ADHD diagnosis

[brycepj]

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Hey all, thanks for your posts on this site. They've been very helpful to me in my premed years.

Anyway, I have a "dilemma" that's probably irrelevant to most of you:

I finished up my prereqs last semester, and have been prepping for the MCAT since. I took it and did very well. Upper thirties. But part of the reason, I have no doubt, is that shortly after my prereqs I was talking to a friend about some of the struggles I've had studying in my many of my science classes, and she recommended that I get tested for ADHD. I'd never considered that I could have it, but it turns out, after extensive testing, that I have "moderate" ADHD in both the attention and hyperactivity categories. The psychologist who tested me asked me about my study habits and routines and where I struggle in school, and then pointed out several instances where my difficulty paying attention had shaped the way I lived and negatively affected my performance in school. He promptly sent me to a physician who recommended adderall, which I took while prepping for the mcat (and let me tell you, it made a WORLD of difference). Now, I'm not bitter one bit, but with the benefit of hindsight I can think of many many instances during my undergrad years when I genuinely wanted and needed to study but just couldn't bring myself to concentrate, and as a result performed poorly on midterms and finals... which didn't bode well for my GPA (sGPA 3.15 and cGPA 3.65... (I'm a non-traditional major))

So, my question to you admins out there: is this something I should mention in my personal statement? Sure, I'll get in somewhere with as well as I've done on the MCAT (my application is strong in other categories as well), but is it possible that I'll be a more competitive applicant because my grades (at least partly) have suffered due to undiagnosed ADHD? And that when medicated (which I am now, and will be as necessary in the future) I perform significantly better? Or will it become the dominant topic of discussion in my interviews (I'd rather talk about other things) and/or be a red flag on my application and/or raise suspicions about whether I'm abusing (I understand that's quite a problem at some universities)? Honestly, I have no problem leaving it off my personal statement, but AMCAS encourages you to explain in your personal statement reasons why your GPA might have suffered that don't come out on the rest of your application... so I'm wondering if mentioning this would help.

So there, that's my question. Thanks for reading. And thanks ahead of time for your response.

 

[flash14]

.

 

[brycepj]

thanks

others?

 

[Tapepsi]

Well not an admin either but I would absolutely include it in your personal statement and how being treated made a world of a difference. And look how well you did on the MCAT. Clearly you have the brains, you just needed to treat your disorder.

Just now graduating with a psych major, I did one term paper on ADHD and it is crazy how long it can go undiagnosed and so I really feel you but am glad that it was caught in time.

Good luck in your application cycle you will definitely do well and this is one of the obstacles I would bring up in your personal statement that you've overcome.

 

[bajoneswadup]

Isn't Ritalin awesome!!?

 

[NickNaylor]

Blaming grades on ADHD isn't going to get you pity points.

 

[Tapepsi]

Blaming grades on ADHD isn't going to get you pity points.

I don't think brycepj is doing it to gain pity points. It is a legitimate reason for the lower academic performance. I mean if you scored in the upper 30's on the MCAT, someone would want an explanation as to why the GPA doesn't correspond with the score. And I would personally want someone to know I had ADHD rather than them think I just didn't care in the beginning of my college career.

 

[kcin]

three cheers for an excuse to take performance enhancing drugs amirite?

 

[ReptarBar]

three cheers for an excuse to take performance enhancing drugs amirite?

adderall is not a joke lmao. you have clearly never taken it before. i applaud those who seek to fix their studying habits (legally) by taking that wretched drug daily. i've taken it one time, and it was hell. it's not just "oh i'll take adderall and get that A." i couldn't sleep for 2 nights, i didn't eat anything, and i even vomited once or twice.

to the OP, yes i think adcoms will be sympathetic ONLY if you have an upward trend (and by that i mean 3.9-4.0 for the rest of college). you were legitimately diagnosed, you take it regularly, and hopefully things will be better. your GPA doesn't seem TOO bad to fix (if it were in the 2.0s, then that would be a problem)...

 

[brycepj]

Blaming grades on ADHD isn't going to get you pity points.

@ NickNaylor

Oh the irony of your condescension. If you actually took the time to digest the Descartes line you likely ripped off of brainyquotes.com, you might have reconsidered making such a worthless, flippant remark.

 

[Gigantron]

@ NickNaylor

Oh the irony of your condescension. If you actually took the time to digest the Descartes line you likely ripped off of brainyquotes.com, you might have reconsidered making such a worthless, flippant remark.

