Abuse in personal statement?

[72531]

---

Members do not see this ad.

.

 

[Flopotomist]

This is a weird question and I have been struggling with how to address it or who to ask but has anyone ever addressed abuse in a personal statement? I witnessed a lot of spousal abuse when I was young but thats not really what I was referring to. I am wondering if anyone has ever mentioned sexual violence like being raped. I don't know if this is completely irrelevent or not..because it is part of me and it is something that has affected my everyday life (depression--> grades) Please try not to give me too hard of a time about this.

One of the most common PS goofs that I see people make is to consider the PS as a form of therapy, or a confessional. The PS should answer a few questions:

1. Why will you make a good physician?
2. Why should the school choose you over other applicants?
3. What makes you a candidate that would bring something unique to the class?

I would strongly advise leaving OUT anything that does NOT answer one of those questions. Save the talking about the abuse for your therapist.

 

[kevster2001]

You have to say why you make a good doctor, not why you would be ideal for therapy. I think if anything you can mention it in your secondaries or interview if you wanna say that's why yoru grades are low

 

[MamaKat]

This is a weird question and I have been struggling with how to address it or who to ask but has anyone ever addressed abuse in a personal statement? I witnessed a lot of spousal abuse when I was young but thats not really what I was referring to. I am wondering if anyone has ever mentioned sexual violence like being raped. I don't know if this is completely irrelevent or not..because it is part of me and it is something that has affected my everyday life (depression--> grades) Please try not to give me too hard of a time about this.

I wouldn't mention it. I know this sounds harsh, but you don't want to come across as a victim to the ad com. You may have a woman read your essay that can identify with your experience... but its the old white men on the ad com that I worry about.

I had a similar predicament- my mother is bipolar and it played a large role in why I want to go into medicine. My various advisors said not to reveal her condition in my essay, that it may send off warning signs to the ad com (perhaps they would fear that I, also, suffered from bipolar disorder).

So, I circumvented that by saying she had a "chronic medical condition"- and talked about how it affected me. I hope this helps!

 

[72531]

I wouldn't mention it. I know this sounds harsh, but you don't want to come across as a victim to the ad com. You may have a woman read your essay that can identify with your experience... but its the old white men on the ad com that I worry about.

I had a similar predicament- my mother is bipolar and it played a large role in why I want to go into medicine. My various advisors said not to reveal her condition in my essay, that it may send off warning signs to the ad com (perhaps they would fear that I, also, suffered from bipolar disorder).

So, I circumvented that by saying she had a "chronic medical condition"- and talked about how it affected me. I hope this helps!

hm..that makes sense. yeah i didnt want it to seem like i was a psycho or something..just that it affected me(and my grades) and that it is another hardship i had to overcome.

 

[jackieMD2007]

One of the most common PS goofs that I see people make is to consider the PS as a form of therapy, or a confessional. The PS should answer a few questions:

1. Why will you make a good physician?
2. Why should the school choose you over other applicants?
3. What makes you a candidate that would bring something unique to the class?

I would strongly advise leaving OUT anything that does NOT answer one of those questions. Save the talking about the abuse for your therapist.

👍 👍
If you get asked about the grades in an interview, I would concisely (no drama) admit being attacked, but state that it was a fluke (especially if your grades went back to normal and overall GPA is still okay) and that you have been able to move on.

 

[monami]

I would say write about the abuse you went through, and also write about how you overcame it or how it has made you a better person, and also how you would relate the particular abuse you endured with, the effect it had in academic performance and how it also relates to Medical School.
The rape thing is also something humongous to mention, because you said you felt depressed, I think if you really wanted to talk about these trwo really big issues you must some how relate it to medical school, and also talk about how you are overcoming these things. I think Medical School like students who overcame great things, that would have otherwise put them down. 🙂

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I think Flop had it exactly right. I would be extremely cautious about mentioning anything in your PS which might lead an adcom to question whether or not you can handle the emotional stress of med school - they have to make a major decision (whether or not to allow you to train for the medical profession) based on very little information (your AMCAS and perhaps an hour of time in person). While they may have compassion for your situation, they may err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to grant you an interview. In an interview you could mention something like a very chaotic family situation that affected your grades but that you were able to get past it - I wouldn't supply further details unless they prompt you for them. I think MamaKat found a great balance between candor and clinical detail.

