For those with ADHD

[DukeDoc08]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I have struggled all year (actually my entire academic career) with focus, but I have always worked my way through it, you know? I mean I just stayed up all of the time, crammed going into exams and always came out with middle Bs...
but as this year has progressed I have done worse and worse even though my effort has increased a lot! I sit and study for hours without any progress (except for checking email every 5 minutes)...
today we had a practice step I exam and I really started thinking about ADHD...I opened up the exam and spaced out on question #1!!!!
it is almost like I'm thinking about other things while I'm reading a question or studying material...then I look at it again like I've never seen it before!!! It is really frustrating!!!
I'm not sure if I'm just an idiot or if something is wrong with me...
I am just really confused about where to start...how do you explain to a doctor that you are sucking in the classroom, can't focus, can't concentrate...when everyone knows med school is hard and people struggle? and now with soo many med students abusing the diagnosis for the drugs and supposed study help it brings I really feel like I'm fishing for drugs
It has been a long year and I really wish I had talked to somebody about it...now I feel like it is too late
our 2nd year is like a lot of people's 3rd year in that we are on the wards...if I really do have ADHD would it still behoove me to talk to a doctor?
sorry that I'm treating this thread as my personal support group...not sure where else to go...

 

[flashMD]

Check your private messages...

I have struggled all year (actually my entire academic career) with focus, but I have always worked my way through it, you know? I mean I just stayed up all of the time, crammed going into exams and always came out with middle Bs...
but as this year has progressed I have done worse and worse even though my effort has increased a lot! I sit and study for hours without any progress (except for checking email every 5 minutes)...
today we had a practice step I exam and I really started thinking about ADHD...I opened up the exam and spaced out on question #1!!!!
it is almost like I'm thinking about other things while I'm reading a question or studying material...then I look at it again like I've never seen it before!!! It is really frustrating!!!
I'm not sure if I'm just an idiot or if something is wrong with me...
I am just really confused about where to start...how do you explain to a doctor that you are sucking in the classroom, can't focus, can't concentrate...when everyone knows med school is hard and people struggle? and now with soo many med students abusing the diagnosis for the drugs and supposed study help it brings I really feel like I'm fishing for drugs
It has been a long year and I really wish I had talked to somebody about it...now I feel like it is too late
our 2nd year is like a lot of people's 3rd year in that we are on the wards...if I really do have ADHD would it still behoove me to talk to a doctor?
sorry that I'm treating this thread as my personal support group...not sure where else to go...

 

[aliendroid]

Just don't wind up in Jail, it's not worth it

 

[DukeDoc08]

Just don't wind up in Jail, it's not worth it

was directed at my statements? I'm not sure what you're talking about
just in case I miswrote, I'm not looking for meds, I was just saying that I was concerned that that is what it would look like becasue of all the abuse that is taking place all over the US

 

[Swenis]

Hey guys, I'm still a pre-med, but I was wondering if you guys could help me out. It has been this way for a while, but over the past year or so I have really noticed that I have a lot of the textbook conditions for ADD/ADHD. I am very easily distracted, it takes a lot of time for me to get schoolwork done because of said distraction, I'm really fidgety, and it's hard for me to concentrate in my lectures and while studying. Now, I have my annual physical tomorrow and I am thinking about asking him about having ADD. How should I bring something like this up?

 

[swoon2song]

I just asked my primary care doc for a referral to a psychiatrist and vaguely specified what my concern was. If you want to keep things private, your meeting with your psychiatrist and their psychotherapy notes do not have to become part of your permanent medical record. If you talk to a psychiatrist, they will meet with you a few times, do an analysis, give you forms to fill out at home and then make a diagnosis. Standard procedure, I think. I know what it feels like to have your worry and the faster you talk to a professional about it the faster you can know what is really going on with your symptoms. Either way, you’ll know and can move on.

I think you nailed another question that I have that is..where do you go to get treated, who do you talk to? I am currently seeing my psychiatrist now who I am comfortable with and now I’m moving to another state to begin med school and I’m not sure what to do...who to see to continue treatment. The poor health insurance package options for medical students is compounding the problem because if I continue to be treated in med school, it looks like it’s going to be very very expensive. Does anyone out there have the AMSA health insurance? Is going to see a psychiatrist to be treated for ADD expensive? Does the insurance cover anything at all? According to the exclusions, they don’t cover anything having to do with learning disabilities.

I’m still shopping around for insurance, any info would help, thanks. Time is running out and I’m getting worried.
Good luck.

 

[EmD]

Thanks to everyone for writing on this post. It helps.

Sometimes, I wondered wether I really had it or not. I am overwhelmed to realize that I share the experiences of many others, almost "verbatim". Yikes, eh?

Someone wrote that they think ADD/ADHD is a natural variant. I'll second this. Indeed, all last year, after I was formally diagnosed, I felt that ADD/ADHD'ers have a variant personality---that ADD/ADHD may be more similar to a "personality type" than a disorder. It seems that we are more creative, more visually orientated (hence easily distracted), more hard-working and physically active (hence hyperactive), more persistent (almost OCD-like), more driven, more willing to succeed and overcome our obstacles that we make for ourselves or that others put in front of us [to prove ourselves] (hence, our impulsivity).

It seems that many of us were academically successful (despite lots of struggle/set-backs) until we got to med school, where our mental motors overheated a bit and our past strategies for success and compensation (i.e. working 10X harder than everyone else, being more creative, etc...) proved less effective. I have felt that med school is a rigorous domain void of creative types like us, where the information demand overwhelms us much more than others. Perhaps, because we are generally very creative, outgoing, always on the go, and driven to succeed that it seems like we are being canned into a square container instead of a round one. However, it is clear that we would make excellent physicians because we generally think-out-of-the-box and synthesize and integrate (all) the information that our counterpart (boring, hum-drum) med peers don't.