Don't mind him. He is the self-proclaimed "ultimate authority" on the Pre-med allo board now that he is in medical school. Many of his statements are quite impetuous.

 

[slatermd]

@ NickNaylor

Oh the irony of your condescension. If you actually took the time to digest the Descartes line you likely ripped off of brainyquotes.com, you might have reconsidered making such a worthless, flippant remark.

Don't mind him. He is the self-proclaimed "ultimate authority" on the Pre-med allo board now that he is in medical school. Many of his statements are quite impetuous.

You may not appreciate his delivery, but this time he's right. While some adcoms may react sympathetically to an ADHD diagnosis, many will not see this as an "extenuating circumstance" for bad grades, especially given that countless physicians have already successfully navigated this gauntlet carrying the same diagnosis and not mentioning it.

Personally, I wouldn't include an explanation for low grades if it has the potential to affect some adcoms more negatively than the positive effect it might have with others. I would let your upward trend speak for itself and avoid presenting yourself in a way that (to an adcom looking for a reason not to accept you) might be perceived as a damaged-goods applicant who is more of a long-shot than others with same upward trend.

Just too much of a risk, IMO.

 

[NickNaylor]

@ NickNaylor

Oh the irony of your condescension. If you actually took the time to digest the Descartes line you likely ripped off of brainyquotes.com, you might have reconsidered making such a worthless, flippant remark.

Shifting blame for one's performance to an undiagnosed disease - how does that sound to you if you were hearing that from a complete stranger? It sounds like you're making excuses for your behavior, which is exactly what you don't want to do. I agree with medzealot in that this shouldn't mention it explicitly. If it comes up in interviews (e.g., why were your grades low), then the OP should mention it. But bringing it up in the PS? That's a complete waste a space and will only flag the issue.

Cool your jets before you get all holier-than-thou on me.

 

[NickNaylor]

Don't mind him. He is the self-proclaimed "ultimate authority" on the Pre-med allo board now that he is in medical school. Many of his statements are quite impetuous.

I think that's you, Mr. hSDN. After all, you're further along than others in the application process, right? I'll just point everyone to this thread - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=816175 - so that everyone can see how much of a badass you are. In the mean time, please continue to post like you actually know ****.

Cheers.

 

[Tapepsi]

Shifting blame for one's performance to an undiagnosed disease - how does that sound to you if you were hearing that from a complete stranger? It sounds like you're making excuses for your behavior, which is exactly what you don't want to do. I agree with medzealot in that this shouldn't mention it explicitly. If it comes up in interviews (e.g., why were your grades low), then the OP should mention it. But bringing it up in the PS? That's a complete waste a space and will only flag the issue.

Cool your jets before you get all holier-than-thou on me.

I think NickNaylor brings up a good point. Now that I read his post, and thinking about my own PS, it probably isn't a good idea to bring up. That should be a tiime to reveal your passion for wanting to become a doctor, not giving reasons for certain aspects of your application.

But definitely bring it up in an interview if asked about it. I almost doubt it will since your GPA is decent.

 

[Gigantron]

I think that's you, Mr. hSDN. After all, you're further along than others in the application process, right? I'll just point everyone to this thread - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=816175 - so that everyone can see how much of a badass you are. In the mean time, please continue to post like you actually know ****.

Cheers.

Want to call WVU and have them relinquish my acceptance on the basis that I have A LOT to learn.

 

[STAT EKG]

@ OP - I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was six, I took ritalin, then higher and higher doses of ritalin (drug tolerance develops), then adderall extended-release, then higher and higher doses of adderall extended-release, etc.

Strattera is the only non- stimulant/amphetamine derivative or analog used to treat ADHD, which, if you look in the DSM-IV, can only truly be daignosed in children seven years of age and younger... hence me being diagnosed at six.

So basically what you're saying is, "I found out that clinical doses of strong uppers get me into the zone enough to study. When I made bad grades, I didn't have the luxury of being prescribed strong uppers - but now I do."

Also, Aderrall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, etc. are AMPHETAMINES, which are NARCOTICS with a high abuse and addiction potential. Would you want say that you had horrible anxiety your freshman year, but now you're on Xanax, Valium, Ativan, etc. and you can chill out now? Would you you want to attribute bad grades to back problems that are now "fixed" thanks to Percocet, OxyContin, Dilaudid, Morphine, etc.?

