve done to prepare you for entrance into this programme.

This could include any of the following:

Working in an actual pharmacy or closely related field
Internships, volunteer experience or other placements within a pharmacy or related field
Any work experience you’ve had where you were part of a team or, even better, the leader of a team
Educational experience that would prepare you for the programme
Any honours you’ve received that show you to be exceptional in any relevant field

These are only a few examples of things you could discuss in response to this prompt.

Standard Pharmacy Personal Statement Format

No matter the specific prompt you’re given, there’s a general format you’ll use for most personal statements. Occasionally, a university will provide you with specific formatting instructions. If they do, you always want to follow those instructions exactly. If you aren’t provided with instructions, this is the general format preferred for most UK unis and their US counterparts for essays and/or personal statements:

MLA formatting guidelines
One-inch margins on each side of the page
(For the UK) Any professional font as long as the italics are noticeably different – most students use Times New Roman, Arial or Courier
(For the US) Times New Roman or Arial font
Font size – 12 pt.
Double-space, but add no extra lines between paragraphs
Indent the first line of each paragraph

Additionally, you’ll use the standard Intro-Body-Conclusion format that most MLA essays utilise.

Step 1. Introduction

Depending on the specific prompts people are given, each introductory paragraph will be a little different for each student. Generally, though, this is where you’ll introduce yourself and talk a little about why you’re interested in studying pharmacology in general and why you’re interested in studying at that university specifically. You’ll also want to catch the reader’s attention immediately, in the opening line if possible, but without using gimmicks or something overly dramatic.

According to a how-to guide on the Birmingham City University website , “The most effective opening sentences are simple, to the point and personal to you.”

You’ll also want to avoid writing in cliches or using overused phrasing that everyone else uses. Be original. Be specific. Really help the admissions team understand your drive and passion for pharmacology.

Step 2. Body Paragraphs

Your body paragraphs are where you’ll put the majority of your information. These are the paragraphs where you’ll really dive into answering the question(s) the prompt asks. Unless you’re asked to write an abbreviated personal statement of just a couple hundred words, you should never have less than two body paragraphs, and it’s better to have between three and six.

You want to be comprehensive in your writing; include everything the admissions team might need to hear to sway them in your favour. This generally takes more than a couple of short paragraphs. Remember to indent the first line of each paragraph, and make sure they’re written in an order that makes sense. Don’t jump around from paragraph to paragraph. Make sure each transitions smoothly into the other.

Step 3. Conclusion

In the conclusion of your pharmacy personal statement, you’ll want to bring your entire essay to a smooth, sensible close. Don’t use your conclusion to restate everything you’ve already written. Instead, use it as a place to briefly touch on how entrance into the programme will help you succeed in your future goals.

Also, if it feels appropriate and doesn’t detract from the overall feel of your personal statement, take the time to thank the admissions team for reading it and considering you for application into their school’s pharmacy programme. Be aware that this isn’t always appropriate. If, after adding in the thank you, it seems forced or like it was written just to add more words to an essay that was a little too short, take it out.

Examples of Pharmacy Personal Statements

Example personal statement 1.

“I have gained valuable knowledge studying Chemistry, Biology and Maths which will be beneficial for the Pharmacy course. In Chemistry, I have done a series of experiments which require analytical and evaluative skills such as accurate reading when using burettes. I find the organic Chemistry module rather interesting as I enjoy studying the different reactions of aldehydes and ketones and how these reactions and organic products differ due to the different functional groups present in each compound. Another aspect of chemistry I enjoy is the purification of organic compounds.”

– Read the rest here

This is the second paragraph of a pharmacy personal statement, and it’s a great example of how to answer a prompt that wants you to discuss any relevant experience you’ve had that could help you in the programme.

This student mentions many of the different science and mathematics courses she’s taken in pursuit of her pharmacy degree, but she doesn’t just list them. She goes into great detail about some of the things she’s done in those classes.

