Application Essay

[SirCardiac]

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I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 17. I've been treated and I'm now in remission. On the application essay, do you guys think it is an appropriate topic to mention? I know there are certain taboos like mental illnesses but what about this life changing experience? Any advice would be helpful.

 

[BecksTriad]

this would make an excellent personal statement topic.

 

[Lucidity]

I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 17. I've been treated and I'm now in remission. On the application essay, do you guys think it is an appropriate topic to mention? I know there are certain taboos like mental illnesses but what about this life changing experience? Any advice would be helpful.

Sure, especially if it was your first exposure to this field and generated your interest in medicine. I would not focus your entire personal statement on this topic but use it as a jumping off point for your desire to become a doctor.

 

[DAPI]

I used it my, but kept it very brief.

In secondaries that asked about diversity or greatest challenge is where I really expanded on it going into lots more detail.

 

[RegisBioMedMS]

Yes, it is definitely a valuable and influential experience to share... but as with anything you write in your essay, you then need to be prepared to spend time during your interviews discussing your situation. With difficult personal stories, only go there if you feel you can address the issue in a calm and stable way while you're in an interview. If you aren't 100% sure you can, then you are better off focusing on other things in your essay.

 

[Geebeejay]

Tie it in to how it made you decide to pursue medicine, relationships you formed with your doctors, and throw in something about empathy you have acquired for sick patients, and you'll be golden. This is a great topic (sorry it had to come at the expense of your health), and if done right, this will be a very strong statement.