Personal statement-writing about a serious ethical dilemma

[damhsoir]

I am working on brainstorming for my personal statement and would like to include a pretty serious ethical dilemma I faced at work earlier this year (If you would like to know what happened please PM me, I do not want this situation plastered all over the net!). I've already read SDNs personal statement guide and have a good idea how I want to work the ethical situation to my favor (good moral character, integrity, committment blah blah blah) but I'm not sure if I will come across as arrogant. Should I save the ethical situation for my interviews, if they even ask about it, or flaunt it now? I think that if I wrote about this situation (among other things) my ps would really stand out, hopefully in a good way! Any advice is appreciated 🙂

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[j0ez0r]

nm

 

[MaseratiGT]

I don't think that writing about ethics is arrogant at all! I think working through ethical situations and problems shows adcoms that you can work through very difficult issues, with no right answer set in stone.

When I applied to DO programs a few years ago, I wrote about something personal and bordering ethical as well. I felt like it really stood out because adcoms were always asking me about it - in a good way.

The SDN guide probably said, (and I know you know), but just keep it professional and confidential and it can really make your essay stand out.

 

[215512]

so what is a good example of an ethics dilemma? I'm not sure what you all are talkin about...

 

[MaseratiGT]

so what is a good example of an ethics dilemma? I'm not sure what you all are talkin about...

You could probably put ethical spins on many decisions that you make daily. A couple decisions stand out for me because I work in a pharmacy.

Patient A comes into the store and asks you for needles. You can see track marks on the patients arms, so you ask them what type of insulin they are using. They tell you that they are using it to shoot drugs, but they just want clean needles. Do you sell them the needles so they can use clean ones? Or, are you becoming an enabler by doing so?

Patient B comes into the small town, chain pharmcay. She is looking for Plan B. The pharmacy manager is PRO-birth control, but you are not. The only other pharmacy is 30 miles away. Do you sell her the Plan B, or do you send her away with the information of the pharmacy that will sell it to her.

If your already working in a healthcare field, you see things like this a lot. But, you can find ethical decisions that you've made, and incorporate them into your personal statement.

My examples probably are not very good to subsume into a personal statement, but you get the idea.

 

[damhsoir]

Thank you so much! I am really excited to write my ps ! I never thought I would say that until I found the perfect topic in which to write! 🙄

 

[MaseratiGT]

Thank you so much! I am really excited to write my ps ! I never thought I would say that until I found the perfect topic in which to write! 🙄

👍 Good Job!