I am pleased to know that there are people who really do have ADD/ADHD in medicine and I am pleased to know that the qualities that they share are similar to mine. I am also pleased that this thread helps us be more accepting of our naturally variant personality type. I just wish it was a lot easier to make others accept our mold: we don't fit their mold but, at the same time, we serve to offer something uniquely special and critical to good medicine and patient care. Often, when it matters and the environment is controlled (i.e. our world comes into synchrony with our surroundings), we're hyperfocused and catch critical things and do great things that others miss---things that make the difference and results in outstanding patient care (in the OR, ER, or clinic).

I am glad to see others have taken time for some self-reflection and have debugged their minds, or rather re-tooled them +/- meds. I don't believe meds are enough. It is interesting that we are all independently discovering ourselves and getting better, finding coping strategies that work. It is interesting that we are non-linear thinkers, who can all keep pace with, follow, and understand each other (while still being in pace with the linear thinkers). I would love to share some of my strategies (as I am sure that they really aren't "mine" and that we all creative geniuses have come to much the same successful techniques independently). Pretty cool, eh?

I have the following questions for everyone for starters. It would be nice if we can get some sort of consensus. It would be nice if we can sort out the things that work vs. things that don't (as a generalization, for now. Obviously, everyone may be slightly different, but let's just see for sure and by how much).

Here goes:

1. What strategies seem to work for you for NBME exams (taking into consideration timing and accuracy)?

2. What strategies seem to work for you socially [in and out of clinics] (i.e. keeping your mouth shut, walking away, deep breathing, being patient/letting time (painfully) pass, etc..)?

3. Has anyone felt "discriminated against" while in med school/wards/residency? Does anyone feel like they may be in a Catch-22 situation? If so, describe.

4. Has any senior school official or clinical department chair said to you that you are more "cutout for 'x'?" If so what is "x"? and what was the 'made-up'/b.s. reason?

5. Has anyone ever hinted or suggested, you may harm/injure/kill patients, without giving you a satisfactory reason despite really being just like any other student, resident, clinician?

6. Do you ever feel that others don't understand you or misinterpret you (i.e. others seem like concrete thinkers or too stupid to get what you are imparting)? Do you feel you know the answer (and much more) but that your evaluators mischaracterize it, don't recognize it, or don't acknowledge you for it?

7. What strategies work best for memorizing (please rank or comment)? a) writing it all out, b) colors, c) cue cards, d) talking/listening, e) repetition, f) pictures, g) experiencing it/touching, feeling it, being there when it happens, etc.., h) mneumonics, i) meditation/inner voice, j) other [fill-in-the-blank].

8. How old were you when you first felt "different" (i.e. frustrated, distracted, etc...) than others in your class? Did you feel socially different as well?

9. Did your parents ever read to you when you were a child? Did you prefer watching T.V., doing physical activities like "playing" rather than reading when you were growing up as a child?

10. How old were you when you first felt reading was "hard" for you (or that you preferred books with pictures, instead? Did you ever have a school tutor? Did this continue through college with TA's, special help, etc...?

11. What was your best subject? (art, math, music, sports, other non-reading/'sustained-attention' subjects?)

12. Do you seem to a) learn better and/or b) feel happiest when you are physically moving (i.e. walking, driving/riding in car, being in a place where the scenery keeps changing, playing sports, running, biking)?

13. What part of your body can't keep still (lower extremities [legs, feet], upper extremities [fingers, hands, arms], eyes [perhaps a bit of opsoclonus], etc..)? What helps you keep still?

14. Do meds seem to work better for your hyperactivity than for anything else (i.e. concentration)?

15. Are you a male or female, as the phenotype is slightly different depending on gender (i.e. females tend to have less of the hyperactivity component)?

16. Did the ADD/ADHD stimulant meds resolve your depression (if you had it) or did they expose, perhaps, an underlying OCD component (that was socially masked before)? Any other revelations?

17. Were you a term or pre-term baby? LBW? VLBW? (birth weight).

18. Did you ever have a head injury with concussion?



I hope answers to these can help everyone just as previous comments have so far. Thank ya kindly.


-EmD-


BTW, if you're curious, the answers as they apply to me are already in the questions.

 

[curlykid]

I have a question, how does one go about getting tested for ADD or ADHD?

As a child, my doctor wanted me tested for ADD because I displayed many of the symptoms, but my parents refused claimnig that it is impossible that their "bright" daughter have learning problems and that the pediatricians are trying to get kids on ritalin (they saw it on DATELINE or a show like that, that did an expose on how too many kids are being prescribed ritilin) ( and also most people in my family are known to be "highly intelligent" as well, so they assumed how could their child from a highly intelligent family have any sort of learning problems?)

I honestly have no idea whether i have ADD or not, but I would like to know and see if there is anything I can do about it. I know that having many of the symptoms doesn't necessarily mean having a disease, but its so frustrating not being able to concentrate well or finding my mind jumps about to too many things at a time, it takes me so much longer to get any work done because my mind is buzzing all over the place. Reading is a challenge. Papers are impossible, takes me hours to get anything written, I never finish exams (except orgo - i managed to finish a few of those). I talked to a counselor at school and she suggested that I go to a psychologist (the guy charges $800 and i don't have that much money) does anyone have any less expensive suggestions? my grades are hurting in college, and i would like to be able to find a solution to help them if my problem is ADD or anything one can pinpoint. thanks for reading this.

all of my friends think i need to see someone about my problems, but i don't know how to go about doing it without my parents finding out.

EDIT: I'm sorry, I should have read the other posts after the first page before posting my question, I didn't realize it was similar to some other questions [though it is slightly different, i don't know how to go about getting tested without my parents finding out]

 

[curlykid]

Here goes:

1. What strategies seem to work for you for NBME exams (taking into consideration timing and accuracy)?

n/a still a wee little pre-med 😛

2. What strategies seem to work for you socially [in and out of clinics] (i.e. keeping your mouth shut, walking away, deep breathing, being patient/letting time (painfully) pass, etc..)?

