Can I mention an accident in my personal statement without giving out too many details?

[jennifer1585]

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I had an accident one month before I took the MCAT. Because of it, I was bleeding a lot and has been put on the short-term disability for my job for about 1-2 weeks. It did take time for me to recover from this accident both mentally and physically. It was unfortunate but later I did make it for the MCAT.

I am writing my personal statement now and I am debating if I should write my accident in it. I was not trying to make excuses for my MCAT. But I did want to mention this accident because it is a fact and it did impact me a lot, especially it occurred very unexpectedly and so close to my exam. I also want to mention it because it gave me an experience of being a patient and made me understand how vulnerable people can become when they are sick.

However, I didn't want to give out the details about this accident. (for example, what kind treatment I received, what type of accident it was, and so on) So can I just mention that "I had an accident and was bleeding a lot..." without give out the details about what type of this accident is? Could it be possible if the school will ask me later what kind of the accident is during the secondary or interviews?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Jabbed]

This is the type of thing that you want to include in your committee letter and not your personal statement.

 

[operaman]

Not sure what exactly you're asking here. Generally, if you aren't willing to talk about the details then don't mention it at all. It will absolutely nothing to lessen the impact of a poor MCAT. Nothing. People do fine under less than optimal circumstances all the time, and you can always postpone and take it when you're feeling better. Pushing through was a risk that apparently did not turn out like you had hoped. If you're willing to tell the story and want to make it part of your PS as changing how you empathize with patients, then that's fine, but it will not do anything for your MCAT score.

 

[Smurfette]

Moving to PreAllo where this is more appropriate.

 

[jennifer1585]

This is the type of thing that you want to include in your committee letter and not your personal statement.

Thanks. I don't have a committee letter. I am a non-traditional applicant with no premed advisor.

 

[iniquus]

Do not mention anything anywhere in your application if you're uncomfortable talking about it or providing details. It's all fair game to an interviewer who has every right to ask what happened and find out more. Leave it out otherwise.

 

[Inventor of Post-Its]

If all you'll say is "I got into an accident and was bleeding a lot," but refuse to give any more details, people are going to assume the worst. Like you got high on bath salts and jumped through a closed window. I agree with the above - tell all or tell nothing.

 

[V5RED]

I would not include it. It sounds like an excuse, and excuses are like armpits, everyone has them and they all stink.

Also, given that there are many applicants without a shady story about an accident that they will not give details about, I would toss out your application without a second thought.

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Sorry your had an accident. I would reflect about why you want to include it. Expand on those feelings of vulnerability. I would talk to some one with a lot of experience with personal statement and have them help you work out the meaning and context to which include this, if you do. You can't be covert about it, but you want to be subtle and reflective.

 

[IlDestriero]

If you don't want to talk about it, don't write about it. Question number one is going to be what happened. Your answer will turn everyone off and then it just looks like you wrote it to excuse what you believe was not your best MCAT. That will lead the next question to be about that, you will BS some answer which is basically yes. Then the interviewer will wonder why you wouldn't want to take the MCAT again when you know the score is not representative of your best. Then it will really go downhill into commitment questions, motivation, maturity, etc.
When these questions come up, it's 1/5s across the board and a rejection.

 

[ndafife]

A good thing to think about when writing your personal statement is what do you want a reader to get out of each sentence.

"I had an accident and was bleeding a lot so my MCAT wasn't as good as I wanted it to be" makes me question what kind of accident, what kind of treatment, why are there no other details, etc... and almost makes me forget about the MCAT part. The lack of details creates more questions than answers and, in doing so, distracts from the rest of the PS.

Most/All secondaries have a question about "additional details" where you can mention something like this. I suggest you add more information either way - something like "I got in a car accident and spent X days in the hospital so that hurt my MCAT prep"

 

[Goro]

If it's part of "Who am I"? and "Why Medicine"? then it's OK.

If it's mentioned in your app, then it's fair game to be asked about in interviews.

I have found that no matter how it's written, any attempt tp explain poor performance comes off as an excuse.

The logic of "that doesn't reflect my real capabilities because I was sick/injured/sad/ when I took my test" is flawed because A) it shows poor judgement that you took a high stakes, career-deciding exam when you weren't fully fit or able to take it and B) talk is cheap.

If you're a good student, then retake the MCAT and get a score that's more reflective of you.

I had an accident one month before I took the MCAT. Because of it, I was bleeding a lot and has been put on the short-term disability for my job for about 1-2 weeks. It did take time for me to recover from this accident both mentally and physically. It was unfortunate but later I did make it for the MCAT.

I am writing my personal statement now and I am debating if I should write my accident in it. I was not trying to make excuses for my MCAT. But I did want to mention this accident because it is a fact and it did impact me a lot, especially it occurred very unexpectedly and so close to my exam. I also want to mention it because it gave me an experience of being a patient and made me understand how vulnerable people can become when they are sick.

However, I didn't want to give out the details about this accident. (for example, what kind treatment I received, what type of accident it was, and so on) So can I just mention that "I had an accident and was bleeding a lot..." without give out the details about what type of this accident is? Could it be possible if the school will ask me later what kind of the accident is during the secondary or interviews?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[jennifer1585]

If it's part of "Who am I"? and "Why Medicine"? then it's OK.

If it's mentioned in your app, then it's fair game to be asked about in interviews.

I have found that no matter how it's written, any attempt tp explain poor performance comes off as an excuse.

