Questionable Motivations?

[liquid8r]

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This is kind of touchy subject but I wanted to get some valid input. When I was around 15, I underwent testosterone therapy to boost my growth. My endocrinologist recommended the therapy because I was right at the bottom 10% in my height and weight for my age. Subsequently, I saw moderate gains in my height and weight and discontinued after a year. Today, at the age of 23, I look back and remember the anxiety I felt from others because of my size. It really brought me a profound respect for the practice of medicine and (among several other personal reasons mentioned in my PS) solidified my yearning to be a doctor.

Ok, so the question I pose is whether I should mention this in my interview. I did not mention it in my personal statement because I thought it might be somewhat controversial. Thoughts? Again, the therapy really impacted my life and self-confidence in a positive way and I completely respect anyone's opinion's either way.

 

[beachblonde]

You can approach this as a quality of life issue: this treatment improved your quality of life and subsequently it brought to you feel/experience x, y, and z about medicine.

I don't see how it would be any different for an athlete who had their ACL repaired or (insert medical situation here). I don't think the ADCOM will focus on what problem you had more so than why it motivated you to enter medicine.

 

[liquid8r]

Thanks for the response. It is something I can speak passionately about and I think it can really boost my interview. I sort of wish I would have included it in my PS.

 

[pianola]

Definitely intriguing. If you can write about it well, I say go for it. I don't see why it would be particularly controversial, though 😕...

 

[liquid8r]

I guess I don't know. I am not sure what long term studies are out there concerning the use of testosterone on adolescents so I thought it may be viewed as controversial by some. I used to be nervous about talking about it with others but as I have grown older, I have realized the impact it has had on me and I am not embarrased that I needed a "boost".

 

[skijumpbump]

I think this is a great thing to talk about. In my PS I talked about my mom who is a type I diabetic and how my whole life I have watched advances in medicine help her life improve...etc. I think your example is better because it involves you and your life, I say go ahead. If it is controversial that is on the doc, if it was not safe or ethical he is the one that made those choices, you just wanted help and he offered it.

 

[beachblonde]

Well, keep in mind that it wasn't you who were initiating and deciding upon the course of treatment (you may have agreed to it, but it was ultimately your physician's decision). So whether or not it's controversial is really not the issue at hand-it's more about going through the treatment and what you got out of it.

I wouldn't worry about your interviewer berating you about undergoing the treatment. That's not their job, and I doubt they'll care. I would this is especially true since you were a minor at the time-clearly your parents were involved as well.

 

[deleted217884]

I did some shadowing in pediatric endocrinology this summer, actually, and I think you're right. I seem to remember something about it beng controversial, or at least, not all endocrinologists agree about its use, etc.

But, that being said, I think you can still make a strong case that it was the right thing for you, specifically. That can definitely support your convictions about medicine, and especially about the doctor's responsibility and privilege of tailoring treatment to each specific patient... right?

I don't know if that made sense, but...in conclusion, I think you shouldn't shy away from talking about it, especially if it was so formative for you.

 

[ghost08]

Interesting topic. I know that testosterone makes you more muscular, but I never knew that testosterone made you grow taller. Isn't growth hormone supposed to make you taller?

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Growth hormone supplementation is the standard of care for children in the situation you described. Testosterone supplementation is used in cases of delayed puberty/absence of secondary sex characteristics, and is the standard of care for those children.

It's quite odd that your height & weight were <10th percentile but you were given sex hormone therapy instead.

However, it's perfectly fine to mention this! Shy away from moral/ethical controversies (i.e. don't talk about your pro-euthanasia student group or the time you spent shadowing in abortion clinics), but topics of academic dispute are A-OK.