Greatest challenge secondary essay- is this mental health struggle okay?

[squirtcrush]

Hi everyone,

On a couple of the secondary essays, the schools want you to describe your greatest challenge/obstacle and how you overcame it. My life has been pretty easy so far (grew up middle class, caucasian, went to good high school/college), with the exception of one major struggle. The biggest challenge in my life was overcoming an eating disorder (anorexia) during sophomore and junior year of college. Although the disorder was very taxing in most areas of my life (financially, socially, physically, etc.), it did not affect my grades (perfectionism actually helped them), so I wouldn't write it as an excuse per se. It has been 2 years since any issues so I think its safe to say its over.

I know it is not the best thing to write about since it could raise some flags, but I honestly can't think of anything else (and to write about anything else would feel insincere).

Thoughts?

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[jeannie514]

My vote is not to risk it

 

[mcatjelly]

My best friend wrote about overcoming her ED in her PS and was accepted to medical school.

...However, unless you are 100% sure you can write about your recovery in a way that implies you are totally healthy and resilient and ready to conquer medical school, I wouldn't put it in your app. Depression and anxiety are just barely overcoming the stigma, but unfortunately eating disorders have a long way to go. Since you say it didn't impact your grades, I would suggest maybe minimizing (to a degree) its effects on you and perhaps focusing more on the anxiety/depression component. If you can. I know EDs are so much more than that so I get not wanting to feel insincere.

Someone very close to me is still struggling with an eating disorder, so as an aside, I have to commend you on how far you've come. Truly deserving of a greatest challenge essay!

 

[Jalby]

Good god no!!!!! You would be the first person I would reject if you wrote that.

 

[squirtcrush]

My best friend wrote about overcoming her ED in her PS and was accepted to medical school.

...However, unless you are 100% sure you can write about your recovery in a way that implies you are totally healthy and resilient and ready to conquer medical school, I wouldn't put it in your app. Depression and anxiety are just barely overcoming the stigma, but unfortunately eating disorders have a long way to go. Since you say it didn't impact your grades, I would suggest maybe minimizing (to a degree) its effects on you and perhaps focusing more on the anxiety/depression component. If you can. I know EDs are so much more than that so I get not wanting to feel insincere.

Someone very close to me is still struggling with an eating disorder, so as an aside, I have to commend you on how far you've come. Truly deserving of a greatest challenge essay!

Hmm.. okay. Thanks for the advice! I would avoid writing about it if I had anything else! The next greatest challenge I can think of is coping with the loss of a grandparent. I haven't had any financial difficulties or academic challenges so this question is hard for me.

Just wondering, why do you think ED are more stigmatized than depression?

 

[squirtcrush]

Good god no!!!!! You would be the first person I would reject if you wrote that.

I hope this is a joke?

 

[Jalby]

No. It is not. As a school, there is no positive side to have anybody who has a mental disorder in it, even something that is benign like anorexia, because there are probably other things. My school kicked out a guy because he posted pictures of aborted fetuses across the school. We all saw it coming.

 

[mcatjelly]

No. It is not. As a school, there is no positive side to have anybody who has a mental disorder in it, even something that is benign like anorexia, because there are probably other things. My school kicked out a guy because he posted pictures of aborted fetuses across the school. We all saw it coming.

While it is understandable that mental health concerns are a red flag, I hope you become more educated about mental illness, especially as a health professional. Anorexia is not benign (it's the deadliest mental illness), I have no idea what you mean by "other things", and posting pictures of aborted fetuses does not equal having a mental illness, and people can be "off" without having a mental illness.

 

[binko]

I know that illegal discrimination happens all the time and it's usually safest to keep your cards close to your chest when it comes to mental health diagnoses, I was under the impression that it is not legal to discriminate against candidates based on disability status unless there is a direct effect on the necessary tasks? Is that only in jobs and not applicable to higher ed? Or are mental health diagnoses not protected disability categories?

 

[DingoPingo]

OP, be honest, but don't upset anyone. There are too many ignorant people that don't understand mental disorder. Don't risk the chance that your application might fall into their hands.

