Health Psychology Personal Statement

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Personal statement
My decision to apply to study health psychology arises from the desire to enter a caring profession. Health psychology involves hard work and desire to help others and improve their quality of life, of which I am dedicated to do. I have always had a passion for Psychology, and it has been in the last three years of studying Psychology that I have discovered my infatuation for health psychology. I believe I am a committed and mature individual and my goal to pursue a career as a health psychologist has been strengthened through gaining experience alongside my studies.
During my placement at Royal Marsden Hospital, I witnessed the field of cancer and how psychological factors faced by individuals can also affect their physical conditions (with some evidence of positive improvements in their quality of life and mortality). Observing assessments of patients from such a young age to those the same age as myself has given me a greater awareness of what is required and the discipline needed to stay composed under quite demanding and emotional situations. This opportunity enabled me to realise that I wanted to study health psychology further. …show more content…

During my time at the Marsden, I was able to witness certain theories I had enjoyed reading about in my undergraduate course such as the cognitive adaptation theory (Taylor, 1983, 1984). I was also able to make sense of other theories in daily activities. For example, in a discussion I had with someone they stated that they were more motivated and able to quit smoking after calculating how much they spent on cigarettes all their life. This showed that social cognitive models such as the theory of planned behaviour and cost-benefit analysis could lead to behaviour

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