The logic of "that doesn't reflect my real capabilities because I was sick/injured/sad/ when I took my test" is flawed because A) it shows poor judgement that you took a high stakes, career-deciding exam when you weren't fully fit or able to take it and B) talk is cheap.

If you're a good student, then retake the MCAT and get a score that's more reflective of you.

Thank you all. That is my 2nd time MCAT. I improved my overall score by two points, compared to my first one. However, my verbal score is decreasing two points.

I don't plan to take it again because now the exam is changing. I emailed an admission office about my score and got the replies. She suggested that I should retake it but it is better to wait until they are getting familiar with the new exam. I don't want to wait for another year to apply....Since the exam is changing now, there is no way to compare the new score with the old scores, even I get a good one in the new exam.

 

[jennifer1585]

As I have mentioned, I didn't bring it up for making excuses of my MCAT poor score. To be honest, I have no way to know if I can perform better if there is no accident occurred to me.
I want to bring it up because this accident gave me an experience of being a patient and made me understand how vulnerable people can become when they are sick.
I don't want to give any more details because it is related to my own privacy, which should be respected by others.

 

[caffeinemia]

As I have mentioned, I didn't bring it up for making excuses of my MCAT poor score. To be honest, I have no way to know if I can perform better if there is no accident occurred to me.
I want to bring it up because this accident gave me an experience of being a patient and made me understand how vulnerable people can become when they are sick.
I don't want to give any more details because it is related to my own privacy, which should be respected by others.

As others have advised - you have two options. If you seek to maintain your privacy -- then do so. Don't talk about the accident. If you seek to discuss your story, then you are establishing a dialogue, and readers/interviewers are allowed to ask whatever they want about it. Obviously, it's up to you how you want to answer them. However, if you are not totally forthcoming, the impression you give may be less positive than you would like. Just to be clear - you CANNOT control what other people will ask or think. If you don't want to talk about something, don't ever mention it. To expect otherwise would be highly naive.

 

[Vain Brother]

the other thing to consider (from reading your other thread) is that you're in a tough spot to begin with your below-average stats (3.5/26, including a 4 in VR). you may be in the position of needing to knock your personal statement/secondaries out of the park (to the extent that PS/secondaries even matter), so being deliberately vague in your PS would be unwise i think

 

[jennifer1585]

the other thing to consider (from reading your other thread) is that you're in a tough spot to begin with your below-average stats (3.5/26, including a 4 in VR). you may be in the position of needing to knock your personal statement/secondaries out of the park (to the extent that PS/secondaries even matter), so being deliberately vague in your PS would be unwise i think

Thanks... yes it is a tough call.

 

[pd1112]

Details or it didn't happen.

 

[IlDestriero]

Since the exam is changing now, there is no way to compare the new score with the old scores, even I get a good one in the new exam.

That is flawed logic.
The exam will stand on its own and your scores will be compared to those that took the new exam and are applying to medical school.
If the new exam is supposed to better reflect what the adcoms are looking for, a high score on the new MCAT should, in theory, be better received than a few points higher on the old exam.
You have not said what your scores were, but you should consider taking the new MCAT, as you may have to anyway if you are not accepted this round.

 

[IlDestriero]

I just saw your score from the other thread, you should retake the MCAT. You will not get in anywhere with a verbal score of 4. The assumption is that you have a poor mastery of the English language and will not be able to keep up and/or effectively communicate with patients.
You will not get an interview to prove them wrong and even if your essays are Shakespeare worthy the assumption will be that they were heavily edited by a 3rd party.

 

[ridethecliche]

I just saw your score from the other thread, you should retake the MCAT. You will not get in anywhere with a verbal score of 4. The assumption is that you have a poor mastery of the English language and will not be able to keep up and/or effectively communicate with patients.
You will not get an interview to prove them wrong and even if your essays are Shakespeare worthy the assumption will be that they were heavily edited by a 3rd party.

+1

If you got a 4 on any section (anything lower than 7 really), you need to retake unless you want to waste time and money on a cycle.

 

[StudyBypass]

I think its fine for you to talk about your experience with healthcare as a patient in your personal statement. Just make sure its well done. You don't need to give out personal details, but you are going to need to be willing to explain it and talk about it openly or it will be awkward.

Legally the interviewers can't ask about your health conditions unless you bring it up, and putting it in your personal statement really opens them up to ask more about it.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

As I have mentioned, I didn't bring it up for making excuses of my MCAT poor score. To be honest, I have no way to know if I can perform better if there is no accident occurred to me.
I want to bring it up because this accident gave me an experience of being a patient and made me understand how vulnerable people can become when they are sick.
I don't want to give any more details because it is related to my own privacy, which should be respected by others.

I wonder how much impact your IA for plagiarism is being seen on applications. Based on you prior posts, you had a forced withdrawal in 2011 along with not being allowed to register for two consecutive terms. How is this being reconciled along with your MCAT issues?

 

[IlDestriero]

I wonder how much impact your IA for plagiarism is being seen on applications. Based on you prior posts, you had a forced withdrawal in 2011 along with not being allowed to register for two consecutive terms. How is this being reconciled along with your MCAT issues?

That seems like an important omission from your recent posts.
It's fine to dream and aim high, but if I were you, I'd be working on plan B in parallel to medical school prep and applications. You have 2 giant red flags when most applicants have zero.