dealing with a difficult committee

[stinkycheese]

My pre-med committee is really strict about who they will and will not support, although they claim tha they will support anyone who wants to apply. That's not really true. They have prohibited me from applying for the last three years. To be fair, I did have a LOT of health problems in college, physical and emotional. They don't think that someone like me is fit to become a physician, I guess, because I was sick very often in college.

I need a committee letter to apply, and I have asked them to write whatever they can that is supportive even if it isn't the best letter they've written. I have to meet with them this week to plead my case.

Any suggestions on how to get these people to let me friggin' apply? My stats are a little weak (3.45 gpa) but I think I have a good shot at some state schools. All I need now is a ****ing letter. I am not really sure what to do. I would appreciate any advice.

I am trying to pursue a masters for this year, and I am afraid they are going to make me wait until I've completed it to apply which would result in ANOTHER lag year. I want to go for it now and expect to try again if I fail. I don't know how to make them see that I'm ready and I'm sort of losing faith in the entire process.

Sad.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[queeneleanor77]

I think you should try to contact the schools that you are interested in and see if they will let you apply without the committee letter. Lots of people have problems in college, but people and situations change - hopefully a medical school would allow you to prove how you've grown since then and what you've learned from those experiences. I would definitely address them in my PS. Sorry you're in such a bad situation.

 

[kinetic]

Since they're not going to let you apply anyway, just go to their homes and lay the smack down on them. That'll learn 'em.

 

[stinkycheese]

Heh. Wouldn't I love to do that.

What really is the problem is that one time I had a hypoglycemic seizure (diabetes) and before I went down and started seizing, I was having a bad low blood sugar (obviously!) This can cause aggression, irritability, etc. I guess I yelled at a teacher who was trying to make me take some sugar PO, and then had a seizure and "scared" everyone. I was then put on medical leave for the remainder of the semester and now my college thinks I'm, like, dangerous or something. It's stupid.

 

[daisygirl]

I would try to plead your case with the committee. If you don't get anywhere with the committee than you should look into a 1 year masters program. It would help bring up your gpa, and that would only benefit you in the long run especially since you have a really good MCAT score (as was stated in your other posts). Being in a masters program would also help you acquire recommendation letters. Do yourself a favor though, do not enter a masters program without having your health in check. Rushing to get into med school would be a bad thing if your health is still interfering with your performance.

I must tell you though- if you LEGITAMATELY had health problems (whether emotional or physical) during undergrad that prevented you from doing as well as you would have liked, then I don't understand why your premed committee is not helping you along. Have they not offered any sort of guidance?

 

[kinetic]

Heh. Wouldn't I love to do that.

What really is the problem is that one time I had a hypoglycemic seizure (diabetes) and before I went down and started seizing, I was having a bad low blood sugar (obviously!) This can cause aggression, irritability, etc. I guess I yelled at a teacher who was trying to make me take some sugar PO, and then had a seizure and "scared" everyone. I was then put on medical leave for the remainder of the semester and now my college thinks I'm, like, dangerous or something. It's stupid.

If the teacher was trying to get you to take some PO sugar, then he/she knew you were hypoglycemic.

If they knew you were hypoglycemic, they probably know that makes you irritable and/or confused.

If they know you are irritable and/or confused due to a medical condition and still blame you for an isolated incident, then they are *****s.

Summary: lay the smack down.

 

[stinkycheese]

I would try to plead your case with the committee. If you don't get anywhere with the committee than you should look into a 1 year masters program. It would help bring up your gpa, and that would only benefit you in the long run especially since you have a really good MCAT score (as was stated in your other posts). Being in a masters program would also help you acquire recommendation letters. Do yourself a favor though, do not enter a masters program without having your health in check. Rushing to get into med school would be a bad thing if your health is still interfering with your performance.

I must tell you though- if you LEGITAMATELY had health problems (whether emotional or physical) during undergrad that prevented you from doing as well as you would have liked, then I don't understand why your premed committee is not helping you along. Have they not offered any sort of guidance?

Thanks for the advice and also kinetic for the smackdown encouragement.

When I graduated, I knew I had a lot of work to do on myself with regards to geting my physical and emotional health in check. I took a clinical research job and spent the last two years really working on things with a therapist and my physicians. I feel 100% better than I did in college and I do feel like I'm ready to tackle this challenge. They feel like there's no "evidence" from a schoolwork point of view that I have gotten healthy enough to take a full courseload without getting sick, but that's an exaggeration of my college experience. I was sick a lot, but not every freakin' semester. They just don't choose to remember that.

