ADHD diagnosis

[LizzyM]

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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.

I'd say don't mention it. It can only be considered a negative as it points out that your gpa is not 4.0 and you have some issues with impulsivity or whatever.

 

[biophilia]

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.

LizzyM - Given the need for more child and adolescent psychiatrists (http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/legislative_action/cap_maps_by_state), and given the variety of pathways leading to a career in child and adolescent psychiatry (e.g., triple board, integrated, traditional, etc.), why should eyebrows be raised if an applicant expressed a desire to go into child and adolescent psychiatry?

 

[LizzyM]

why should eyebrows be raised if an applicant expressed a desire to go into child and adolescent psychiatry?

Expressing an interest in a subspecialty raises a red flag. Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger but I've been hearing this sort of thing from adcom members for years... the concern is that people with a narrow area of interest don't make good med students. That goes double if you are a patient cared for by that same subspecialty.

 

[biophilia]

Expressing an interest in a subspecialty raises a red flag. Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger but I've been hearing this sort of thing from adcom members for years... the concern is that people with a narrow area of interest don't make good med students. That goes double if you are a patient cared for by that same subspecialty.

Thanks, I appreciate your help. I did not realize that this was the case.

Just to make sure I understand, expressing an interest in a speciality, e.g., pediatrics, might be acceptable if an applicant has worked/published/done research in that specialty. Expressing an interest in a subspecialty, e.g., child and adolescent psychiatry, is a bad idea, regardless of past work experience/publications/research in that subspecialty?

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks, I appreciate your help. I did not realize that this was the case.

Just to make sure I understand, expressing an interest in a speciality, e.g., pediatrics, might be acceptable if an applicant has worked/published/done research in that specialty. Expressing an interest in a subspecialty, e.g., child and adolescent psychiatry, is a bad idea, regardless of past work experience/publications/research in that subspecialty?

If you were applying to a doctoral program it would be ok -- provided that there were faculty members with similar interests at the institution. Medical school is generalist training with specialty and subspeciaty training coming later (in the post graduate period) So, a concern is that the student has already narrowed his focus and will not be open to learning about everything.

I'd suggest ratcheting back. If you are interested in adolescent psych say psychiatry or pediatrics.

Making a decision about a subspecialty before attending medical school is narrowing one's focus prematurely. It would be like applying to college and stating a plan to major in nineteenth century American poetry.

 

[BatemanMD]

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.

I have a very similar situation, in that I was formally diagnosed with the primarily inattentive sub-type only about a year ago. It is very unfortunate how many erroneous perceptions have been expressed in response to the OP. Let me first emphasize that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that adversely effects the day-to-day functioning and longterm achievement of those afflicted. Once again, ADHD is REAL and any attempt to discredit it as some kind of a "yuppy flu" or excuse for underachievement is contrary the 100 years-plus of research supporting its existence. Anybody here planning to enter med school and become a competent clinician is going to have to accept the fact that such a thoroughly researched and well-established pathology cannot just be dismissed based on stigma and stereotypes. Accordingly, most adcoms (though not all) will be privy to the fact that undiagnosed/untreated ADHD can lead very bright and competent premeds into a pattern of chronic underachievement...and through no fault of their own.

That being said, you absolutely NEED to mention it in your personal statement. I have consulted with many individuals who have a great deal of insight into the admissions process; the consensus is that the benefit of mentioning the diagnosis far outweighs the potential for setback due to stigma. If you are like me, you probably have significant gaps in your application that cannot otherwise be reasonably accounted for. I have finished my personal statement, where I mention it only BRIEFLY (i.e. no greater than for 2-3 sentences) before spinning it into a positive. It is perfectly okay to reveal what some may perceive as a "weakness", but only under the condition that you can demonstrate that you have done something proactive to address it and managed to somehow work it into positive attribute. In my case, I demonstrated a positive trend in my postbacc program that occured after initial diagnosis and treatment. Another example would be to state how your understanding of the condition would contribute to your ability as a future physician to consider diagnoses that others may not. On the other hand, if you don't address it in your application, you are only going to beg the question as to why you may have an inconsistent record of academic performance. Just my thoughts...

 

[TarHeelEMT]

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

This. This. A thousand times this.

Don't do it.

 

[Kangaroo Paw]

Hey, I have a small question relating to this thread.

