Personal Statement question: went through alcohol rehab early in college. Sober since. Is it acceptable to address this or too risky?

[MealscrapsPA]

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[xomelanie]

Post it here I can edit it for you! It depends on how you write about it. I would say yes to put it on, they want you to talk about gaps and anything like that in a personal statement. And if you can link it with why you want to be a PA or work in medical field or why it made you a better person and how you want to help others get over addiction or disease then definitely will be beneficial!

[Guest PALois]

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[cinntsp]

If you had a bunch of failing grades before rehab then it is something you will have to address. If it's just a semester gap then I wouldn't address it unless specifically asked at an interview. Just be prepared to spin it in a positive light as a learning experience.

 

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[SmbLmb]

I strongly disagree with the previous post! First and foremost, why would you want to hide who you are and what made you who you are. I made the mistake of not mentioning my recovery last cycle and my personal statement made no sense, mainly due to the fact that I was instructed to essentially make up another story that hid the fact that I had a problem many years ago. This cycle, I chose to write about it and sure enough, interview invites. The bottom line is that I understand there are many that dont understand that someone can recover from alcoholism as I did, but it is very possible. It made me who I am today and was the catalyst that propelled me towards a career in medicine and furthermore, I am and have been a highly trusted employee for the past 7 years. Dont let people bring you down and tell you that you wont make it. @christopherharris PM me if you have any questions!

[Maynard]

There are some programs where admissions is so depersonalized and algorithmic that you could squeak by without addressing the issue and no one would notice. Remember, these schools have to sort through hundreds of applications. They'll rate your transcript with an algorithm and your interview will be more or less "blind" and taken off an interview sheet.

 

As for the other programs, it is difficult to say. Admissions officers love to say they prefer applicants that have rebounded from difficult circumstances, but they're disingenuous when they say this. They want Disney tragedy, not the sort of tragedy that actually breaks a lot of people. They want "my Daddy died when I was 8", not "my Daddy started molesting me when I was 8". Bringing up stories of trauma, abuse, or addiction can be very risky, for the same reasons that it is risky to tell an admissions officer that you're a single parent: the fact is, you are simply less likely to succeed then someone in easier circumstances. 

 

For alcoholism, I don't think anyone in the medical field doubts that people can recover, as SmbLmb asserts, but people who do recover are always at risk of relapse. And in the medical field, especially in a position that gives you access to narcotics, the results can be awful. Licenses can be lost. Lives can be lost, too, if a provider is too intoxicated to do their job.

 

Not explaining it, however, can be very risky too, especially if they do ask specifically about it in an interview. If you can gloss over it in the PS, I would advise you to do so. However, you will need to come up with a plan on how to address the issue if they bring it up point blank in the interview and, despite what I just wrote, being upfront about your past may very well be your best option, especially if you can make a convincing case that you have made a full recovery.

 

Having said that, remember that while your academic history is their business, your medical history is not. They have no legal right to ask you if you've ever gone through rehab, though some schools (e.g. Penn State) might choose to ask this point blank anyway. There is nothing unethical about choosing to hide that part of your life if that's what you decide to do. Just take the path that has the highest probability of success.

[Stramel_63]

Great information shared here on rehab centers. Few weeks ago, I took treatment from famous Virginia opiate addiction treatment center that is among one of best rehab centers. They provided pretty useful consultation which helped me in getting rid of my addiction in just sometime.

[mattr]

Even though this post is from several years ago, I thought I should share on my experience. I was accepted to PA school and I start in less than a week. For my personal statement, I included my story of addiction and recovery (former meth addict - 5 years clean). I was able to explain my misdoings during my early undergrad career, and more importantly I was able to tell how my experience had matured me and lead me to pursuing a career as a PA. I was fortunate that a school decided to look at the man I had become rather than the immature boy I was during my addiction. My addiction had lead to legal and academic repercussions that had been resolved, but needed to be explained. Just wanted to post this for anybody out there who is afraid that their past will prevent them from pursuing a career as a PA or any healthcare-related profession. Honesty is always best. We do recover!

[Astralopitec]

I think it's not worth focusing on alcoholism, so I think it's not worth talking about it. Although I know what alcohol addiction is, and now I periodically participate in Online Alcohol Recovery Meetings on this site -- https://www.theluckiestclub.com/join-community, so it seems to me that the topic of alcohol addiction should not be raised, this is just my opinion. I think it's a shame and stupid to drink constantly. Although I started drinking daily after the divorce, it's still not a reason. I hope you understand what I was trying to convey to you. I hope my post will help you somehow.

Edited June 3, 2022 by Astralopitec