My teacher who treated my hypo that time is wonderful. SHe has gone to bat for me on many occasions, but has always lost. Her daughter has diabetes and she understands the issues. It was the complaints of other teachers who witnessed the incident that got me in trouble. It's really ****ing stupid. And this is supposed to be from a progressive college, but they act like diabetes is contagious or something.

Thanks again for the advice, crew. I hope I get into a master's program for this year so that I can have support from someone.

 

[daisygirl]

If what you wrote is true (not that I don't believe you....), maybe you should look into getting a lawyer to represent you. From what you've written, I'm getting the feeling that your adcom is bullying you around. If you have legitamate health issues and you've managed to get them under control, then your adcom has no right to tell you that they won't support your application (which is what they are doing since they are witholding a critical piece of your application). Furthermore, let the med school adcoms figure out if you can handle a full load. Trust me, med school adcoms won't let you in if they doubt your abilities.

I really believe that you should get a lawyer. Why put yourself through a masters program, only to have these same *****s tell you that they will now give you a half-arsed wishy washy recommendation letter (yeah, yeah, I know you'd get letters from the appropriate people in the masters program....).

It is just plain silly to deny you a letter b/c you have diabetes. There are people in my school who have diabetes and they are doing just fine. Furthermore, my school, like plenty of others, has a student mental health center for a reason- and trust me, it gets used. So my point is, pre-med students as well as med students have health issues at one point or another. Your adcom should not be using your health issues to define you- that is just wrong (if you really have tried to show them that your health issues are not an impediment to your dream).

Thanks for the advice and also kinetic for the smackdown encouragement.

When I graduated, I knew I had a lot of work to do on myself with regards to geting my physical and emotional health in check. I took a clinical research job and spent the last two years really working on things with a therapist and my physicians. I feel 100% better than I did in college and I do feel like I'm ready to tackle this challenge. They feel like there's no "evidence" from a schoolwork point of view that I have gotten healthy enough to take a full courseload without getting sick, but that's an exaggeration of my college experience. I was sick a lot, but not every freakin' semester. They just don't choose to remember that.

My teacher who treated my hypo that time is wonderful. SHe has gone to bat for me on many occasions, but has always lost. Her daughter has diabetes and she understands the issues. It was the complaints of other teachers who witnessed the incident that got me in trouble. It's really ****ing stupid. And this is supposed to be from a progressive college, but they act like diabetes is contagious or something.

Thanks again for the advice, crew. I hope I get into a master's program for this year so that I can have support from someone.

 

[Lil'Bunny]

Get a lawyer, you're being judged and sentenced. They are the gatekeepers. You need a lawyer. A letter from him alone should suffice. It will scare them. Also, contact the dean and threaten to sue the institution. You should also, use three independent letters from professors that know you well and can, and can, and will write you a good letter. If you can have access to those letters that would be great too. Some professors will let you read their letters.

You need to contact a lawyer now and begin the process. Submit your AMCAS. Your GPA is not bad. You're fine. Go forward with your future.

 

[DirtySouthMD]

could you do a masters somewhere else? maybe you could have a different committee write you a letter in a year...

 

[KatieOConnor]

When I was in college, I ran into some problems that made ME doubt whether I could handle medical school. After college, I took what will total 3 years off when I start medical school, and I took classes at a local university. This was just to prove to myself that I could work full time and take half a load of courses on the side, and therefore, that I am more able now to handle the stresses of medical school.

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea for you to have some recent course work. I know you're in a very unfair situation, and it's not your fault you have diabetes. But, it would probably be better to just get all your ducks in a row and only apply once. And it would be easier to apply with a letter from your committee. So try taking another lag year, take some undergrad courses (this will bring up your GPA which, btw, is not that low)... and then apply.

I know someone with really bad type I diabetes who completed an MSTP program. You can do it!

 

[principessa]

It is not up to your pre-med committee to decide whether you are fit to be a physician. It is up to the medical school admissions committees. I would bypass the committee and ask for individual letters from professors who support you (like the one you mentioned already). Be up front with med schools about your diabetes and the problems you had with it in college, and explain the situation with the committee. From there it depends on what the adcom decides. This is a bold move, but you?re going to have to make it at some point if you want to go to med school.