...It's amazing how many people, like myself, start taking strong drugs as prescribed for some diagnosis and end up physically or psychologically dependent, not realizing that they are until trying to stop, when, all of a sudden, life feels pretty crummy... and a lot of times the dots still don't connect.

And then, for all we know, you just like being sped up to study harder. It's not very difficult to act a part. I know dozens and dozens of people who miraculously "developed" ADHD in college...

 

[PharmaTope]

i would avoid indicating any sort of "disabilities" in an essay. one of the big things with medicine is being able to practice. they might take this as a possibility of you not being able to treat people. avoid it.

 

[Jason42]

Bring it up for sure. ADHD is just as the name states a disorder, and treat it as such. Also, take what the Nick guy says to heart, he has an opinion that some people on admissions boards may share, even if many people disagree with it. It's all about framing how you bring it up. I don't feel like you have anything to lose, and can only benefit by stating it in a good light.
One other thing, the people on the admissions board will be a little bit more sensitive to a bonafide diagnosis than the Nick opinion (sorry to keep saying that Nick just trying to save some space), because they have to look out for lawsuits and violating the A.D.A. While these are very fact intensive questions, I am a licensed attorney and know that stating you have an accepted disorder, generally causes them to look a little more closely at your app. This is probably a good thing if you didn't take the MCAT with accommodations, which they know if your score is not flagged (which is probably also illegal, but hasn't been litigated yet).

 

[brycepj]

Thanks for your feedback, all of you, even Nick. I apologize for being a little spiteful with my reply, but your comment as well as others on this thread reflect a common assumption that ADHD isn't that serious (that you can push through it), or worse, that the people who get medication are just faking it to get leg up on other applicants. I guess I'm a little sensitive to that sort of thinking because I know myself and the struggles I've had in school and my life with attention and focus. But still, I apologize for sparking that skirmish.

@STAT EKG (and others who recommend keeping this to myself)

If you can believe it, I went through the tests with an open mind and with no secret hope of being diagnosed and getting myself some sweet pills. Honestly I'd always thought of people with ADHD as being out of control blabbermouths who can't sit still, which I've never been. I tend to be pretty soft spoken and calm actually. So I really doubted I'd test positive for it.

And how do you "act the part" during a brain scan? I'm still trying to figure that one out.

That said, if we can all assume I'm telling the truth, and that I really do have chemical imbalances in my brain that have made it hard for me to focus, is it unreasonable to think admins will be sensitive to that too? I appreciate the personal experiences some of you have shared, but I'm also looking for something conclusive.

Is there an "ask LizzyM" button? There should be.

PS- Everyone who's posted on this thread should read this, seriously:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/adderall-receives-honorary-degree-from-harvard,17527/

 

[BenZq]

Being diagnosed with add myself I think that it's a shame that you didn't get treatment earlier, as I believe that medication greatly helps with improving focus and being able to study more appropriately for school. As far as including this info on your essay that's a tossup. I personally wont because I think it has the potential of coming off as providing an excuse for poor grades. And there's evidence for that slightly-misguided opinion on several of the threads you will find.

As far as the talk about Adderall being addictive, that's nonsense. My psychiatrist would laugh at that statement. Yes it's made with meth and dex, but as per my own experience i have not been addicted nor formed a tolerance to it.

 

[NickNaylor]

Thanks for your feedback, all of you, even Nick. I apologize for being a little spiteful with my reply, but your comment as well as others on this thread reflect a common assumption that ADHD isn't that serious (that you can push through it), or worse, that the people who get medication are just faking it to get leg up on other applicants. I guess I'm a little sensitive to that sort of thinking because I know myself and the struggles I've had in school and my life with attention and focus. But still, I apologize for sparking that skirmish.

@STAT EKG (and others who recommend keeping this to myself)

If you can believe it, I went through the tests with an open mind and with no secret hope of being diagnosed and getting myself some sweet pills. Honestly I'd always thought of people with ADHD as being out of control blabbermouths who can't sit still, which I've never been. I tend to be pretty soft spoken and calm actually. So I really doubted I'd test positive for it.

And how do you "act the part" during a brain scan? I'm still trying to figure that one out.

That said, if we can all assume I'm telling the truth, and that I really do have chemical imbalances in my brain that have made it hard for me to focus, is it unreasonable to think admins will be sensitive to that too? I appreciate the personal experiences some of you have shared, but I'm also looking for something conclusive.

Is there an "ask LizzyM" button? There should be.

