Alcoholism

[sunflower79]

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I'm the elder child of a nervous alcoholic and it has played a significant role in shaping my personality (I am only recently coming to terms with this whole thing). I wonder if this should be revealed to medical schools on paper or during interviews, because 1) my dad is a licensed health professional and 2) I don't want to give a sob story.

If anyone would prefer to send a private message I'd appreciate it. 🙂

For anyone who is suffering through something similar or knows someone that could use this webpage: <a href="http://www.ncwsa.org" target="_blank">www.ncwsa.org</a>

 

[PunkRockDoc]

Alcoholism is prevalent in my family too. It definitely shaped who I am today. It is a large part of my choice to be straight edge - I don't drink or do drugs. I am proud of myself for sticking by my personal ethics throughout many trying times. I used these ideas in my personal statement, but I never came right out and said anythinf about the alcoholism in my family. Like you, I didn't want it to sound like a sob story.

 

[SMW]

Hey, the truth is the truth, and you should be able to write about it without it sounding like a sob story. Adcoms get so many generic essays, that they will be happy to see a heartfelt one about real life situations and how they impacted your decision to go into medicine (or lead your life, or whatever). If the concern about it sounding like a sob story is what's keeping you from writing the truth, then I think you're missing the chance to make your PS uniquely your own. However, if you're concerned about protecting your family's privacy, then that's another story.

 

[katita]

I can relate to you. My mother died when I was 8, and thereafter my dad was an alcoholic. I definately felt like I was not delt a full deck of cards as far as childhood goes. I definately have had to work extra hard to get where I am personally and career wise. I wanted to share this in my personal statements, but decided not to. I felt like I would be judged as having some sort of handicap compared to other applicants. I think you have to be careful of what you present to the admissions committee. You want to be judged for your positive strengths. While explaining your past may show how strong of a person you are, the admissions committe may have a natural bias again applicants with less than "functional families." Good Luck

 

[SMW]

Well, admittedly I was blessed in my family and my upbringing, so maybe I have a pollyanna-ish view, but I would think adcoms would be impressed with working to overcome adversity. Actually, I just remembered that AMCAS has a section where they ask if you feel like you were disadvantaged in any way, and if so, you can write something about it separately from your PS.

 

[monchi]

If your experiences helped you decide on medicine, if they helped to shape your character and were a part of making who you are today, then don't have any reservations about mentioning it. You can avoid a sob story by not writing it as a victim.
I'm sure you've also had other influences in your life, so you also don't have to focus the essay on alcoholism.
One thing I did that helped me with my essay was to list to qualities and points I wanted to emphasize. Then I figured out what experiences and aspects of my life illustrated these points.
One last thing, I noticed that your father is a licensed health professional. The people reading the essay, if they remember it and bother to put two and two together (That statement is not a reflection on you or your essay. I say that because they read hundreds every year.) there is a small (very small) chance they might recognize him, especially if he happens to work for that school somehow. So you might want to ask him how he feels.
Good luck with your apps.

 

[relatively prime]

Hmm... both my dad and my brother are alcoholics. I never thought to mention it in my PS. Seriously, the thought never crossed my mind. Interesting idea though. My PS is DONE though... and I don't plan on changing it.

Alcoholism sucks! It took my brother from me. You can say all you want that I haven't really lost him... but unless you've been there, you just don't know. He's a totally different person. In a way loosing him to alcoholism has almost been worse than loosing him to death... because it's like I'm haunted day in and day out by his ghost. Every once in awhile I'll see a glimmer of the person he used to be... and I just want to grab him and hold him... but then it's gone again.

 

[aka-Jalopycat]

My dad was a "functional" alcoholic also when I was growing up. It sure made being a kid hell. It caused by parents to divorce after 35 years of marriage. He's been sober for 12 years now, but nothing can really erase the pain (especially things he can't remember).

Anyway, I never mentioned it in my essay, except when I was explaining why I didn't follow my goal to be a doctor earlier (I'm 31 now). I just said that "family problems" had me a bit distracted academically and back then I thought high school grades mattered. I was never asked about it at my interview and I got in! So do what you think is best, but if I were you, I would have your advisor read your essay for objectivity. 🙂