Applying to a medical school where you get healthcare - Do they have a system to deal with this?

[Deleted member 1077394]

I live in the city and get my healthcare from the academic medical center.

I am planning to apply to their medical school because I love the location and it's within my target range.

I am worried about being recognized if any of the doctors I get my personal healthcare from also help review applications or interview applicants.

I would hope they have a system for this. People probably won't recognize me and it'll be fine. Do medical schools have a system for practicing physicians passing off applications to another person when they notice this applicant is also a patient of theirs and implicit bias could be a problem?

Thanks!

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[KnightDoc]

I live in the city and get my healthcare from the academic medical center. I have a PCP and one specialist and visit them every 3-6 months between the two physicians.

I am planning to apply to their medical school because I love the location and it's within my target range.

I am worried about being recognized if any of the doctors I get my personal healthcare from also help review applications or interview applicants.

I would hope they have a system for this. People probably won't recognize me and it'll be fine. Do medical schools have a system for practicing physicians passing off applications to another person when they notice this applicant is also a patient of theirs and implicit bias could be a problem?

Thanks!

How so? That they think you are a great candidate and want to give you a boost? Or that they think you are an a-hole and would never want you in the school?

I'm sure HIPAA would protect you from being discriminated against based on any medical conditions you have. I'm equally sure they would feel obligated to share any other positive or negative information they have about you with the adcom, just like anyone else you might have encountered in life who works anywhere you might want to apply for something.

It's a double-edged sword that could help you or hurt you, and you can't control it. I'm sure they wouldn't be allowed to interview you if they know you from outside the process, but you would never be able to stop them from sharing anything they happen to know about you that they would feel is relevant to an adcom's decision.

Implicit bias? How about explicit bias? Decisions are made every day based on impressions made in artificial 30 minute encounters. Why wouldn't the adcom welcome explicit bias from someone they know and respect who knows you from extended encounters over a period of time?

 

[Deleted member 1077394]

How so? That they think you are a great candidate and want to give you a boost? Or that they think you are an a-hole and would never want you in the school?

I'm sure HIPAA would protect you from being discriminated against based on any medical conditions you have. I'm equally sure they would feel obligated to share any other positive or negative information they have about you with the adcom, just like anyone else you might have encountered in life who works anywhere you might want to apply for something.

It's a double-edged sword that could help you or hurt you, and you can't control it. I'm sure they wouldn't be allowed to interview you if they know you from outside the process, but you would never be able to stop them from sharing anything they happen to know about you that they would feel is relevant to an adcom's decision.

Implicit bias? How about explicit bias? Decisions are made every day based on impressions made in artificial 30 minute encounters. Why wouldn't the adcom welcome explicit bias from someone they know and respect who knows you from extended encounters over a period of time?

I'm not a jerk at all. Or a great candidate for that matter. The worst thing about me they would know from being my treating physicians and I think they may judge me for is being bad about taking my medications sometimes.

I just feel uncomfortable having that line between personal and professional boundaries crossed, y'know?

 

[KnightDoc]

I'm not a jerk at all. Or a great candidate for that matter. The worst thing about me they would know from being my treating physicians and I think they may judge me for is being bad about taking my medications sometimes.

I just feel uncomfortable having that line between personal and professional boundaries crossed, y'know?

Yup. I am going to have the same exact situation, and am relying on their professionalism when it comes to honoring the letter and spirit of HIPAA. I honestly don't think they would allow your illness or treatment to impact your evaluation as a candidate AT ALL. Just no reason to.

As I said, I'm sure if they came across your file as a potential interviewee, they would punt due to a potential conflict. Other than that, unless they had something great or terrible to say about you, I'm sure they would not weigh in at all, and would, under federal law, wall off anything to do with your treatment, including how diligent you are in taking your meds.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

I live in the city and get my healthcare from the academic medical center.

I am planning to apply to their medical school because I love the location and it's within my target range.

I am worried about being recognized if any of the doctors I get my personal healthcare from also help review applications or interview applicants.

I would hope they have a system for this. People probably won't recognize me and it'll be fine. Do medical schools have a system for practicing physicians passing off applications to another person when they notice this applicant is also a patient of theirs and implicit bias could be a problem?

Thanks!

Standard ethics rule would normally apply here as someone treating you couldn't be bias-free. That being said, medical schools tend to be large institutions. Do you know for a fact that your providers are not only affiliated with the school but affiliated with the interviewing process?

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Deleted member 1077394]

Standard ethics rule would normally apply here as someone treating you couldn't be bias-free. That being said, medical schools tend to be large institutions. Do you know for a fact that your providers are not only affiliated with the school but affiliated with the interviewing process?

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

This was what I thought/figured the answer would be, but it occurred to me that identifying an applicant as a patient to turf their interview/application to another person could be a HIPPA violation in of itself. I don't know that my two doctors there are involved in the application review/interview process. One guy is an APD for their residency program in his specialty though - I don't know if people in residency admin are more likely to also help with the admissions committee.

 

[KnightDoc]

This was what I thought/figured the answer would be, but it occurred to me that identifying an applicant as a patient to turf their interview/application to another person could be a HIPPA violation in of itself. I don't know that my two doctors there are involved in the application review/interview process. One guy is an APD for their residency program in his specialty though - I don't know if people in residency admin are more likely to also help with the admissions committee.

Your docs might or might not be involved in admissions, but even if they are, the chance that they would come across your particular file are pretty small. If it happens, and if they are ethical, no, it wouldn't violate HIPAA to tell the adcom they have a potential conflict (without saying more) and to send you off to another reviewer/interviewer. No biggie. I'm sure it happens more often than we realize.

 

[Deleted member 1077394]

Thank you all very much!

This was a relief about something I have been concerned about for awhile.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

This was what I thought/figured the answer would be, but it occurred to me that identifying an applicant as a patient to turf their interview/application to another person could be a HIPPA violation in of itself. I don't know that my two doctors there are involved in the application review/interview process. One guy is an APD for their residency program in his specialty though - I don't know if people in residency admin are more likely to also help with the admissions committee.

That would be a pretty strict interpretation of HIPAA. Even then, they could just say that it would be a conflict of interest and not even disclose why.

And residency programs and med schools are usually kept pretty separate apart. Residency programs usually have tons going on at all times so the odds that they are an administrator there and also on the medical school admission committee is quite low. Not impossible, but I have never seen it.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Tenk]

Most academic attendings are not directly involved in the admission process for medical students. Even then they can excuse themselves if they know you. Your chances of this mattering are slim to none.