Secondary statements and examples of how adversity affected my life, can I mention ADHD?

[mrh125]

I'm really annoyed by the fact that I couldn't mention ADHD in my primary statement because by dealing with and confronting my ADHD, learning about my limitations, the unfortunate stigma against bringing this up, overcoming self-esteem issues and being discouraged by people and labels, and accepting myself I also developed a better understanding of others and the issues they face as well as having tremendous empathy and respect for their circumstances. Now I'm looking at secondary statements and they're practically screaming me for to mention dealing with ADHD bc most of them ask for an example of how of adversity affected my life. Because of the fact I was given hope and able to work through my issues w/ ADHD and to achieve my goals (in college I pushed myself the hardest I pushed myself in my life and was able to go from a failing student in high school to a decent gpa and actual understanding of science), and really come to appreciate things a lot of people take for granted like being able to learn is what part of really motivated me and made me easily make the transition to helping others. Instead of putting some half-baked story about a dying relative. Trying to find out what causes ADHD and why my mind works the way it does has been a huge part of what made me interested in medicine and because of my perspective, I can easily make the crossover and links to others their own adversity.

I have so much passion because of the circumstances I've overcome and every day I do my best to pave a better future. I also see this as more of a genuine example of overcoming adversity, instead of one of those strawman adversity explanations that some seem to concoct for these questions. Also, everything is totally under control so it's not like I'd be dropping out of medical school or be a liability in any way.

Explaining my ADHD actually gives me a chance to really show who I am, why I am how I am, and what really shaped me. It also motivated me to become a tutor and really help others because I know what it's like to genuinely struggle, yet succeed. It feels like a compromise of character not explaining this at some point.

I'm also a very borderline applicant for med school based off of my gpa and mcat, but this isn't an excuse. I figure that actually speaking about who I am and what has shaped me will give my application more meaning than any bsing would.

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[woltej1]

You're a borderline student with a condition that makes it more difficult to be a good student. ADHD and medicine do not go well together as you need to be able to focus on a problem, or a person even, very intently. One thing that medical schools consider is if you'll even be able to handle the course load of medical school. Sure it is a disadvantage, but you've had it your whole life. You state it is under control, yet you overcame it? Kind of conflicts, so how exactly did you overcome it if it is a non issue when it comes to your education?

 

[mrh125]

You're a borderline student with a condition that makes it more difficult to be a good student. ADHD and medicine do not go well together as you need to be able to focus on a problem, or a person even, very intently. One thing that medical schools consider is if you'll even be able to handle the course load of medical school. Sure it is a disadvantage, but you've had it your whole life. You state it is under control, yet you overcame it? Kind of conflicts, so how exactly did you overcome it if it is a non issue when it comes to your education?

It's under control because I am being treated by my psychiatrist and have been since the start of college. You see basically how it goes is that after being diagnosed and treated my world opened up and I was able to work to overcome my academic difficulties. In order to explain it's important to recognize that meds help you focus the same way everyone else does, but I still had to sit myself down, become acquainted with who I am, and work out what I wanted to do with my life. Everything I accomplish is through my own effort. Although, I was able to focus and have the same chance everyone else had I wasn't on the same level. I had to develop study techniques i never had, find my way in a confusing new environment (college), make the same mistakes everyone has in years before, and find out who I am and really become in touch with my limitations and thereby understand others. College was the time where I not only overcame ADHD, but found my footing academically. I also pushed myself every single quarter to do more and push myself harder than before because I was not content just getting by in courses. One quarter I took a science course, the next quarter I took a few, and when I had to withdraw because I overwhelmed myself with responsibilities in my passion to learn I took the time to take on a part job, reassess my goals, and realize that I could succeed. I went from someone who would be appreciative just to be a C student as long as I understood the material, to getting As in organic chemistry all because I was compassionate, dedicated, and really wanted to learn and make something of my circumstances.

