Advice for the next application cycle (2011-2012)

[mz1986]

This is a very difficult subject for me to talk about but as you all know interview season is almost over and my chances of making it in are doubtful at best =(
so I'm preparing for the next application cycle.

On my personal statement for the 2010-2011 cycle, I decided to not talk about my depression during my undergraduate years. I was on medication and therapy for most of those 4 years and it really affected my academic performance. However, I am quite ashamed of this and decided to not mention it to any medical schools. I am not certain if that was a wise decision or not, or if it will make a significant difference, whether positive or negative. I would really like to hear any of your opinions. Should I mention this on the next application cycle? Thanks

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[MB333999]

honestly put your shame aside because clearly it has been an important part of your undergraduate years and has in a way shaped who you are.

in terms of admission if you don't mention it then you really don't have any explanation for your poor grades, and this i think would affect you negatively.

That being said, you need to figure out how your are going to convey your experience. i think a good direction to take is to talk about how the experience has impacted you and how you have overcome (for example came to understand the importance of social support) and how you have grown from your experience.

honestly i think this has potential to make for a compelling personal statement and you should milk the **** out of it. good luck

 

[iusesharpies]

Good luck... That's a really difficult subject, but if you feel compelled to include it, I think it is definitely something that most people can't relate to and it is serious enough to explain a little bit about your academic performance

 

[Asyouwereatrio]

honestly put your shame aside because clearly it has been an important part of your undergraduate years and has in a way shaped who you are.

in terms of admission if you don't mention it then you really don't have any explanation for your poor grades, and this i think would affect you negatively.

That being said, you need to figure out how your are going to convey your experience. i think a good direction to take is to talk about how the experience has impacted you and how you have overcome (for example came to understand the importance of social support) and how you have grown from your experience.

honestly i think this has potential to make for a compelling personal statement and you should milk the **** out of it. good luck

I agree with MB completely in what he said. I believe that your experience not only makes you unique, but also explains your less than stellar academic performance (which may be your reason for not having success this cycle). Therefore, it's always helpful to explain the academic performance and also show to the AdCom that you're a human who went through a tough time in his life and that you've grown from it. Tell them and show them what you've learned from your experience--it'll make for a very moving personal statement, IMO.

Best of luck to you in both this cycle and next!

 

[smad4]

There's no denying that bringing up this topic is double-edged sword, but since it might be able to explain your GPA, it might be in your best interest to mention it. Just be sure that the adcoms know that your depression is now well controlled, as they will have the legitimate concern that you might relapse during medical school. In any case, I wish you the best of luck and hope everything works out for you!

 

[tomh98]

I think you did the right thing by not brining it up. Although you may have grown a lot, and although it may have had an impact your grades, it's generally a bad idea to talk about depression on your apps. Unfortunately, depression is a condition that can affect your performance as a doctor--I think this is understandable. And although that time may be behind you, people who suffer from depression are fairly likely to have another bout of depression. This fact alone may worry adcom members. IF you want to talk about the fact that you went through a tough time, describe it as that--a "tough time"--and describe the circumstances. Show that you overcame obstacles, but steer clear of the word "depression."

Adcom members are trying to imagine you as a future physician, and it's best if they associate you with a positive attitude. This is the same reason why they recommend avoiding talking about ANYTHING in a negative light on your apps. They are looking for glass-half-full types.

All this being said, and despite the clinical fact that you may (but hopefully will not!) suffer from depression again in the future, I don't have any doubts in your ability to be a good doctor. You've probably done a lot more self-reflection than many of us, and may be more emotionally mature as a result. Nonetheless, I really stick to what I've said--I don't think I would mention this in apps.

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

There's no denying that bringing up this topic is double-edged sword, but since it might be able to explain your GPA, it might be in your best interest to mention it. Just be sure that the adcoms know that your depression is now well controlled, as they will have the legitimate concern that you might relapse during medical school. In any case, I wish you the best of luck and hope everything works out for you!

It's definitely a double-edged sword. I mostly agree with smad4, but putting this info into your application is not done without risk.

What if there's an applicant with a similar story in his/her application, complete with identical GPA, but much higher MCAT?

