Personal Statement on Personal Illness

[deleted671237]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DokterMom]

Just a guess -- Lupus?

 

[gyngyn]

I understand disclosing personal problems in a PS is generally not a great idea, but I was wondering if it'd be acceptable in my case. I DO NOT have a psychiatric condition, or a chronic one. In college I was plagued with an infectious disease that I had to persevere through and eventually conquered. It definitely played a huge factor in my undergrad experience, and has certainly shaped my future medical aspirations. If I can spin it as a positive about how I overcame it and it enhanced my desire for medicine, should I write about it?

PS: The disease itself is pretty controversial

I am not aware of any controversial infectious diseases except for those which are commonly sexually transmitted.

 

[gyngyn]

Just a guess -- Lupus?

Sorry, @DokterMom, SLE is most def not infectious!

 

[deleted671237]

.

 

[gyngyn]

Not autoimmune, but also not an STI. Does the disease matter haha? The question remains.

Yes. If it is a condition widely believed to be diagnosed only by non-evidenced based practitioners it could prejudice your outcome.

 

[deleted671237]

.

 

[gyngyn]

Hmm its not yeast, and I tested positive on it through a test, so there is evidence. But there are patients with no evidence who are treated sometimes as well. My goal is not to address any controversy, just to show how it has enhanced and guided my desire for medicine.

Conditions diagnosed and "treated" by unsubstantiated methods may do more to undermine your application than aid it.

 

[medicalCPA]

Throwing my hat in here for Lyme disease, especially of the chronic variety. Although you say you don't have a chronic disease, that could be because you're better now and no longer have it.

 

[DokterMom]

Sorry, @DokterMom, SLE is most def not infectious!

Sorry - careless reading. Just based on the OP's UserName

Yes. If it is a condition widely believed to be diagnosed only by non-evidenced based practitioners it could prejudice your outcome.

This - If it's a perceived "quack" disease and you claim to have it, then yes, it could diminish your chances.

 

[deleted671237]

 

[GummyBeh]

There is no scientific evidence based on meta-analysis of literature according to Cochrane review on Chronic Lyme Disease being a verifiable persistent infectious disease. There is however, ample evidence of private labs focusing on chronic lyme disease making money off desperate people, and alternative practitioners and sketchy physicians taking advantage of people's desperation, gullibility or lack of knowledge.

 

[Aposteriori]

I have a similar question to OP.

I was diagnosed with a superficial vein thrombosis, but was misdiagnosed 4times by a doctor, a podiatrist, and a acupuncturist, And by the doctor who finally diagnosed me right. After about 4-5months of not knowing what was going on and being in pain to the point where I couldn't walk, The last doctor freaked me out and said that the clot could be in the vein that leads to my heart so he told me to go to tu emergency room. I had a near death moment and thought about what I would value and prioritize if I had a week left to live: God, family, friends, community, surfing. Luckily, it was superficial vein thrombosis and I mysteriously recovered after taking aspirin. Till this day no one knows why I got the illness in the first place.

Can I put this in my ps ?

 

[mimelim]

I have a similar question to OP.

I was diagnosed with a superficial vein thrombosis, but was misdiagnosed 4times by a doctor, a podiatrist, and a acupuncturist, And by the doctor who finally diagnosed me right. After about 4-5months of not knowing what was going on and being in pain to the point where I couldn't walk, The last doctor freaked me out and said that the clot could be in the vein that leads to my heart so he told me to go to tu emergency room. I had a near death moment and thought about what I would value and prioritize if I had a week left to live: God, family, friends, community, surfing. Luckily, it was superficial vein thrombosis and I mysteriously recovered after taking aspirin. Till this day no one knows why I got the illness in the first place.

Can I put this in my ps ?

Stop doing IV drugs.

 

[gyngyn]

I have a similar question to OP.

I was diagnosed with a superficial vein thrombosis, but was misdiagnosed 4times by a doctor, a podiatrist, and a acupuncturist, And by the doctor who finally diagnosed me right. After about 4-5months of not knowing what was going on and being in pain to the point where I couldn't walk, The last doctor freaked me out and said that the clot could be in the vein that leads to my heart so he told me to go to tu emergency room. I had a near death moment and thought about what I would value and prioritize if I had a week left to live: God, family, friends, community, surfing. Luckily, it was superficial vein thrombosis and I mysteriously recovered after taking aspirin. Till this day no one knows why I got the illness in the first place.

Can I put this in my ps ?

I really don't recommend it if your account would go anything like what is posted.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I really don't recommend it if your account would go anything like what is posted.

I couldn't imagine a worse thing to put in an personal statement than talking about how doctors misdiagnosed you and talking about them "freaking out" and getting magically cured without any doctor ever figuring out what it is and saying things that could be open to being interpreted as you blaming a doctor.

 

[sarma1400]

What if the condition is asthma and brought you (me) through some real close calls ending in the ER with oxygen and nebulizer to save my life? Undoubtedly this helped solidify my respect for the tradition of Western medicine early in life (previous interventions were Indian/Ayurvedic/not helpful). Is there any way including this kind of information could hurt my application?

 

[IlyaR]

I remember hearing that some illnesses can be perceived as a liability for the school. I have absolutely no idea of the veracity of that claim, just throwing it out. Can anyone chime in?

 

[LilKangaroo]

I have a similar question to OP.

I was diagnosed with a superficial vein thrombosis, but was misdiagnosed 4times by a doctor, a podiatrist, and a acupuncturist, And by the doctor who finally diagnosed me right. After about 4-5months of not knowing what was going on and being in pain to the point where I couldn't walk, The last doctor freaked me out and said that the clot could be in the vein that leads to my heart so he told me to go to tu emergency room. I had a near death moment and thought about what I would value and prioritize if I had a week left to live: God, family, friends, community, surfing. Luckily, it was superficial vein thrombosis and I mysteriously recovered after taking aspirin. Till this day no one knows why I got the illness in the first place.

Can I put this in my ps ?

A) Aspirin inhibits platelet aggregation, so it's not really a mystery why you recovered. Glad you did though~!
B) Sure, go for it, as long as you don't bash the docs that you saw along the way. The worse thing you could do is imply that you want to be a doctor because you had a bad doctor.... If you talk more about how it helped your prioritize your goals in life (i.e. becoming a doctor) and less about how it wasn't diagnosed for several months, I think it could be good.

 

[LilKangaroo]

To the OP - as others have said, it's hard to tell you if it's a bad idea to talk about a disease you have if we don't know the disease (and thus, what implications it can have). If it's not an STI, something that you get from illicit activities (e.g. right sided endocarditis - I see you ), or you "cured" it through methods that are outside guidelines (i.e. chronic Lyme disease centers), I don't see how it could be harmful?

For what it's worth, there is someone at my school with a very serious pre-existing medical condition that has prolonged this person's preclinical experience, but this person is still on the way to becoming a doc! My school has had a blind student, students with hypochondroplasia, etc etc and they are all docs! I wouldn't let a medical condition stop you from applying and if it's part of your journey, go for it!

 

[Donald Juan]

It is tough to describe hardships without sounding like you are trying to gain pity from people. It is tough to say how a personal medical experience (either 1st or 2nd hand) led you to wanting a physicians life without sounding naive or contrived.

I'm not saying it can't be done, but write your PS early and get other peoples input on it.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I talk about having Tourette's in my personal statement, it just sets up an under-theme about pushing against fear and having confidence.