PS- Everyone who's posted on this thread should read this, seriously:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/adderall-receives-honorary-degree-from-harvard,17527/

I have no doubt that it's serious. I didn't mean to imply that it isn't. But everyone and their mom has been diagnosed with "ADD" at some point or another, just like everyone has had "asthma" at some point. Unfortunately our culture has trivialized it as nothing more than a route to drugs, and you run the risk of sounding like you're making an excuse rather than a reasonable and legitimate explanation.

 

[Sammich117]

Remember the ignore button is there for a reason, guys. Let's keep the inflammatory comments to ourselves and try to keep the conversation constructive. Thanks 🙂

 

[willen101383]

Despite the fact that you are all hating on Nick...hes 100 percent correct. The fact is that plenty of people have been "diagnosed" with ADHD (myself included) who dont go on meds and dont have any problems. There are plenty of attendings/adcom people out there who simply dont really believe in the diagnosis...or think that it is overdiagnosed. Its just like the fibromyalgia thread over in the med student forums. Its just too controversial of a diagnosis to blame your academic shortfalls on. If you had been diagnosed with ALL and were going through chemo it would be a different story. Just keep it to yourself. Not worth the risk IMO.

 

[kcin]

Want to call WVU and have them relinquish my acceptance on the basis that I have A LOT to learn.

I gotta say, you're a complete tool. I can't believe they accepted you. Let us know when you flunk out.

 

[LizzyM]

Hey, OP, did you live in an area that had a doctor shortage? Could that have contributed to the delay in the diagnosis of your ADHD? If so, you could self-identify as disadvantaged and explain your ADHD in the disadvantaged section. This only works if you think that you lived in an area with a shortage of doctors or if your access to doctors was poor due to barriers to getting care. That might kill two birds with one stone: describe why you were delayed in getting dx'ed and how your health and academic performance improved after you got treatment.

Most of what you are otherwise hearing on this thread is true. Some people consider some drugs to be performance enhancers rather than a prescription for the treatment of a deficiency and American culture takes a dim view of performance enhancers in sports & elsewhere. So you are up against that attitude and you might just leave the whole thing alone & hope that you get to explain it face-to-face in an interview.

 

[patel2]

Want to call WVU and have them relinquish my acceptance on the basis that I have A LOT to learn.

hSDN -------->

adderall is not a joke lmao. you have clearly never taken it before. i applaud those who seek to fix their studying habits (legally) by taking that wretched drug daily. i've taken it one time, and it was hell. it's not just "oh i'll take adderall and get that A." i couldn't sleep for 2 nights, i didn't eat anything, and i even vomited once or twice.

to the OP, yes i think adcoms will be sympathetic ONLY if you have an upward trend (and by that i mean 3.9-4.0 for the rest of college). you were legitimately diagnosed, you take it regularly, and hopefully things will be better. your GPA doesn't seem TOO bad to fix (if it were in the 2.0s, then that would be a problem)...

notsureifsrs...the bolded is just you. Adderall does not do that to 99.9% of people who take a normal dosage

to the OP...I would NOT mention it. The truth is: adderall helps everyone drastically, whether you have ADD or not. I've never heard of a person who doesn't rock out with their cawk out when they study on it. That's why it's so abused by pre-meds, med students, and it has bad connotations as others have said, of being a performance enhancing academic drug that is handed out like candy...you are taking a big risk by making "undiagnosed ADD" a major theme of your application

 

[mfrizzo3]

I think you should definitely write about it in your essay. You could start it out.....At first I did bad so I took adderall.

 

[biophilia]

Hey, OP, did you live in an area that had a doctor shortage? Could that have contributed to the delay in the diagnosis of your ADHD? If so, you could self-identify as disadvantaged and explain your ADHD in the disadvantaged section. This only works if you think that you lived in an area with a shortage of doctors or if your access to doctors was poor due to barriers to getting care. That might kill two birds with one stone: describe why you were delayed in getting dx'ed and how your health and academic performance improved after you got treatment.

Most of what you are otherwise hearing on this thread is true. Some people consider some drugs to be performance enhancers rather than a prescription for the treatment of a deficiency and American culture takes a dim view of performance enhancers in sports & elsewhere. So you are up against that attitude and you might just leave the whole thing alone & hope that you get to explain it face-to-face in an interview.

Lizzy M - I never would have thought of this! It's an interesting idea!

