Personal statement

Hello,


Question on how much is too much for personal statements. I was diagnosed with MS five years ago and that has had everything to do with why I choose to go back to school to pursue medicine. It’s truly fascinating stuff. I’m wondering if this is OK to say on a personal statement. Of course I would elaborate on the profound effect the disease has had on my life. Just wondering how adcoms will look at this, or if I should not say anything because it’s possible my health could take a turn for the worse during the process of med school (although wouldn’t that be discrimination)? I am (thankfully) very healthy, running 5 miles a week, and on course with treatment. MS has been stable for a while now and no one can tell from outside appearances.


I appreciate thoughts here.

I do think that your MS should be mentioned. I think however, you should show advance knowledge regarding MS showing that MS will truly be a focus of yours once you get into medicine. Have some conflict for example with conventional therapy and show where you think “we” should be heading with evaluating and treating MS.


Remember that the evaluation boards can turn you away for any reason they want. They will never say your MS is the reason, so give them a reason to keep you!!!


Most physicians remember very little about MS…only what they learned in Med Scool…so there is your chance to dazzle them.


Doc Walker


mudpiles.com


mudpiles@yahoo.com

I have a similiar issue, I am going through testing for lupus, they tell me it can take up to 2 years to fully diagnose this, and it has influenced me partially to want to really go for medicine. Although I am not sure how much to let on when applying to med school.

  • mudpiles Said:
I do think that your MS should be mentioned. I think however, you should show advance knowledge regarding MS showing that MS will truly be a focus of yours once you get into medicine. Have some conflict for example with conventional therapy and show where you think "we" should be heading with evaluating and treating MS.

Remember that the evaluation boards can turn you away for any reason they want. They will never say your MS is the reason, so give them a reason to keep you!!!

Most physicians remember very little about MS...only what they learned in Med Scool...so there is your chance to dazzle them.

Doc Walker

mudpiles.com

mudpiles@yahoo.com



I have to disagree with mudpiles on that!

If this is how you got inspired to pursue medicine definitively write about this. But I wouldn't get involved into 'how we should treat MS better'. You want to tell the story of of journey to this point of your life. Personal statement should show your 'human' side that is not always evident from other parts of the application. And if you are worried that it can somehow put you in a disadvantage, don't let it! Make sure that it's a very positive story, how you overcame MS, how you cope with it, and how you can help other people in the future.

i hope it makes sense.

Kasia

Thank you for the thoughts! Mudpiles is correct, every physician outside of my neurologist is fascinated with my MS story and they ask a lot of questions…it’s almost as if I know more about than they do! It comes up at regular doctor visits when I’m asked about what medications I’m taking. Regarding the personal statement, I’m just worried about being discriminated against. That may sound silly, but MS is certainly a disease that can disable people, and I wonder if that would play a part in adcoms mind…i.,e. we let this girl in and a year from now she’s in a wheelchair, a waste of a seat, etc. Perhaps I’m over-thinking it.

OK the odds are that there are several people on this board with MS but so far, the only ones I know of are you… and me. So from that vantage point, here are my thoughts:


If you MUST mention your MS in order to describe the process by which you decided you wanted to pursue medicine as a career, then you really don’t have a choice. Your personal statement is your story - your chance to give AdComs a glimpse into YOU - and if the MS is as important as you describe, you probably would have a hard time writing a PS that is true to YOU if you don’t disclose the MS.


But if there IS a way to tell the story of your interest in medicine without that, I would strongly, strongly, strongly urge you to tell the story without mentioning the MS. And when I say that I don’t mean that you make a mysterious statement such as “I went through a medical situation some years ago…” I mean that you tell the story from a different perspective. I say this because I fear that there are still people whose fear of the unknown will cause them to be unwilling to take a chance on you. I don’t know if I’d call it discrimination, or prejudice. But the expectations of deans and residency directors are very high. They want every assurance that their med students and residents will be the ones most likely to succeed. Your MS is a bit of a wild card in the mix, and it will cause discomfort and uncertainty in the minds of AdCom members.


I originally felt that I would have to disclose my MS in order to write my personal statement. Eventually, though, I realized that the MS wasn’t as integral as I thought to my journey, and I wrote a good PS that did not mention it. At every step along the way, I have been fortunate to be healthy and able to walk into my interviews… I have only disclosed my MS after I was accepted / starting residency / in my current position as an attending physician.


Your story is your own and only you can decide how it presents best. I would strongly caution you not to disclose unless it is THE ONLY way to tell your story effectively. You’d like to hope that my caution is overblown - I hope so. But I don’t advocate taking a chance unless you don’t have a good alternative.


Good luck!


Mary

Thanks so much Mary for the thoughtful reply (and everyone else that replied). I am sure I can make a compelling personal statement without mention of the MS. I am always cautious in the corporate enviornment of speaking up about the MS. I just don’t think it’s anyone’s business and I don’t want to be judged…some people do this without meaning to. My heart tells me to leave it out of the PS, but it was great to hear other’s perspectives on it.


Thanks again.