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What do you guys think about adressing problems like mental illness and alcoholism in the family? Could it be detrimental?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Very personal issues in a personal statement
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I have seen this go both ways. I talked about a manic depressive in my family in my interviews, but didn't discuss my own forays into mental health treatment. There are tactful ways to discuss these issues without baring your soul.
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I discussed similar issues in my essay. My take is you do indeed need to be very careful, but if these factors are very important to who you are and why you want to become a physician (as they were to me), it's hard not to discuss them and probably undesirable not to.
The focus, though, needs to be on what you learned from these experiences. Don't harp on them, and treat them maturely. Show that you've grown from these experiences by the way in which you discuss them. It's very easy to give off a sense of immaturity and a lack of sophistication when discussing very personal issues, and the people reading your essay will be able to detect insincerity (and on the flip side, sincerity).
Weave them into a larger narrative of your "story". Include other experiences and interests, and tie them together - you don't want the personal statement to be boring, whiney, or childish because you incessantly vent about something personal. If you show a relationship to other experiences, thoughts, interests, you'll be reinforcing what you learned from these hard aspects of your family life.
Also, I think I made the mistake of harping too much by repeating and elaborating on some of the same issues in secondary essays. My advice there would be to try and give as broad a picture of yourself as possible over all the essays that might be included in an app - write one about an experience as a counselor, or your love of a certain sport, but not all of them about these family issues. Certainly, if there's a pointed question where the answer only lies within the realm of these issues, go for it, but otherwise it might be good to diversify.
Lastly - get it reviewed by people you trust with these personal issues. You absolutely NEED other people's perspectives to help you address these issues in a way that resonates positively with a complete stranger.
Feel free to PM me, I would be glad to help in any way possible.
The focus, though, needs to be on what you learned from these experiences. Don't harp on them, and treat them maturely. Show that you've grown from these experiences by the way in which you discuss them. It's very easy to give off a sense of immaturity and a lack of sophistication when discussing very personal issues, and the people reading your essay will be able to detect insincerity (and on the flip side, sincerity).
Weave them into a larger narrative of your "story". Include other experiences and interests, and tie them together - you don't want the personal statement to be boring, whiney, or childish because you incessantly vent about something personal. If you show a relationship to other experiences, thoughts, interests, you'll be reinforcing what you learned from these hard aspects of your family life.
Also, I think I made the mistake of harping too much by repeating and elaborating on some of the same issues in secondary essays. My advice there would be to try and give as broad a picture of yourself as possible over all the essays that might be included in an app - write one about an experience as a counselor, or your love of a certain sport, but not all of them about these family issues. Certainly, if there's a pointed question where the answer only lies within the realm of these issues, go for it, but otherwise it might be good to diversify.
Lastly - get it reviewed by people you trust with these personal issues. You absolutely NEED other people's perspectives to help you address these issues in a way that resonates positively with a complete stranger.
Feel free to PM me, I would be glad to help in any way possible.
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I don't know if I've talked to you before about this, but here goes. My mother is schizoaffective and my father has a rare genetic liver disorder. There was alot of drugs and alcohol around with both my friends and extended family in the city where I grew up.
I talked about this for a short period of time in my personal statement, and if you e-mail me at [email protected] I'd be happy to share it with you. All of the common sense qualifiers aside, these experiences add diversity to your application and I don't think they in any way reflect negatively on you. All they can do is help in my experience. Obviously, you don't want to use this as an excuse for other things on your app. Obviously, you don't want to make a large amount of your PS about this.
As for what MD2Be is saying, I think it's wrong. The personal statement should be about you, your background, and prep for med school. If you've had something to overcome, it should be noted. Now, if you're trying to make excuses for something, that's where you should stop. Alot of pre-meds try this whole "My grandparent was dying when I was a freshman, so that explains my 1.5 first semester GPA that brings me down to a 3.2" Not personal statement material. Before I have to hear that I'm insensitive, I had two grandparents die while I was in college. One died while I was living with them and acting as a partial caretaker before my physiology exam. I still got a 98 on the exam.
I think that pre-med advisors and even adcoms are so unused to seeing disadvantaged applicants that they may not be experienced enough to advise you. Pre-meds (and med students) are a homogenous, well-groomed bunch. As a student interviewer (whatever that's worth), to see someone who hasn't been groomed for med school since they were little and who actually has some good real world experience is a breath of fresh air to me.
I talked about this for a short period of time in my personal statement, and if you e-mail me at [email protected] I'd be happy to share it with you. All of the common sense qualifiers aside, these experiences add diversity to your application and I don't think they in any way reflect negatively on you. All they can do is help in my experience. Obviously, you don't want to use this as an excuse for other things on your app. Obviously, you don't want to make a large amount of your PS about this.
As for what MD2Be is saying, I think it's wrong. The personal statement should be about you, your background, and prep for med school. If you've had something to overcome, it should be noted. Now, if you're trying to make excuses for something, that's where you should stop. Alot of pre-meds try this whole "My grandparent was dying when I was a freshman, so that explains my 1.5 first semester GPA that brings me down to a 3.2" Not personal statement material. Before I have to hear that I'm insensitive, I had two grandparents die while I was in college. One died while I was living with them and acting as a partial caretaker before my physiology exam. I still got a 98 on the exam.
I think that pre-med advisors and even adcoms are so unused to seeing disadvantaged applicants that they may not be experienced enough to advise you. Pre-meds (and med students) are a homogenous, well-groomed bunch. As a student interviewer (whatever that's worth), to see someone who hasn't been groomed for med school since they were little and who actually has some good real world experience is a breath of fresh air to me.
