To disclose or not to disclose, that is the question.

[RTC19]

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[Cookieee]

While medical schools cannot discriminate (supposedly), it may be viewed negatively if they feel you are not "healthy" enough to handle a rigorous 4 years of med school. I was in a similar situation and got different replies on whether or not to include it in my PS. Ultimately, I had two sentences about it, mostly focusing on how it contributed to my drive to become a doctor and, most importantly, how it is now in the past. I was told it really added to my essay by showing how passionate and driven I was despite the setbacks and overcame it. If you can make it work to your advantage, go for it.

 

[Ismet]

In my opinion, if you are comfortable talking about it, absolutely include it.

Schools are not permitted to discriminate based on disability as long as one is able to fulfill the requirements (most schools list their general "technical standards"). Of course, there can be bias and a school can always find another reason not to accept you, but if a school rejects you due to your disability, that is NOT a school you want to attend. You want to attend a school that will support you and accommodate you in whatever way required. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from your post it sounds like you have recovered from the illness, but it left you requiring a cane and an AFO. If that's the case, schools have no reason to believe that you're a health risk. Paraplegics and even quadriplegics can become doctors (examples of both at my school actually) so a cane and an AFO should generally not limit you. Since you have time before you apply, you can email or call schools you are interested in, explain your situation and disability, and see what they have to offer.

 

[LMBLBM]

I would less concentrate on your hardship and concentrate how you overcome, how strong you are and your condition is nothing but positive experience to your future practice.

 

[NickNaylor]

I would less concentrate on your hardship and concentrate how you overcome, how strong you are and your condition is nothing but positive experience to your future practice.

Agree with this. With all due respect, I don't think schools put much stock in the whole "I was a patient ergo I know how to be a doctor" narrative. At best it comes across as tangential to what the PS (and your application) are actually about; at worst, you risk coming across as arrogant by proclaiming all of these wonderful things you want to fix as a result of this experience which may or may not be based in any sort of reality.

If you're going to mention it, don't dwell on your experience as a patient. Really, no one is interested in a sob story and it will do nothing to help you demonstrate why you are capable of becoming an excellent physician. If you want to mention your disability, talk about it in the context of demonstrating qualities or aspects of your character that you think will be compatible if not valuable to being a physician. Please, please don't spend hundreds or thousands of characters of creative writing talking about your hospital experience.

 

[Goro]

It will be OK to disclose if it made you who you are and influenced the road you took.

Good evening all,

I am not yet to the point of filling out med school applications yet, but I have some free time and like to plan ahead.

I got sick with a sadistic spinal cord disease when I was sixteen. I was in and out of the hospital A LOT. This experience was central to my decision to become a physician, and central to becoming the person I am today.

I am feeling conflicted about including this in my personal statement or mentioning it in my interviews.

On the one hand, it has given me an incredible sense of empathy for patients because I have been in their shoes in a very real way. I have "been there, done that" with the entire emotional experience of being sick, which has made me a whole new kind of compassionate. Prevailing over something like that is what makes me interesting.

On the other hand, I am no stranger to the fact that discrimination does happen, and I am incredibly susceptible to it.

Then again, I have a cane and an AFO. The discrimination thing is still a concern, even if I don't say anything about the illness that produced the adaptive equipment. So, I might as well use it to my advantage, right?

Would you risk it?

Thank you.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

Dr. House uses a cane too.

Not sure why there is any hesitation. It's not even a question of disclose or not. It's what makes you you. I wear glasses.