Hey everybody,
I have a moderate stutter. I speak fine around friends and family. Most people I meet can't tell I have a stutter and, when I do stutter, it's not like it interferes with the conversation. I've volunteered abroad, done lab work, volunteered, so it's not like my stutter holds me back. Like most stutterers, my speech worsens in stressful situations (interviews or presentations), which worries me during interviews.
Should I include my stutter in my PS? I was basically mute until I was 12 or so. I really didn't have any friends until high school because I was so shy. I definitely picked it up in high school as my speech improved. Now in college, I don't think I could've imagined myself at this point as a child. I have good friends, good conversations, flirt it up at parties, talk with new people... almost effortlessly. Honestly, my life growing up and hurdling this obstacle was tougher than anything will be in the future (med school, residency) in my opinion. Also, I've had people (even teachers) growing up who told me that I shouldn't become a doctor because of my speech, so that chip on my shoulder is major motivation..... On the flip side, I'm scared that whoever reads my PS will see stuttering as a disability and count it against me. I know first-hand the stereotypes, so that worries me.
Also, during my interview, should I be me or "normal?" This may be tough to understand, but my speech reflects my comfortableness. There is no better indicator haha. If I walk into an interview playing myself like a professional/well-spoken, I'm going to struggle because that's not me. If I go in sarcastic, slightly goofy, really positive, sometimes inarticulate, I'm going to be so much more comfortable and speak better. I was groomed by years of speech therapy as a kid to sacrifice good word choice and articulateness for how I found things easier to say, so that just stuck with me until now.
Thanks so much.
I have a moderate stutter. I speak fine around friends and family. Most people I meet can't tell I have a stutter and, when I do stutter, it's not like it interferes with the conversation. I've volunteered abroad, done lab work, volunteered, so it's not like my stutter holds me back. Like most stutterers, my speech worsens in stressful situations (interviews or presentations), which worries me during interviews.
Should I include my stutter in my PS? I was basically mute until I was 12 or so. I really didn't have any friends until high school because I was so shy. I definitely picked it up in high school as my speech improved. Now in college, I don't think I could've imagined myself at this point as a child. I have good friends, good conversations, flirt it up at parties, talk with new people... almost effortlessly. Honestly, my life growing up and hurdling this obstacle was tougher than anything will be in the future (med school, residency) in my opinion. Also, I've had people (even teachers) growing up who told me that I shouldn't become a doctor because of my speech, so that chip on my shoulder is major motivation..... On the flip side, I'm scared that whoever reads my PS will see stuttering as a disability and count it against me. I know first-hand the stereotypes, so that worries me.
Also, during my interview, should I be me or "normal?" This may be tough to understand, but my speech reflects my comfortableness. There is no better indicator haha. If I walk into an interview playing myself like a professional/well-spoken, I'm going to struggle because that's not me. If I go in sarcastic, slightly goofy, really positive, sometimes inarticulate, I'm going to be so much more comfortable and speak better. I was groomed by years of speech therapy as a kid to sacrifice good word choice and articulateness for how I found things easier to say, so that just stuck with me until now.
Thanks so much.
