Unusual topic to write about in Personal Statement?

[blkgrnblkylw]

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I just posted this in the MD pre med forum, but I'm more interested in DO so I thought I should post it here. If I shouldn't have the same thread in two forums or anything like that, then let me know and I'll delete one.

Here's some brief info that I'm thinking I would focus on in my PS

I didn't plan on going to medical school until after I graduated college, quite recently in fact. In college I realized I was by far most interested in brain and mind type stuff. So I started doing neuroscience research and planned on going to grad school for neuroscience. I was accepted into a neuroscience phd program, graduated undergrad in May, started doing research with my intended PI in the grad program during the summer, and withdrew from the program a couple of weeks after classes started. I just realized that basic science research wasn't what interested me, and I couldn't imagine doing it for the rest of my life. Brain/mind stuff is in fact what still fascinates me, but in humans, not in rats or mice. So obviously the main specialties I am interested in are psychiatry and neurology.

So my questions are:

-Is it ok to focus on a specific medical specialty as to the main reason why I am interested in medicine in general? I think I would strongly focus on why psychiatry and neurology interest me, is that acceptable?

-Does talking about how I was interested in neuroscience in undergrad and very briefly pursued it at the graduate level set off any red flags, like since I dropped out of grad school will adcoms think I might drop out of med school or something?

 

[keels99]

So, psychiatry is generally considered more of a "primary care" type of specialty, so you should probably be safe in that sense if you wanted to talk about it. You could always talk about how these specific things influenced you to look into a career of medicine without stating certain specialties as well. I always think it's important to be honest in what you write, and I think you actually have a captivating story.

Edit: If it makes you feel any better about it, I wrote how I wanted to go into emergency medicine.

 

[db4277]

Make sure to frame the whole dropping-out-of-grad-school-thing as a learning experience, and have clear evidence that you've put lots of thought into what your life will be like if you're a physician. Highlight clinical experience and shadowing. They want to know you are committed and well informed.

Including personal information about your family, as it pertains to your interest in becoming a doctor is fine. Just be careful to be sharing it in a way that describes your motivations. Don't allow them to misconstrue your words as a plug for pity or an excuse. If you don't feel comfortable sharing this information, or if you're having trouble relating it to your goals, it's fine to leave it out.