Biomedical engineering personal statement example

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

My grip-strength meter was first calibrated with bags of sugar borrowed from the school kitchen. For my Extended Project I set out to build a cheap device that the PE department could use to track hand strength, and my main aim was that it should give the same reading twice. A load cell, an HX711 amplifier and an Arduino turned a squeeze into a number, but my first 3D-printed handle flexed so much that readings drifted by several kilograms. A thicker, ribbed handle and repeated checks against known masses showed me that a measurement is only as good as the mechanics around the sensor. That meeting point of engineering and the body is what draws me to biomedical engineering. Devices have to work on people who vary in size, tire and move unpredictably. Reading about prosthetic sockets, I learned that a well-made limb can still be uncomfortable if the socket rubs or the residual limb changes volume during the day. I like that such a problem sits between materials, mechanics and the person using the device. I want to learn solid mechanics, signal processing and physiology properly, so that I can design equipment that is tested on people rather than only on paper.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare?

My A levels in Maths, Physics and Biology have each fed into the grip meter. In Physics, measuring the Young modulus of a copper wire made me think carefully about stress, strain and why a stiff handle mattered. Biology taught me how muscle fibres contract, which helped me understand why grip readings fall after repeated squeezes and why my test procedure needed rest periods between attempts. In Maths, statistics let me judge repeatability: I took ten readings at each known mass and compared the spread before and after redesigning the handle, which gave me evidence that the change had worked rather than a feeling that it had. The EPQ also taught me to manage a long project. I kept a logbook of each version, including a wiring fault that took a week to trace to a loose solder joint, and I presented the finished device to about thirty students and staff. The PE department now uses it with Year 9 during their fitness unit, which is a small result but one I am proud of because people other than me rely on it. I have taught myself basic CAD for the handle and some C++ for the Arduino, and I would like to build on both with proper training in programming and design.

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

Since Year 11 I have worked Saturdays on the counter of a local hardware shop, cutting keys and helping customers find the right fixings. Many people arrive with a broken part and a vague description, so I have learned to ask clear questions, look closely at what they bring and explain options without jargon. When someone needs a wall plug for crumbling plaster or a hinge for a heavy door, the right answer depends on loads and materials, which is engineering in everyday form. I have also learned to stay calm and polite when the shop is busy and the queue is long. Outside work I have paddled at a canoe club for five years and now help run the junior Sunday sessions, having completed Paddlesport Leader training. Coaching nervous ten-year-olds means adjusting how I explain a stroke for each child, and checking that buoyancy aids and boats fit them properly. I help maintain the fleet too, and I have repaired split kayak hulls by plastic welding under the supervision of an experienced member. Away from engineering, I enjoy cooking for my family on weekday evenings, often working through a recipe book my grandmother gave me, and I find it a good way to switch off from revision while still making something useful with my hands.