using patient's name in a personal statement

[mik30102]

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I believe you are correct jm. In my PS I used a patients "name" but I didn't make it clear at all it was a made up name. I kind of figured it would be assumed I was making it up... @LizzyM do you think this will be problem or am I just being neurotic?

 

[BillrothI]

I believe you are correct jm. In my PS I used a patients "name" but I didn't make it clear at all it was a made up name. I kind of figured it would be assumed I was making it up... @LizzyM do you think this will be problem or am I just being neurotic?

I did the same thing and was told that it might be viewed unfavorably, but I'm looking forward to hearing LizzyM's response. FWIW, I don't think it's a HIPAA violation. It just might be seen as not respecting a patient's privacy.

-Bill

 

[605536]

I used a pseudonym but didn't explain it. I sincerely don't think it'd be a problem. It's not identifiable anyway.

 

[LizzyM]

Your best bet it to put the patient's name in quotes the first time to signal, without using too many characters, that it is a made-up name. It is not a good idea to have an adcom's first impression of you be that you play fast and loose with a patient's privacy.

 

[605536]

Your best bet it to put the patient's name in quotes the first time to signal, without using too many characters, that it is a made-up name. It is not a good idea to have an adcom's first impression of you be that you play fast and loose with a patient's privacy.

Welp too late for me. I see two sides of the coin but I do understand that they would err on the side of caution. I hope they'd clarify before judging.

 

[theseeker4]

Necro-response, deleted.

 

[PHgeek123]

@LizzyM If I use a fake patient name but mention the real duration that they were there (e.g. 4 months) and the department/unit they were in, would that be a violation of privacy? Thanks in advance!

 

[LizzyM]

@LizzyM If I use a fake patient name but mention the real duration that they were there (e.g. 4 months) and the department/unit they were in, would that be a violation of privacy? Thanks in advance!

Would someone who knew the patient and knew the place (which is likely mentioned in your experience section) and time frame (also in your experience section) and their department/unit recognize the patient and be upset or offended?

So you say, "Nick" was on the rehab unit for four months and over that time I saw him every week. We played video games or just talked. I would go away thinking about what I was learning is neuroscience about the fibers that send signals along the spinal cord, or in Nick's case, are unable to send signals due to scar tissue. I thought about Nick's need for long term care and what I've learned about health policy that makes it difficult for patients to be cared for in the least restrictive environment. But most often I reflected on the physicians who were sacrificing so much to see that Nick got the care that he needed to prevent the preventable and treat what couldn't be prevented. As interested as I am in neuroscience research and public policy, my heart keeps coming back to the bedside and I know that is where I belong.

or you could say, "I volunteered on the rehab unit and saw some patients over the many months of their hospitalizations just to provide a respite from their hours of daily therapy. I would go away thinking about what I was learning is neuroscience about the fibers that send signals along the spinal cord, and the patients with scar tissue that blocks those signals. I thought about the patients' need for long term care and what I've learned about health policy that makes it difficult for patients to be cared for in the least restrictive environment. But most often I reflected on the physicians who were sacrificing so much to see that the patients got the care that they needed to prevent the preventable and treat what couldn't be prevented. As interested as I am in neuroscience research and public policy, my heart keeps coming back to the bedside and I know that is where I belong."

I would not fault an applicant who used the first example with a patient pseudonym but the second is acceptable too but a bit longer.

How would you feel if someone who knew "Nick" read the essay?

 

[Smash Williams]

A variation on this question - in my personal statement, I mentioned two people that I knew through a volunteer position. Both are what the organization called "publicity yes" people, which means they signed forms allowing the organization and its volunteers to use and publicize their names, likenesses, medical conditions and other identifying factors. Additionally, this is not an organization bound by HIPAA, though it certainly deal with people who have serious illnesses.

Because they were both publicity yes people (and people with whom I had a strong personal relationship over time), I had felt comfortable mentioning their first names, medical conditions and relative ages. I cannot fathom their families being offended by anything I wrote in the PS, and I also know both received outside media coverage involving their illness. But reading through this thread has made me feel like I should either use a pseudonym or somehow qualify why I feel comfortable using their names.

Am I out-thinking myself here, or should I alter my PS in some manner?

 

[PHgeek123]

@LizzyM I see. I think I might choose another example then because the current one feels like it shines a negative light on the healthcare facility (although I don't really mean it too). Thanks!

 

[LizzyM]

A variation on this question - in my personal statement, I mentioned two people that I knew through a volunteer position. Both are what the organization called "publicity yes" people, which means they signed forms allowing the organization and its volunteers to use and publicize their names, likenesses, medical conditions and other identifying factors. Additionally, this is not an organization bound by HIPAA, though it certainly deal with people who have serious illnesses.

Because they were both publicity yes people (and people with whom I had a strong personal relationship over time), I had felt comfortable mentioning their first names, medical conditions and relative ages. I cannot fathom their families being offended by anything I wrote in the PS, and I also know both received outside media coverage involving their illness. But reading through this thread has made me feel like I should either use a pseudonym or somehow qualify why I feel comfortable using their names.

Am I out-thinking myself here, or should I alter my PS in some manner?

A person who allows, for example, an advocacy organization to use their name and likeness to promote organ and tissue donation is permitting that use to advance a specific cause. Using their name and personal information for your personal benefit might not be a good idea and is not keeping with why they have permitted the sharing of their story.

 

[LizzyM]

What if you changed the patient’s name but included the clinic/doctor who saw them? The patient identified as trans (and was very open about it) and was being treated for depression, both of which I mentioned. I also mentioned the patient’s age, although it was a rough estimate. The clinic I saw this patient at was specifically for trans patients and I wrote about this as one of my most meaningful experiences so it would have been clear where I’d seen them even if I hadn’t given those specific details. Other than gender identity, age, and diagnosis, I didn’t mention much else about them. Is this a huge issue? I’m freaking out now.

If this was a clinic specifically for trans patients, it is likely that what you have described is not unique to any one patient and you could not identify any specific patient based on what you've written.