According to an article published in the journal Academic Psychiatry (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Workforce: A Critical Shortage and National Challenge by Wun Jung Kim), there were only about 6,300 child and adolescent psychiatrists practicing in the United States in 2003. If the average medical school applicant with ADHD is 22-30 years old, then the average medical school applicant with ADHD was 14-22 years old in 2003. Given that a diagnosis of ADHD requires that the the disorder has been present since age 7, then would the average med school applicant w/ ADHD be able to claim disadvantaged status, regardless of childhood location, given the national shortage in child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout his childhood and adolescence? Even if an applicant lived near a large city with an academic medical center, his parents still would not necessarily have been able to schedule an appointment to see a child and adolescent psychiatrist given the large demand.

Does this line of thinking make sense to you, or were you thinking that only someone who lived in a rural area might be able to claim disadvantaged status?

 

[lpmarcus010]

I would agree with most others on here that it is not a good idea to bring this up in a PS. In my case, I had a health issue during college that adversely affected my performance for a time, and I just simply noted that I experienced a health issue and have since recovered from it. They are not allowed to ask you specifics about your health issue. This being said, some people on here are absurd. To Nick, everyone and their mom are being diagnosed with NIDDM, does that mean that they shouldn't blame their lack of metabolic performance on a pathology?? In addition, it is not true that normal individuals that take stimulants will do better studying. They may feel they are studying better, but they are instead spending a majority of their time on repetitive tasks. This is because they are on the negative slope of the inverted U-curve of dose vs. utility seen with stimulant drugs. Last, amphetamines are not narcotics.

 

[LizzyM]

Lizzy M - I never would have thought of this! It's an interesting idea!

According to an article published in the journal Academic Psychiatry (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Workforce: A Critical Shortage and National Challenge by Wun Jung Kim), there were only about 6,300 child and adolescent psychiatrists practicing in the United States in 2003. If the average medical school applicant with ADHD is 22-30 years old, then the average medical school applicant with ADHD was 14-22 years old in 2003. Given that a diagnosis of ADHD requires that the the disorder has been present since age 7, then would the average med school applicant w/ ADHD be able to claim disadvantaged status, regardless of childhood location, given the national shortage in child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout his childhood and adolescence? Even if an applicant lived near a large city with an academic medical center, his parents still would not necessarily have been able to schedule an appointment to see a child and adolescent psychiatrist given the large demand.

Does this line of thinking make sense to you, or were you thinking that only someone who lived in a rural area might be able to claim disadvantaged status?

Well, there's a leap! Is a subspecialist required to make this diagnosis or can it be made by a psychiatrist? For that matter, can the work up be conduced by a clinical psychologist and treatment initiated by a pediatrician or family medicine physician? Anyone who proposes to use this strategy needs to be able to state with certainty that a lack of medical care providers in their community or a lack of access to health care providers (due to being uninsured or covered by Medicaid) delayed the provision of care for this health problem that was recognized by the family but untreated due to being unable to access health care services. Does that make sense?

 

[NickNaylor]

I would agree with most others on here that it is not a good idea to bring this up in a PS. In my case, I had a health issue during college that adversely affected my performance for a time, and I just simply noted that I experienced a health issue and have since recovered from it. They are not allowed to ask you specifics about your health issue. This being said, some people on here are absurd. To Nick, everyone and their mom are being diagnosed with NIDDM, does that mean that they shouldn't blame their lack of metabolic performance on a pathology?? In addition, it is not true that normal individuals that take stimulants will do better studying. They may feel they are studying better, but they are instead spending a majority of their time on repetitive tasks. This is because they are on the negative slope of the inverted U-curve of dose vs. utility seen with stimulant drugs. Last, amphetamines are not narcotics.

Did I say that? No. I simply said that it's possible that a lot of people aren't going to have much sympathy for those with ADHD because many consider it a dubious disorder at best in our culture. Many people don't take it seriously, and thus you run in the risk as coming across as an excuse-maker.

 

[biophilia]

Well, there's a leap! Is a subspecialist required to make this diagnosis or can it be made by a psychiatrist? For that matter, can the work up be conduced by a clinical psychologist and treatment initiated by a pediatrician or family medicine physician? Anyone who proposes to use this strategy needs to be able to state with certainty that a lack of medical care providers in their community or a lack of access to health care providers (due to being uninsured or covered by Medicaid) delayed the provision of care for this health problem that was recognized by the family but untreated due to being unable to access health care services. Does that make sense?