This hypothetical person then becomes a liability to your application. By adding the depression angle to your application, you help identify other applicants for the adcom to compare you against (knowingly or not).

A sad story can be a powerful tool, but you still need to give the adcom a strong reason to admit you besides your personal story.

Good luck!

 

[mz1986]

Thanks a lot for the feedback guys! I don't think I can put it better than tomh98 did. Those are the reasons why I decided to not mention it this cycle. It feels like depression and physician should not mix.. But since my GPA and MCAT proved to be not strong enough this cycle, I think I will mention it extremely cautiously and will follow all of your advice very carefully.

Received another interview appointment today! hopefully I won't have to speak about it because it is fairly difficult to explain.

Any additional advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[1Q84]

If it was that huge of a thing in your life, mention it.

I was in a similar situation. I had an eating disorder 3 & 4th year of college. Didn't mention it the first two times i applied, and i didn't get it anywhere. This year, I owned up to it and mentioned it in secondaries when it applied to the question asked. I've been accepted for over a month now.

 

[CecilJacobson]

MZ1986. Pretty awesome to have an anonymous network like this to confide in, no? I want you to know that you're not alone.

More than half of all MD applicants never matriculate, and a large percentage of medical students are reapplicants.

Applying again is hard, dealing with those close to you after not getting an acceptance is hard, struggling for another year (normally at least two years) when you felt you were "so close" is the worst. You can do it.

If you had any interviews, follow up with those medical schools post-rejection and get feedback. Schedule a follow-up meeting with your undergraduate health professions advisor. Find something that will make you happy in the interim. Sleep well every night knowing that you're likely still younger than the average matriculant--you certainly will not be the oldest.

I'd love to know what you end up doing next. It's what you do in the face of adversity that defines you. Life is hard dude.

"Never, never, never give up." -- Winston Churchill

 

[slowbutsteady]

Thanks a lot for the feedback guys! I don't think I can put it better than tomh98 did. Those are the reasons why I decided to not mention it this cycle. It feels like depression and physician should not mix.. But since my GPA and MCAT proved to be not strong enough this cycle, I think I will mention it extremely cautiously and will follow all of your advice very carefully.

Received another interview appointment today! hopefully I won't have to speak about it because it is fairly difficult to explain.

Any additional advice is greatly appreciated.

Perhaps you are focusing too much on talking/not talking about your depression and focusing too little on the weaknesses in your app.

Reapplying with the same stuff and expecting a different result is not smart. Talking candidly about your depression will not make up for a weak app.

Don't reapply now. Wait a year or more and improve your application.

 

[BarcaBest23]

Perhaps you are focusing too much on talking/not talking about your depression and focusing too little on the weaknesses in your app.

Reapplying with the same stuff and expecting a different result is not smart. Talking candidly about your depression will not make up for a weak app.

Don't reapply now. Wait a year or more and improve your application.

I agree that your efforts should be aimed at improving your application as a whole. I think a neat angle would be to perhaps volunteer at a clinic that focuses on mental health issues and perhaps mentor others who are currently experiencing things similar to what you have in the past (especially if you plan on bringing up the depression issues in your application). I myself have dealt with similar issues and did not mention them during my application/interviews because I am aware that whether they want to or not, adcom members are most likely dissuaded by applicants who suffer from depression because there is a high chance of relapse during medical school because of the increased pressure to perform, long study hours, and the general difficult environment involved in the practice of medicine (difficult patient cases etc.).

I know lots of babbling, however in the end I would advise to lean on the side of "going through difficult times" to explain your GPA, if further questioned why it was difficult, there is no harm in mentioning it was an emotionally difficult time due to various circumstances (be vague). This is how I explained my dismal freshman year which seemed to work just fine during my interviews.

 

[mz1986]

I know I left this thread for a while but I want to thank all of you for your advice and support. I have been working on my GPA/MCAT/extracurricular since June, so hopefully I will be considered a stronger applicant next year. I am wait-listed for one school (unranked) and awaiting answer from the 2nd interview I went to last week... so there is still a chance I will make it in somewhere (cross my fingers and toes!). But even if I don't get in this year, I won't get discouraged.