Can I still be a Dr. getting SSI?

[MTSUguy]

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I am worried, I have seizures and back problems due to a serious accident I was involved in and was latter discharged from the military for it. I'm confident I could get disablility which would really help with my student loans and debts as an undergraduate. I'm afraid however if I am deemed 'disabled' this would significantly affect my chances of getting into med school. I mean how many doctors have ever been on disability?😕

One other thing...off the subject...what are EC's...extra curricullurs? Sorry new to all this...I know it's involves keeping a record of the activities I'm involved in outside the classroom.

 

[NotAndrew]

I am worried, I have seizures and back problems due to a serious accident I was involved in and was latter discharged from the military for it. I'm confident I could get disablility which would really help with my student loans and debts as an undergraduate. I'm afraid however if I am deemed 'disabled' this would significantly affect my chances of getting into med school. I mean how many doctors have ever been on disability?😕

One other thing...off the subject...what are EC's...extra curricullurs? Sorry new to all this...I know it's involves keeping a record of the activities I'm involved in outside the classroom.

I think you will be ok, however you may need to practice a less physically demanding specialty.

 

[MadEvans]

One other thing...off the subject...what are EC's...extra curricullurs? Sorry new to all this...I know it's involves keeping a record of the activities I'm involved in outside the classroom.

That's right about ECs. Most are volunteering, clinical exposure, work experience, scholarly achievements, research experience, etc.

 

[riceman04]

I am worried, I have seizures and back problems due to a serious accident I was involved in and was latter discharged from the military for it. I'm confident I could get disablility which would really help with my student loans and debts as an undergraduate. I'm afraid however if I am deemed 'disabled' this would significantly affect my chances of getting into med school. I mean how many doctors have ever been on disability?😕

One other thing...off the subject...what are EC's...extra curricullurs? Sorry new to all this...I know it's involves keeping a record of the activities I'm involved in outside the classroom.

So you'd be receiving SSDI? right?
Rather than rely on input from other premeds, I assume your best bet is to call medical schools and speak to someone who can clearly define what "physical" standards students must meet. In addition, have you spoken to practitioner regarding the potential limitations of your diagnoses?...and whether or not they would a significant detriment to any future career plans?

best of luck

 

[MTSUguy]

Thanks for the advice. Yes I was talking about SSDI...I think I will call some med schools and check about the physical limits. Personally I deal with my back pain mostly but I have the rare but occassional seizure. Thanks for everyones advice.

 

[Law2Doc]

...I think I will call some med schools and check about the physical limits. ...

Make sure you ask about the physical requirements in residencies as well -- it would be a shame to push through med school only to find nothing at the other end. While a handful of med schools have been known to make beyond "reasonable" accommodations, very few residencies will.

 

[dw2158]

Thanks for the advice. Yes I was talking about SSDI...I think I will call some med schools and check about the physical limits. Personally I deal with my back pain mostly but I have the rare but occassional seizure. Thanks for everyones advice.

i work with public benefits full time. you would be eligible for SSD if you were unable to engage in substantial gainful employment. additionally, the amount you get is directly related to how many quarters you've worked... so unless you have a long work history it wouldn't amount to too much. i would also doubt that if you were able to handle medical school (with reasonable accommodations) then the social security administration would think you couldn't handle substantial gainful employment.

 

[cpants]

I don't think the med schools will keep you out for back pain and the occasional seizure. The question is will you remain eligible for you benefits if you start med school? I would guess probably not. If you are well enough to succeed in med school, you are well enough to work. If you are really so debilitated that you can't hold a job, you probably can't handle med school. Why aren't you eligible to work now?

 

[dw2158]

I don't think the med schools will keep you out for back pain and the occasional seizure. The question is will you remain eligible for you benefits if you start med school? I would guess probably not. If you are well enough to succeed in med school, you are well enough to work. If you are really so debilitated that you can't hold a job, you probably can't handle med school. Why aren't you eligible to work now?

yeah, that's what i was trying to say. thanks for being clearer about it than i was 🙂

 

[Bacchus]

Law2Doc brings up a good point. You have to assess yourself. (Rhetorical) Are these seizures and back pain debilitating, few and far between, or semi-chronic? Although back pain can be dealt with, you must meet technical standards to matriculate and constant, debilitating seizures are going to interfere with your clerkships during 3 and 4th year.

 

[cpants]

I'm also not sure if anyone is eligible for entitlement benefits while in medical school. I mean technically most med students have zero income, and should be eligible for welfare, medicaid, food stamps, etc. I think accepting federally subsidized loans excepts you from other benefits. At least it should.

 

[dw2158]

I'm also not sure if anyone is eligible for entitlement benefits while in medical school. I mean technically most med students have zero income, and should be eligible for welfare, medicaid, food stamps, etc. I think accepting federally subsidized loans excepts you from other benefits. At least it should.

the eligibility requirements for those benefits differ by state. i know that in new york, if your only income is from "bona fide" loans, then you can be eligible for medicaid, etc. AFAIK, student loans are "bona fide."

but OP, i think what some of us are hinting at is that social security benefits are really for people who can't work for whatever reason. it's more than a bit dishonest to receive them if you are capable of holding down a job-- or handling med school, for that matter. i don't know what your exact situation is, so perhaps your seizures and pain are severe enough to keep you from working. but i would venture a guess that anyone who can survive med school is fit to work. JMO.

 

[pietachok]

I'm not concerned if someone with occasional seizures can practice medicine--my mom has epilepsy and is a top physician in her field.

I am also not concerned in many fields if back pain wouldn't be an issue (obviously psychiatrists don't need to do much manual labor).

Only you know if your occasional seizures or back pain are too bad to keep you from practicing and to go through medical school, with the understanding that you might have limitations on the fields you enter.

If you decide you can go through with it:
1) You have no reason to make any major disclosures to the schools, most likely
2) I think depending on your specific situation, it could be considered SSD fraud, and you should look into it very carefully before doing it. If you were previoulsy an iron worker and an injury required you to be retrained (or else stay unemployed) in a desk job...I don't think anybody would have a question that you could still get your SSD benefits. However, this is likely to be viewed as a lateral move--from one physically demanding field to retraining for another. Because in med school you have the ability to take out loans to cover your living expenses, and because you will highly likely to be able to repay them, it does not seem worth it to risk any illegalities here.