Personal Statement and FM Residency

[IntheClouds4ever]

3rd year medical student, here. Im dead set on Family Medicine since I'm from a rural community and want end up back home. I enjoy FM for the versatility, but when writing a PS I have a bit of a dilemma. My main reason for entering medicine was my own blood borne disease and the lack of access for people in rural areas. I want to bridge that gap, but I am also concerned about disclosing my own diagnosis and was wondering if anyone had any input. Would the benefits of adding context and experience as a patient outweigh the risks of unspoken discrimination for perceived health status?

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[Sardonix]

Also M3 here, also interested in FM.

If you don't mind me asking, what benefits do you believe revealing the diagnosis would provide to your statement's essay/rhetoric? It sounds like the core of your angle is that you:
-grew up in a rural area
-had a disease that required extensive medical treatment
-experienced difficulty obtaining quality care due to lack of medical access

If those are the main points, it sounds like you should frame your essay around why that made you wish to be a physician and why that enhances your fit in family medicine in particular. I would also ask how the lessons you learned will influence your practice. How you will strive so that others do not face the same hardships that you did?

There are others undoubtedly more experienced than me, but none of the above necessarily screams that you must immediately state your dx.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

You could also go super vague, something like "I was ill a lot as a child and had trouble getting care locally". It makes it sound like a childhood thing that's not a problem anymore so shouldn't be an issue.