Yes, it does make sense. Thanks for the response, Lizzy M! (By the way, I always enjoy reading your posts, and I am honored to see that you have responded to my question, even though your response is to say that I have made an unreasonable leap! 🙂)

I suspect that your questions were intended to be rhetorical in nature, and I do understand that in reality, members of adcoms would not be sympathetic to an applicant's claim of disadvantaged status if the applicant had private health insurance and saw a general pediatrician regularly throughout childhood. But just to play devil's advocate for a moment (and I hope I am not stepping over the line in doing so), I'm not sure that 8-20 years ago, a pediatrician or adult psychiatrist (who was not affiliated with an academic medical center) would have been comfortable diagnosing and treating ADHD. Furthermore, I suspect that many pediatricians who were practicing 8-20 years ago were not trained to diagnose and treat ADHD when they were peds residents. While the American Academy of Pediatrics first published guidelines stating that ADHD could and should be diagnosed and treated by pediatricians about 10 years ago, the translation of those recommendations into everyday practice in the real world has probably been a gradual process. Today, in 2011, a subspecialist is certainly not required to diagnose and treat ADHD. Instead, today, pediatricians, clinical psychologists, NPs, etc. diagnose and treat the disorder. But 8-20 years ago, was this the case? Is it likely that the average pediatrician 8-20 years ago (who completed his residency, say, 20-30 years ago) was trained to diagnose and treat ADHD?

 

[LizzyM]

Is it likely that the average pediatrician 8-20 years ago (who completed his residency, say, 20-30 years ago) was trained to diagnose and treat ADHD?

Well, my nephew is in his mid-20s now and he was treated for ADHD as a little kid. I imagine that many adcom members know at least one person in that age group who were treated back when. There is a bias too on the part of the academic pediatricians who may think that pediatrics where they were training & practicing 15- 20 yrs ago is the way it was everywhere. So, it could be taken as a pity party but if there was really an inability to get appropriate care, you might use the disadvantaged section to your advantage.

 

[Taikonaut]

Let this thread be a good lesson to newbies, hSDN lurkers, and everyone else starting out in college:

Take your coursework seriously, don't be lazy and have med school as a goal in mind early on. This way when it comes time to apply you will have a strong GPA/MCAT/ECs and won't have to struggle with BSing an ADHD diagnosis to adcoms in your essays/interviews.

The OPs posts are becoming more and more ridiculous and characterizing them as "stretching it" would be an understatement. Accept that you were lazy, take responsibility for your failures instead of attributing it to ADHD you suddenly got in college (rofl) that was unnoticed for years by doctors, apply broadly and keep your fingers crossed.

Any way you try to spin this I would view it negatively. But that's just me, it's not like I'm an interviewer or anything. Good luck.

 

[brycepj]

Thanks Lizzy and others for your responses. I'll probably leave it off of my personal statement then. Seems a little like the risk of mentioning your religious affiliation--you just never know who'll be reviewing your app and how they'll interpret it.

@Taikonot

Noted. Thanks.

 

[kcin]

Thanks Lizzy and others for your responses. I'll probably leave it off of my personal statement then. Seems a little like the risk of mentioning your religious affiliation--you just never know who'll be reviewing your app and how they'll interpret it.

@Taikonot

Noted. Thanks.

Just out of curiosity, does it not bother you that you couldn't make it to medical school without performance enhancing drugs? I would honestly like to know. I'd love to get a little edge while studying for boards in the future, but I know that I would never feel like I earned it if I were in your position.

 

[biophilia]

Well, my nephew is in his mid-20s now and he was treated for ADHD as a little kid. I imagine that many adcom members know at least one person in that age group who were treated back when. There is a bias too on the part of the academic pediatricians who may think that pediatrics where they were training & practicing 15- 20 yrs ago is the way it was everywhere. So, it could be taken as a pity party but if there was really an inability to get appropriate care, you might use the disadvantaged section to your advantage.

Thanks for the response, LizzyM. I have developed a bit of a tendency to become an advocate for disability awareness and reasonable accommodations (I have family members with ADHD, and I have worked with children and adolescents with ADHD), but I myself do not have the disorder. Your first post in this thread just got me thinking about the possible impact of the shortage in child and adolescent psychiatrists 10- 20 years ago (after the publication of the JACAAP practice parameters and AAP guidelines establishing the standard of care, but prior to subsequent outreach efforts to train pediatricians and other providers in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD) on today's med school applicants with ADHD. Perhaps some med school applicants with ADHD may have a legitimate claim to disadvantaged status based on an inability to get the appropriate care in spite of having had adequate insurance coverage in childhood.