 

[Jalby]

While it is understandable that mental health concerns are a red flag, I hope you become more educated about mental illness, especially as a health professional. Anorexia is not benign (it's the deadliest mental illness), I have no idea what you mean by "other things", and posting pictures of aborted fetuses does not equal having a mental illness, and people can be "off" without having a mental illness.

Schools want people who are normal mentally. No controversial political beliefs, no depression, no mental illness, nothing.

And I am fully educated about mental illness. People who have one mental illness tend to have others. That is what I mean by "other things"

 

[DingoPingo]

Schools want people who are normal mentally. No controversial political beliefs, no depression, no mental illness, nothing.

And I am fully educated about mental illness. People who have one mental illness tend to have others. That is what I mean by "other things"

Yes, that is called stigmatization.

Just because you have read a brochure about depression does not make you fully educated about mental illness.

 

[Jalby]

Yes, that is called stigmatization.

Just because you have read a brochure about depression does not make you fully educated about mental illness.

My medical degree does tho (12 weeks of clinical Psych). And it is not called stigmatization. It's called statistics.

 

[Bethany555]

No. If you have no significant personal challenges, I would write about something benign: ex. tutoring in an underserved school district, D1 athlete trying to balance academics and athletics, taking care of an ill family member. Listing video games as a hobby is looked down upon, so you can imagine that listing mental health issues won't do you any favors. Heck, an adcom at my school actually dings woman for wearing pantsuits instead of skirt suits to interviews (the latter is considered more formal).

 

[DingoPingo]

My medical degree does tho (12 weeks of clinical Psych). And it is not called stigmatization. It's called statistics.

Your medical degree has failed you then. And stigmatization and statistics are not exclusive.

 

[Jalby]

Your medical degree has failed you then. And stigmatization and statistics are not exclusive.

Just because you have no concept of mental illnesses being a spectrum doesn't mean that my medical degree has failed me. You reading a brochure as a pre-medical student does not mean you are fully educated about mental illnesses.

 

[MareNostrummm]

Hmm.. okay. Thanks for the advice! I would avoid writing about it if I had anything else! The next greatest challenge I can think of is coping with the loss of a grandparent. I haven't had any financial difficulties or academic challenges so this question is hard for me.

Just wondering, why do you think ED are more stigmatized than depression?

Depression is more relatable to the general population. Everyone has had that depressed classmate, coworker, friend, or family member who has fallen on hard times or is stuck in a long-term rut. Generally depressed people withdraw from society, use illicit drugs, change eating habits, and just keep to themselves until either their environment changes or their brain chemistry recovers, which can take months or even years.

However, eating disorders do not really make "sense" to mentally healthy people and are much less common.

 

[mcatjelly]

Hmm.. okay. Thanks for the advice! I would avoid writing about it if I had anything else! The next greatest challenge I can think of is coping with the loss of a grandparent. I haven't had any financial difficulties or academic challenges so this question is hard for me.

Just wondering, why do you think ED are more stigmatized than depression?

Depression is more relatable to the general population. Everyone has had that depressed classmate, coworker, friend, or family member who has fallen on hard times or is stuck in a long-term rut. Generally depressed people withdraw from society, use illicit drugs, change eating habits, and just keep to themselves until either their environment changes or their brain chemistry recovers, which can take months or even years.

However, eating disorders do not really make "sense" to mentally healthy people and are much less common.

^ Exactly. Depression and anxiety are becoming such commonplace terms and experiences, but it takes a much greater degree of compassion/empathy/critical thinking/whatever to understand the thoughts and behaviors that are characteristic of eating disorders. Unfortunate, but true.

Feel free to message me if you'd like to continue brainstorming this. I'm happy to help!

 

[binko]

My medical degree does tho (12 weeks of clinical Psych). And it is not called stigmatization. It's called statistics.

Most medical doctors are still woefully uneducated about mental illness.

 

[Goro]

Your medical degree hasn't failed you, your not being on an Adcom has. The OP would not be hindered by their answer to the prompt because s/he has the academic track record to demonstrate that the risks of mental illness didn't affect their ability to function.

If you articulated your beliefs at an Adcom meeting ike you did here, you would be quickly removed from the committee and interviewing.

Just because you have no concept of mental illnesses being a spectrum doesn't mean that my medical degree has failed me. You reading a brochure as a pre-medical student does not mean you are fully educated about mental illnesses.

