Name Dropping my friend in PS

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[Doctor Strange]

Do not use his name unless he explicitly tells you that it's okay to share this in your personal statement. Even then, I still would not use his real name.

 

[el_duderino]

Absolutely, positively, do not include his name even if he tells you that it's OK. It's just not worth the adcom reading the PS and wondering if you had permission.

I would just put the first use of his name in quotes, like so:

I helped my friend "David" through some tough times. He and I....

 

[Vineyard Vines]

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[ridethecliche]

Why do people think its ever reasonable to use a real name in a personal statement when talking about someone's health?

 

[WalWat]

My pre-med advisor told me that it was ok to use a student's actual name in my PS since it didn't have anything to do with health at all. Do you guys think he's wrong? (I thought the question was related enough to ask here, sorry if not)

 

[familyaerospace]

The other option is that you use an initial.

My story includes "M" and "T," trust me it is very hard to find out who the people are especially since one has been dead since like 2009 or something. If you do it vague enough it is almost impossible to violate HIPAA.

 

[aspirantmed]

The other option is that you use an initial.

My story includes "M" and "T," trust me it is very hard to find out who the people are especially since one has been dead since like 2009 or something. If you do it vague enough it is almost impossible to violate HIPAA.

This; plus, initials save characters! 😉

 

[kyamh]

Is your friend famous? I can't think of any other reason it would make a difference to include the full/real name. Though if your friend is famous you may be sued....

 

[el_duderino]

Is your friend famous? I can't think of any other reason it would make a difference to include the full/real name. Though if your friend is famous you may be sued....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Insurance_Portability_and_Accountability_Act

 

[sunflower18]

I also have a followup question -- I mentioned a friend by name in one of my activity descriptions, but he is deceased and his death was not related to a disease. I didn't even consider the possibility that this might not be okay. Do you think I'm in the clear? I'm quite sure that his parents would be fine with me talking about him.

 

[kyamh]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Insurance_Portability_and_Accountability_Act

Yes, yes. Humor my strong suit: doesn't work in real life, doesn't work online. I'll stick to walking into trees/poles/doors/walls/tables 😉

 

[LizzyM]

I also have a followup question -- I mentioned a friend by name in one of my activity descriptions, but he is deceased and his death was not related to a disease. I didn't even consider the possibility that this might not be okay. Do you think I'm in the clear? I'm quite sure that his parents would be fine with me talking about him.

If you did something because you were inspired by the death of your friend ___ who died in a biking accident or something like that, you are in the clear.

Also, HIPAA is not violated if you acquired information outside of the setting of a medical/insurance setting (e.g. your friend shared information about their own health with you). However, your friend might have assumed that you would keep this information confidential and not blab it to everyone who might read your application. The Declaration of Geneva that some med students pledge as they enter the profession makes mention of keeping confidential that which is learned in confidence. Embrace that ethos.
http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/g1/

 

[Corvid]

You know... I used a name of a patient I worked with in my PS, but I did NOT use the real one. I just used a made up one. I didn't say that I used a fake name, though. I just said the name (first name). Originally I said "I recall one patient, who I'll call ___" but a reviewer of my PS told me it was not necessary to put "who I'll call" because it's assumed I'm using a made-up name.

Am I in trouble here? Is there anyway to communicate to schools before they insta-reject me that I didn't use the dude's actual name? :S -- (I'm aware that I may be a little paranoid, but after one terrible cycle I'm hyper sensitive now lol)

 

[sunflower18]

If you did something because you were inspired by the death of your friend ___ who died in a biking accident or something like that, you are in the clear.

