commentr/StutterFebruary 22, 2017

Content

I have what I would call a mild stutter but when I applied to medical school, it was obviously something that weighed heavily on my mind. I chose to write about my stutter in my personal statement (not sure how much you've looked into the application process but one of the things you'll do is writing a personal statement talking about why you want to go into medicine). Doing so helped me think critically about how my stutter had influenced my life and priorities, and also indirectly disclosed to schools that, yes, I stutter but that I was able to manage it. I ended up interviewing at 10+ schools, with several of the schools noting how they were impressed with how I addressed stuttering in my personal statement. I would first make sure that medicine/med school is the path you want to pursue. Independent of stuttering, it is a grueling path. You need to have the right motivations and coping skills to make it through. Stuttering can make the path harder, but it can also be a powerful motivator of its own.

Themes

School & WorkIdentity & DisabilityEmotional Experience

Subthemes

Employment & CareerAuthenticity vs. MaskingAnxiety & Social JudgmentHope & Motivation