3. Has anyone felt "discriminated against" while in med school/wards/residency? Does anyone feel like they may be in a Catch-22 situation? If so, describe.

4. Has any senior school official or clinical department chair said to you that you are more "cutout for 'x'?" If so what is "x"? and what was the 'made-up'/b.s. reason?

5. Has anyone ever hinted or suggested, you may harm/injure/kill patients, without giving you a satisfactory reason despite really being just like any other student, resident, clinician?

6. Do you ever feel that others don't understand you or misinterpret you (i.e. others seem like concrete thinkers or too stupid to get what you are imparting)? Do you feel you know the answer (and much more) but that your evaluators mischaracterize it, don't recognize it, or don't acknowledge you for it?

"oh my goodness YES!!! It's so frustrating. (Though I will admit, sometimes I think I say thinks with the best intention and it come out totally wrong! so people assume i meant something, but i had a totally different intention)

7. What strategies work best for memorizing (please rank or comment)? a) writing it all out, b) colors, c) cue cards, d) talking/listening, e) repetition, f) pictures, g) experiencing it/touching, feeling it, being there when it happens, etc.., h) mneumonics, i) meditation/inner voice, j) other [fill-in-the-blank].

colors and pictures definitely 👍 (orgo was fun drawing out all of the mechinisms and biochem too). Also, experiencing it/touching, feeling it, being there when it happens (i'm a very very visual sort of person, things make so much more sense to me if i can see how they work). And also relating what I am trying to learn to stuff I already know, I found also helps me memorize info.

8. How old were you when you first felt "different" (i.e. frustrated, distracted, etc...) than others in your class? Did you feel socially different as well?

I'm not sure that this question is quite applicable to me. I am Indian and grew up in a very white town. I was picked on since the first grade (i was the only colored girl in my class - actually they used to think i was black) so i've always felt different, and it's weird, as a kid i always found it a lot easier to talk to teachers and adults than kids my own age. People always assumed I was dumb b/c of my color, when they realized I was smart, they were obnoxious, so I used to act like i was dumb in school.

9. Did your parents ever read to you when you were a child? Did you prefer watching T.V., doing physical activities like "playing" rather than reading when you were growing up as a child?

Actually, I was an avid reader as a child (my best friend read a lot, so I used to read a lot of the same stuff she did). Then sometime I "discovered" TV, and became addicted and stopped reading. My sis and I used to have "obstacle courses" around our basement while watching TV. I don't remember when I started having problems reading, but reading was never a problem when I was very young (in fact, I think I remember being able to speed read [which is something I can't do today])

10. How old were you when you first felt reading was "hard" for you (or that you preferred books with pictures, instead? Did you ever have a school tutor? Did this continue through college with TA's, special help, etc...?

Fourth grade and after (me thinks). I never received help in school until college, when i requested a "mentor" for help with some of my classes

11. What was your best subject? (art, math, music, sports, other non-reading/'sustained-attention' subjects?)

Math and science were by far my best and favorite subjects growing up 🙂 (still my favorite) but in college, it's weird, english composition has been my best class and most of my classes that require writing (even though I hate writing with a passion [it take me hours and hours to produce anything worth reading] and would must rather spend my days doing science and math problem sets) ~ perhaps its b/c I am so anal when it comes to writing and have a lot more time to write essays than to complete an exam (which i rarely finish)

12. Do you seem to a) learn better and/or b) feel happiest when you are physically moving (i.e. walking, driving/riding in car, being in a place where the scenery keeps changing, playing sports, running, biking)?

hmm interesting question, when i am learning stuff, i definitely tend to act things out. when studying for biochemistry, my hands would act out a lot of the mechanisms and things would make a lot more sense when i could physically show how things happen. Though I am a terrible driver (i guess i might be b/c i have not really practiced much, i'm so scared of driving) i just had assumed it would come naturally to me, because physically doing stuff makes sense to me

13. What part of your body can't keep still (lower extremities [legs, feet], upper extremities [fingers, hands, arms], eyes [perhaps a bit of opsoclonus], etc..)? What helps you keep still?

crossing my legs helps keep my legs still (though it doing terrible things to my knees) i don't think i am ever really truly still, i'm always donig something or at least figeting about.

14. Do meds seem to work better for your hyperactivity than for anything else (i.e. concentration)?

never had the opportunity to try meds

15. Are you a male or female, as the phenotype is slightly different depending on gender (i.e. females tend to have less of the hyperactivity component)?

female

16. Did the ADD/ADHD stimulant meds resolve your depression (if you had it) or did they expose, perhaps, an underlying OCD component (that was socially masked before)? Any other revelations?

huh, that would be interesting if they did, perhaps i ought to try looking into these meds

17. Were you a term or pre-term baby? LBW? VLBW? (birth weight).

nope maybe 2 -3 weeks early (5.6 lbs)

18. Did you ever have a head injury with concussion?

not that i know of...

I hope answers to these can help everyone just as previous comments have so far. Thank ya kindly.


-EmD-


BTW, if you're curious, the answers as they apply to me are already in the questions.[/QUOTE]

 

[jintonic5]

I think you would need to explain a drop in gpa rather than an increase. Did (Will) you address the issue in your essay at all?

yeah i'll definitely have to address my gpa at one point or another... i'm curious if mentioning mental illness/depression/add at all will create a bias against me during applications?

thanks in advance!