I felt the triumph of being able to develop proper study techniques , learn when I had struggled to my entire life and not be able, and work to achieve my goals. Where overcoming it also comes in is imagine dealing with all those years of being thought of as a failure, being told you were lazy, couldn't succeed, being frustrated with yourself and wondering what's wrong with you, anxiety, depression, and the self-esteem issues that come with it. Even though I was being treated for ADD, I had to fight the limitations and issues I had in the past and did so through hardwork, dedication, and compassion. If I can overcome my limitations, anyone else can and I want to assist others through medicine.

I hope this is a reasonable way of explaining things and I would really appreciate your feedback.

 

[woltej1]

If you want to spin it as a rebirth after high school then that could work, but you're going to have to defend your actions from that point forward. Med schools don't want to see a rolling excuse in your ADHD for recent/future mistakes or problems. you're going to have to make a stand and let them know who you are so they are confident in your abilities if they were to accept you. If you made mistakes it should be early and non repeating. You are pretty much putting a label on yourself when you overcome a disadvantage as you use to be that and now you aren't so you have to be able to defend yourself after you separated yourself from your problem.

 

[mrh125]

If you want to spin it as a rebirth after high school then that could work, but you're going to have to defend your actions from that point forward. Med schools don't want to see a rolling excuse in your ADHD for recent/future mistakes or problems. you're going to have to make a stand and let them know who you are so they are confident in your abilities if they were to accept you. If you made mistakes it should be early and non repeating. You are pretty much putting a label on yourself when you overcome a disadvantage as you use to be that and now you aren't so you have to be able to defend yourself after you separated yourself from your problem.

Ok, make sense. The thing is if I don't explain ADD this comes across as very generic (like every other undergrad) and leaves them with more questions than answers. "you struggled to adapt to college? why?" That's what I'm afraid of. If I put something else like sick relative or something like that it'll sound undeniably BSy. I want to say something meaningful

 

[EngineerPreMD]

Think about your audience. Adcoms have seen everything from people whose biggest problem is that their boat is too big to park in the closest harbor, to those who grew up in war torn countries scrounging for every meal. ADHD is going to seem like a rather mild problem. Everyone has ADHD. Well they don't, but that's how people see it, so that's what counts. You really risk coming across as someone with a struggle that is largely considered a problem of the middle or upper-middle class, or you risk labeling yourself as someone who has received advantages (stimulants). An adcom may read your statement and suddenly want to put an asterisk next to your GPA and MCAT score. I don't agree with this, but you have to consider that possibility.

When you talk about adversity, talk about it in a way that shows that you know you've had blessings along with your obstacles. There are really only certain things that are going to score you real sympathy points with the adcoms, and typically they are things the adcoms haven't experienced. It's not always "fair" that certain difficulties are valued more than others, but you have to understand it to get by in this world and in this process. For instance, if you are a black applicant who was picked on by a few kids in elementary school at your mostly white school, you can probably spin that to be a great essay on overcoming racial discrimination. Take the same situation, but for a very short white male, and you have a much less convincing story. You could say the same about one person from a middle class family who receives financial aid and whose family pays the remaining cost vs. a person from a rich family whose family doesn't give them anything for their education. Personally, in today's society I'd much rather be the black or the middle class applicant. In most circles, especially in medicine/higher education, there are few people who are actively racist, but there are tons who discriminate based on height (I'm very aware of this, and I still have trouble seeing my male friends under 5' 6" as leaders or authority figures, and they still have trouble getting dates ). But being short or having a less supportive family aren't appreciated struggles right now. By the same token, neither is ADHD compared to something like having a prosthetic limb, or a well-managed non-psychological disease.

I think if you mention this you are risking putting a label on yourself as a kid who was a bad student, but got better after receiving medications that are billed today as performance enhancers. Meanwhile, the reaction you'll get out of most adcoms will be . Tell the same story, but leave out ADHD. Bill it as a rebirth after high school. Still a little , but without the risk. Or better, find a non-BS reason that you would have those struggles.

 

[bearded frog]

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