Personal statement and alternative medicine

[Dragonfly411]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello. I am in the midst of revising my personal statement for medical school, and at the end (where I state my future goals in medicine), I am considering writing about my interest in exploring alternative medicine in conjunction with allopathic medicine. I know there is a lot of controversy concerning alternative therapies (e.g., only quack doctors use them; they are based on unproven concepts, such as spiritual forces), but I want to qualify my statement by also explaining that if I were to use these therapies, they must also be well-documented with scientific evidence. What do you think? Will the conservative admissions committee members throw me out of the running if they see an applicant interested in exploring something new and unestablished in the medical field? Thank you in advance for your advice.

 

[Dr_Jay_wannabe]

Dragonfly,
I'm not sure what the admissions committee will think, so I'm not telling you yes or no (I am only a pre-med as well). However, i strongly share the same opinion on alternative therapies, as I know how successful it can be from first-hand experience. I too want to practice integrative medicine, but like you, am affraid of who I can trust in the conventional medical world.
Let me know how it goes. I want to tell you to just express your passion regardless of what they think, but I am not an idiot, I know a lot of controversy and stigmas are involved.
I wish you the best of luck in your future of practicing an integrated approach to medicine.

Dr_Jay_Wannabe

 

[Joe Joe on da Radio]

the NIH has a division that researches complementary medicine, so I wouldn't worry too much about including your desire to work in the field. also, the correct/PC term is complementary medicine, not alternative medicine. good luck.

 

[greets fr. nyc]

actually, you both are right: the current term is CAM = Complimentary and Alternative Medicine; as in
"The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)"
www.nccam.nih.gov/

"The Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine"
www.cancer.gov/occam/

hmmm.. as for whether you should put it in your application, i think it depends on your previous background with the topic. THIS GOES FOR ANY SUBJECT MATTER, in fact. For example, have you shown a long and deep interest in alternative medicine? Have you done research in this area? Or is it just a cursory interest that you have. how will the admissions comittees know that you're sincerely interested in the subject? if you really feel strongly about CAM then you have to "show" more so than just "tell."

if you can answer the above questions in a reasonable way, then write about CAM: again your passion and knowlege in you subject will become clear. if not, then write about something you do have roots in.

best,

 

[Dragonfly411]

hmmm.. as for whether you should put it in your application, i think it
depends on your previous background with the topic. THIS GOES FOR ANY
SUBJECT MATTER, in fact. For example, have you shown a long and deep
interest in alternative medicine? Have you done research in this area? Or
is it just a cursory interest that you have. how will the admissions
comittees know that you're sincerely interested in the subject? if you
really feel strongly about CAM then you have to "show" more so than just
"tell."

if you can answer the above questions in a reasonable way, then write
about CAM: again your passion and knowlege in you subject will become
clear. if not, then write about something you do have roots in.

best,

Hi, greets fr. nyc,
Thank you for your reply (along with the rest of you). In response to
your question, right now, I don't have any firsthand experience with
alternative medicine. I haven't done research in the area, for example,
so my interest in exploring it in the future seems cursory right now.
However, the reason I am strongly interested in it is, I hold the same
spiritual beliefs that are rooted in alternative medicine, such as the
energy centers, New Age theories, etc. I've also read a lot on my own
time about the success of the therapies. I do not plan on justifying my
interest in this field by explaining my spiritual beliefs, since I've
been told over and over again that I must avoid discussing politics or
religion in a personal statement. The topics are simply too
controversial. I do, however, want to incorporate my basic sciences
research experience in this paragraph by explaining how I am familiar
with the scientific process and the importance of verifiable data.
Several physicians disregard alternative therapies because practitioners
rely on personal anecdotes instead, so in my future practice, I would
employ alternative techniques only if they've undergone clinical trials.

What do you think? I'm anticipating you'll say that I should talk about
something else, since I still haven't "shown" anything; I'm merely "telling."

 

[zephyr_97]

Dragonfly et al,

Like you, I am also interested in practicing integrative medicine in the future. But unlike you, I am glad that I have gone through the application process and am a second year med student. My advice is to justify your interest in CAM by emphasizing the importance of clinical trials to prove efficacy of certain treatments and not anecdotal evidence. This is the place you show your ourside knowledge. It is also always nice to back your interests up with involvement; for example, I was an instructor for holistic medicine back at my undergrad for 2 years. With growing interests in integrative medicine, it is only prudent that allopathic physicians are aware of what their patients are using or trying out, as there are proofs of interactions between herbs and chemotherapy and HIV meds. Also, look at schools that are genuinely welcoming the view point that you have. Just remember, the med school application process is random, so you can do yourself a justice by presenting yourself in the best light possible. Good luck. Feel free to pvt. for more questions.

z.

 

[azzarah]

At my medical school last year we had some lectures devoted to alternative medicine, prayer, etc.