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I mentioned very simply that I felt that I understood the homeless and alcoholic patients I had worked with because of an early experience with homelessness myself, as well as alcoholism in my family. The overall essay was strong and positive so that when I wrote this it was an easy transition.
I agree with Eric above, that if we're really not a cookie cutter sort of premed, then we should acknowledge that in the most positive light. I also had alot of people read the essay and it got the thumbs up. One interviewer really grilled me on the homeless part of my essay - which I thought was really insensitive and harsh - and I just held my own and didn't give away too much detail. I was rejected less than two weeks later from that school but to be honest I thought he was a real 👎 for asking such invasive, personal questions and I didn't like the interview with him.
On the other hand, several other schools were really impressed by what I wrote and saw it in a very positive way. And those were the schools that I liked most -
I say, be yourself and find that personal way of expressing whatever it is in your background that makes you 'you'. That's where your real strengths will lie and you will write a better essay and you will feel better about yourself and your application throughout this whole difficult application process. And you will come across more sincerely in your interviews and present yourself as a full person.
I agree with Eric above, that if we're really not a cookie cutter sort of premed, then we should acknowledge that in the most positive light. I also had alot of people read the essay and it got the thumbs up. One interviewer really grilled me on the homeless part of my essay - which I thought was really insensitive and harsh - and I just held my own and didn't give away too much detail. I was rejected less than two weeks later from that school but to be honest I thought he was a real 👎 for asking such invasive, personal questions and I didn't like the interview with him.
On the other hand, several other schools were really impressed by what I wrote and saw it in a very positive way. And those were the schools that I liked most -
I say, be yourself and find that personal way of expressing whatever it is in your background that makes you 'you'. That's where your real strengths will lie and you will write a better essay and you will feel better about yourself and your application throughout this whole difficult application process. And you will come across more sincerely in your interviews and present yourself as a full person.
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Woolie's situation should be noted since it brings up a good point. Anything you put in your personal statement and secondary essays becomes fair game in the interviews. Basically you have the right to not answer anything remotely personal, but the second you begin to talk about it, they are allowed to ask questions. You can write about any hardships you want in your PS, but if it is something that will make you cry/breakdown/fumble in an interview, don't.
~AS1~
~AS1~
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but the evaluators are doctors. couldn't it be detrimental to mention a genetic disorder in the family with a late-age onset? i'm thinking specifically of schizophrenia, which in some cases may be genetically linked and in many cases develops in ones twenties.
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I definitely wouldn't mention it. It's not written in stone, but that's highly heritable stuff.
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What nonsense. Highly heritable? If you mean 7% chance for first-degree relatives, yeah, highly heritable. There's a 1% chance for the population in general. Further, males would likely already show signs of the condition by the age of med school. I don't think adcoms are thinking "HMmmm... 7X risk for schizophrenia, reject!" At least that's not what they were thinking with me.
Frankly, it's only on SDN where I hear sentiment like this. Maybe there's some of it in the real world, but it's either gotta be rare or very closed door. Either way, the benefit on your application of actually having real-life experience outweighs neurotic pre-med fears.
Frankly, it's only on SDN where I hear sentiment like this. Maybe there's some of it in the real world, but it's either gotta be rare or very closed door. Either way, the benefit on your application of actually having real-life experience outweighs neurotic pre-med fears.
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Neuronix said:
Right on - bipolar is also thought to have a genetic basis and, at the least, some correlation to an increased likelihood of depression in close relatives (ie, me). However, I was never once asked anything about that.
I listed very personal info in my personal statement and in hindsight I'm not sure I would do it again. Not because adcoms/interviewers looked at me negatively, actually it was the opposite, they applauded me for overcoming such huge obstacles. I might not do it again because for me it was tough talking about such personal issues with complete strangers, and most interviewers found it so interesting they really wanted to delve into it and ask additional questions. Until that point I didn't realize what a private person I am and found the process very uncomfortable. If I had only one or two interviews that would of been ok, but I had ten interview invites (I went on eight) and I began to dread having to rehash my life story. I think this definitely affected my interview performance because I got to the point where I was sick of explaining or playing tour guide to my painful private personal background.
However, I am greatful for getting in, (and I realize that my story helped to mold me into the person I am today) which adcoms saw, but I don't know if I would do it again.
So my advice, do some soul searching, and ask yourself is this something you feel like discussing in front of any and everyone (especially if you apply to schools that do panel interviews). If you don't think you can, keep it to yourself. If you could do it, and do it gracefully, with the pressure of getting into med school on the line, then go for it.
Best of luck with whatever you decide.
Cheers!
rmp
However, I am greatful for getting in, (and I realize that my story helped to mold me into the person I am today) which adcoms saw, but I don't know if I would do it again.
So my advice, do some soul searching, and ask yourself is this something you feel like discussing in front of any and everyone (especially if you apply to schools that do panel interviews). If you don't think you can, keep it to yourself. If you could do it, and do it gracefully, with the pressure of getting into med school on the line, then go for it.
Best of luck with whatever you decide.
Cheers!
rmp
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Neuronix said:
I was referring to alcoholism and mental illness in general.
Ever meet the family of a really wacky patient? Yeah, eureeka moment.
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my personal statement had very personal information. there is nothing wrong with it as long as you can show how it relates to you wanting to be a physician.
absolutely nothing wrong with it at all.
absolutely nothing wrong with it at all.