 

[zoom zoom]

Hello everyone!

sorry for posting on this site, but i haven't gotten too much feedback on the pre-med site. I'm applying to allopathic schools this year. When i took the mcat the last 3 times, i would get so nervous, anxious, couldn't focus, and it went downhill. i was noticing in my life in general, i couldn't concentrate. decided to get tested and sure enough i found ADHD this past week. started getting medications and i feel better already. i want to know if it's ok to write this in secondary questions that ask about special circumstances or would it be looked upon negatively by adcoms? I don't want it to sound like an excuse. I have a 3.6 GPA, a graduate degree w/ a 3.9 but mcat no higher than 24. I have excellent extracurriculars, publications, am a URM, and applied as economically disadvantaged. Please advise me on whether or not it's a good idea to discuss it in seocndaries and interviews.. thank you so much

p.s. for those interested, i'm only applying MD, not DO, and not to the carribean

 

[DeterminedMD]

So after being in school for a few months now and struggling to focus my doctor thinks I have ADD. Funny, it never even crossed my mind that I had that. But here I am. ADD in med school. And med school is kickin my ass. I am not on meds. Nor am I starting meds. But at some point I need to try an figure out how to be able to concentrate. Its not that I dont try. But man, during tests I have to read a question like 15 times before I finally get through the whole question. I am reluctant to start meds. ANy of you find any other techniques that work?

I go with adderall, works great.

I just found out I had ADD or whatever, and I am still not convinced WHAT i have, but I know it is something. My test scores went from bottom 10% in the class to over the mean just by taking the adderall, its so wierd. I really get into a groove with it and just go with it till I cover all the material, take the test and its done, the way I thought medical school would be in the first place.

 

[stoic]

hey guys, i don't have a specific reply but more of a general statement. it's important to be clear that this ADD/ADHD thing isn't something that is adult-onset. the diagnostic criteria specify that these traits be present in early childhood. that doesn't mean that you can't go undiagnosed until adulthood, and in fact the smarter a person is (who has adhd), the less likely it is that they will be diagnosed as a child.

i think it's also important to note that this is not a disorder that only effects academics. in fact again by definition it has to effect "performance" in multiple settings. for example it's pretty classical for people who meet the diagnostic criteria to have had a life full of difficult relationships due to a number of the adhd characteristics.

so if you're just having trouble studying biochem for 12 hours straight, well that just means you're human. (although it is true that stimulants would most likely help with this, even if you didn't have adhd... but that's an entirely different conversation.)

if you're still wondering about this, probably the place to start is your pcp. i don't like the fact that this thread has basically turned into "do you think these problems i have could be ADHD?" answering such questions is basically giving medical advice, which isn't something we do here on sdn.

if you're interested in finding more information about ADHD before you go to your doc, i'd suggest finding a copy of the DSM diagnostic criteria and doing a little background research first. there is a ton of info about the topic on the 'net, just be careful where you get it from. i promise if you go to the adderal xr website you will come away convinced you have adhd.

 

[siimpleton]

I would like to echo what someone had asked earlier about discrimination, particularly in reference to taking accomadation on the USMLE. Has anyone done this and felt it hurt them? Or does anyone have an insight to how residencies would percieve an accomadation (since it is reported with your score)?

Also I noticed some people mentioned coffe. Does that help to avoid spacing out?

 

[stoic]

I would like to echo what someone had asked earlier about discrimination, particularly in reference to taking accomadation on the USMLE. Has anyone done this and felt it hurt them? Or does anyone have an insight to how residencies would percieve an accomadation (since it is reported with your score)?

Also I noticed some people mentioned coffe. Does that help to avoid spacing out?

there have been some studies done showing that in individuals dx'ed w/adhd, coffee DOES NOT seem to be an effective management tool. see pubmed for further info.

 

[Hoya11]

So after being in school for a few months now and struggling to focus my doctor thinks I have ADD. Funny, it never even crossed my mind that I had that. But here I am. ADD in med school. And med school is kickin my ass. I am not on meds. Nor am I starting meds. But at some point I need to try an figure out how to be able to concentrate. Its not that I dont try. But man, during tests I have to read a question like 15 times before I finally get through the whole question. I am reluctant to start meds. ANy of you find any other techniques that work?

I am honored that my quote was used to revive this thread after so long!

Hey DeterminedMD,

I am still using meds for studying only, nothing long term, same old strategy and I have been doing really well since my last post almost a year ago. Thinking back to struggling the first year, it was the toughest time of my life, and I do not know what I would have done without my solution. If I didnt have to take the meds, I wouldnt. BUt it got to the point where I would try anything to stop the hemmorraghing grade wise, and only you can know when you reach this point. If you have any questions PM me im still active on here, later...

 

[NRAI2001]

Is it possible to build a tolerance to drugs like adderall?

 

[Megalofyia]

Is it possible to build a tolerance to drugs like adderall?

Yes.

 

[KitesurfDaEarth]

First of all, coffee spaces me out like no other, the only thing that I find that REALLY works for me to concentrate is to work-out really hard and study right after that, but you really only get one hit a day of that.

Anyways I was wondering if any of you guys have taken USMLE Step I yet and what kind of board prep strategies did you find successful. ALOT of people i know in my school are taking Kaplan but honestly in a classroom environment full of interesting people and things moving everywhere and maybe even a window or two to the outside world, I dont know how I would be able to stand 2 hours of lecture let alone 8. I am considering self-study but i am thinking something that required more active learning on my part would be much more high yield for my personality. Input is appreciated. thanks.

 

[rgerwin]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at the end of college, partly b/c I didn't have the support or proper advice to sick mental health. I always thought if I just worked harder, I could achieve what everyone else seemed to be able to do with much less effort. It has taken years for me to accept and embrace consistent therapy/medication, and I look back on all the time that was used for struggle. I think some struggle is character building, however I will be fighting my academic record for a really long time. If you can get help now, do it. If you are in college, you can go to their health services anonymously, so you don't have to tell your parents. Don't wait!!! It's amazing how much better you'll feel.

I have a question, how does one go about getting tested for ADD or ADHD?

As a child, my doctor wanted me tested for ADD because I displayed many of the symptoms, but my parents refused claimnig that it is impossible that their "bright" daughter have learning problems and that the pediatricians are trying to get kids on ritalin (they saw it on DATELINE or a show like that, that did an expose on how too many kids are being prescribed ritilin) ( and also most people in my family are known to be "highly intelligent" as well, so they assumed how could their child from a highly intelligent family have any sort of learning problems?)