 

[mcatjelly]

Your medical degree hasn't failed you, your not being on an Adcom has. The OP would not be hindered by their answer to the prompt because s/he has the academic track record to demonstrate that the risks of mental illness didn't affect their ability to function.

If you articulated your beliefs at an Adcom meeting ike you did here, you would be quickly removed from the committee and interviewing.

 

[Jalby]

I've actually been on more than a few admission committees. At USC I was on the scholarship committee and interviewed 200 applicants. In residency I was on the selection committee my last two years. My fellowship offered my a job three times and I ended up interviewing their candidates in my free time for the next three cycles.
I interview every current applicant at my current job.

Every single one of these step myself and 80% of the people I work with would have eliminated a candidate who talked about beating an eating disorder because there is a high correlation with suicide, and it only takes one person to eliminate you consideration in most cases.

 

[binko]

Every single one of these step myself and 80% of the people I work with would have eliminated a candidate who talked about beating an eating disorder because there is a high correlation with suicide, and it only takes one person to eliminate you consideration in most cases.

This strikes me as really sad and possibly illegal depending on where you are.

 

[squirtcrush]

I've actually been on more than a few admission committees. At USC I was on the scholarship committee and interviewed 200 applicants. In residency I was on the selection committee my last two years. My fellowship offered my a job three times and I ended up interviewing their candidates in my free time for the next three cycles.
I interview every current applicant at my current job.

Every single one of these step myself and 80% of the people I work with would have eliminated a candidate who talked about beating an eating disorder because there is a high correlation with suicide, and it only takes one person to eliminate you consideration in most cases.

Thanks for the warning, although I am not sure whether you are making things up to be honest. It seems unreal that a health professional would be so black/white in their thinking.

Guess I'll have to write about something minor

 

[spartawdw]

Every single one of these step myself and 80% of the people I work with would have eliminated a candidate who talked about beating an eating disorder because there is a high correlation with suicide, and it only takes one person to eliminate you consideration in most cases.

This makes me really sad

 

[neuromaria9]

No. It is not. As a school, there is no positive side to have anybody who has a mental disorder in it, even something that is benign like anorexia, because there are probably other things. My school kicked out a guy because he posted pictures of aborted fetuses across the school. We all saw it coming.

Anorexia is the deadliest mental illness. I don't know why you'd say it is "benign."

 

[doyouhaveaflag]

I think it's best not to mention it. I applied to med school four times. The first three times, I applied with essays that described how I overcame a mental health struggle (BDD) and I never got a single interview. The fourth time I didn't mention it in essays, but rather said I had "health issues" when I encountered a question asking me to explain my poor undergraduate grades. The result: five interviews.

Granted, I strengthened my application along the way, but it essentially didn't change between the third and fourth attempts other than the essays (no new extracurriculars/experiences).

 

[Jalby]

Thanks for the warning, although I am not sure whether you are making things up to be honest. It seems unreal that a health professional would be so black/white in their thinking.

Guess I'll have to write about something minor

google me

 

[Jalby]

Anorexia is the deadliest mental illness. I don't know why you'd say it is "benign."

It's better than bipolar disease, Schitzo, and a few others. It is similar to OCD.

 

[mcatjelly]

It's better than bipolar disease, Schitzo, and a few others. It is similar to OCD.

In regards to?

 

[binko]

google me

It's better than bipolar disease, Schitzo, and a few others. It is similar to OCD.

I feel like I'm missing some key part of an elaborate, long-running joke at this point.

 

[Jalby]

I feel like I'm missing some key part of an elaborate, long-running joke at this point.

She said I was making stuff up. I'm just saying I have a long history on this board.

 

[neuromaria9]

It's better than bipolar disease, Schitzo, and a few others. It is similar to OCD.

I don't think so. Anorexia and OCD are two VERY different illnesses. Also, coming from someone with OCD, it is not a "benign" illness.

 

[mcatjelly]

I don't think so. Anorexia and OCD are two VERY different illnesses. Also, coming from someone with OCD, it is not a "benign" illness.

As someone with an OCD-related disorder and with a loved one with an eating disorder, I'm with you as well.

