Personal statement include topic of depression?

[TheKingofClay]

Can it?

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[RookTookIt]

First question, i want to correctly distinguish a family member. My aunt (mom's sister) remarried when i was young, so that would mean her husband is my uncle-in-law?

That's just called an uncle.

 

[Kaustikos]

Hi everyone,

Wasn't particularly sure where to ask this.

First question, i want to correctly distinguish a family member. My aunt (mom's sister) remarried when i was young, so that would mean her husband is my uncle-in-law?

Moving forwards, when she remarried and my uncle in law was new to the family, He became one of my closer uncles to me. But as I grew older I began to understood he was dealing with depression [around junior high I realized this]. And in high school, he took his life. and its been a driving point since i was younger to keep me going in pursuing scientific and medical research and is one of the stronger reasons for my desire in understanding medicine, neuroscience, and psychology/psychiatry.

I know I want to do neurology/psychiatry and I know for a fact that I want to be involved in research and understanding more about the mind and the brain. And his life and illness is a initiating factor on my evolving interest in the medicine of the mind and brain and research.

And of course it is not the only reason why i love the brain, as I love learning about formation of memories, critical thinking, and so much about the brain -- just a raw love for medicine of neuroscience.
But it would be hard to ignore the fact that his life was one of the early initiating points in my love for neuroscience.

But again, we all know depression/suicide is touchy issue. I've written a draft already. But i've began to think if I should touch on a topic such as this? I don't want admissions committee to think anything bad.

Thoughtful and experienced input is appreciated.

Work what you can and check the personal statement reader list. We'll tell you if it's bad or not. Hell, send me a PM and I'll take a look. From my opinion - talk about it if you ABSOLUTELY have to but always spin it in a positive way. Otherwise, avoid it. This is just a fine line but it's definitely workable if you get people to look at your essay and make sure it doesn't come off wrong.

 

[NickNaylor]

The ultimate question is this: did what you're thinking about including play an absolutely essential role in your decision to become a physician?

If the answer is no, don't include it. If the answer is yes, then the problem becomes how to include the information tactfully. For that I would recommend showing it to some people that aren't all that privy to the situation and see what their impressions are.

Again, the key phrase here is "absolutely essential role." Don't include potentially controversial topics that are only tangentially related to your decision to enter medicine.

 

[Kaustikos]

Again, the key phrase here is "absolutely essential role." Don't include potentially controversial topics that are only tangentially related to your decision to enter medicine.

Yup. Listen to us. We're cool like that

 

[NickNaylor]

Yup. Listen to us. We're cool like that

I tried to click the play button in your avatar.

 

[StudyShy]

I tried to click the play button in your avatar.

I keep wanting to click it, but I know that it won't do anything!

 

[NickNaylor]

I'll just leave this here.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23eimVLAQ2c[/YOUTUBE]

 

[StudyShy]

I'll just leave this here.

[YOUTUBE]23eimVLAQ2c[/YOUTUBE]

Cool.

 

[TheKingofClay]

Hi guys - again thanks so much for such prompt responses! I truly thank you for offering to read and I will surely send.

I would say understanding that my uncle battling through depression had a large influence on my decision to enter medicine as oppose simply pursuing pure scientific research. I know you guys have said to include it if it is "Absolutely Essential!"
It was definitely a large importance on my motivation for pursuing the science of medicine. I would say it was very very instrumental in pursuing medicine!. And also on different scale, it propelled me to new levels of growth in my overall understanding of science, life, and medicine. And by growing and appreciating the multitude of aspects that makes life unique to each person, it essentially led me to medicine and research.

I came out with so many positives from the situation and it allowed to develop to levels I had not envisioned yet. His passing was instrumental in my development of the ability to find the positives in every situation and using it to learn, evolve, grow, the realization of wanting to pursue science, but more specifically a personalized science that enables us to connect science to the people's lives and personal health and find progress.