I honestly have no idea whether i have ADD or not, but I would like to know and see if there is anything I can do about it. I know that having many of the symptoms doesn't necessarily mean having a disease, but its so frustrating not being able to concentrate well or finding my mind jumps about to too many things at a time, it takes me so much longer to get any work done because my mind is buzzing all over the place. Reading is a challenge. Papers are impossible, takes me hours to get anything written, I never finish exams (except orgo - i managed to finish a few of those). I talked to a counselor at school and she suggested that I go to a psychologist (the guy charges $800 and i don't have that much money) does anyone have any less expensive suggestions? my grades are hurting in college, and i would like to be able to find a solution to help them if my problem is ADD or anything one can pinpoint. thanks for reading this.

all of my friends think i need to see someone about my problems, but i don't know how to go about doing it without my parents finding out.

EDIT: I'm sorry, I should have read the other posts after the first page before posting my question, I didn't realize it was similar to some other questions [though it is slightly different, i don't know how to go about getting tested without my parents finding out]

 

[NRAI2001]

Hello everyone!

sorry for posting on this site, but i haven't gotten too much feedback on the pre-med site. I'm applying to allopathic schools this year. When i took the mcat the last 3 times, i would get so nervous, anxious, couldn't focus, and it went downhill. i was noticing in my life in general, i couldn't concentrate. decided to get tested and sure enough i found ADHD this past week. started getting medications and i feel better already. i want to know if it's ok to write this in secondary questions that ask about special circumstances or would it be looked upon negatively by adcoms? I don't want it to sound like an excuse. I have a 3.6 GPA, a graduate degree w/ a 3.9 but mcat no higher than 24. I have excellent extracurriculars, publications, am a URM, and applied as economically disadvantaged. Please advise me on whether or not it's a good idea to discuss it in seocndaries and interviews.. thank you so much

p.s. for those interested, i'm only applying MD, not DO, and not to the carribean

Good question, will schools be more reluctant to accept you if you disclose this to them?

 

[rgerwin]

An excellent question. It's a fine line. Yes, you don't want them thjinking academic underachieving was just laziness, but you also don't want them thinking you're a liability. My best advice, and the one I'm taking for myself, is to touch upon it briefly, harp on the fact you've overcome it, and somehow tie it in to you becoming a better doctor for it.

Any thoughts on this approach?

 

[Hoya11]

I wouldnt mention it at all. If you improve and then justify your old low scores as ADD that is now corrected, that is ok. But dont bring up a problem that apparently is not solved. For the guy with the 24, Restudy for the mcat and then retake it, shoot for 27+.

 

[ejf]

what's the deal with adderal supposedly being so dangerous?
where does the rumor come from?

Do y'all seem to study more or less than your peers?

I take aderall...and yes i study more than my peers (the additional LD may also slow me down a bit). The only people who study as much as i do (or at least admit to studying as much as i do) are those individuals at the very top of my class (i'm at the bottom). But as we progress through the year, i'm learing new study habits. and i have been reminded a number of times (by educational specialists) that my needs and abilities are different from those of most people, so i have to remember that when i am given advise by professors and classmates that i need to take it with a grain of salt (beacuse they may not know what they're talking about).

Anyone have any really great study advise? memorization is my weak point. I have recently started using Supermemo which i think will be wonderful.

 

[ejf]

An excellent question. It's a fine line. Yes, you don't want them thjinking academic underachieving was just laziness, but you also don't want them thinking you're a liability. My best advice, and the one I'm taking for myself, is to touch upon it briefly, harp on the fact you've overcome it, and somehow tie it in to you becoming a better doctor for it.

Any thoughts on this approach?

I strongly advise against mentioning it. I have spoken with a number of applicant review board members. Everyone says "DONT DO IT."

 

[ejf]

Good question, will schools be more reluctant to accept you if you disclose this to them?

I strongly advise against mentioning it. I have spoken with a number of applicant review board members. Everyone says "DONT DO IT."

 

[ejf]

I have struggled all year (actually my entire academic career) with focus, but I have always worked my way through it, you know? I mean I just stayed up all of the time, crammed going into exams and always came out with middle Bs...
but as this year has progressed I have done worse and worse even though my effort has increased a lot! I sit and study for hours without any progress (except for checking email every 5 minutes)...
today we had a practice step I exam and I really started thinking about ADHD...I opened up the exam and spaced out on question #1!!!!
it is almost like I'm thinking about other things while I'm reading a question or studying material...then I look at it again like I've never seen it before!!! It is really frustrating!!!
I'm not sure if I'm just an idiot or if something is wrong with me...
I am just really confused about where to start...how do you explain to a doctor that you are sucking in the classroom, can't focus, can't concentrate...when everyone knows med school is hard and people struggle? and now with soo many med students abusing the diagnosis for the drugs and supposed study help it brings I really feel like I'm fishing for drugs
It has been a long year and I really wish I had talked to somebody about it...now I feel like it is too late
our 2nd year is like a lot of people's 3rd year in that we are on the wards...if I really do have ADHD would it still behoove me to talk to a doctor?
sorry that I'm treating this thread as my personal support group...not sure where else to go...

Your school should have free counseling (or some sort of "mental health" services). Use them. My school offers educational testing on a limited basis if , say, the dean requests an evaluation. perhaps you could discuss this with your dean of student activities (or equivalent). I pursued testing on my own (just for some sort of validation). In the meantime, why not get a tutor who can help you stay focused??? if you're willing to spend money on tuition, a couple hundred for a tutor is just a drop in the bucket.

