How to Write an MHA Personal Statement

If you’re applying to a Master’s in Health Administration program, you must be passionate about helping medical facilities run smoothly and supporting life-saving care. You’ve also done a lot to prepare for this point in your career, having earned an undergraduate degree and likely held at least one position in this rapidly growing field. Now, you’re ready to advance your career with the right master’s degree. One thing stands in your way: crafting the perfect personal statement to include with your application.

Also called a statement of purpose, the MHA personal statement is your chance to make your application more than just a collection of data and facts. An effective statement of purpose will give the admissions office an idea of who you are, complete with a glimpse into your personal and professional goals and accomplishments. It should communicate why you’re a good fit for the university’s MHA program.

If you feel intimidated by writing your personal statement, you’re not alone. Many people find writing about themselves to be a difficult task. However, to gain admission to a top MHA program, you’ll need a compelling statement of purpose – and this guide will teach you how to achieve just that.

How to Write an MHA Personal Statement

Step 1: Brainstorm

Your first step in crafting an effective MHA personal statement or statement of purpose is to brainstorm. Many people find brainstorming methods like freewriting, clustering, or listing useful. However, there’s only one hard-and-fast rule for this step in the process: Write down your thoughts. Brainstorming is most effective when you make notes or a visual representation of how you might answer the personal statement prompt. The questions below are a few examples that may be helpful to ask yourself during this step:

• Why did I decide to pursue a career in health administration?
• What do I want to accomplish in my career?
• What are my goals in earning my MHA?
• Why am I applying to this MHA program?
• Why do I want to attend this university?
• How do my accomplishments make me a good fit for this MHA program?

Step 2: Outline

Writing out an outline for your essay will save time later. Return to what you wrote during the brainstorming phase. Which parts of your notes are the most compelling? Which ones make you feel genuinely passionate about the MHA program you’re applying to? These are the pieces of information you should be sure to include in your statement of purpose.

If the application provides a prompt, use it when building your outline. For example, the MHA personal statement prompt at Methodist University is: “Complete a typed personal statement including your background, interest in attending Methodist University, interest in the program, and your career goals.”

Here is an example outline for an essay responding to this prompt:

• Introduction
  • Explain why you chose to pursue a career in health administration.
  • Describe your educational background.
  • Identify details about MU that made you interested in attending this school.
  • Point to specifics about this program that make it the right fit for you.
  • Explain what you want to accomplish in the next few years.
  • Describe how this MHA program will help you achieve your goals.
  • Summarize your main points.

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  Step 3: Draft

  After taking the time to brainstorm and outline your statement of purpose, the process of writing your first draft should go smoothly. Return to your outline, and use your brainstorming notes to fill out each section. Think of this as the part of the process where you tell a story. Add relevant details to make your personal statement more compelling to the reader, and include examples from your lived experiences to demonstrate the message you’re trying to communicate.

  Step 4: Revise

  Revision is just as important as the drafting stage. Read through your statement of purpose and revise it to make the essay more clear and compelling to the reader. Here are a few examples of questions to ask yourself during the revision process:

  • Is anything I wrote unclear?
  • Can I be more specific about any of these details?
  • Does my personal statement directly respond to the prompt?
  • If I worked for the admissions office, what questions would I have?

  Step 5: Proofread

  Finally, proofread your personal statement for grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes. It’s essential for your final statement to be professional and free of errors, as mistakes could cloud your overall message. Once you’re happy with your statement of purpose, you’re ready to apply for your MHA program.

  MHA Personal Statement Example

  MHA personal statement examples are useful tools in planning your essay. Read the example below, and use it as a guide or inspiration for your statement.

  “I’ve aspired to work in the health care field since I was a teenager. For much of my adolescence, my mother, who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, was also a caregiver to my maternal grandmother, who was battling Alzheimer’s. Due to the medical needs of the entire family, we all spent a great deal of time in medical facilities. I soon learned just how lucky my family was to have access to top-notch care and treatment. The more I learned about the medical system, though, the more I realized that not all families are so fortunate. Since then, my desire has been to help improve the level of care offered to all families and individuals.

  I have always valued the hard work of nurses and doctors who take hands-on responsibility for care. However, the more I interacted with the health care industry, the more I developed a growing appreciation for those who often work behind the scenes – the health service managers, clinic supervisors, and consultants who keep day-to-day health care operations running smoothly. When I entered college, I felt that my place in the field was among their ranks, working to expand access to quality care throughout my community. That’s why I completed the Bachelor of Science in Community Health, and it’s why I’m now applying for admission to Methodist University’s Master in Health Administration program.

  Through my research of MHA programs, Methodist University quickly became an obvious choice. As a health administration professional currently working in the field, entering an online program that will allow me to study at my own pace without sacrificing the quality of my education is a top priority. That’s why the excellent reputation of Methodist’s online program and outstanding faculty stood out to me. I’m excited to apply to a program with a low student-to-faculty ratio and built-in support services to support me along the way.

  Specifically, the MHA program at MU is unmatched. Its focus on preparing students with the strategies, tools, and techniques to lead teams, make important decisions, understand organizational effectiveness, and change processes to improve performance tells me that this program will truly prepare me to advance as a leader in my field. After reviewing the course list, I’m most interested in expanding my learning with two courses: HCA 5680: Global Health and HCA 5600: Health Care Policy Issues. Both will prepare me to support efforts to increase access to quality health care in all communities.

  After several years working as an administrator in medical facilities, I’ve learned a great deal about how my work can support health services for patients. Completing MU’s MHA program will help me pursue my future career goals, including management positions. My hope is to graduate from MU with a solid understanding of health care administration and the skills I need to advance. Additionally, I look forward to completing the required capstone experience to solidify and showcase my skills for future employers.

  Health care in our society relies on talented health administration professionals who can ensure access to care for each and every patient. I want to dedicate myself to becoming one of those professionals, and I believe my next step is to complete Methodist University’s Master in Health Administration program.”

  Final Tips for Writing an MHA Personal Statement

  You may find these tips helpful in writing your MHA personal statement:

  • Ask a friend or family member to review your statement and provide feedback.
  • Read your personal statement out loud to look for errors.
  • Ask a colleague or close friend to list your top strengths and qualities from their perspective. Then, make sure your essay demonstrates these qualities.
  • Avoid repetition. If you find yourself using the same words or phrases repeatedly, search for synonyms and other ways to express your thoughts.

  Taking the time to learn how to craft your MHA personal statement or statement of purpose shows that you’re serious about preparing for advancement in health administration. Graduating from a top online program can make all the difference when it’s time to apply for leadership positions. Learn more about Methodist University’s online MHA program, which offers working professionals the opportunity to study at their pace with flexible online coursework taught by field experts. Request more information about this program or apply today.”Interested in other health care degrees? Explore all the online health care programs we offer at Methodist University.

  References

  1. Ellis, M. (2022, June 2). How to Write a Powerful Personal Statement. Grammarly. Retrieved on October 21, 2022, from “https://www.grammarly.com/blog/personal-statement/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966BK6sa3AFL2z6fBzcz2bOBtut8HUbTQD5_NRj1UJq6bAReWC057wBwaAtdlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds.”
  2. McCombes, S. (2019, Feb. 12). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved on October 21, 2022, from “https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/.”