This is excellent for a few reasons. First of all, it’s evident in her writing that she greatly enjoyed the classes she took. This shows that she has a passion for the work she’ll have to do to obtain her MPharm. Universities much prefer to have students on campus who are truly invested in and enjoying the work they’re doing.

Additionally, she uses specific terms – “ketones,” “burettes,” “aldehydes” and more – which shows she has actual knowledge and understanding of the field. We can tell that she’s a knowledgeable, hard-working student who has, thus far, retained the information she learned in her undergraduate courses. Everything about this personal statement was done well.

Our Verdict:

Image of a smiling face with heart-shaped eyes emoji

Example Personal Statement 2

“I am interested in the Masters of Pharmacy (MPharm) Programme because I am interested in the modules on which it is based. I want to do the MPharm programme so as to extend my knowledge in Medicines. I would like to get a deeper understanding of how to formulate and administer drugs safely.

I would qualify for the Mpharm programme because I have recently completed BSc in pharmaceutical Science which has given me good understanding of how drugs work. The modules I have undertaken In my BSc Pharmaceutical Science will help me navigate successfully in the MPharm programme.”

This personal statement is a little less impressive than the first one. First of all, there’s not really an opening line. When writing a pharmacy personal statement – or a personal statement of any kind, for that matter – you want to have a nice first sentence that breaks the ice and starts the statement off in a fluid manner. This student just jumps right in and answers the question being asked. There’s no lead-in, no story being told.

The grammar in this particular sample isn’t great either. There are randomly capitalised words (“undertaken In my BSc”) and missing words (“given me good understanding”) and a few other problems that could have been addressed by good editing. This is a testament to why you should always proofread and edit your papers before submitting them. It’s even better to give them to a new set of eyes to edit for you if possible.

The two most bothersome things about this sample, though, is that it’s vague, and the sentences are choppy. The student mentions things he’s done (“ recently completed BSc in pharmaceutical Science “) and why he wants to be in the programme (“ because I am interested in the modules on which it is based “), but he gives absolutely no specifics.

He doesn’t talk about anything he learned in his BSc courses that furthered his love of pharmacology, and while he says he’s interested in the programme’s modules, he doesn’t mention a single specific module or why it interests him. We’re just given the bare minimum with no detail – the burger without the cheese and veggies. It’s boring.

Image of a burger joke saying "Be honest. Is this too much Lettuce?"

Finally, his sentences are horribly choppy. With the exception of one single sentence, each of his sentences starts with the word “I” – “I am,” “I want,” “I would.” There is no variation at all to his writing. It’s boring and makes the reader lose interest. You’ll want to change up the flow and style of your sentences regularly. It adds a little flair and makes your personal statement less monotonous.

Example Personal Statement 3

“Pharmacy has the ability to change people’s lives. Whether it is at the level of the community pharmacist offering the best advice possible to common illnesses, to high-level research into drugs that could cure a range of chronic or life-threatening diseases, the role of the pharmacist cannot be overestimated. As a motivated and hardworking individual, with a desire to understand the fascinating human body along with a joy of helping other people, I strongly believe that studying pharmacy will give me one of the final and most important step towards a rewarding career in the developing field of pharmacy.”

This is another stellar example of what a pharmacy personal statement should be. The writer begins strong with a unique and memorable opening sentence. He tells us, right from the first sentence, one of the reasons he wants to work in the field of pharmacology, but he does so without monotonously and obviously saying, “ I want to be a pharmacist because I think pharmacy can change people lives .” Instead, he simply and concisely says, “ Pharmacy has the ability to change people’s lives. “

It’s a great opening line, and it gives us insight into his reasons for going into the pharmacy field as well. He follows that up with a sentence that shows he’s knowledgeable about different career opportunities in the field of pharmacology.

Then he smoothly transitions into why he, himself, would do well in this field. He tells us he’s hardworking and motivated, but he does so in a way that doesn’t just state those facts outright without context.

He then once again tells us about his interest in the field and also shows us he is someone who enjoys working with and helping others. Finally, he sums up his introduction by leading into what he hopes to gain from the programme.