 

[Wookey]

This is a weird question and I have been struggling with how to address it or who to ask but has anyone ever addressed abuse in a personal statement? I witnessed a lot of spousal abuse when I was young but thats not really what I was referring to. I am wondering if anyone has ever mentioned sexual violence like being raped. I don't know if this is completely irrelevent or not..because it is part of me and it is something that has affected my everyday life (depression--> grades) Please try not to give me too hard of a time about this.

I think the purpose of a personal statement is to share the experiences that led you to medicine. If the experience even though traumatic helped you to become empathetic towards other victims of abuse or pushed you into medicine to help those in need then i think the Adcoms would commend your efforts. Showing how you were able to overcome the experience to help others would allow adcoms to see your courage and compassion, essential qualities for a physician.

Not to make light of your experience, but with so many PS that Adcoms have to read and so many applicants being prototypical, a "truly personal statement" will stand out. It takes great courage to share a story like yours. As long as you show how it pertains to your decision to pursue medicine you will be fine. But it wouldn't be good just to say that it has affected your grades because they can only assume that it will affect your grades in med school.

 

[worriedwell]

Agree with Flop all the way, and this is coming from a psychiatry resident.

Of course, if you feel that there is no way you can submit an application without addressing this issue because it really defines your goals and who you are...then go for it, but realize that there is a 100% chance that some places it will negatively affect your candidacy (but the hope would be not all).

Best,
worriedwell

 

[vtucci]

I think it can be a very dramatic opening in your PS if you are now at a place where you can describe the scene when you were raped and it would be an attention getter. However, this area if done half-assed can have a confessional feel to it or come off sounding like a victim.

It is a PERSONAL Statement. I used my experiences with 9/11. It does not need to sound recycled and the same garbage that ADCOMS hear from 1000s of applicants every year.

My personal opinion is that so many student have PS that are downright boring. Things like this can jump out and are very important if it helped you decide to become a doctor. However, I would not explain the rape--> depression--> drop in grades here. Most people will probably make the association anyway and you can make the more direct relationship in a secondary essay. The rape itself and its impact on you with respect to empathy, compassion, relating to patients (I assume it changed the way you perceived the world and in some ways, that change might be positive for your future career in medicine).

The trick with PS is to take something horribly negative and still find the silver lining.

If you want to PM with it, I will give you an honest opinion.

 

[Zuerst]

I'm sorry...

I would imagine if used correctly it can be a powerful part of your PS... however it seems more difficult to incorporate this into your PS.

 

[red dot]

when writing your PS remember that at all points of the paper it should be about why you want to practice medicine. not about the drop in your grades.

if you want to talk about your grades and why they are the way they are, on your PS rather than on your secondaries, then it should be marginal in comparison to why you want to go into medicine. in other words, the grades stuff should be supportive material in your PS.

however, if sexual assault/abuse and depression is your reason/catalyst in going into medicine then write it -- but on paper, you must come out the survivor, not the victim. even if you don't feel that way in life. because adcoms take under 3 minutes scanning your paper, and it's more like 2 minutes. good luck.

 

[katiekate]

...
however, if sexual assault/abuse and depression is your reason/catalyst in going into medicine then write it -- but on paper, you must come out the survivor, not the victim. even if you don't feel that way in life. because adcoms take under 3 minutes scanning your paper, and it's more like 2 minutes. good luck.

My mother is bipolar as well and in my PS I wrote about how it affected me when I was younger. Our family also experienced domestic violence in several ways. I wrote what seemed like hundreds of PS's that contained a variety of different themes. But I finally decided that my mom's experiences, and mine as her daugheter, had the biggest impact on the kind of person I am and why I want to be a doctor. Many of the PS versions I wrote came off sounding whiney and like I was making excuses for not having a 4.0 and being a perfect person. But seriously, the best thing for me to do was to just sit down and write bluntly about why I thought these experiences shaped me into the doctor I want to be. Maybe to others the PS was a little blunt and honest, but to me it was exactly what I wanted to write and accurately represented who I am.

Abuse of any kind, whether you are the victim or the observer, is a huge obstacle to overcome in life. Believe in yourself that you are a survivor and not a victim and you will be able to write a PS that is truly positive and full of inspiration for others.

