Is this topic appropriate for a Challenge essay?

[CorgiDoctor]

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A lot of my secondaries have the dreaded challenge essay, and I have a challenge that I want to use, but I'm worried that it's too personal / not medical school relevant. Can you all give me some advice?

I was born with a facial deformity. Although I've had surgeries to correct it, I still look "weird," and growing up I obviously had a lot of rough encounters with people. Because of this I was really shy, scared to meet new people, had low self-esteem, etc. I've worked really really hard to overcome it, to be confident and unashamed about the deformity, and to be super outgoing. I'm a non-trad, and I was able to get myself to the point where I had a career that was basically 70% networking and meeting new people.

Does this seem appropriate, or is it just going to make adcoms potentially weirded out / uncomfortable? Other than the deformity I am pretty normal and boring, upper middle class white doctor's kid. So I'm not sure what else to write about.

 

[yellowfish]

A lot of my secondaries have the dreaded challenge essay, and I have a challenge that I want to use, but I'm worried that it's too personal / not medical school relevant. Can you all give me some advice?

I was born with a facial deformity. Although I've had surgeries to correct it, I still look "weird," and growing up I obviously had a lot of rough encounters with people. Because of this I was really shy, scared to meet new people, had low self-esteem, etc. I've worked really really hard to overcome it, to be confident and unashamed about the deformity, and to be super outgoing. I'm a non-trad, and I was able to get myself to the point where I had a career that was basically 70% networking and meeting new people.

Does this seem appropriate, or is it just going to make adcoms potentially weirded out / uncomfortable? Other than the deformity I am pretty normal and boring, upper middle class white doctor's kid. So I'm not sure what else to write about.

In my opinion this is absolutely good material for a challenge essay. Like all other challenge essays, however, just be careful to focus more on what you've learned and gained from overcoming the challenge rather than how difficult it was to overcome it.

 

[FSU2013]

Ok, don't take this the wrong way, but you have been given the metaphorical keys to the castle. I'm sorry about your situation, but this essay prompt was practically written for you (unless you're a troll). It's a slam dunk. It's a sob story that will choke up even the most hardened adcoms if you write it well.

And, just for a double bonus, you can weave in admiration for the surgeon who worked on you and include how this is part of why you want to go to medical school.

Seriously, money in the bank.

 

[CorgiDoctor]

Hah, I am not a troll (unless you mean physically, in which case I guess I sort of am, lol.) Would weaving in admiration for the surgeon really be OK in an essay about overcoming personal challenges? I do admire him a lot, he worked with me for basically my entire childhood and considers me one of his great success stories.

I guess I was just worried that it was too personal - I have gotten to the point where I talk about it pretty openly and it often makes people REALLY uncomfortable. In my experience most people want to pretend they don't notice. And I'm also worried it could potentially make interviews awkward, though I guess they're going to notice anyway when they meet me.

 

[pfaction]

I don't see how anyone can be super uncomfortable with the second half of that, nicely put dude.

 

[Cinclus]

That sounds like a great topic for a challenge essay. Perfect.

 

[VisionaryTics]

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