Although the next paragraph isn’t listed here, it, too, is a smooth transition into the educational and work experiences he’s had that prepared him to do well in the programme. Everything about this personal statement is well-organised, with each paragraph flowing smoothly into the next, and the whole thing covering everything that should be covered in a personal statement.

Example Personal Statement 4

“I am interested in studying chemistry and biology because I would like a career that plays crucial role in public’s health.

I was previously working as a retail assistant and the experience has led me to deal and understand different kind of people. I learnt to keep myself calm, whilst working under pressure environments.

This job has also taught me to work in a fast-paced environment to meet the customer`s demands. This skill will be useful to meet the deadlines while doing my course and working as a pharmacist will enable me to provide good customer services.”

This personal statement is another example of what not to do when writing your own statement for admission into the pharmacy programme.

First of all, the introduction paragraph, shown here in its entirety, is much too short. You have to be an excellent writer to turn one sentence into a paragraph and make it work, and this writer didn’t do that. Your introduction should never be only one sentence. It needs to be fleshed out and thoroughly written. There are some glaring grammatical errors as well.

The next problem with this statement is that the work experience the student writes about isn’t really relevant to the programme she’s trying to enter into. She does an admirable job of trying to make it relevant, by talking about how it helped her learn to work with a multitude of different people and taught her to work quickly, but it doesn’t really work.

Most unis want to know that you have relevant work experience. If you don’t, it’s better to mention placement experiences or internships you’ve had that are relevant as opposed to irrelevant work experience. Even if you only worked in a pharmacy for a day as part of a class project, that’s okay. You can learn a lot in a day, and you can make that work in your writing.

Unless you’re really good at making non-relevant experience seem like it has actual relevance to the programme, it’s better to leave it out altogether. That’s not to say you can’t mention having retail or fast food experience, but you have to make sure that you meticulously explain how that experience is relevant to the pharmacology field.

Example Personal Statement 5

“The enthusiasm I have for the sciences – specifically Chemistry – encouraged me to think about my future career and how a chemistry-related degree could be a possibility for me. I have always enjoyed maths and science throughout my education and I have recognised that I can combine both in a career in pharmacy. I believe pharmacy to be a fast-developing profession and recognise that pharmacists are heavily involved in the introduction of new medicines for all kinds of illnesses, and I find the prospect of working in this field inspiring.”

While this isn’t the best example of a personal statement, it’s far from being the worst. This is considered an average statement. The writer does a good job hitting all the points he should cover in his introduction – why he became interested in the field of pharmacy, a basic knowledge of the job description of a pharmacist and why he wants to work in the field in the future – but doesn’t do it in a way that’s incredibly memorable.

It isn’t the strongest introduction paragraph to a personal statement, but at the same time, it’s fair; it isn’t bad. It’s well-organised; the grammar is mostly as it should be, and the subject of why he wants to enter the programme is well covered. It doesn’t grab our attention and make us want to read more though. In short, this is an introductory paragraph that could go either way.

Although not shown here, the rest of this statement turned out pretty good. The writer found his flow and dived into the subject with an appropriate amount of detail, good grammar and a few memorable points. The strength of his body paragraphs and conclusion made up for his less-than-exceptional introduction, and that’s okay.

We included this sample to show that sometimes you get off to a bit of a slow start and can still finish well. It’s better to start strong, but introductions can be tough. As long as the intro isn’t bad and you make up for the average intro in your body paragraphs and conclusion, you’ll usually be okay.

A Few Final Notes

hile it’s certainly true that grades and work experience are important when applying to uni to work on your MPharm, your pharmacy personal statement is equally important. Universities get huge volumes of applications for their pharmacy programmes. They get so many applications that many of them have a “Due to the large volume of applications we receive…” disclaimer on their websites.

Your personal statement is where you can be creative and ensure your essay stands out from the rest. Be sure you check out the formatting requirements ahead of time and stick to them exactly.

Also, make sure you read the personal statement prompt well and understand it before you start writing. Finally, make sure you edit your paper several times before submitting it.