As someone who just spent two years working with the severely mentally ill and two years before that doing mental health advocacy, this conversation has reminded me why mental health awareness still needs to be a thing.

 

[neuromaria9]

As someone with an OCD-related disorder and with a loved one with an eating disorder, I'm with you as well.

As someone who just spent two years working with the severely mentally ill and two years before that doing mental health advocacy, this conversation has reminded me why mental health awareness still needs to be a thing.

I've witnessed, and experienced, people treat mental illness as a way to seek attention. So many people accuse the mentally ill of lying about their condition and it really needs to change. Mental health is extremely important.

 

[neuromaria9]

I've witnessed, and experienced, people treat mental illness as a way to seek attention. So many people accuse the mentally ill of lying about their condition and it really needs to change. Mental health is extremely important.

As someone with an OCD-related disorder and with a loved one with an eating disorder, I'm with you as well.

As someone who just spent two years working with the severely mentally ill and two years before that doing mental health advocacy, this conversation has reminded me why mental health awareness still needs to be a thing.

My last reply made no sense but what I was trying to say is that people need to educate themselves on mental illness and end stigmas. Too many people act like mental illnesses are not real and it's dangerous.

 

[binko]

My last reply made no sense but what I was trying to say is that people need to educate themselves on mental illness and end stigmas. Too many people act like mental illnesses are not real and it's dangerous.

It made sense to me. The "attention seeking" trope has got to end.

 

[aegistitan]

I'd listen to @Jalby he's been on committees before.

There's too little to gain from writing about this. Regardless of societal opinions on mental health, stigmas do still exist, especially in the minds of older people. There is nothing you can do about those stigmas. They will still exist, and people will still have preconceived notions of you because of your mental health problems. So just play the game as best you can by not even mentioning your mental health problems. Just write about something benign.

 

[<L>]

The Risk/Reward ratio of writing about MH issues isn't always great. Physicians know as well as anyone that mental health issues that can be well controlled in undergrad can overwhelm coping abilities in med school. Sadly this is known because many of us have been through it ourselves.

Ultimately, how well you write about it matters far more than the subject matter.

 

[binko]

It's often useful to have input from people who know, such as those who have been on committees, about how much of a risk mental health stigma poses to those who talk about it. But I don't think anyone who hasn't experienced it can tell someone who does experience it whether that risk is worth it or not. Choosing when and whether to disclose any kind of illness or disability is a complex choice that can have repercussions beyond what one at first imagines they might be.

 

[Jalby]

I don't think so. Anorexia and OCD are two VERY different illnesses. Also, coming from someone with OCD, it is not a "benign" illness.

I was just ranking mental disorders on what is most likely to get you rejected from medical school. No Bipolar or schitzophrenic person will ever be admitted.

 

[Crayola227]

I was just ranking mental disorders on what is most likely to get you rejected from medical school. No Bipolar or schitzophrenic person will ever be admitted.

I think you might be wrong on the BPAD.

There are way more cases of BPAD people who are totally normal between episodes and can be made more or less normal with meds.

Anorexia is a different beast entirely.

All of the above are turn offs to adcoms, but I think you overstate the badness of BPAD in your rankings.

 

[aegistitan]

I think you might be wrong on the BPAD.

There are way more cases of BPAD people who are totally normal between episodes and can be made more or less normal with meds.

Anorexia is a different beast entirely.

All of the above are turn offs to adcoms, but I think you overstate the badness of BPAD in your rankings.

You seriously arguing with an adcom member about this? lmao

 

[neuromaria9]

I was just ranking mental disorders on what is most likely to get you rejected from medical school. No Bipolar or schitzophrenic person will ever be admitted.

Thanks for clarifying!

 

[Jalby]

I think you might be wrong on the BPAD.

There are way more cases of BPAD people who are totally normal between episodes and can be made more or less normal with meds.

Anorexia is a different beast entirely.

All of the above are turn offs to adcoms, but I think you overstate the badness of BPAD in your rankings.

Schitzo is the worst in my mind because they might go off the end and kill people. Bipolar is almost as bad. Someone might be on a high and believe they can do surgery that they are not trained for and doing 30 hour shifts is likely to screw up their medications. I personally have a friend who was kicked out of a top 20 school because they were naked in the street and later a pysch residency because a similar thing happened.