I've had a fair amount of extracurricular/summer experience in the subspecialty of endocrinology (including clinical research with diabetes medications), and have grown to really become passionate about it. However, it is quite a specific area of medicine, and now I'm not sure if I should actually include it in my personal statement/talk about it at interviews. What would be your suggestion as to talking about this in particular? What worries me is that it is a post-IM fellowship rather than something more general like psychiatry (which I am also incidentally interested in, though to a lesser degree than endo).

Thank you!

 

[NickNaylor]

Hey, I have a small question relating to this thread.

I've had a fair amount of extracurricular/summer experience in the subspecialty of endocrinology (including clinical research with diabetes medications), and have grown to really become passionate about it. However, it is quite a specific area of medicine, and now I'm not sure if I should actually include it in my personal statement/talk about it at interviews. What would be your suggestion as to talking about this in particular? What worries me is that it is a post-IM fellowship rather than something more general like psychiatry (which I am also incidentally interested in, though to a lesser degree than endo).

Thank you!

Why did you choose this thread to ask that question? 😕

 

[LizzyM]

Hey, I have a small question relating to this thread.

I've had a fair amount of extracurricular/summer experience in the subspecialty of endocrinology (including clinical research with diabetes medications), and have grown to really become passionate about it. However, it is quite a specific area of medicine, and now I'm not sure if I should actually include it in my personal statement/talk about it at interviews. What would be your suggestion as to talking about this in particular? What worries me is that it is a post-IM fellowship rather than something more general like psychiatry (which I am also incidentally interested in, though to a lesser degree than endo).

Thank you!

What is attractive about endocrinology? It is very intellectually demanding (all those feedback loops involving the various hormones blow my mind), it involves diagnostic puzzles in some cases and therefore complex work-ups as well as long term relationships with patients who need care for a chronic condition as well as some responsibility for patients who are acutely ill and then no longer in need of care (e.g. Graves disease). The same could be said to a greater or lesser extent of almost all the medical subspecialties as well as neurology and perhaps dermatology. I could even see psychiatry fitting that description.

Contrast that with orthopedics, ear/nose/throat/, ophthalmology, anesthesiology, radiology. I think it is fair to say that you liked what you saw in the way endocrinologists practice medicine and you'd be interested in that type of work more so that the high tech specialties that spend significant time in the OR or with high technology.

 

[Kangaroo Paw]

What is attractive about endocrinology? It is very intellectually demanding (all those feedback loops involving the various hormones blow my mind), it involves diagnostic puzzles in some cases and therefore complex work-ups as well as long term relationships with patients who need care for a chronic condition as well as some responsibility for patients who are acutely ill and then no longer in need of care (e.g. Graves disease). The same could be said to a greater or lesser extent of almost all the medical subspecialties as well as neurology and perhaps dermatology. I could even see psychiatry fitting that description.

Contrast that with orthopedics, ear/nose/throat/, ophthalmology, anesthesiology, radiology. I think it is fair to say that you liked what you saw in the way endocrinologists practice medicine and you'd be interested in that type of work more so that the high tech specialties that spend significant time in the OR or with high technology.

Thanks so much for this answer, LizzyM! @NickNaylor, sorry for posting on this thread, I just saw the bit on adolescent psychiatry and was intrigued!

My reasons for liking endocrinology are pretty specific and do tie in with my overall reasons for wanting medicine: the diagnostic puzzle/challenge stuff is definitely part of it (I LOVE complicated hormone pathways like none other), but equally important is the fact that you do end up forming long-term relationships with patients and the specialty is overwhelmingly clinical. In high school I worked as a receptionist in an endocrinology clinic, and found that patients with endocrine conditions tend to experience drastic changes in quality-of-life after seeing the endocrinologist, and that their endocrine issues affect pretty much all aspects of their lives. Also, I'm interested in community health/Latino health as a career (I'm a Spanish major/language nerd), and have found that health disparities are widely prevalent within endocrinology (as they are with many other fields of medicine). Overall, I just really like the "low tech" aspect of the specialty, combined with its intellectual rigor and clinical focus. I could never see myself as a surgeon, etc because the "people" aspect of medicine is what attracts me most to it.

Would these reasons be okay to discuss in my personal statement, etc? Sorry to be asking on this thread, I'll be writing one this week (I'm applying to an end-of-sophomore-year EAP) and it would be really helpful to know if this an appropriate topic to broach, or something that should be avoided! Thank you!😳