Personal Statement- my passion for psychedelic medicine

[bmcc89]

Hello,

A few years ago, while completing my undergrad, I experimented with DMT and psilocybin. After my experimentation with these two substances, I immediately wanted to learn as much as I could about them. Over the last 3 years, I have spent most of my free time reading as much as I can about psychedelics and other related medical topics.

I am beginning to write my personal statement for medical school applications and I seem to be having a difficult time deciding what to write about. Many schools ask "why do you want to become a physician?" I would like to write about my passion and curiosity for psychedelic medicines but, I know that psychedelics are very controversial topic and many times not well received.

What are your thoughts on expressing a interest in researching the medical use of psychedelics in a personal statement for medical school? Any advise you can give would be greatly appreciated.

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[ridethecliche]

Do it. You might not get in to any schools, but you'd be a farking legend!

 

[mik30102]

There was a article in the nyt about lsd being used to help people with terminal illness come to terms. However avoid this like the plague in your ps and interviews. Say you have a passion for psychiatry instead, wanting to learn how drugs effect the mind.

 

[NickNaylor]

Absolutely do not mention drug use in your PS. In my younger years I did mushrooms a couple of times and it was a profoundly insightful experience for me that has had a direct impact (in a positive way) on my chosen specialty. However, it would be foolish to include that in my PS or mention it during an interview. Regardless of what your own views on drugs are, they are still a huge taboo in society at large and certainly in medicine.

 

[manofmen]

agreed. good to hear you have had positive experiences, but medicine is (sometimes rightfully so) a conservative discipline. having said that, there are great ways to incorporate these experiences into the path you're interested in. you could, for instance, talk about the wonders of the human brain and mind, and has the above poster said, mention something along the lines of psychiatry.

 

[manofmen]

by the way, one of the most hilarious forum titles ever. i don't mean to demean your interest in any way cause it's cool, but the title made me chuckle.

 

[Avicenna]

lol

 

[bmcc89]

I was never planning on mentioning any reference to drug use in my PS or in an interview. However, I believe that my interest in researching psychedelics in a medical setting (a relatively new frontier in medicine) can set me apart from other applicants. I was thinking about focusing my desire to be a physician around my fascination for the mind, but I always come back to psychedelics as the root of my interest.

haha no offense taken. I know its a unconventional topic.

 

[NickNaylor]

I was never planning on mentioning any reference to drug use in my PS or in an interview. However, I believe that my interest in researching psychedelics in a medical setting (a relatively new frontier in medicine) can set me apart from other applicants. I was thinking about focusing my desire to be a physician around my fascination for the mind, but I always come back to psychedelics as the root of my interest.

haha no offense taken. I know its a unconventional topic.

If you mention it strictly as an interest then I suppose it would be worth discussing. But IMO it's not the kind of thing that is easily brought up in conversation without sounding forced. Keep in mind that while psychedelics are starting to be explored in the context of therapeutic interventions, it's still a controversial topic, and I don't think you would have to work too hard to find physicians who would immediately dismiss it as lunacy. I'm just not sure it's really worth the risk unless you have nothing else to talk about.

 

[Avicenna]

Talk about how you were hardcore candy flipping at edc, bringing about a cathartic epiphany that led you into medicine.

 

[bmcc89]

It is both a medical and spiritual thing. Obviously, I am more interested in the medicinal side.

There has been research published on the benefits of using psychedelics like MDMA, Ayahuasca, and psilocybin, showing they have the potential to treat a large variety of medical problems such as PTSD, end of life anxiety, certain types of cancer, addiction treatment, ect.

I do have other things I could talk about but my interest in medicine changed drastically after trying these substances.

 

[futuredoc331]

I love that you are interested in a topic like this. I think more people should think outside the box, even when they will be criticized by most. It is people like you who will push us beyond our wildest imaginations.

With that said, I really do not think that your medical school application is the place to mention something like this. It's just far too risky. Once you get in the door somewhere, I think you should hit the floor running, but until then this might be something to keep to yourself. That sucks, because you might be onto something, but that's the world we live in. :/

Then again, the adcoms will definitely remember your name if they don't dismiss you completely and that's one of the goals you should have with the essays.

 

[Mad Jack]

Go ahead and talk about it if you would prefer to have the time to use psychedelics for the next few years, because you certainly won't be studying your days away at medical school with such a statement.

 

[Holmwood]

Hello,

A few years ago, while completing my undergrad, I experimented with DMT and psilocybin. After my experimentation with these two substances, I immediately wanted to learn as much as I could about them. Over the last 3 years, I have spent most of my free time reading as much as I can about psychedelics and other related medical topics.

I am beginning to write my personal statement for medical school applications and I seem to be having a difficult time deciding what to write about. Many schools ask "why do you want to become a physician?" I would like to write about my passion and curiosity for psychedelic medicines but, I know that psychedelics are very controversial topic and many times not well received.

What are your thoughts on expressing a interest in researching the medical use of psychedelics in a personal statement for medical school? Any advise you can give would be greatly appreciated.

If only you've been doing research with a faculty member/establishment that involves psychedelics. @_@

 

[xffan624]

It is both a medical and spiritual thing. Obviously, I am more interested in the medicinal side.

There has been research published on the benefits of using psychedelics like MDMA, Ayahuasca, and psilocybin, showing they have the potential to treat a large variety of medical problems such as PTSD, end of life anxiety, certain types of cancer, addiction treatment, ect.

I do have other things I could talk about but my interest in medicine changed drastically after trying these substances.

Admitting to participating in illegal activity is not a smart thing to do in a personal statement. Regardless of the research involved (there's lots of research on lots of controversial topics, but that doesn't mean it's automattcally safe for interview or application discussion), this topic is way too controversial to even mention. As NickNaylor said, many doctors are conservative (and even more would be towards a topic like this) and making it any part of your application will be extremely risky. You have to assume the people making decisions about your application are those conservative doctors. There might some people on an ADCOM who would be open to these ideas, but unfortunately you don't have a crystal ball to tell you which ones at which schools.

If you had participated in peer-reviewed research with these substances (rather than just experimentation), then discussing the research and your thoughts might be a different story.

 

[Goro]

OP, you don't need an MD do do such research. A PhD in Neuroscience will work just fine.

 

[Nauticadoc]

This made my day XD
Aside from being hilarious though, I agree. Psychedelic medicine has potential. My brother-in-law eats medical cannabis for insomnia and it works. But I also agree, don't write about it.

 

[jakeislove]

Tell them about your ride on The Mothership.

 

[grivacobae]

Don't forget about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

 

[pewpew95]

OP was last seen August 29 2014. Good luck getting their opinion on this.

Magic truffles/shrooms like this here in trufflemagic,com/blog/trichocereus-terscheckii-the-cardon-grande-cactus/ can now be used for cancer patients to help them relax and less distressed about their disease? I have read some articles from: that psilocybin which is a major component of magic truffles can help ease anxiety and depression and on some circumstances open your creativity. So what is magic truffles anyway? Is it legal? Well the drug is clearly not for everyone, but further studies are on-going for it's medical purpose. I would really want to hear your stand regarding magic truffles. Thanks

 

[Moose A Moose]

 

[lpp06]

0/10 necrobump

10/10 mid 2010's troll

 

[Saifa]

Everyone I've ever known to use DMT/LSD/psilo/etc. suddenly thinks they grew a third eye and are some kind of sage. Now that's a phenomenon worth investigating.