 

[velo]

One of the most common PS goofs that I see people make is to consider the PS as a form of therapy, or a confessional. The PS should answer a few questions:

1. Why will you make a good physician?
2. Why should the school choose you over other applicants?
3. What makes you a candidate that would bring something unique to the class?

I would strongly advise leaving OUT anything that does NOT answer one of those questions. Save the talking about the abuse for your therapist.

Read no further, this is your answer.

geez, I'm truely sorry about your experience, but no no no, no no no no, don't write about it in your PS

 

[zimmie256]

You might be remembered by the committee as "the girl who was raped". I'm not saying it's fair, but I think if you choose to write about this in your PS there is the possibility that you'd get pigeon-holed in that way. I think it's important to stand out based on your merits, and if you think you can do that and still write about this experience in a positive way (still addressing the ?s mentioned by others that the PS is supposed to talk about) then it is worth considering, but I would definitely get objective advice (from an adviser) on your PS before submitting.

 

[velo]

Yeah, the other thing about this is that while you shouldn't feel stigmatized because of your experience--you should understand that, like anything else, there are appropriate and inappropriate forums to share that information. Unless you can somehow tie it into how it will make you a good doctor (and I don't see how you're going to do that) putting that information in a PS is inappropriate. A committee member might take that as a sign that you haven't dealt with the issue emotionally and it might raise questions about your stability.

I'm not trying to be rude, just honest. I can only see it hurting you to put that in your PS. Leave it out. Good luck!

 

[QofQuimica]

I agree with the others who said not to include it. OP, you have to think about it this way: anything you put on that AMCAS is fair game to come up in an interview. How are you going to feel about discussing being raped with an interviewer who may be confrontational or dismissive of your answers? How would you feel knowing that the adcom is going to discuss your having been raped behind closed doors as a group, with committee members that may include medical students that go to your future school? How would you feel about it if the entire upcoming first-year medical school class finds out about your having been raped? It only takes one person who tells one other person "in confidence," and then everyone knows. People are not always kind. Unless you are open about your experience and literally willing to discuss it with anyone involved in this process, I would not include it. That's a painful scab to have yanked off by the admissions process....

 

[LizzyM]

If you are aiming to explain a drop in grades due to depression that resulted from rape, then I think that the best way to do that is to engage the help of someone at your school (an dept. advisor, pre-med advisor) to include some information in the LOR that might go along the lines of "Kristy experienced a rough spot in Fall semester of her junior year after suffering a brutal attack that left her struggling with health problems. Once those problems resolved her academic acheivement rebounded and she has thrived at Gogetum College." The nature of the attack and the subsequent health problems don't have to be spelled out in detail but the fact that the information comes from a faculty member gives it credibility. It can also get a positive spin by calling the poor grades a "rough spot" and to emphasize that your grades rebounded once you got over the "health problem" (no need to reveal personal details of the condition you suffered) and brutal attack doesn't get you labeled as "the girl who was raped" but conveys the information.

I see this type of letter every year from the most highly rated colleges (some of those pre-med advisors are real pros at telling adcoms what they need/want to know).

Do not put this in your PS but talk it over with someone you trust who knew you at that time and who would be willing to write a LOR that includes this information.

 

[Compozine]

This is a weird question and I have been struggling with how to address it or who to ask but has anyone ever addressed abuse in a personal statement? I witnessed a lot of spousal abuse when I was young but thats not really what I was referring to. I am wondering if anyone has ever mentioned sexual violence like being raped. I don't know if this is completely irrelevent or not..because it is part of me and it is something that has affected my everyday life (depression--> grades) Please try not to give me too hard of a time about this.

First of all, I am so sorry for your painfull problems. I think that while it is true that your PS should not be a form of therapy (you might not want to pour our your entire heart), this type of experience should be addressed. The key is, how to go about it. I would talk about it in the context that it is something you have worked hard to overcome, and something that has given you a different perspective on life. Maybe it is something that makes you more likely to empathize with people in pain, both emotional and physical. I certainly would not say something like "I got a D in organic chemistry because I was abused," but if it has been a major issue in your life, I don't see any reason not to bring it up. Just be cautious in how you do it. You want to sound emotionally stable, strong, and motivated.

