Hello all I am new to this forum so I would like to tell a little about myself (hopefully not a rant). Okay I have received my associates degree already at a vocation community college, it was free was the mean reason why I went. I received the Deans list every semester. I transferred to Missouri State University as premed and as a Cellular Molecular Biologist. So far I have a 3.6 gpa with a 3.9 science gpa. I am part of the premed society and will be going to Peru next semester to help out children with medical issues. I am a commuter and live 2 hours away from school so not a lot of extra curricular. But here is where my problems come in. When I was born I had glaucoma and cataracts which left me legally blind, I currently wear extremely high powered contacts but my eye site is beginning to deteriorate. This is actually the reason why I want to become a doctor is to help people like I have been helped. So next Summer I am hoping to get a surgery to help my eyes a little. Now the question is can a person like me become a doctor and does having a disability like being legally blind help me get into med school or hurt me from getting into med school? Sorry for such a long rant, it just has been bothering me since I have begun college. And I am also 90 credits in so soon I will be taking the MCAT and so on. Thank you so much everyone.
Concerned Pre-Med
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Here are three examples from three websites. They all sound about the same. Your best bet is to call someone from the admissions office of schools you are specifically interested in to see if you qualify. I bolded a particularly specific sentence that may give you an idea of whether your visual acuity fits the standard.
To answer your question specifically, if you can't perform up to standards, you cannot complete medical training. If your abilities are up to the standards, you have a great narrative for a personal statement and that can only help you. You also should consider long term career planning: if your vision will get worse with time even after the surgery, you need to get some guidance about what you can do with a medical degree after you no longer meet the technical standards.
Mayo Medical School Technical Standards
The student must be able to participate actively in all demonstrations and laboratory exercises in the basic medical sciences. The student must assess and comprehend the condition of all patients assigned to him or her for examination, diagnosis and treatment. Such observation and information acquisition usually requires the functional use of visual, auditory and somatic sensation.
LSU Medical
Observation necessitates the use of the sense of vision and other sensory modalities. The individual must have visual acuity to make observations, both close at hand and at a distance. The individual must be able to observe physiologic and pharmacologic demonstrations, microbiologic cultures, and microscopic studies of microorganisms and tissues. The individual must have the visual acuity necessary to be able to read electrocardiograms, radiographs, and other diagnostic tests
Case Western
A medical student must have sufficient use of the senses of vision, hearing, touch, and smell to observe effectively in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical setting. Students must possess the ability to observe both close at hand and at a distance.
To answer your question specifically, if you can't perform up to standards, you cannot complete medical training. If your abilities are up to the standards, you have a great narrative for a personal statement and that can only help you. You also should consider long term career planning: if your vision will get worse with time even after the surgery, you need to get some guidance about what you can do with a medical degree after you no longer meet the technical standards.
Mayo Medical School Technical Standards
The student must be able to participate actively in all demonstrations and laboratory exercises in the basic medical sciences. The student must assess and comprehend the condition of all patients assigned to him or her for examination, diagnosis and treatment. Such observation and information acquisition usually requires the functional use of visual, auditory and somatic sensation.
LSU Medical
Observation necessitates the use of the sense of vision and other sensory modalities. The individual must have visual acuity to make observations, both close at hand and at a distance. The individual must be able to observe physiologic and pharmacologic demonstrations, microbiologic cultures, and microscopic studies of microorganisms and tissues. The individual must have the visual acuity necessary to be able to read electrocardiograms, radiographs, and other diagnostic tests
Case Western
A medical student must have sufficient use of the senses of vision, hearing, touch, and smell to observe effectively in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical setting. Students must possess the ability to observe both close at hand and at a distance.
Thank you for your fast reply. Now with the upcoming surgery, it would create a stable eyesight until I pass away. Now in terms of being able to read charts and so on. I have shadowed many surgeons and so on for about 200 hours and so far have not had any visual concerns that made me think otherwise.
Our premed group is going to Peru to learn about poor Medical conditons in third world countries. We are also going to some tribes to teach children on how to brush their teeth, wash their hands, and so on.
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Sounds fun.
Out of curiosity, How will a tribe member wash his hands and brush his teeth?
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With clean running water, toothpaste, and a tooth brush... Duh...
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I couldn't actually tell you. I'm just along for the ride and hopefully able to get me a tiny leg up into getting in to med school.
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👍
Mr. Avante, how far in are you in your process. Pre med, med school, residency? It would be nice to have a person that I can ask questions while I am on my journey. Thank you.
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I like the underworld of anonymity, I find it hilarious. But, go ahead and pm me questions. I can answer them to the best of my ability. And, stick round sdn. It would be nice to see how far you can get.
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It will be very difficult, but there have been blind medical students. You can always go into psychiatry. Will a disability help you get into medical school? Absolutely not. There are certain standards that you have to be able to do, but as I mentioned before, there is case precedent.
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Will a disability help you get into medical school? Absolutely not. There are certain standards that you have to be able to do, but there is case precedent for blind students becoming doctors. i believe they went into psychiatry.
. Now the question is can a person like me become a doctor and does having a disability like being legally blind help me get into med school or hurt me from getting into med school? Sorry for such a long rant, it just has been bothering me since I have begun college. And I am also 90 credits in so soon I will be taking the MCAT and so on. Thank you so much everyone.[/QUOTE]
. Now the question is can a person like me become a doctor and does having a disability like being legally blind help me get into med school or hurt me from getting into med school? Sorry for such a long rant, it just has been bothering me since I have begun college. And I am also 90 credits in so soon I will be taking the MCAT and so on. Thank you so much everyone.[/QUOTE]
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On my Kenya medical mission the tribespeople used this for a toothbrush: http://365saturdays.org/blog/?p=12393
Perhaps solutions similar to Salvadora persica exist in the new world.
I will be sure to pm you when I'm in need and I plan to stick around here till I am finally a doctor. Thanks for everything.
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Lol going on a medical missions trip will not help you lol
How does volunteering and traveling abroad not help out your application process for Medical Schools?
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Because so many Pre-Meds do it that it has just become a cliché. And most of the time its about, "who has 3k to spend on a trip to Jamaica?" Theres been many responses to this idea with the notion that "There's plenty of things you can do in the states."
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You don't even know how you're gonna help (as you so aptly said so yourself). Adcoms aren't idiots. They know you can't do jack **** for 2 weeks. Even if you do, you're just using them as guinea pigs for yourself anyway to climb higher ladders.
You have much to learn, newbie. I'd get informed ASAP.
Your reply seems a little uncalled for but thank you for your information.
