Should I mention my ADD?

[Josepk2]

I seem to be in a tough situation. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was in the 3rd grade. It was this diagnosis that has shaped my desire to go to medical school but I am worried that if I write my personal statement on this I will be put at a disadvantage. I have a GPA of 3.86 and have always done well in school without any special accommodations. I dont plan on taking the MCAT with special accommodations either. My first year of college my doctor recommended that I take a lighter course load for the first year to get adjusted so I was only a part time student my first year. I am worried that if I write my personal statement about my ADD medical schools will take this into account along with my ADD negatively affecting my application.

can I get some opinions on whether or not I should write my PS on how ADD has shaped my desire to practice medicine?

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[gumdrops]

I seem to be in a tough situation. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was in the 3rd grade. It was this diagnosis that has shaped my desire to go to medical school but I am worried that if I write my personal statement on this I will be put at a disadvantage. I have a GPA of 3.86 and have always done well in school without any special accommodations. I dont plan on taking the MCAT with special accommodations either. My first year of college my doctor recommended that I take a lighter course load for the first year to get adjusted so I was only a part time student my first year. I am worried that if I write my personal statement about my ADD medical schools will take this into account along with my ADD negatively affecting my application.

can I get some opinions on whether or not I should write my PS on how ADD has shaped my desire to practice medicine?

DO NOT BRING UP ADD. You sound like a really good student and future applicant who has their ADD under control. No need to raise red flags when there are absolutely none. Medical schools are very wary of accepting students with psychiatric disorders, as regressive as that sounds. If you want to talk about how receiving a diagnosis of ADD shaped your desire to become a physician, you can discuss time around physicians during childhood.

 

[armybound]

you could go really vague and talk in general about your experience with doctors and medical conditions without naming it specifically

 

[mrh125]

Don't. I debated to and against this so many times as well because I have ADD and college represented the first time that I was really able to get things under control, learn and succeed and that really shaped my interest in medicine. Describe your circumstances without saying ADD. The last thing either you or I want is to be stereotyped, looked at as someone using an excuse or worse. Be vague like the person above me said. That's what I'm working on doing with my application.