Physiotherapy, physiology, and pathology 2026 personal statement guide

Show admissions tutors you’ve got what it takes by reflecting on your experiences and understanding of the profession, talking about how you've demonstrated relevant skills, and by showing your awareness of the breadth of what physiotherapists, physiologists, and pathologists actually do.

General advice about writing your personal statement

Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?

This is your opportunity to showcase your passion and knowledge of your chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for you and your future ambitions.

Examples:

• Physiotherapy is a competitive field. To have a good chance of being selected, you’ll need to demonstrate a realistic understanding of the role, and show you’re 100% committed to it. It’s important to show you’ve researched the career – the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is a good starting point, for example.
• Why do you want to be a physiotherapist, physiologist or pathologist, specifically? How did you arrive at the decision that it’s the right fit for you? Don’t just say you want to be in a caring profession or work in a lab – be specific, and convey your enthusiasm and determination.
• Reference books you’ve read, TED Talks you’ve watched, or talk about your own views on, for example, the pros and cons of using artificial intelligence (AI) in pathology, or virtual reality in neurological rehabilitation, and how that relates to the course you’re applying for.
• This isn’t essential but, if you have a clear view of the direction you want your career to take, blend this into your statement too. 

Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

This is your chance to shout about the relevant or transferable skills you’ve gained from your formal education and highlight your understanding of how they will help you succeed in this subject area.

Examples:

• Write about anything you feel is especially relevant about your academic studies, or maybe a project you've undertaken. Perhaps you’ve done an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) on how a Mediterranean diet affects our physiology, or the impact of air pollution on respiratory diseases – reflect on how what you’ve learned will help you during your degree.
• Think of the skills you might need for your chosen subject and where you’ve picked them up, such as research and analytical skills in sciences or geography, modelling in maths, or collaborative teamwork in PE or drama.
• Have you done any online courses to boost your knowledge in the subject? For example, why not try Subject Spotlights or Virtual Work Experiences from Springpod to grow your skills and interest? 

Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

This is your chance to talk about any other activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education, or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to you and anything you do include should reflect on why you’re including it.

Examples:

• Experience of observing or at least talking to physiotherapists, physiologists or pathologists is highly desirable. It’s even better if you can do this in more than one setting, whether it’s in hospitals, laboratories, private practice, GP surgeries, schools, residential homes, sport centres, clubs, or out in the community. Although it’s increasingly difficult to obtain formal work experience, try to plan ahead and use your initiative to secure this in time.
• The next best thing is general experience or voluntary work in any health or care setting. Particularly for physiotherapy, take the opportunity to observe how staff communicate and interact with people, especially vulnerable individuals such as children, the elderly or people in distress. Describe how what you observed changed your perceptions or understanding.
• The final piece in the jigsaw is to provide evidence of how you’ve personally demonstrated some of the important qualities you’ve observed. Pick out your key observations and be explicit in explaining the links with your own skill set. For example, ‘on placement I noticed that pathologists needed skill X... I demonstrated skill X myself when I…'. You could write about something like problem-solving, which you’ve done in a part-time job, or the ability to cope under pressure, which you’ve learned whilst doing your exams or during a busy Saturday job.

The key to setting yourself apart in your application is to remember how important the ‘personal’ bit is to your personal statement. What makes you, you?

• Physiotherapists have to talk to, collaborate with, and counsel people, so do include how you’ve demonstrated these ‘softer’ caring, helping, or listening skills in or outside of school. Maybe you’ve worked in a care home or hospice, done babysitting for siblings or neighbours, or you’ve been a student mentor at school. It’s not how much experience you’ve had that matters, it’s the quality of your insights and how you reflect on them.Referring to your own experience as a patient may also be helpful, but only if you’ve gained a real insight through it.
• If you’re interested in pathology, you might want to elaborate on your scientific interests and your analytical skills. Maybe there are science festivals, talks or programmes you’ve enjoyed, or maybe you’ve visited the Surgeon’s Hall Museums in Edinburgh, or arranged a special visit to the Pathology Museum at Queen Mary University of London. Be specific if there are particular things that interest you, whether it’s pathology insights into the bubonic plague, or the Covid-19 pandemic. When it comes to relevant skills, perhaps you can show you’ve got good interpersonal skills through a book or running club you take part in, or critical thinking skills from playing board games or writing poetry in your spare time. 
• If you’re choosing to focus on physiology, give examples of research skills that apply to you as a person – for example, you may have got a sports injury and carried out your own research into how that joint or muscle works, and tested out which rehabilitation works best for you. Or you might be fascinated by the Romans and have carried out your own further research, creating a blog or vlog about them. Just make sure you relate that back to the course you’re applying for. It’s even better if you can also relate your experiences to something you learned in your biology, chemistry, or PE studies, or from your wider reading online. 
   

1. Check what specific universities want: Some universities provide information about their selection criteria on their website, so this may give you a handy framework to base your statement around.
2. Values-based selection: A physiotherapy admissions tutor said they assess your suitability for the career as a whole, not just the course. In fact, some of the most important factors when reviewing your statement are linked to the six core values of the NHS Constitution. So, make sure you’re familiar with it, and able to demonstrate behaviours of your own that align with these core values.
3. Relevant skills: Mention any skills you have that are relevant to your chosen course, such as problem-solving, coping with pressure, being non-judgemental, leadership, and working in a team. Give examples where you can. 
4. Show you understand the scope of physiotherapy: One admission tutor's top physiotherapy personal statement tip was 'don’t mention sport!'. It’s important to realise sport isn’t representative of the profession as a whole. For instance, sports physiotherapy is predominantly concerned with musculoskeletal conditions in patients who are likely to otherwise be healthy and motivated. So, do show what you’ve learned about the diverse range and backgrounds of patients you’ll be treating or the kinds of situations these patients may also be dealing with. Reflect on the challenges this creates for the physiotherapist, such as how to motivate patients to manage their own long-term recovery when they’re also having to cope with other conditions, illnesses, or struggles (such as depression, dementia, or family circumstances).