Is this too personal for my personal statement

[Beepboop]

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[OldPsychDoc]

I'll say that in this "Me Too" era, if you really are approaching it as you describe above--e.g. highlighting it as relevant, but not the Be All and End All of your identity and existence--this probably "good disclosure". Some folks do it poorly, though, so it's hard to say without actually seeing what you've written.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I think it’s a high risk move. Residency interviews in my opinion are like interviewing for any other job. You want to demonstrate your desire for the job while building rapport.

Intimate disclosure will prompt questions as you initiated the topic. Your answers would need to be exceptional. I’ve met PD’s that are analysts, and they would pry into this to test you.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

I agree with both of you. This could be done right, but if you have hints of issues or baggage, it could be a very bad move. PSs seldom stand out, when they do they can go either way.

 

[Psychotic]

If you feel you must say anything about it, just write about becoming a rape crisis counselor and how it ultimately informed your interest in psychiatry...although even that sounds like quite a leap to me since you have to go to medical school first, and it might beg questions of why it didn't motivate you to become a therapist, but whatever. In other words, it sounds like a stretch to me, even if properly discussed.

More importantly: If you insist on writing about it, leave out the personal trauma saga that led to your epiphany, because it is a high risk thing to write about in a PS (some folks will "get it" and some will not...find a more neutral way to highlight your interest in psychiatry).

Just one person's advice, don't take offense.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

We honestly can't answer this question without knowing the writer better or seeing the PS. As much as faculty try not to ponder dynamic formulations about applicants, it is still true that interviewing someone for an hour and trying to see what makes them tick, and trying to identify positives and negatives is the job. When handed a trauma, it will be placed in our thinking. Traumas can build strength, or they can highlight neuroses. If you are confident you come across as a non-neurotic person probably this is OK. On the other hand, if you are positive you don't come across as neurotic, then you should examine your potential over confidence.

 

[uhmocksuhsillen]

Rather than make a new thread, I'll post my question here...

My personal statement deals with a best friend who experienced mental illness and how those experiences drew me to the field of psychiatry. Too much?

 

[splik]

Rather than make a new thread, I'll post my question here...

My personal statement deals with a best friend who experienced mental illness and how those experiences drew me to the field of psychiatry. Too much?

you and every other 6th person applying to psychiatry

 

[TexasPhysician]

Rather than make a new thread, I'll post my question here...

My personal statement deals with a best friend who experienced mental illness and how those experiences drew me to the field of psychiatry. Too much?

It won’t hurt, but it won’t help either. 90% of PS’s are neutral though.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

That would have to be in the top 3 most common PSs. splik wrote a very nice summary of the most common half dozen PS strategies a couple of years ago. If you lettered them, you could categorize at least 90% of PSs.

 

[splik]

That would have to be in the top 3 most common PSs. splik wrote a very nice summary of the most common half dozen PS strategies a couple of years ago. If you lettered them, you could categorize at least 90% of PSs.

This mysteriously disappeared from SDN but i have managed to find it and am going to repost it

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

This mysteriously disappeared from SDN but i have managed to find it and am going to repost it

It was well presented and not controversial. It is hardly letting a cat out of the bag to realize there are only a few PS themes. I will probably share it with those who have to read through hundreds of PSs.

 

[uhmocksuhsillen]

That would have to be in the top 3 most common PSs. splik wrote a very nice summary of the most common half dozen PS strategies a couple of years ago. If you lettered them, you could categorize at least 90% of PSs.

Fair enough. Do you think it's worth the effort to rework the PS to stand out a bit more? Rest of the app is very solid aside from being a DO.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

I really can't say without seeing it. Odds are strong your PS is fine and will not make or break you if you change it or not.

 

[Neuro111]

imagine 5% of the applicants on either side of a bell curve. For them it matters. 5% may be able to stand out with exceptional personal statements and 5% would probably burn themselves with their PS. For the majority of applicants, it is best to follow a standard true and tried method even if their personal statement comes across generic. At least that's the impression I have in my mind re: personal statements. Also, if you wouldn't mention something on a first date, you probably shouldn't mention it in your PS.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Yep, I like the first date rule. This is a job interview.

 

[whopper]

I hate saying this but while I was a professor personal statements, by the time you've read your 4th to 5th in one day, they all tend to blend together cause they're all saying very similar things with similar themes. If you've taken a psychology class it's like looking at a forest and one tree is dead but all the others are alive and look the same. Your eye gets drawn to the thing that looks different.

So the game to stand-out on a personal statement is your statement has to be different, but in a good way. It's real easy to stand out in a bad way. A stained paper, a bad odor attached to the paper, spelling errors, etc. Now that'll stand out in a bad way. You need to stand out in a good way.

And therein lies the rub. The more you work to stand-out the more you take a risk. A true showman, for example, can standout and knows how to do so in the good way. Anyone can offer to eat cream cheese out of a body orifice and that'll stand out BIG TIME but it won't impress anyone.

The information you've given is not enough for us to judge if your PS is any good. It's of a common theme. The theme of going through a bad experience and your personal strength, commitment to healing, etc. makes you a stronger person and a more committed healer. It's all in the presentation.

Here's an example of a great idea with a very BAD presentation!

 

[SeniorWrangler]

My two cents: talking about your experience as a rape crisis counselor is an excellent idea. That's really relevant and it's experience that most applicants won't have, and it gives you something that interviewers can ask about, which is always good.

OTOH, disclosing anything about your own psychiatric or trauma history in your application, if you have one, is very risky. It would be naive to think that psychiatrists aren't affected by stigma and good programs have many applicants, so you are risking being vetoed by someone who knows almost nothing about you. If you choose to disclose something to a specific interviewer at a specific program, that's your choice. Just remember that you can't get the toothpaste in the tube, and if you get admitted to that program, you will have people knowing stuff about you that you might not have disclosed once you knew them better.

 

[FlowRate]

Well I'm a little late to this party, but I agree with @SeniorWrangler ; the teacher thing is provocative and isn't necessary to the rest of your story. It's a disclosure that only benefits some part of you that wants people to know about this trauma--it would make me worried that you'd have other issues with inappropriate disclosures. People will get the gist when you say you were a rape crisis counselor anyway.

 

[Beepboop]

Thank you all so much for the advice!! This was all extremely helpful! I do think it is true that I would rather not take a risk if there is no need. I think I am going to take it out and just transition to my experience as a counselor.

 

[SeniorWrangler]

Good luck!