Also, HIPAA is not violated if you acquired information outside of the setting of a medical/insurance setting (e.g. your friend shared information about their own health with you). However, your friend might have assumed that you would keep this information confidential and not blab it to everyone who might read your application. The Declaration of Geneva that some med students pledge as they enter the profession makes mention of keeping confidential that which is learned in confidence. Embrace that ethos.
http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/g1/

Yes, that is exactly the kind of situation I'm talking about. Thanks for your reassurance! 🙂

 

[jm192]

I think if you say my friend, David or my friend Rob or whatever, it's fine. There are presumably a ton of whatever-name in most generalized locations.

I can't imagine why you'd use an entire name anyways. I helped my friend Rob Johnson just doesn't even flow.

I have to concur with those that have said--if he hasn't given you permission, don't do it. Moreso, it may be awkward to ask. And you can just as easily write: My friend "Billy" and avoid the potentially awkward convo.

 

[jm192]

Yes, that is exactly the kind of situation I'm talking about. Thanks for your reassurance! 🙂

I think in general, if the name is super plain like Bob, Bill or David, they at least consider that you may have. Furthermore, if it's a first name, you can't usually identify someone off of that alone. Now if the name is something ridiculously unusual...

 

[ridethecliche]

I was motivated to do blah blah blah after my friend 'Rob'/'R'/'derp' had a facetasm from my awesomeness

 

[LizzyM]

Do you have the same last name as your family member? Could someone who knows you or knows of you put 2 & 2 together?

I had a friend who never stopped talking about a grandchild who went to __ University and who was pre-med. It was a school that didn't have many enrolled students from our area and so when I saw an application from someone from this area who attended that school, I put 2 & 2 together and figured out that this was my friend's grandkid. If the PS from that student had said "Bubbe's arthritis" or "Lottie's high blood sugar..." it might have been okay but to my surprise, there was a bit in the application about the very personal information about the applicant's parents. It was just embarrassing to know this family secret.

If your relative would not be horrified to know that her next door neighbor knows what you wrote about her by name, then what you wrote might be ok.

 

[WalWat]

Never use a real name in anything that approaches clinically helping someone, no matter the relationship, no matter your position, no matter what.

You have a variety of members in an adcom who are mostly in academia and therefore are more likely to espouse and adhere to higher standards such as ethics and HIPPA, You do not want to inadvertently raise a question in someone's mind that might wonder about your ethical standards. Use first name or better yet initials.

You also should not name drop in a PS, even it is a famous person unless you have a substantial pattern of impact, relationship, etc from that person. It can be perceived as simply name dropping and nothing more. If you did work under a famous researcher or were influenced directly/personally by someone with a names, it should be noted in EC and/or most meaningful experience and then simply referenced in the PS under the assumption that the reader already saw your EC or most meaningful.

What you want to avoid is anything that might leave a "bad taste" in a reader's mind about your intentions. Most Personal Statements are evaluated on "gut reaction". That is how did the reader feel after reading it. Was he or she moved, impressed, liking you, seeing your compassion, or did it raise questions about your true nature or intentions

But if it was a student, not a patient, and had nothing to do with clinically helping them and just my relationship with an emotionally extreme student is that ok? Thanks for responding.

 

[LizzyM]

But if it was a student, not a patient, and had nothing to do with clinically helping them and just my relationship with an emotionally extreme student is that ok? Thanks for responding.

Again, how would you feel if the student's aunt just happened to be an adcom and recognized her niece or nephew in the story (same school, same name, same emotional issue). Maybe there is more than one Emma at Harvard* class of '16 with an eating disorder but someone might think that you are exploiting a friendship and not respecting Emma's privacy by identifying her by name and implying the school she attends and her year in school. (*I do not know any undergrads at Harvard)

 

[deleted577188]

Ok thanks so much for the quick replies, I'll do exactly that. My premed advisor did say that he thought it was ok though...

And this is why they get very little respect throughout this process.

 

[Goro]

Really, is it so hard to to write "my friend 'AA' struggled with...?"

I included my friend's name because I helped him recover from depression.

Should I just use the first name or change his name and say something like "to whom I shall refer to as ___"?

 

[Vineyard Vines]

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