 

[klptvf]

I just spent some time reading thru this entire post, which has been awesome and great, but I am getting a little distracted, so I have to take a break.
I have not been formally diagnosed but I am certain that I have it, this is not an attempt to act like a know it all, but ive done some researching and my current job includes these assessments, and ive unofficially completed a measure. I need to get a formal diagnosis and i am looking forward to that actually. But, when applying to schools, and committes see my very, very, very inconsistent grades as a result of this struggle, do i tell them? That is, once an official diagnosis is made. I believe it is certainly a factor in my terribly inconsistent and low gpa. I know interviews will ask me to explain my GPA and incosistencies but will the truth hurt me?

if i dont get the diagnosis of course this doesnt apply ,but again, i feel certain that i have this. and what if i also get diagnosed with anxiety/depression since these are so comorbid and i feel like i have these possibly too. gosh dont tell me i am too distracted, anxious or depressed to even go to med school. it will just add to my anxiety. lol

i just am not sure how to explain my gpa otherwise. i dont know if the committess would appreciate this response, though accurate: I was just being lazy and slacking as i juggled three jobs which is no excuse.

Thanks all for the input.

 

[NRAI2001]

I strongly advise against mentioning it. I have spoken with a number of applicant review board members. Everyone says "DONT DO IT."

If you dont tell them, will they be able to find out on their own? Can they access that info?

 

[liveandlearn]

If you dont tell them, will they be able to find out on their own? Can they access that info?

no, thats against the law. try not to be too paranoid. :-D

 

[NRAI2001]

no, thats against the law. try not to be too paranoid. :-D

I thought Med schools and especially residency programs had access to your medical records and info?

I am not paranoid........................hey wait hey, is that a residency director behind that bush??

 

[siimpleton]

I thought Med schools and especially residency programs had access to your medical records and info?

I am not paranoid........................hey wait hey, is that a residency director behind that bush??

medical reacords??? as in your personal health records? I am sure that would be illegal, and for the most part impossible. The only way they would know is 1)if you told them and 2) if you had accomadations on an exam such as the MCAT or USMLE (not the SAT). ...or i guess if you told someone else that happened to tell them, like another student or physician that they know...then theroetically they could find out that way. So it wouldn't be advisable to go around blabbing the issue to everyone.

 

[marcus_aurelius]

how does one know they have ADD vs anxiety?

 

[NRAI2001]

medical reacords??? as in your personal health records? I am sure that would be illegal, and for the most part impossible. The only way they would know is 1)if you told them and 2) if you had accomadations on an exam such as the MCAT or USMLE (not the SAT). ...or i guess if you told someone else that happened to tell them, like another student or physician that they know...then theroetically they could find out that way. So it wouldn't be advisable to go around blabbing the issue to everyone.

Blabb

 

[liveandlearn]

how does one know they have ADD vs anxiety?

they see a licensed psychologist for testing/assesment.

 

[lidguy]

I strongly advise against mentioning it. I have spoken with a number of applicant review board members. Everyone says "DONT DO IT."

I also spoke with admissions committee members at couple of medical schools back when I was applying to school. They agreed that you should never bring up ADD and should to make sure that it should not be communicated through other means such as a recommendation letter. Though there may be exceptions, they said that many committees view ADD as a glaring "red flag" that may override demonstrating competence with great stats. The same is true for other psych issues such as depression, eating disorders etc. It may seem like overcoming such obstacles and achieving academically would be an asset, unfortunately medical schools see it as a predictor of future problems.

 

[NRAI2001]

http://safeusmeds.com/iteminfo.asp?item=adderall

I found this while searching for something. Are sites like these for real? Are they scams? Seems hard to believe you can buy prescription drugs like these online.

 

[NRAI2001]

Sorry double post.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

http://safeusmeds.com/iteminfo.asp?item=adderall

I found this while searching for something. Are sites like these for real? Are they scams? Seems hard to believe you can buy prescription drugs like these online.

Sure... if you want the feds knocking at your front door. (which does happen) 🙂

 

[VaEMTGuy]

I'd like to restart some of the discussion about ADD/ADHD with a slightly different slant for a bit. There has been a lot of discussion about dx and which drugs help and so forth, but what about trying to make it through medical school without using ADD meds?
How often is it done?

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Medicine is not a good field for people with attention span disorders. If you're making it I'm happy for you and wish you all the best. I do think it is a bit dodgy to say that "I could be a great doctor if I could only take medication to make me study." How is that different than saying "I could be a great football player if I could just take steroids and ephedrine?"

Plus, I have serious misgivings (and I have heard this echoed by numerous physicians) about people in medical school who say they are "totally ADD." If you are "totally ADD" you're probably going to be a below-average doctor, period. That might sound harsh but who would you choose if you had to pick between a doctor who had trouble concentrating on your problems or one who didnt?

People talk as if there are fields of medicine that are perfectly suited for people w/o attention spans. Sure, you could go into one of those fields, but you're not going to be the favorite doc come signout time.

The fact that you have trouble studying 8 hrs a day for biochem and anatomy does not mean that you have ADD. The fact that you didn't beat the mean on your test does not mean that you have ADD.

Adderall is not a multivitamin. It is a powerful stimulant that is both addictive and abused.

End of rant, I just feel like I've worked hard to get where I am and I haven't taken medications to help me study. Even if you disagree with me I hope you can see my point...

 

[Miami_med]

I'd like to restart some of the discussion about ADD/ADHD with a slightly different slant for a bit. There has been a lot of discussion about dx and which drugs help and so forth, but what about trying to make it through medical school without using ADD meds?

Personally I don't want to use them because at some level it feels like a crutch and if I start then when can I ever stop? If I need them to get through 1st year, then is it fair to stop taking them on rotation, or in residency, or in practice? And then how do you know what was really your capability and what was being bolstered by the drugs? (Granted I know its still the same abilities, you may just be using them more efficiently with meds)

Like many here I ask this question with a personal interest in these answers. I was dx with what would now be termed Predominantly Inattentive Type ADHD way back when I was 6 years old. I did the ritalin thing until high school and then decided that I didn't want to rely on drugs for the rest of my life and I was sick of some of the side effects. I decided to rely on other forms of compensation. Made it through HS and college with decent grades, though I did change my major a few times and pick up two bachelors in unrelated fields, and now find my self a 1st year med student.
At the start of second semester I'm passing all my classes, though I can see definite room for improvement. However, there are lots of days where I might set aside 6 hours for study and only get 2 hours of really good studying in. And this worries me because am constantly worried about getting burned on some upcoming course like neuro or pharm which have lots of straight memorization.

