sassypantsbadger Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Hey everyone, I will be applying for the upcoming cycle this summer and have begun to think about my personal statements. I have had Multiple Sclerosis since I was 11 (22 now). It has made a big impact on my choice of study, how I manage challenge, my interest in the medical field, and so on. It's a part of my life that is hard to ignore when considering why I want to be a PA! The big issue is risk of discrimination if I were to disclose this information in my personal statement. I would definitely not disclose it in a job application/interview but I really can't decide what PA schools would think. MS is a very mysterious disease and can cause so many symptoms, many of which can alter a person's ability to study/work. I have been perfectly able to carry out my responsibilities for the past 10 years, but no one can know what the future will hold. I would love to have some input on this, especially if you or someone you know has a similar situation. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Can you word your personal statement in a way that references a chronic disease w/o specifying MS? I doubt you'll encounter discrimination (it's illegal!) but every student is expected to meet technical standards (physical standards). As long as you can meet those, I wouldn't think it would be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShannonMaria21 Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I think you should simply because you can correlate how it has made you a stronger candidate. I have had an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy since I was 9 years old and it has truly made me a stronger candidate. I talked about it in personal statement and it truly made for a unique personal statement. Be sure to emphasize in your interviews how you can manage your illness with stress and PA school vs letting it overwhelm you. That was a concern at one of my interviews so i addressed it another interview and was as accepted at that program. Remember the programs want to know you so if that is a big part of who you are than dont be afraid to share how it has made you greater! Good luck and congrats on making it this far!! If you would any further insight feel free to message me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pibblesandbits Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 I second the advice from ShannonMaria21. It is an integral part of who you are and why you are motivated to be a PA. Also, it probably helped you develop empathy, and I imagine that might be your angle in your essay, which will help the reader feel like they understand you better as a person. Good luck to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maynard Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 I doubt you'll encounter discrimination (it's illegal!) but every student is expected to meet technical standards (physical standards). As long as you can meet those, I wouldn't think it would be an issue. I'm a little less optimistic than you. It's pretty easy to discriminate against something like MS and get away with it. The applicant pool is just so competitive that there's always going to be people at the top who are just as qualified and competing for the same seat. We tend to think of discrimination as being driven by hate, but it usually isn't. I know someone who was rejected after an interview and I'm convinced it's because she disclosed that she's a single mom. It's not that the adcom hates single mothers. They just want to put their bets on someone who's unlikely to flounder under the pressures of schools, and if you have an added stressor -- kids, a mental health problem, whatever -- then it makes your success less likely. It's pretty widely known that med Schools and residencies often disfavor older applicants simply because there's only so many seats and they want to invest in someone who will give decades of service after they complete their education (and I doubt the outcome is any better for someone destined to have a short career due to disability). The law is only good at preventing overt, obvious, discrimination, and even then it doesn't always do it well -- when Penn State was admitting their inaugural class they included the question "Have you ever been treated for a drug or alcohol dependency" on the secondary (they've since realized their error). My advice for anyone applying to PA school is to only include information that makes you look like a stronger candidate, meaning someone likely to survive the rigors of PA school and give quality service for years to come. I feel for the OP. My grandfather had MS since long before I was born and it was hard to watch his deterioration. In my opinion, having MS is going to be more of a hindrance than a help in the career, and for that reason it's something best kept undisclosed. Focus more on your strengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfert Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Hi! I know it has been sometime since this was posted but I am in the same situation and was wondering if I should disclose having MS in my personal statement. It has also made an impact on my choice of study and desire to pursue medicine. Did you end up disclosing this information/face any discrimination if you did? Hope to hear back from you! Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted March 31, 2020 Moderator Share Posted March 31, 2020 37 minutes ago, kfert said: Hi! I know it has been sometime since this was posted but I am in the same situation and was wondering if I should disclose having MS in my personal statement. It has also made an impact on my choice of study and desire to pursue medicine. Did you end up disclosing this information/face any discrimination if you did? Hope to hear back from you! Thanks in advance. Not the OP, but I wouldn't if it was me. Or as others have said, word it in such a way that you don't mention a specific diagnosis. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassypantsbadger Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 42 minutes ago, kfert said: Hi! I know it has been sometime since this was posted but I am in the same situation and was wondering if I should disclose having MS in my personal statement. It has also made an impact on my choice of study and desire to pursue medicine. Did you end up disclosing this information/face any discrimination if you did? Hope to hear back from you! Thanks in advance. Hi! I am pleased to share that I DID disclose my diagnosis of MS, and I am now a PA in neurology! I applied to 7 schools, got interviews at all of them, and accepted to 2 of them (might be notable to say that you cannot tell I have MS by looking at me, and my interview skills are mediocre due to performance anxiety). In my personal statement, I basically talked about how it has made me appreciate the value of patient education and it evolved from there. If you do decide to disclose it, it needs to be done carefully... for example I managed to sneak a line in there about how it doesn't impact my physical abilities. I have NOT disclosed my diagnosis to my employer. If you have any further questions feel free to send me a direct message! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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