 

[vtucci]

I agree that this situation is unfortunate. My mother and grandmother are diabetic so I am very sympathetic to your plight.

The way I see it- you have 2 choices. You can get a lawyer and have him/her write a letter threatening to sue if they do not permit you to apply. Or, you can go to another program-- maybe a post-bac program and get them to write the letter. Even though I am an attorney, I would advise option 2. IF you get a lawyer, it will likely not be cheap (unless they are willing to take your case on pro-bono) and in addition, you run the risk of pissing a lot of people off at your university. It may not sound like a big deal given that you are getting your letter. However, people on those committees often know people on the medical school admissions committees and you could be shooting yourself in the foot. I would highly recommend a post-bac program. I know the one that I am in will write the letter if you take 6 classes there. I realize that this would put you back a year and that is annoying. There are a number of older students in the same boat and you should not feel alone.

 

[marr]

My pre-med committee is really strict about who they will and will not support, although they claim tha they will support anyone who wants to apply. That's not really true. They have prohibited me from applying for the last three years. To be fair, I did have a LOT of health problems in college, physical and emotional. They don't think that someone like me is fit to become a physician, I guess, because I was sick very often in college.

I need a committee letter to apply, and I have asked them to write whatever they can that is supportive even if it isn't the best letter they've written. I have to meet with them this week to plead my case.

Any suggestions on how to get these people to let me friggin' apply? My stats are a little weak (3.45 gpa) but I think I have a good shot at some state schools. All I need now is a ****ing letter. I am not really sure what to do. I would appreciate any advice.

I am trying to pursue a masters for this year, and I am afraid they are going to make me wait until I've completed it to apply which would result in ANOTHER lag year. I want to go for it now and expect to try again if I fail. I don't know how to make them see that I'm ready and I'm sort of losing faith in the entire process.

Sad.

Don't worry about the committee letter because most schools don't need it. JUst look at the LOR requirement at individual school and you should be fine. Heck, I applied without the committee letter and did fine. Although, some school require an explanation to why you aren't using a committee. Best of luck.

 

[Treg]

If you have been out of school for 2 years, then you definitely don't need the committee letter. Still, I would draft a letter explaining your experience and send it to the VP of student affairs, the dean of your college, and the president of your university. You could prevent this unfair treatment from happening to someone else.

Good luck!

Treg

 

[stinkycheese]

Wow, thanks. I didn't realize that the Committee letter was less than necessary. Is the info abou rec requirements in the MSAR? My copy is coming but I don't have it yet. Thanks!

 

[adamj61]

Heh. Wouldn't I love to do that.

What really is the problem is that one time I had a hypoglycemic seizure (diabetes) and before I went down and started seizing, I was having a bad low blood sugar (obviously!) This can cause aggression, irritability, etc. I guess I yelled at a teacher who was trying to make me take some sugar PO, and then had a seizure and "scared" everyone. I was then put on medical leave for the remainder of the semester and now my college thinks I'm, like, dangerous or something. It's stupid.

That sounds like Michael Corleone from the Godfather III....

 

[marr]

Wow, thanks. I didn't realize that the Committee letter was less than necessary. Is the info abou rec requirements in the MSAR? My copy is coming but I don't have it yet. Thanks!

I don't think so. Go to AMCAS-->Contact Schools-->individual schools you applied to and look for their LOR requirement on their website.

 

[queeneleanor77]

If you still need the committee letter, you may want to have your physician and therapist write letters on your behalf saying how far you've come. That would at least give some proof to your committee that you've made progress on your physical and mental health since you were in school.

 

[stwei]

People who hold power can be eccentric, heartless, and cruel...
Think of your education as a consumerism issue. Feudalism is dead, though people still like to wield their swords (or maybe more appropriately, bats like them Flintstones). I really don't understand why they can exclude you. Show the ADCOM ability and self-confidence. Best of luck to you!

 

[stinkycheese]

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys.
About the idea of getting my physicians to write letters of support: the committee head flat-out refused my offer to send her those letters, saying that she couldn't "get involved" with the medical stuff, but that also seems to be the reason they don't like me, so it's all very confusing. Anyway, I think it will work out. I hope, anyway! Thanks again.

 

[bigdan]

Don't threaten to sue...yet.

I'd talk to the Dean above your pre health person, and try to get his support before you meet with the prehealth folks. If they deny you again, then get the Dean in there.

Then sue.

dc