Also finding the motivation to value understanding the importance of the people on a whole level - not just physically -- as we can be tempted to see it as complex machine of gears and levers and pulleys.
But to understand behind the commonality of the science of the human body, there is also a subjective personal level. Reflecting on how truly cherish each life that humanity and life as a being so far separate from something that is robotic. Understanding that progress and effectiveness of medicine in the future relies on research and those who aspire to discover. That in research, we will further understand and better treat.


That's personally why I find it difficult to omit from my personal statement. And from my mentor/adviser, she has led me on how write with a positive outlook and in a way that is not controversial per say. But I will definitely submit to anyone here and the reader's list to gain advice from a broad spectrum!

Thanks again everyone for your input thus far!!
I know I have long long posts, so sorry, but I just want to hear opinions and wanted to show strong I felt on the topic and wanted to include my true feelings. My goal is to include in my PS in a good, positive light.

 

[mauberley]

I was wondering why I wasn't seeing my reply to this question, but then I noticed it was asked in the PS readers' thread as well as in this separate thread. I'll go and chill there for a bit.

 

[Kaustikos]

I'll just leave this here.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23eimVLAQ2c[/YOUTUBE]

I watched it while downing chicago style pizza with extra cheese.... I don't think that was the BEST decision but it was still hilarious hearing the girls reaction...

"There's the fly"
"No, that's just pus!"
"NO That's the fly!"

haha

 

[Seven of Nine]

An uncle-in-law would be your spouse's uncle.

This relative would just be your uncle. Perhaps to make the distinction you are not related by blood to your uncle you could initially refer to him as your aunt's husband. Or to remove the "family" relation, describe him along the lines of a close or influential mentor.

Like Cole said, make sure what you say is absolutely essential in answering the question, "why medicine?"

This has the potential to be controversial or raise redflags (e.g. being predisposed to depression under the stresses of medical school if you were blood related... which you're not). This also has the potential to be just another personal statement in which the applicant is inspired to go into medical school because they were affected by a relative's illness (regardless of it being cancer, depression, mystery diagnosis). That is not a new nor unique theme. Make sure what you say is none of these things, and you potentially have a powerful personal statement on your hands.

 

[Seven of Nine]

I was wondering why I wasn't seeing my reply to this question, but then I noticed it was asked in the PS readers' thread as well as in this separate thread. I'll go and chill there for a bit.

ouch, haha

 

[TheKingofClay]

An uncle-in-law would be your spouse's uncle.

This relative would just be your uncle. Perhaps to make the distinction you are not related by blood to your uncle you could initially refer to him as your aunt's husband. Or to remove the "family" relation, describe him along the lines of a close or influential mentor.

Like Cole said, make sure what you say is absolutely essential in answering the question, "why medicine?"

This has the potential to be controversial or raise redflags (e.g. being predisposed to depression under the stresses of medical school if you were blood related... which you're not). This also has the potential to be just another personal statement in which the applicant is inspired to go into medical school because they were affected by a relative's illness (regardless of it being cancer, depression, mystery diagnosis). That is not a new nor unique theme. Make sure what you say is none of these things, and you potentially have a powerful personal statement on your hands.

I think you have an outstanding point on using the term influential mentor instead. He was my aunt's husband, but he also was my black belt martial arts instructor and learned under him (and which is why I eventually became very close to him).

I was definitely concerned of being linked to him mistakenly as blood-related since we were not, and I have no depression whatsoever. And I absolutely don't want to come off as just another applicant going to med school because of relative illness, as this was life evolving. His life had a strong impact on me as a person, on me as a scientist, and on me pursuing the profession of medicine.

 

[Freigeist]

I watched it while downing chicago style pizza with extra cheese.... I don't think that was the BEST decision but it was still hilarious hearing the girls reaction...

"There's the fly"
"No, that's just pus!"
"NO That's the fly!"

haha

haha I watched while eating NY style pizza.
anything that gets into the skin of the back can get huuuge (b/c back skin is thickest), I should find one of those extraordinarily large pimple popping videos...

 

[NickNaylor]

haha I watched while eating NY style pizza.
anything that gets into the skin of the back can get huuuge (b/c back skin is thickest), I should find one of those extraordinarily large pimple popping videos...

You mean... something like this?

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0mDYoNw7DI[/YOUTUBE]