Have a friend, loved one, mentor or former professor look over it as well. Where possible, get a reputable online personal statement review service to help ( me shamelessly plugging in our services page lol ) Sometimes, a fresh set of eyes can find mistakes your own eyes can’t.

Be honest and thorough in your response to the prompt, and never try to plagiarise someone else’s work. It never works. It helps to run a plagiarism checker on your final draft- just to be sure!

Finally, be sure you stick to the length requirements. If the statement is supposed to be between 500 and 750 words, make sure that’s what it is. Don’t stop at 490 words and assume it will be enough, and don’t go over an extra 50 words and assume the admissions team will be okay with it. These people read a lot of personal statements; they set a maximum word count for a reason.

Most importantly, do your best, and fill your personal statement with passion. If an admissions team can tell that you’re passionate about your education and your subsequent career in pharmacy, you’ve already won half the battle.

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How to Write a Compelling Pharmacy School Personal Statement

Written by Kelly Tomory

July 12, 2022

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Pharmacy School

If you’re applying to any higher education program, you’re most likely going to run into something called a “personal statement”. Pharmacy school is no exception, and learning how to write a compelling and unique personal statement is a key part in getting accepted to school. Read on to find out how to write one that stands out!

What is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement serves as a way to highlight your skills, interests and experiences. Personal statements tend to be somewhat autobiographical, but it is not just a lengthy personal essay of your entire life story.

Personal statements are also not a regurgitation of all the information you’ve already included in your application and cover letter. Think of your personal statement as more of a narrative, but still keep it informative.

In writing a personal statement, you’re aiming to give the school or program you’re applying for a snapshot of who you are and why you want to be considered for whatever position. They are as much about how you write as what you write. Schools will receive hundreds of personal statements– make sure yours stands out!

What is the Difference Between a Personal Statement and a Cover Letter?

A cover letter generally serves as a means to sell yourself to a company or school. It introduces your resume and all your relevant school and employment history. A personal statement, however, is meant to be more creative and introduce the school to you as a person in an engaging format.

While an application can come off as just a list of what you’ve done, a personal statement frames all your accomplishments in a way that connects your real-life influences with the dates and degrees on your application.

What is the Best Format for a Personal Statement for Pharmacy School?

Think of your personal statement as a narrative essay outlining how you got to where you are today, as well as where you want to go next. Within this story, relate back to pharmaceuticals and medicine and healthcare fields in an organic way. You’ve chosen this path for a reason, what are the steps that got you here?

What Questions Should I Answer in my Personal Statement?

Some helpful questions to aim to answer throughout your personal statement are:

✅ Why do I want to be a Pharmacist?: Think through the times where you have admired pharmaceuticals or where they have most impacted you. Or, think about when you fell in love with medicine and helped people through pharmaceuticals.

✅ What different pharmaceutical paths would I be interested in pursuing?: Are you interested in nuclear pharmacy? What about private pharmaceutical production? If you have a specific niche in mind for a career path, use this space to talk about your interest.

✅ What makes me an excellent and unique candidate for this program?: Have you taken any specialized courses that make you uniquely qualified for this program? Have you had any outstanding internships or positions within the healthcare world?

✅ What are my strengths?: Where do you excel? What specific strengths could you bring to the program and the team you work with? Use this space to highlight your gifts.

✅ Are there any gaps or inadequacies in my application? How can I explain them here?: If you have anything on your application that may confuse someone not familiar with your life circumstances, try to concisely explain it here. Admissions counselors want to be able to give you the best shot possible at being accepted, and sometimes this requires you being up-front about gaps or missing pieces to your work history.

What Should I Avoid in My Personal Statement?

❌ Don’t just repeat what you’ve said in your application. There’s a place for a more sterile, list-based amalgamation of your achievements, but your personal statement is not this place. Admissions staff will learn a lot more about you if you’re creative with your personal statement.

❌ Don’t steal someone else’s work. Plagiarism will disqualify you from admission to pharmacy programs, and it’s also just bad practice for life in general.