So no, no BiPolar person would be admitted to medical school if the admission people know about it. Not everybody should become doctors.

And I'm not an adcom, at least for medical school. I've done many many admissions committees at upper levels.

 

[binko]

Schitzo is the worst in my mind because they might go off the end and kill people. Bipolar is almost as bad.

I don't even know where to start with this, it's like a turducken of pop culture stereotypes. I will point out that people with mental illnesses who have awareness of their condition and the resources to get treatment have considerably lower risk of serious symptoms of any type than those who lack those things. Anyone applying to medical school and disclosing such a condition probably has both resources and awareness. Combined with the fact that people with mental illness are much more likely to become the victims of violent crime because of their illness than they are to perpetrate violence, the reality of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder just doesn't live up to the "psycho killer" movie hype.

Not everybody should become doctors.

We agree on that. People who hold outdated stereotypes about stigmatised illnesses and brag about discriminating against people with ADA-protected disabilities should not be doctors.

 

[Crayola227]

Schitzo is the worst in my mind because they might go off the end and kill people. Bipolar is almost as bad. Someone might be on a high and believe they can do surgery that they are not trained for and doing 30 hour shifts is likely to screw up their medications. I personally have a friend who was kicked out of a top 20 school because they were naked in the street and later a pysch residency because a similar thing happened.

So no, no BiPolar person would be admitted to medical school if the admission people know about it. Not everybody should become doctors.

And I'm not an adcom, at least for medical school. I've done many many admissions committees at upper levels.

That you would say BPAD is almost as bad as schizo, coupled with your examples, I don't think you have a medically accurate picture of BPAD at all.
Not that many of my colleagues do either, except most know that even without meds most BPAD sufferers are nowhere near psychosis, often have periods of euthymia or are more likely depressed with both feet on the ground, and many are very well controlled on meds, and can even handle a few hiccups with them and not go off the deep end.

The presentation and prognosis for medicated schizophrenia vs medicated BPAD are soooooo different (despite research that is starting to show they may have more in common genetically and pathophysiologically than was thought in the past) it's frankly ill informed that you lump them together this way.

You're really stigmatizing BPAD here. Not for saying someone's app would go in the trash over it, but the way you're talking about it.

You seriously arguing with an adcom member about this? lmao

Oh yeah, I'll definitely argue with a pre-vet of all things about human mental health diagnoses.

Not to mention there are testimonials on here about people that discussed bipolar disorder and were accepted to various professional schools. That's not the same thing as saying it's a good idea. But the sort of broad brush used here against BPAD got my hackles up.

 

[binko]

Who here has ever spent significant time (like over a long period like years or more) with someone who has schizophrenia? I don't mean like you observed them in a petri dish when you were a student and I don't even mean like you treated them in the ER when they came in with symptoms. I mean like really gotten to know them over time and understood how the illness affects their life? I'm talking like a close friend or family member, or yourself.

It disgusts me that even the people who seem to understand bipolar disorder are using schizophrenia as some kind of "most extreme possible crazy" yardstick. People with schizophrenia aren't monsters or lost causes, they're human beings who have good and bad days like anyone with a chronic illness. The illness affects everyone differently and the stigma is a big part of why it has such devastating effects on so many people. Like anything, early treatment is really essential, and people go years without reporting their symptoms for fear of being labeled a "crazy schitzo."

Arrogant and oblivious doctors cause far more deaths than people with mental illness do.

 

[neuromaria9]

Mental illnesses does not equal crazy. Just because someone has schizo or BPAD doesn't mean they're going to go off into some rampage and kill people. We should see mental illness as just any other illness and stop blaming people for them or treating them like psychos. Someone with a mental illness can still become an amazing doctor. It's time to end all the mental health stereotypes and stigmas and offer help instead.

 

[Jalby]

Mental Illness does not equal crazy. But as an Adcom, would you be will to accept someone with BPD or SCH if there are plenty of other people who are also as qualified??

And I've lived with people with BPD, known a bunch, and interact with tons of Schitzo people all the time. I wouldn't ever want them to be in a position where they have to make life or death decisions over other people. Most of them with some exceptions shouldn't be pilots, cops, or doctors.