 

[Compozine]

I think Flop had it exactly right. I would be extremely cautious about mentioning anything in your PS which might lead an adcom to question whether or not you can handle the emotional stress of med school - they have to make a major decision (whether or not to allow you to train for the medical profession) based on very little information (your AMCAS and perhaps an hour of time in person). While they may have compassion for your situation, they may err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to grant you an interview. In an interview you could mention something like a very chaotic family situation that affected your grades but that you were able to get past it - I wouldn't supply further details unless they prompt you for them. I think MamaKat found a great balance between candor and clinical detail.

I like your dog.

 

[pnasty]

This is a weird question and I have been struggling with how to address it or who to ask but has anyone ever addressed abuse in a personal statement? I witnessed a lot of spousal abuse when I was young but thats not really what I was referring to. I am wondering if anyone has ever mentioned sexual violence like being raped. I don't know if this is completely irrelevent or not..because it is part of me and it is something that has affected my everyday life (depression--> grades) Please try not to give me too hard of a time about this.

im sorry that happened to you 😡

i woudnt do it in my PS, but a lot of schools ask about a challenging event or something of that nature as secondary questions, and your answer will likely blow them away

 

[akaz]

im sorry that happened to you 😡

i woudnt do it in my PS, but a lot of schools ask about a challenging event or something of that nature as secondary questions, and your answer will likely blow them away

I wouldn't go into the details, but you could say you had intense physical recovery (they may just think broken bones) due to being a victim of crime or from an "accident". I could help you phrase it so it is true, but protects you and explains your grades.
You could PM me.

 

[75969]

I also saw a lot of abuse growing up, though not that which you are talking about. I would advise you to not include anything in your PS that you would not feel completely confortable talking about if it were to come up in an interview. Also, if you do chose to include it, which I would not recommend, do not make it the central focus of your essay.

 

[beanbean]

If you are aiming to explain a drop in grades due to depression that resulted from rape, then I think that the best way to do that is to engage the help of someone at your school (an dept. advisor, pre-med advisor) to include some information in the LOR that might go along the lines of "Kristy experienced a rough spot in Fall semester of her junior year after suffering a brutal attack that left her struggling with health problems. Once those problems resolved her academic acheivement rebounded and she has thrived at Gogetum College." The nature of the attack and the subsequent health problems don't have to be spelled out in detail but the fact that the information comes from a faculty member gives it credibility. It can also get a positive spin by calling the poor grades a "rough spot" and to emphasize that your grades rebounded once you got over the "health problem" (no need to reveal personal details of the condition you suffered) and brutal attack doesn't get you labeled as "the girl who was raped" but conveys the information.

I see this type of letter every year from the most highly rated colleges (some of those pre-med advisors are real pros at telling adcoms what they need/want to know).

Do not put this in your PS but talk it over with someone you trust who knew you at that time and who would be willing to write a LOR that includes this information.

Lizzy and Flop's advice is excellent. Your personal statement leave the reader with a sense of who you are and what makes you a unique candidate and qualified for med school. Overcoming difficult circumstances in life, be it personal, academic, health, or professional, definitely shapes us into who we are. Your journey can be alluded to as Lizzy suggested by discussing things generally in terms of a chronic health issue which has now resolved which was the result of a criminal attack. Focus on overcoming the adversity and what your strengths are. There is no need to draw attention to your poor grades directly. Anyone reading you application will make the connection to the event in your life and a downturn in your gpa without it being explicitly spelled out.

 

[72531]

Thank you to everyone who responded. I figured it would probably not be a smart idea to put it in there and I don't think I will. I don't want too seem like I might be too unstable for medical school for one.

 

[Duchess742]

i think the idea of mentioning it in vague terms is probably best. i'm not sure, but it might be a bit dangerous to save this for the secondary. if your grades are significantly bad, sending them without explanation initially might cause some schools to drop your app before the secondary phase.

 

[red dot]

i think the idea of mentioning it in vague terms is probably best. i'm not sure, but it might be a bit dangerous to save this for the secondary. if your grades are significantly bad, sending them without explanation initially might cause some schools to drop your app before the secondary phase.

true, but most schools automatically send you secondaries. i can't recall which ones screen, but off the top of my head i know the UCs do, and most of the virginia schools. there's a thread on this somewhere...

 

[snow1010]

Those forums are getting so confusing! First I read that I shouldn't talk about being victimized by violence in the personal essay, then later I read that I shouldn't write about it in the disadvantaged status box either and that I should instead write it in the personal essay! Does anyone have a definitive answer? Should I write it or not?
Also I don't have anyone who can write a LOR about my victimization because even my family and relatives don't agree that I've been victimized but I know I have been.