❌ Avoid cliches throughout your writing. It may have been a dark and stormy night when you were born, but that is neither relevant nor original. Find fresh ways to tell your story and engage your readers.

❌ Avoid grammar and spelling mistakes. These can be avoided through several rounds of revision

What Are Admissions Counselors Looking for in a Personal Statement?

What makes a good candidate may vary from program to program, but there are some general things that admissions counselors look for when reviewing personal statements from applicants:

How have you grown over the years?
Is your personal statement well-written? Does it show care, consideration and edits?
Are you up for the challenge of Pharmacy school?
Do you fit our program?

What Are the Steps to Form a Compelling Personal Statement?

The creative process for a piece like this may vary form applicant to applicant, but the general steps are as follows

1. Brainstorm

This step can be messy, and is generally the most customizable of the process. To start your brainstorming process, think about all the reasons you’re considering pharmacy school and why this program should consider you. This is also a good place to start thinking about what makes you stand out from other candidates, as well as beginning to organize your education and work history.

Since personal statements are more narrative than list-based, start to think about how pharmacists have influenced your life and family. Compelling stories from your own experiences will help admissions counselors see you have a full-bodied connection to the program and career field.

As part of your brainstorming, look at successful personal statements. Websites like Studential and ApplyToUni can give you a good idea of what spelled success for past applicants. Or, if you know anyone who went to pharmacy school already, you can ask them for their best tips.

2. Outline and Draft

How do you make sense of all the information you just brainstormed out? One of the best ways to sort through your thoughts is by looking for natural connections between events in your life. Be sure to highlight the aspects of your career and schooling that will make you stand out the most.

Make sure you’re outlining your statement in a way that makes the most sense for both your story and your reader. Linear outlines with clear progressions through your life story usually work best, but that’s not to say you can’t jump around in the story a bit, especially if pharmacology has played a lot of different roles throughout your life and you’re looking to highlight its effect on you over time.

There are different types of personal statements, generally prompted or unprompted, but they all tend to be between 400-1,000 words long.

Check your personal statement for basic grammatical and spelling mistakes, as well as making sure your tone is both professional and friendly. Make sure your organization makes sense. A good way to ensure this is to have someone else read it and suggest edits. The more sets of eyes you can have on your personal statement, the better chance you’ll have of submitting a flawless piece.

Running your personal statement through a program like Grammarly or Hemingway is another good way to weed out mistakes and make sure your statement is clear.

4. Final Revisions and Submission

Do some final checks of your personal statement. Try to read it as if you’re reading it for the first time, with no context as to your own story. An early start in the writing and drafting process is key for this step, so you can take a few days away from your statement before this final revision if necessary.

If your personal statement was one with a prompt, use this check to be sure you have answered all the questions as fully and uniquely as possible. This is another great place to ask for a second set of eyes to review your statement.

Finally, submit your personal statement with your application to pharmacy school. Be sure that you’ve submitted it before the deadline!

How Do I Close a Personal Statement?

In closing your personal statement, include one last push for yourself and why you’re a good fit for the program. Try to naturally conclude and wrap up all that you’ve said about yourself and your story. Be sure to highlight your interest in the program specifically and give a quick “thank you” for their consideration of your application.

What Now?

Now that you know how to write a great personal statement for pharmacy school, you should narrow down the schools you want to apply to. If you haven’t already, consider NEOMED’s College of Pharmacy ! Our program will prepare you to make an impact on those around you for the better, whether locally or globally. Graduates from our programs boast high NAPLEX test scores, excellent network connections and a deeper understanding of the communities they serve. Apply to NEOMED !

Want to learn more about pharmacy school at NEOMED? Our pharmacy program guide will help you determine if pharmacy school is the right path for you, and how NEOMED can help you begin your future.

Access our eBook "Begin Your Future in Pharmacy at NEOMED" to learn more about what it takes to become a pharmacist.

About the author

Kelly tomory.

Assistant Director of Admission

Should you become a pharmacist, student spotlight: from community pharmacy to beyond the counter, student spotlight: momi talukdar.