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks for the response, LizzyM. I have developed a bit of a tendency to become an advocate for disability awareness and reasonable accommodations (I have family members with ADHD, and I have worked with children and adolescents with ADHD), but I myself do not have the disorder. Your first post in this thread just got me thinking about the possible impact of the shortage in child and adolescent psychiatrists 10- 20 years ago (after the publication of the JACAAP practice parameters and AAP guidelines establishing the standard of care, but prior to subsequent outreach efforts to train pediatricians and other providers in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD) on today's med school applicants with ADHD. Perhaps some med school applicants with ADHD may have a legitimate claim to disadvantaged status based on an inability to get the appropriate care in spite of having had adequate insurance coverage in childhood.

Typically, the idea of asking for whether the applicant believes they were disadvantaged because they grew up in an underserved area is the hope that applicants from those areas will return to those areas (or similar areas in other locations) to alleviate the shortages. The problem I see with reporting that one grew up in an area with a shortage of pediatric psychiatrists is that one then seems to be boxing one's self into that subspecialty which might raise some eyebrows as it raises questions about the applicant's interest in learning all of medicine and being open to a number of possiblities. If the community had a lack of primary care providers, or a shortage of all providers, this might be a reasonable thing to point out.

 

[slatermd]

Just out of curiosity, does it not bother you that you couldn't make it to medical school without performance enhancing drugs? I would honestly like to know. I'd love to get a little edge while studying for boards in the future, but I know that I would never feel like I earned it if I were in your position.

Throttle back on the judgment and just be glad that you can perform without them.

Someday you might be in the position to decide whether or not someone gets a script for stimulants and I hope, if you are put in that position, that you'll be open to the possibility that some people legitimately have neuro-developmental disorders, which can be helped by CNS stimulants and neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors.

Until then, you might as well save the high road/high horse/soapbox triple threat; it isn't likely to accomplish much. I've seen this argument fizzle a few times in the past three months.

Besides, reading the drug-free butthurt riot act doesn't do anything to level your playing field, however cathartic it may feel.

 

[drizzt3117]

adderall is not a joke lmao. you have clearly never taken it before. i applaud those who seek to fix their studying habits (legally) by taking that wretched drug daily. i've taken it one time, and it was hell. it's not just "oh i'll take adderall and get that A." i couldn't sleep for 2 nights, i didn't eat anything, and i even vomited once or twice.

to the OP, yes i think adcoms will be sympathetic ONLY if you have an upward trend (and by that i mean 3.9-4.0 for the rest of college). you were legitimately diagnosed, you take it regularly, and hopefully things will be better. your GPA doesn't seem TOO bad to fix (if it were in the 2.0s, then that would be a problem)...

Haha you have no idea how many people happen to be on this for the purposes of studying. Putting ADHD on your app isn't going to accomplish anything, nearly 15% of boys have it in school, so it's not exactly uncommon.

As far as lack of diagnosis, I think a lot of it is due to teaching style and how teachers will accommodate unruly children instead of recommending everyone to be tested.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

 

[kcin]

Throttle back on the judgment and just be glad that you can perform without them.

Someday you might be in the position to decide whether or not someone gets a script for stimulants and I hope, if you are put in that position, that you'll be open to the possibility that some people legitimately have neuro-developmental disorders, which can be helped by CNS stimulants and neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors.

Until then, you might as well save the high road/high horse/soapbox triple threat; it isn't likely to accomplish much. I've seen this argument fizzle a few times in the past three months.

Besides, reading the drug-free butthurt riot act doesn't do anything to level your playing field, however cathartic it may feel.

Odds of OP performing at a decent level up until he needed to start prepping for the MCAT and then finally figuring out he has "moderate" ADHD? LOL. I'll take it with a smaller grain of salt when people aren't posting on a pre-med forum about their epiphany right before the MCAT.

 

[slatermd]

Odds of OP performing at a decent level up until he needed to start prepping for the MCAT and then finally figuring out he has "moderate" ADHD? LOL. I'll take it with a smaller grain of salt when people aren't posting on a pre-med forum about their epiphany right before the MCAT.

Good.

 

[drizzt3117]

Throttle back on the judgment and just be glad that you can perform without them.

