A small weakness in Application?

[nabilesmail]

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Hey guys, I was wondering what your thoughts were on the matter.

I know that generally, you should never reveals weaknesses in your app, but for one of my activities (a clinical activity) that I am marking as most meaningful. I wanted to state how I'm naturally shy, and my experience taught me how to go beyond my comfort zone because my role was to provide company to older often lonely veterans. Something along the lines of, If I remained shy, I would not be able to help comfort these patients and it taught me about being accessible etc. which will be important to me as a physician.

What do you guys think?

 

[MadRadLad]

Word it in a way that spins it positively.

"My experiences in comforting the patients increased my confidence and ability to handle such interactions, which will be important to me as a physician."

 

[tewpac]

I think it's fine to state one of your perceived weaknesses, but the key here is to turn it in to something positive. It's an obstacle you had to overcome, show some perseverance, some transformation.

Basically, you were "naturally" shy, but the experience has allowed you to overcome that weakness and you're a better person for it.

Just my opinion, though, take it for what you will.

 

[Redpancreas]

In a most meaningful experience I talked about my over zealousness while trying to help others and how I learned to be more level headed. That being said, I am yet to get accepted anywhere. However, I think you should take all advice here with a grain of salt. People are often over cautious.

 

[nabilesmail]

Should I add the shy part at all, or just say, something like "My experience taught me the value of being accessible to my patients" along the lines of this, the con is it doesn't mention the transformation aprt, the pro, it shows no weakness to begin with

 

[235009]

Don't mention being shy. Also don't mention weaknesses unless explicitly asked for one. Also don't use the "I'm TOO helpful" BS from above. Anyone with a brain can see through that.

 

[Euxox]

There is nothing wrong about stating a weakness on an app. It's all about how you write about it. If you say "I tend to be shy and I'm worried about how I will be able to work with patients," that is a pretty glaring flaw. If you say "I tend to be shy, but when I saw that the only way I could comfort these patients was to get over my shyness, I did just that," you are showing a strength. It shows that you can adapt and that you are willing to get out of your comfort zone to help others. Great qualities for a med student.

 

[nabilesmail]

So would you guys prefer to include the weakness fragment to show transformation or not?

EX:

I learned the importance of being approachable to help patients

Though, I was naturally shy, I learned the importance of being approachable...

 

[DaenarysDuhh]

Be careful that you don't just say, "I am shy, but I learned that it's important to be approachable" - you need to make it clear that you WERE approachable, that you actually did this and overcame this shyness. I would also talk about the longer term impact this had on you - are you now less shy?

Structure roughly like this
- I was shy
- this experience made me realize it's important to be approachable, so I changed my behavior to be more outgoing and approachable in this way to meet the patient's needs
- now that I realize how important it is and that I can do it, I am more approachable and less shy in my day-to-day life

Obviously paraphrasing here, so don't make up broader impact if there wasn't any. Also, adcoms will probably pay attention to your level of shyness in your interview, so just be prepped for that. Stay confident and you'll do great

 

[0919mmk]

Do this ^. Perfect advice.

Writing about a weakness that you overcame/learned from in your AMCAS actually shows maturity to me when I read apps.

 

[nabilesmail]

Great Thanks guys, also, is this phrased correctly, or does this sound self-righteous or something. Pretty much in a clinical activity, I talk about how I learned how the little details in patient care such as giving patients an extra ice cream cup or things of a smaller nature made patients more comfortable etc, and conclude the paragraph with something like

"As a physician, I seek to pay attention to the details as they can have a profound impact on overall treatment and patient satisfaction."

I usually try to end each activity with a direct relationship to medicine if its a non-medical activity, or if it a is a medical activity, what I plan to do as a physician. Does this give off a negative tone?

 

[mvenus929]

Be careful that you don't just say, "I am shy, but I learned that it's important to be approachable" - you need to make it clear that you WERE approachable, that you actually did this and overcame this shyness. I would also talk about the longer term impact this had on you - are you now less shy?

Structure roughly like this
- I was shy
- this experience made me realize it's important to be approachable, so I changed my behavior to be more outgoing and approachable in this way to meet the patient's needs
- now that I realize how important it is and that I can do it, I am more approachable and less shy in my day-to-day life

Obviously paraphrasing here, so don't make up broader impact if there wasn't any. Also, adcoms will probably pay attention to your level of shyness in your interview, so just be prepped for that. Stay confident and you'll do great

I don't think approachable is the right word. Shyness means you don't approach other people, not that you yourself are not approachable.

But, OP, I don't think it's a bad idea to explain how an activity helped you grow as a person.

Great Thanks guys, also, is this phrased correctly, or does this sound self-righteous or something. Pretty much in a clinical activity, I talk about how I learned how the little details in patient care such as giving patients an extra ice cream cup or things of a smaller nature made patients more comfortable etc, and conclude the paragraph with something like

"As a physician, I seek to pay attention to the details as they can have a profound impact on overall treatment and patient satisfaction."

I usually try to end each activity with a direct relationship to medicine if its a non-medical activity, or if it a is a medical activity, what I plan to do as a physician. Does this give off a negative tone?

I don't think it's necessary to bring EVERY activity back to medicine. Talk about how it makes you a better person, sure, but that doesn't have to be directly related to medicine. If you volunteered in an animal shelter and played with dogs, there's not much that you can say to relate that to medicine, but you can talk about how you realized how much impact a volunteer can have on an organization or something of the sort, and how you hope to continue volunteering in the future.

 

[nabilesmail]

Ahh definitely, I don't think I sounded forced in any of them, but for this specific activity, is this ending suitable?

 

[nabilesmail]

Bump for last question :]

"is this phrased correctly, or does this sound self-righteous or something. Pretty much in a clinical activity, I talk about how I learned how the little details in patient care such as giving patients an extra ice cream cup or things of a smaller nature made patients more comfortable etc, and conclude the paragraph with something like

"As a physician, I seek to pay attention to the details as they can have a profound impact on overall treatment and patient satisfaction."

"

 

[loltopsy]

A weakness? Well, I supposed if caring too much is a weakness, I'm guilty!

 

[EmergencyMonkey]

Knowing a weakness is a strength.

 

[akademiks1989]

Always market yourself and show you are evolving and improving with increase age and educational and extracurricular experiences.