I really do not need to defend myself, but I will because I am trying to make people more aware of epilepsy and breakdown the stigma. Its a well known joke that the biggest prejudice epileptics will face is from the people that should know better, the medical community. I could start by listing famous epileptics many of who were doctors and scientist, but you can hit Google if you'd like. Let's just say all those laws of physics you spent a whole semester studying were discovered by an epileptic.
Not everyone who has seizures falls on the ground and goes into convulsions. Some people black out for a second, some people have a brief staring spell, some people just have a funny smell, or feel strange for a second. Would you tell anybody that has migraines, asthma, diabetes, low blood sugar,... that they shouldn't apply to medical school? Should the student struggling with his addiction to Riddilin or alcohol be dismissed from school? There are plenty of doctors who have epilepsy. Most of them just choose not to come out about it because of prejudiced colleagues.
The flicker glare might just cause me to feel dizzy and maybe black out or stare for a second (less than the time you sneeze). I'd still probably perform well, but not at my peak. I still perform well on my exams at school even right after having a seizure, but I know I am not at my peak. Most people don't even notice when I have had a seizure including doctors who specialize in treating epilepsy.
How many times have you been to the doctor and realized that they were not listening to what you just told them. I doubt they have epilepsy...they might just be having a bad day, have something else on their mind, a bad headache, a cold, or maybe they just have bad listening skills. It's unreasonable to think that doctors are perfect and that they are all in perfect health. Not all doctors plan on becoming surgeons where they must be 100% and at their peak all the time.
I am perfectly capable of being a doctor. I am a clinical research assistant at an Epilepsy Center at a well-known medical school. All the doctors there support me in my decision and they all know of my disorder. I work as a phlebotomist at an inner city hospital. Not once have my seizures affected my job or my ability to draw blood from a patient. I am a general chemistry TA. Not one of my students has ever noticed a brief lapse in consciousness. I rank at the top of my post-bac program with a 4.0 GPA. I have performed live in front of hundreds of people as an opera singer, had a seizure on stage, and not one person noticed, save my accompanist, who knew I missed a note. So maybe before you jump at my decision to be a doctor you should look at the list of top qualities medical schools look for in students besides grades and test scores-namely maturity, empathy, integrity, and ethics.
I must say, I was debating as to whether or not to include my disorder in my personal statement, as it was main factor that turned my head away from music and toward medicine. I now know the answer to that question.