 

[snow1010]

Those forums are getting so confusing! First I read that I shouldn't talk about being victimized by violence in the personal essay, then later I read that I shouldn't write about it in the disadvantaged status box either and that I should instead write it in the personal essay! Does anyone have a definitive answer? Should I write it or not?
Also I don't have anyone who can write a LOR about my victimization because even my family and relatives don't agree that I've been victimized but I know I have been.

 

[Red_Jay]

Those forums are getting so confusing! First I read that I shouldn't talk about being victimized by violence in the personal essay, then later I read that I shouldn't write about it in the disadvantaged status box either and that I should instead write it in the personal essay! Does anyone have a definitive answer? Should I write it or not?
Also I don't have anyone who can write a LOR about my victimization because even my family and relatives don't agree that I've been victimized but I know I have been.

I am pretty sure if you talk with your advisor about it he/she will be willing to address this situation. That being said, you yourself should probably not talk about it in any parts of your application unless that leads you directly to medicine. I still remember what my advisor told me: they won't accept you just because they feel sorry for you. They want a mentally stable doctor that can cure others, not a sad and depressed victim waiting to be cured.

I know that's probably not the most warm advice you can get, but that is what I got and I think it is actually true.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Those forums are getting so confusing! First I read that I shouldn't talk about being victimized by violence in the personal essay, then later I read that I shouldn't write about it in the disadvantaged status box either and that I should instead write it in the personal essay! Does anyone have a definitive answer? Should I write it or not?
Also I don't have anyone who can write a LOR about my victimization because even my family and relatives don't agree that I've been victimized but I know I have been.

This thread is about 10 years old, so I'm not sure if the 2006 responses are very relevant. Truth be told, I haven't read them, but keep in mind that the PS should focus on "why medicine."

 

[GrapesofRath]

It's crazy seeing ADCOMs who post on here every day replying to this thread a decade ago

 

[DokterMom]

Those forums are getting so confusing! First I read that I shouldn't talk about being victimized by violence in the personal essay, then later I read that I shouldn't write about it in the disadvantaged status box either and that I should instead write it in the personal essay! Does anyone have a definitive answer? Should I write it or not?
Also I don't have anyone who can write a LOR about my victimization because even my family and relatives don't agree that I've been victimized but I know I have been.

I am pretty sure if you talk with your advisor about it he/she will be willing to address this situation. That being said, you yourself should probably not talk about it in any parts of your application unless that leads you directly to medicine. I still remember what my advisor told me: they won't accept you just because they feel sorry for you. They want a mentally stable doctor that can cure others, not a sad and depressed victim waiting to be cured.

I know that's probably not the most warm advice you can get, but that is what I got and I think it is actually true.

If you have a period of lower performance that you need to explain, mentioning your attack would make sense and would not be inappropriate. But @Red_Jay's point about "they won't accept you just because they feel sorry for you. They want a mentally stable doctor that can cure others" is also on point. You'll need to show how you recovered and gained in strength, wisdom and compassion and how you now will be a better physician because of your experience. -- All without playing the pity card.

 

[Lawpy]

If you are aiming to explain a drop in grades due to depression that resulted from rape, then I think that the best way to do that is to engage the help of someone at your school (an dept. advisor, pre-med advisor) to include some information in the LOR that might go along the lines of "Kristy experienced a rough spot in Fall semester of her junior year after suffering a brutal attack that left her struggling with health problems. Once those problems resolved her academic acheivement rebounded and she has thrived at Gogetum College." The nature of the attack and the subsequent health problems don't have to be spelled out in detail but the fact that the information comes from a faculty member gives it credibility. It can also get a positive spin by calling the poor grades a "rough spot" and to emphasize that your grades rebounded once you got over the "health problem" (no need to reveal personal details of the condition you suffered) and brutal attack doesn't get you labeled as "the girl who was raped" but conveys the information.

I see this type of letter every year from the most highly rated colleges (some of those pre-med advisors are real pros at telling adcoms what they need/want to know).

Do not put this in your PS but talk it over with someone you trust who knew you at that time and who would be willing to write a LOR that includes this information.

A decade later, LizzyM still continues to provide excellent advice patiently and consistently