Dropping the semester

Started by boostedct9a
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boostedct9a

boostedct9a

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Two semesters ago (during finals week) I had a seizure which put me in the hospital for a week or so. Since then I have had moderate to severe memory problems, sometimes even realizing I have no idea where I am or how I got there. I struggled through last semester getting a ~3.5 with only 12 credits. This semester my memory has gotten worse and I have lost a lot of my ability to retain class material. I'm thinking about dropping the rest of my classes and taking the time to see a neurologist and try and figure this out. It's the last thing I want to do but I don't see how I can succeed in my classes. Any suggestions?
 
Holy mother of god, take care of yourself first! Your health is your #1 priority.
Taking a semester off won't hurt your app - I did for family reasons, so don't hesitate to go see someone and get it figured out.
 
Hey boostedct9a. I really do not think any med school would ever held it against you to have taken a semester off for health reasons. Would you still be able to graduate on time? You could take the time to heal and rest, start pre-studying for some classes and maybe think about volunteering or shadowing someone in your time off, providing you feel ok to do it, or pursuing other interests that you have. I think taking a semester off is a lot more common than people think. A few of my schoolmates/friends have done it, and in retrospect, it seems all positive. Good luck with this.
 
Yes I will still be able to graduate at the same time. Thanks so much, it's nice to hear I'm not killing my application.
 
Just so you know, this does sounds like something that would fall under "Excusable Withdrawal", so in terms academics you should be fine. Get well. 🙂
 
Yes, you have legitimate reasons to take the semester off. Don't ruin your chances.

I had a friend who had a similar thing happen to him (severe concussion during finals week) which left him in the hospital for a few days and couldn't remember anything. Got excused from his tests and still got grades for the semester after working things out with his professors. There was no way he would've done well, he couldn't even remember what classes he was in. Luckily we had break right after to recover and did alright the next year. Not as extreme as you but just saying similar things happen and aren't really an issue.
 
Please, withdraw from your classes and seek out medical treatment. Doing so will not hurt your chances; withdrawing for this reason is 100% acceptable. On the flip side, not withdrawing and barely passing/failing the semester may very well hurt your chances. Go and take this time to care for yourself and resume your academics when you feel healthy enough to do your absolute best in them.

Good luck and I hope you find your answers. I used to have seizures, along with the memory problems you described, and I remember them being absolutely terrifying. I likely can't be of too much help; but if you ever want to talk, ask questions, etc feel free to PM me.
 
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