Nutritiouslunch
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2020
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi SDN,
I am seeking some advice/opinions on the viability of having a fulfilling medical career as a physician if I have chronic Hepatitis B. I was born oversea and got it via vertical transmission. I've read posts from prospective MDs who are carriers inquiring about their chances into med school. While those thread give great advice and outlook, I find them hard to relate to because my infection is very much active (though, managed) and can't be denied nor hidden away until matriculation.
I wasn't even aware of my active infection status until I started undergrad, and I found out because I was constantly falling sick to every common cold/flu going around campus and failing classes left and right. After a couple fumbles with the university infirmary, I was diagnosed with Hep B and depression. I got therapy and I switched into a major outside of science. It was the right choice at the time, because even though I continued to fall sick and land myself in the ER repeatedly, my grades were upward trending.
I graduated last year and pretty quickly got struck with an acute flare-up where I was finally prescribed antivirals. My GI has told me there is a slim to none chance I can ever go unmedicated, but he is happy with my decreasing viral load and expects me to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
Since taking medication, I've seriously felt like a brand new person and I couldn't even think of the last time I felt so energetic and clearheaded. I want to attempt a career in medicine again, but I am hyperaware of the stigma behind my disease, since it's blood-borne and very contagious, with the potent to endanger patients in a surgical setting. Not becoming a surgeon doesn't bother me terribly much, as I would like to specialize in IM or GI. My biggest hurdle right now would be to fix my sGPA with a postbacc, but before I sink time and money into it- I need to know realistically if my chronic disease, even with it being well managed, would make an adcom hesitate before offering an interview, much less a spot.
I am seeking some advice/opinions on the viability of having a fulfilling medical career as a physician if I have chronic Hepatitis B. I was born oversea and got it via vertical transmission. I've read posts from prospective MDs who are carriers inquiring about their chances into med school. While those thread give great advice and outlook, I find them hard to relate to because my infection is very much active (though, managed) and can't be denied nor hidden away until matriculation.
I wasn't even aware of my active infection status until I started undergrad, and I found out because I was constantly falling sick to every common cold/flu going around campus and failing classes left and right. After a couple fumbles with the university infirmary, I was diagnosed with Hep B and depression. I got therapy and I switched into a major outside of science. It was the right choice at the time, because even though I continued to fall sick and land myself in the ER repeatedly, my grades were upward trending.
I graduated last year and pretty quickly got struck with an acute flare-up where I was finally prescribed antivirals. My GI has told me there is a slim to none chance I can ever go unmedicated, but he is happy with my decreasing viral load and expects me to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
Since taking medication, I've seriously felt like a brand new person and I couldn't even think of the last time I felt so energetic and clearheaded. I want to attempt a career in medicine again, but I am hyperaware of the stigma behind my disease, since it's blood-borne and very contagious, with the potent to endanger patients in a surgical setting. Not becoming a surgeon doesn't bother me terribly much, as I would like to specialize in IM or GI. My biggest hurdle right now would be to fix my sGPA with a postbacc, but before I sink time and money into it- I need to know realistically if my chronic disease, even with it being well managed, would make an adcom hesitate before offering an interview, much less a spot.