Someday you might be in the position to decide whether or not someone gets a script for stimulants and I hope, if you are put in that position, that you'll be open to the possibility that some people legitimately have neuro-developmental disorders, which can be helped by CNS stimulants and neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors.

Until then, you might as well save the high road/high horse/soapbox triple threat; it isn't likely to accomplish much. I've seen this argument fizzle a few times in the past three months.

Besides, reading the drug-free butthurt riot act doesn't do anything to level your playing field, however cathartic it may feel.

I recently heard at a child/adolescent psych lecture that nearly35% of stimulants prescribed for ADHD were diverted and resold... As a PCP I think erring on the side of caution is probably the right choice.

 

[slatermd]

I recently heard at a child/adolescent psych lecture that nearly35% of stimulants prescribed for ADHD were diverted and resold... As a PCP I think erring on the side of caution is probably the right choice.

I agree.

 

[rafflecopter]

I would shy away from the whole ADHD diagnosis excuse. There are enough people out there who believe that ADHD is an overdiagnosed disease who could doubt the validity of the diagnosis (and therefore your excuse) to want to avoid the topic altogether.

 

[LegendaryPunk]

Potential for some great discussion here...but it appears that this thread has already been doused in gasoline; things are likely to explode before anything constructive develops.

To the OP - I was (mis?)diagnosed & treated for ADHD up through my mid-teens, so I am all too famaliar with the stigma it carries. Different people have to overcome different obstacles to be successful. Other people may see your problem as a mountain or a molehill depending on their perspective; this does not change or make things any less difficult based on where you stand.

At the same time, it is important to be honest with yourself to see your difficulties for what they really are - that's the only way to truly overcome them.

I am glad you have figured out a formula for success that will hopefully enable you to live your dream one day. Good luck.

Let this thread be a good lesson to newbies, hSDN lurkers, and everyone else starting out in college:

Take your coursework seriously, don't be lazy and have med school as a goal in mind early on. This way when it comes time to apply you will have a strong GPA/MCAT/ECs and won't have to struggle with BSing an ADHD diagnosis to adcoms in your essays/interviews.

The OPs posts are becoming more and more ridiculous and characterizing them as "stretching it" would be an understatement. Accept that you were lazy, take responsibility for your failures instead of attributing it to ADHD you suddenly got in college (rofl) that was unnoticed for years by doctors, apply broadly and keep your fingers crossed.

Any way you try to spin this I would view it negatively. But that's just me, it's not like I'm an interviewer or anything. Good luck.

Remember the ignore button is there for a reason, guys. Let's keep the inflammatory comments to ourselves and try to keep the conversation constructive. Thanks 🙂

Thanks for the reminder 🙂

 

[Wakesc]

If so, you could self-identify as disadvantaged and explain your ADHD in the disadvantaged section.

Hey LizzyM, I was thinking about writing about how I didn't use accommodations in college even though I had been diagnosed with ADHD. I planned on writing about it in one of my optional essays on the TMDSAS. In the essay I stated that if I had used accommodations my GPA would most likely be higher, but it was important for me to accomplish my academic career on the same basis as my peers. Is this a good use of the section or should I not even mention it, unless it comes up in an interview. Thanks a lot in advanced for your time.

 

[rafflecopter]

Hey LizzyM, I was thinking about writing about how I didn't use accommodations in college even though I had been diagnosed with ADHD. I planned on writing about it in one of my optional essays on the TMDSAS. In the essay I stated that if I had used accommodations my GPA would most likely be higher, but it was important for me to accomplish my academic career on the same basis as my peers. Is this a good use of the section or should I not even mention it, unless it comes up in an interview. Thanks a lot in advanced for your time.

Hmm, interesting idea. But playing devil's advocate I could see a problem with this: An adcom member could reason that if you still performed well despite your ADHD diagnosis that you either didn't actually have ADHD or that you had a mild form, neither of which would be significant to overcome.

Just food for thought, but I'm curious to see what LizzyM thinks

 

[Wakesc]

Hmm, interesting idea. But playing devil's advocate I could see a problem with this: An adcom member could reason that if you still performed well despite your ADHD diagnosis that you either didn't actually have ADHD or that you had a mild form, neither of which would be significant to overcome.

Just food for thought, but I'm curious to see what LizzyM thinks

Hey I really appreciate your input, and I was diagnosed with severe impulsive and attentional issues. As well as some other learning issues when I was a kid. I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until I was 15 though. I also grew up in a major metropolitan city so there couldn't have been a shortage. Thanks again.