So I would appreciate any thoughts or comments on the issue of medication or anything else here.

I was also diagnosed, in my case at 10, with what would now be considered Inattentive type ADHD. My mother refused to put me on meds, and I've never taken them since. I concur with your feelings. I'm also in the middle of my class, and I also have some difficulty studying for long (or sometimes even short) periods for classes that have a lot of rote memorization.

Here's my take on it. The medical school process, with all of its political influence, is still the gold standard on determining if a person is capable of practicing medicine. If you are consistently passing your classes, and you are able to accomplish the necessary work on clinicals, you are capable. I won't take meds, because I do not want to become dependent, and I don't think that my patients would want a doctor who was reliant on powerful stimulant drugs. That is my choice, and I know that some people go the other way. I'm really just offering moral support. You'll pull through, you'll find your niche, and you'll be perfectly good at what you do.

 

[VaEMTGuy]

Thanks, I agree completely with your take on this. And it is correct to point out that these are very powerful drugs which should not be thrown around lightly. I'm pretty sure that If I've made it this far I'll continue to succeed.

On a more general note, I guess the only other issue to ever remember is that attention spans, like every other human characteristic, exist on a sliding scale and that some people therefore may need more support than others.
Again, thanks for your post.

 

[Ross434]

If you need accomodations to get through med school (ie: meds), so be it. If you can make it through, there's a good chance that you'll be able to practice with safety and confidence. Guess what, the accomodations (ie: meds) will still be available for you to use when you're a physician, and nobody will ever need to find out. If you're performing at a high enough level (ie: passing, and safe) you'll be fine. Plenty of people use drugs in society to enhance their performance or satisfaction with life. In this case, it's not hurting *anyone*.

 

[vtucci]

Okay- my doctors thought I had ADD when I was a child but my mother refused to put me on ritalin because of the side effects she had heard about. It had never been a huge problem for me in school until I entered medical school. In fact, I graduated from an Ivy League College and then with honors from law school. However, first semester of medical school and my anatomy block and my ADD reared its ugly head. I would not have passed anatomy or physio had I not finally seen a doctor, been formally diagnosed and put on Adderall. My psychiatrist told me that it was volume triggered (medical school has far more information than law school).

For those of us who use medications, it is not merely a matter of I use X to help me study. Adderall would help anyone's concentration as it is a stimulant. Unless you have ADD or ADHD, you do not know what it is like to try to function without the meds and have your mind jump every two seconds. Also, keep in mind that there are variations within the group. Not everyone's ADD is the same. There are different levels, different triggers and different coping mechanisms that work for people.

In terms of fields of medicine, I am attracted to the ones that have more "ADD" personalities (like EM and Infectious Disease). I like solving problems and have a penchant for it. We may be better suited for such fields than many of our colleagues. I love multi-tasking and do a better job when I am juggling a lot of tasks at the same time.

For those of you who are concerned about addiction, it is something to discuss with your doctor. Many medications can be abused and this includes all psychiatric drugs (Adderall, lexapro etc.) as well as the opiates people take for pain relief. However, when properly prescribed and taken, most people do well. Nonetheless, the choice is ours.

 

[vtucci]

1. What strategies seem to work for you for NBME exams (taking into consideration timing and accuracy)?
Haven't done the step I yet but I do as many questions as possible for NBME shelfs and that works well for me (at least so far, knock wood).

2. What strategies seem to work for you socially [in and out of clinics] (i.e. keeping your mouth shut, walking away, deep breathing, being patient/letting time (painfully) pass, etc..)?
I don't have a problem working with patients and in clinics. I love working with patients and talking to people. I do have to remind myself to be patient when rounds/conference are taking way longer than I would prefer (ex. 2 hours for conference in psych- I know that this is not nearly as long as they can be elsewhere). I try to solve the puzzle when other people are presenting their cases so as to take as much from the experience as possible and not let my mind day dream.

3. Has anyone felt "discriminated against" while in med school/wards/residency? Does anyone feel like they may be in a Catch-22 situation? If so, describe.
No but I am not on the wards full-time yet- just a second year. I do not expect to have problems but will let you guys know.

4. Has any senior school official or clinical department chair said to you that you are more "cutout for 'x'?" If so what is "x"? and what was the 'made-up'/b.s. reason?
No one has ever told me I should or should not go into a particular field until I mentioned that I am pretty hard core about emergency med. Then, I often hear that they think I would be well-suited for that field (in terms of the way my mind works as well as my personality).

5. Has anyone ever hinted or suggested, you may harm/injure/kill patients, without giving you a satisfactory reason despite really being just like any other student, resident, clinician?
No. I have actually heard the opposite- that our quick thinking may actually save more patients.

6. Do you ever feel that others don't understand you or misinterpret you (i.e. others seem like concrete thinkers or too stupid to get what you are imparting)? Do you feel you know the answer (and much more) but that your evaluators mischaracterize it, don't recognize it, or don't acknowledge you for it?
I understand where you are going here. One criticism I received was that I make connections too quickly (I have not been wrong once about a diagnosis but the faculty are concerned, and perhaps rightly, that most students should not make the kind of jumps in logic that come so naturally to me).

7. What strategies work best for memorizing (please rank or comment)? a) writing it all out, b) colors, c) cue cards, d) talking/listening, e) repetition, f) pictures, g) experiencing it/touching, feeling it, being there when it happens, etc.., h) mneumonics, i) meditation/inner voice, j) other [fill-in-the-blank].
writing it all out with repetition is the only thing that really works for me. I am a visual learner. I have found that I can only use certain color highlighters (blue, green or purple) as I find the other colors distracting.

8. How old were you when you first felt "different" (i.e. frustrated, distracted, etc...) than others in your class? Did you feel socially different as well?
I felt frustrated and distracted when I did not have enough to do to keep my attention. That happened frequently when I was younger and so my parents adapted and made sure I had tons of books and activities to choose from.

