In this post I want to ask my lovely readers a question. I would greatly appreciate any responses.
Today I worked on my resume and my personal statement as part of my application to medical school. As of right now, my personal statement is centered around my past eating disorder. More specifically, I plan on talking about how doctors received me negatively (probably because of their own stigmatizing attitudes towards eating disorders).
Furthermore, despite the horror of my eating disorder, I wouldn’t wish away my experience. My eating disorder showed me how to be the best doctor I can be, which means treating the patient with compassion and understanding regardless of their illness. Aside from demonstrating to me how to treat patients, I became a much stronger, more balanced person through my recovery. I truly believe that I am more capable of medical school and a medical career because my eating disorder taught me perseverance and how to healthfully deal with stressful situations.
Despite the fact that I am currently writing this personal statement, I have my reservations. I know there is a risk involved with bringing up my past eating disorder. Admissions committees could perceive me as unstable and unable to withstand the rigor of medical school. However, if I don’t write this personal statement, I feel like I am lying to myself. My eating disorder itself along with my advocacy for the destigmatization of mental illness and this blog, in which I encourage others to adopt a positive relationship with food, have been SUCH a huge part of my undergraduate career. By not writing about my experience I feel as if I am giving in to the stigma and feeling ashamed of my experience.
I should not have to be ashamed. I overcame an incredibly terrible illness. Furthermore, I took this terrible experience and made it positive by starting this blog and learning to love myself unconditionally. I am a stronger person because of my experience. I just hope that I can convey that in my essay.
So what do you think? Is this total application suicide to talk about a past mental illness? Help me out here!
XOXO,
Jamie
I believe you should write about your experience with your eating disorder, everything will work out the way it should! good luck
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I think you should be true to yourself and your experiences! I think writing about it shows courage, and how willing you are to commit to work hard to overcome obstacles– characteristics that are from unstable. Any decent program would recognize this!! Good luck
Also, this is ironic because I spent my day researching summer programs that would involve me doing psych research about de-stigmatizing eating disorders! Anyway, good luck with your med school statement and see you soon 
Thanks for the feedback. Those summer programs sound amazing!!!!! Geeeee see you sooooooooo soon!
I definitely think you should share your personal testimony. It shows you can relate to patients. No doctor – and no person – is without scars. But the scars show others that we are real people and that we know what it feels like to hurt. Trust the Lord, and he will guide you to the job he has planned for you.
I also agree with sharing your past experience of the eating disorder in your application. Like you have just said,overcoming it has made you a stronger person and taught you to be a compassionate medical practitioner in the future. I really hope that your strong will to support the others will be conveyed to the admissions committee too. Your strength of being able to turn your past into something positive for yourself and others deserves to be observed
I had the same troubles with my undergrad applications the past couple months. I had it in my essay and my mom and grandma told me I should take it out…I ended up writing something like “body issues” or “low self esteem” instead of “eating disorder.” It’s definitely hard, but it sounds like your essay about your eating disorder is very relevant to how you would be as a doctor….I would be true to yourself and write honestly about it. If you’re right for their program, they’ll accept you and your past
Best of luck!
Share it and be proud of your ability to overcome it!