Mentioning Erectile Dysfunction in Personal Statement/Secondaries?

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jsonmyfeet

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I am a young man who has been struggling with ED and other urological issues.

It seems like it is usually not recommended that personal health problems be mentioned in the application, especially something that is a rather taboo subject. In my case, it wasn't the physicians treating me who inspired me to enter medicine. I have started a support group for young men with similar issues in part because doctors do not adequately address our concerns. It was helping other men dealing with rather personal problems that are often difficult to discuss. I was wondering if this would be appropriate to mention, or if it would be viewed negatively on my application.
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Just be really vague about it, play around with words. Unfortunately I have an ED too (eating disorder), that I can't discuss either. So I feel your pain not being able to discuss what you've gone through.
 
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I feel like you can find something better to talk about in your PS than ED.
But you do yoouuu!
 
I personally think that it sounds like you have a genuine and unique reason to enter medicine. Unfortunately, I feel like for the generally extremely conservative admissions committees it might be slightly too risqué to talk about.
 
I think it could be good. I guarantee no one else will have a similar story. If you are going to talk about it, I would double down rather than dancing around it and being vague. It's direct evidence of things you are doing to help people, especially something so difficult for young men.
 
jsonmyfeet said:
I am a young man who has been struggling with ED and other urological issues.

It seems like it is usually not recommended that personal health problems be mentioned in the application, especially something that is a rather taboo subject. In my case, it wasn't the physicians treating me who inspired me to enter medicine. I have started a support group for young men with similar issues in part because doctors do not adequately address our concerns. It was helping other men dealing with rather personal problems that are often difficult to discuss. I was wondering if this would be appropriate to mention, or if it would be viewed negatively on my application.
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It could come out well if you're an absolutely stellar writer. However, I think this might be a bigger risk than is reasonable. I would strongly suggest that rather than speak about your own experience with erectile dysfunction, you mention it in the third person if at all. I will tell you that in my interviews for residency, I mentioned erectile dysfunction, but only because it was an issue that one of my patients faced and it was an important part of my treatment plan as it improved his life. So the topic can be appropriate, but context is very important, and your own erectile dysfunction may not be something interviewers are interested in hearing about.
 
Spector1 said:
pls no
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I really don't think it's that objectionable. It's thoroughly honest, unique, and provides a compelling personal reason to pursue medicine. It's the kind of application that somebody would remember. I myself would be impressed, although I know that doesn't mean much. It would certainly be a gamble but I could definitely see it being successful.
 
jsonmyfeet said:
I am a young man who has been struggling with ED and other urological issues.

It seems like it is usually not recommended that personal health problems be mentioned in the application, especially something that is a rather taboo subject. In my case, it wasn't the physicians treating me who inspired me to enter medicine. I have started a support group for young men with similar issues in part because doctors do not adequately address our concerns. It was helping other men dealing with rather personal problems that are often difficult to discuss. I was wondering if this would be appropriate to mention, or if it would be viewed negatively on my application.
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for real dude? Your name is jsonmyfeet. Srs? That's some grade a trolling
 
Thank you for this! I was stressing out while completing my apps and this made me laugh so hard. Best of luck with your ED😉
 
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I wouldn't include this. This sounds like a bad idea to me
 
I think if you write about it in a genuine, heartfelt way then it has a good chance to be positive.
 
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Did anyone else have this ad at the bottom, hahah?
(http://syphilistestny.org/ the website it links to)
 
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OP, I would save this story for applying to urology residencies. Most of your med school interviewers aren't even medical professionals. I think it's a topic that will make them feel a little uncomfortable to talk about, and that's not what you want in an interview
 
don't specifically mention ur erectile dysfunction, but u can go about the matter in a roundabout way. tell ur interviewer in advance that u cant shake hands because ur palms are hairy from all the urological disorders u've suffered as a young man.

i kid 🙂

7/10
 
This will go over well at LUCOM and Loma Linda, no doubt.



jsonmyfeet said:
I am a young man who has been struggling with ED and other urological issues.

It seems like it is usually not recommended that personal health problems be mentioned in the application, especially something that is a rather taboo subject. In my case, it wasn't the physicians treating me who inspired me to enter medicine. I have started a support group for young men with similar issues in part because doctors do not adequately address our concerns. It was helping other men dealing with rather personal problems that are often difficult to discuss. I was wondering if this would be appropriate to mention, or if it would be viewed negatively on my application.
Click to expand...
 
Why don't you draft it and have someone you respect (like a mentor) read it? If you feel awkward giving it to them, you have your answer. If they feel awkward talking to you about it, you have your answer.
 
Go for it. When I was asked why I wanted to be a doctor I made no bones about mentioning my skilled appendages. Worked every time.
 
It is okay, but only if it starts with "Mbuto" and includes dead African babies.
 
Assuming this isn't a troll post, I think speaking (generally) about your experience as a patient and how that experience has guided your decision to become a physician should be helpful. It shouldn't form the bulk of your personal statement unless you've had some truly extraordinary experiences (for example, I met a young woman once who had a cervical cord injury that left her paralyzed and spent a significant amount of time as a patient following the injury) - rather, it can be mentioned in passing, maybe with a quick sentence or two. The bulk of your PS - regardless of your experiences - should focus on answering the question, "why medicine?" while pointing to experiences you've had in college and beyond. Being a patient can certainly be one of those things, but hopefully you have more substantive things to discuss - again, assuming you aren't an extreme outlier, and I'd argue ED doesn't fall in that category.
 
Didn't you just post the same thing under a different name?
 
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