Help! Death and Illness in family is REALLY why I want to be a doctor!

[ishabooboo]

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Ok, so at the top of everyone's advice lists for the PS is not to talk about death in the family and illness in the family. My sister's genetic disease and subsequent death IS what started this all for me. Then my own rare lifelong disease has just put the nail in the coffin (ya heard me). So wat do I do?!

 

[Wookey]

I don't see why its bad to put family illness on the PS. Whatever inspires you to write a strong PS and become a great physician is invaluable.

 

[MediMama23]

You write your PS so frikkin' well, that you don't make your readers want to hurl and in doing so hurl your app into the "Yup, another illness in the family; what a surprise" pile.

 

[kyidmnmaiv]

Just be sincere and honest. If that's truly the reason why you want to be a doctor, your passion will shine through your writing and (hopefully!) engage your audience.

 

[MDCali]

If that's your reason then write about it! Just don't let it be the sole topic of your essay. Tell them that's what sparked your interest in medicine, and then go on to talk about what you've done since to validate it.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Ok, so at the top of everyone's advice lists for the PS is not to talk about death in the family and illness in the family. My sister's genetic disease and subsequent death IS what started this all for me. Then my own rare lifelong disease has just put the nail in the coffin (ya heard me). So wat do I do?!

that's perfectly fine; just don't make it purely a sob story and make it have a positive outcome to it; keep the reader interested and make sure it's unique which it will be if you tell your own story.

 

[velo]

Its not an absolute no-no to include that kind of content, you just need to be aware of the fact that you walk a very fine line when you do so. Remember that a PS is not just "why I want to be a doctor." Its "why I'm interested in medicine, and why I think I'd be good at it" I'm very sorry to hear about your sister, and if her illness was truly what first interested you in medicine I think it could be a powerful introduction-- if done well. However, remember that illness in the family can happen to anyone (god forbid), and does not give you any special credentials to be a physician.

After explaining how these negative circumstances gave you a POSITIVE view of the medical profession and peaked your interest, you should go on to explain what qualities you have-- not related to the random events of your families health problems-- that make you well suited for a career in medicine. You just don't want someone to read your PS and say, "well, he'd make a hell of a member in a support group, but I don't see why he thinks he has what it takes to be a physician."

In closing, you can use it if you use it right. Don't devote your whole PS to it, and remember your PS should answer two key questions:

1) Why is medicine right for you?
2) Why are you right for medicine?

Good luck

 

[frany584]

My friend wrote about a family illness/death and was actually complimented at all of her interviews on her PS; so it all depends on how u write it.

 

[LizzyM]

I'm not trying to be in your face about this but try to focus on addressing the questions, "why am I interested in helping others through a career in medicine?" "how have I worked with others to test my interest in medicine as a career?"

One of the biggest turn-offs in reading PSs that focus on family illness and death is getting the idea that you can save the world from misery (I didn't have the skills to save my sister but I want to spare others the grief my family experienced) or that you want to be just like your hero, the doctor who gave you or a loved one good medical care (or the flip side, you want to be better than everyone who provided inappropriate care ).

It is a fine line. It may seem like you have a unique story but you can bet that among the 35,000 who will apply this year there is at least one other who lost a sibling to genetic problem and who struggles with a chronic illness.

And, about that chronic illness, it might be best to keep in quiet if it could raise questions about your ability to perform the duties required in medicine. Don't give the adcom the slightest reason to doubt you.

 

[lsumedgirl]

Ok, so at the top of everyone's advice lists for the PS is not to talk about death in the family and illness in the family. My sister's genetic disease and subsequent death IS what started this all for me. Then my own rare lifelong disease has just put the nail in the coffin (ya heard me). So wat do I do?!

I think as long as those factors truly do inspire you, share it! You don't want to b-s an answer and have it sound like b-s. (Ad comms can tell, too!) Your answer should come from the heart, and if that's what's in your heart, you have nothing to worry about.

I spoke about some family issues (relative passed away due to terminal illness, and grandmother w/ Alzheimers) in my personal statement, and it didn't seem to hurt. (Made it to the wait-list... just need a better MCAT... arrghh!)

 

[ishabooboo]

Thanks everyone! Really helped. I hate that I have to make it spectacular, but I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

[firebird69guy]

I turned the illness in my family to talk about "the other side" of medicine...

Through my volunteering I have seen one side, but I didn't really understand medical care and how it affects families until I saw it from a more personal standpoint as my sister went through breast cancer treatment. My family grew stronger, we found what we liked and didn't like about the medical field and the doctors who treated her, and now I have an empathy for the families whose patients I will treat.


I could tell this approach really worked.

 

[Anastasis]

I turned the illness in my family to talk about "the other side" of medicine...

Through my volunteering I have seen one side, but I didn't really understand medical care and how it affects families until I saw it from a more personal standpoint as my sister went through breast cancer treatment. My family grew stronger, we found what we liked and didn't like about the medical field and the doctors who treated her, and now I have an empathy for the families whose patients I will treat.


I could tell this approach really worked.

I think the PS that attacks the illness/death issue from this angle really works. As long as you can really talk about what you learned about being a doctor from the experience and you write it well there's no reason why you could not write about it in your PS.