Recovery from addiction in my application?

[3TScrote]

So I'm a premed undergrad, and currently over 2 years sober from drugs and alcohol. My recovery is a huge part in my wanting to go into medicine. I want to help people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders (so Psychiatry, though neurology and neurosurgery seem appealing as well).

I've heard that I should not talk about personal mental illness, but this is such a central part of my story that it seems difficult to "hide" it. How else can I explain why I took 3 years off between high school and college, or why I want to go into medicine, without BSing?

I think I can use my experience as a compelling part of my application, but I want to hear other peoples' opinions, especially and adcoms out there.

Thanks in advance

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[Min:))]

I don't think you should talk about that. I feel like it would hurt you more than it would help.

 

[aymar]

So I'm a premed undergrad, and currently over 2 years sober from drugs and alcohol. My recovery is a huge part in my wanting to go into medicine. I want to help people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders (so Psychiatry, though neurology and neurosurgery seem appealing as well).

I've heard that I should not talk about personal mental illness, but this is such a central part of my story that it seems difficult to "hide" it. How else can I explain why I took 3 years off between high school and college, or why I want to go into medicine, without BSing?

I think I can use my experience as a compelling part of my application, but I want to hear other peoples' opinions, especially and adcoms out there.

Thanks in advance

The problem with talking about drug abuse is that a career in medicine= easy access to controlled substances. Even with your continued sobriety, admitting to a history of substance abuse means that schools will view you as a risk. Any indiscretion can result in problems attaining/maintaining a medical license, which is exactly what they want to avoid. Because of this stigma, I would recommend against discussing it.

 

[subdermallight]

I recommend listening to this story: https://medicalschoolhq.net/pmy-295-ignoring-advice-he-disclosed-his-bipolar-disorder-in-apps/. You’ll get a feel for the pros and cons, sounds like a similar story to yours because this individual’s experiences with mental illness are what motivated his journey towards medicine. Spoiler though, unfortunately it’s a massive, monumental setback in your app regardless of how you’ve overcome it. Probably even worse than a 3 year gap. I don’t like that it’s that way and it’s not fair but that’s just the reality right now from what I gather. Supply and demand, med schools get to be risk averse and they see mental illness and addiction as too much of a risk to be trusted with. Of course it’s not always a risk but they seem to not want to take the chance to find out compared to applicants without that history.

Follow your passion still though, go work at behavioral hospital and you can still talk about how your experiences working with those with mental illness motivated you towards medicine. Also consider starting initiatives to help with mental illness/addiction in undergrad, or in your community. What I’m saying is, you can still find a way to fight for the same cause and make it the cornerstone of your app.

 

[Naruhodo]

Several med school classmates that I know of are in recovery. One in particular has been very open speaking about overcoming addiction and staying substance-free and how these things helped motivate this person to become a great doctor and help others. One of our deans has stated that a distant history of addiction should not keep anyone from becoming a doctor or practicing in any field of medicine they want. That being said, he would probably strongly caution someone from going into anesthesia, given the rates of addition in that particular branch of medicine.

However, I know some chose to apply to our med school specifically because ours is one of the schools that doesn't ask about addiction in the secondary. Someone at our student health services told one student who revealed a history of substance dependence that she'd just leave that off the record so as to not cause any licensing issues int he future (an act that is both stigmatizing and dangerous). Even though it is a question that will be asked during the licensing process (and you should absolutely be truthful), it should be common knowledge that an affirmative answer to a question about past addictions should not prevent someone from becoming a licensed physician. I just wanted to provide another perspective and maybe clear up some misconceptions about licensing. Good luck OP!

 

[deleted480308]

It’s like mentioning your knee surgeries at the nfl combine......

Even if you can outrun folks now it’s a risk factor that brings up questions

 

[angryfruitbat]

So I'm a premed undergrad, and currently over 2 years sober from drugs and alcohol. My recovery is a huge part in my wanting to go into medicine. I want to help people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders (so Psychiatry, though neurology and neurosurgery seem appealing as well).

I've heard that I should not talk about personal mental illness, but this is such a central part of my story that it seems difficult to "hide" it. How else can I explain why I took 3 years off between high school and college, or why I want to go into medicine, without BSing?

I think I can use my experience as a compelling part of my application, but I want to hear other peoples' opinions, especially and adcoms out there.

Thanks in advance

I've always been told NEVER talk about substance abuse or mental illness whatsoever. It will hurt you more than help you.

 

[getdown]

So I'm a premed undergrad, and currently over 2 years sober from drugs and alcohol. My recovery is a huge part in my wanting to go into medicine. I want to help people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders (so Psychiatry, though neurology and neurosurgery seem appealing as well).

I've heard that I should not talk about personal mental illness, but this is such a central part of my story that it seems difficult to "hide" it. How else can I explain why I took 3 years off between high school and college, or why I want to go into medicine, without BSing?

I think I can use my experience as a compelling part of my application, but I want to hear other peoples' opinions, especially and adcoms out there.

Thanks in advance

While I agree with the general consensus that you shouldn't bring attention to something like that, I would suggest that if it did play a big role in your decision to be a doctor you can talk about it in very generic terms. There's no reason to go into significant details, enough broad strokes to set theme of your PS. What you should focus on instead of the actual addiction is how your interactions with the doctors made you feel and how it pushed you into medicine, how your experiences in group therapy/interactions/etc played a role in choosing medicine. These type of PSs can be quite powerful as clearly conveys a certain passion and drive that a typical premed doesn't have IF done right. You're gonna need to have multiple people read it so it doesn't come off as whiny/accusatory/woe is me.

 

[zurc2014]

No way I would even consider talking about that.

 

[atomi]

I have friends who are good people with a history of addiction. They relapse and become untrustworthy. I have seen great people just turn into rotten people when they are using again. They are always at risk of relapse. I’m sorry, this is what people on the adcom who have known addicts will think. You might get a naive bleeding heart, but the people who have addicts in their lives, and this is A LOT of people, are never going to get over their bias.

Don’t. Say. Anything.

 

[RNtoMD87]

I would never admit an addiction problem. Mostly because the risk of relapse is so high. If I were an adcom I don't think I would ever give an ok on a prior addict, but I do think there are places that would benefit from your service greatly, due to having that experience.

I agree with atomi, I haven't experienced much success with addicts in my life over the long term. They may do well for years even, but once you do something its so easy to go back due to habits. Same for people with all sorts of addictions. Damned limbic system