9. Did your parents ever read to you when you were a child? Did you prefer watching T.V., doing physical activities like "playing" rather than reading when you were growing up as a child?
My parents made learning a game. For example, my dad had me memorize the times tables up to 12 before I was 3. he did it like a parlor trick and I loved the attention it would garner from adults when we did things like that. Only child here. We read alot but I was very active and involved in sports from a young age.

10. How old were you when you first felt reading was "hard" for you (or that you preferred books with pictures, instead? Did you ever have a school tutor? Did this continue through college with TA's, special help, etc...?
I never had difficulty with reading. I was reading novels (Black Beauty) before I entered kindergarten and had a college reading level (according to state tests) in first grade. I was just bored very easily so my mother sent me to school with extra work.

11. What was your best subject? (art, math, music, sports, other non-reading/'sustained-attention' subjects?)
In high school, I did extremely well in all subjects from history to science to math (although I hated calc and physics- I don't visualize or memorize well- any wonder that anatomy was my least favorite class in med school). English was my least favorite but I love to read. However, I do not enjoy reading textbooks.

12. Do you seem to a) learn better and/or b) feel happiest when you are physically moving (i.e. walking, driving/riding in car, being in a place where the scenery keeps changing, playing sports, running, biking)?
I do not need to physically move to learn best but I need something else in the background (TV or music).

13. What part of your body can't keep still (lower extremities [legs, feet], upper extremities [fingers, hands, arms], eyes [perhaps a bit of opsoclonus], etc..)? What helps you keep still?
I move my feet alot. I have consciously think about it to stop them from moving.

14. Do meds seem to work better for your hyperactivity than for anything else (i.e. concentration)?
Meds are the only thing that work for me in med school. In previous life, I would just get involved with as many projects as possible and that tended to make me more efficient. I also developed coping mechanisms like paying the bills the same day I received them so I would not forget.

15. Are you a male or female, as the phenotype is slightly different depending on gender (i.e. females tend to have less of the hyperactivity component)?
Female

16. Did the ADD/ADHD stimulant meds resolve your depression (if you had it) or did they expose, perhaps, an underlying OCD component (that was socially masked before)? Any other revelations?
Never had depression/anxiety/OCD or any other issue. No problems following meds.

17. Were you a term or pre-term baby? LBW? VLBW? (birth weight).
6 weeks premature but 8 pounds, 6 ounces (my mom was diabetic)

18. Did you ever have a head injury with concussion?
Not that I am aware of.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Okay- my doctors thought I had ADD when I was a child but my mother refused to put me on ritalin because of the side effects she had heard about. It had never been a huge problem for me in school until I entered medical school. In fact, I graduated from an Ivy League College and then with honors from law school. However, first semester of medical school and my anatomy block and my ADD reared its ugly head. I would not have passed anatomy or physio had I not finally seen a doctor, been formally diagnosed and put on Adderall. My psychiatrist told me that it was volume triggered (medical school has far more information than law school).

For those of us who use medications, it is not merely a matter of I use X to help me study. Adderall would help anyone's concentration as it is a stimulant. Unless you have ADD or ADHD, you do not know what it is like to try to function without the meds and have your mind jump every two seconds. Also, keep in mind that there are variations within the group. Not everyone's ADD is the same. There are different levels, different triggers and different coping mechanisms that work for people.

In terms of fields of medicine, I am attracted to the ones that have more "ADD" personalities (like EM and Infectious Disease). I like solving problems and have a penchant for it. We may be better suited for such fields than many of our colleagues. I love multi-tasking and do a better job when I am juggling a lot of tasks at the same time.
For those of you who are concerned about addiction, it is something to discuss with your doctor. Many medications can be abused and this includes all psychiatric drugs (Adderall, lexapro etc.) as well as the opiates people take for pain relief. However, when properly prescribed and taken, most people do well. Nonetheless, the choice is ours.

Then you don't have ADD.

From DSM IV

SYMPTOMS OF INATTENTION
a. often ignores details; makes careless mistakes
b. often has trouble sustaining attention in work or play
c. often does not seem to listen when directly addressed
d. often does not follow through on instructions; fails to finish
e. often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
f. often avoids activities that require a sustained mental effort
g. often loses things he needs
h. often gets distracted by extraneous noise
i. is often forgetful in daily activities


So if you truly meet the criteria of ADD, why are you drawn to specialties that would be nightmarish for someone with the disease? Infectious Disease is certainly a curious choice, it is among the most methodical of all the medical subspecialties. EM is a field where you must juggle multiple patients (some of them critical) at once, if anything you have to be MORE focused than your colleagues. How can you claim that you meet those ADD criteria but also claim that you are gifted at "multi-tasking?"

I'm not trying to perseverate on this, just to continue this discussion. It seems patently ridiculous to me to say that you graduated with honors from an Ivy and then law school then all of a sudden got hit with ADD.

Adderall is a drug that improves concentration. I knew lots of people in college that would buy them off a kid in the dorm to cram for finals, I knew people that took them before athletic events. It's a performance enhancing drug, period.

 

[Miami_med]

Then you don't have ADD.

From DSM IV

SYMPTOMS OF INATTENTION
a. often ignores details; makes careless mistakes
b. often has trouble sustaining attention in work or play
c. often does not seem to listen when directly addressed
d. often does not follow through on instructions; fails to finish
e. often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
f. often avoids activities that require a sustained mental effort
g. often loses things he needs
h. often gets distracted by extraneous noise
i. is often forgetful in daily activities


So if you truly meet the criteria of ADD, why are you drawn to specialties that would be nightmarish for someone with the disease? Infectious Disease is certainly a curious choice, it is among the most methodical of all the medical subspecialties. EM is a field where you must juggle multiple patients (some of them critical) at once, if anything you have to be MORE focused than your colleagues. How can you claim that you meet those ADD criteria but also claim that you are gifted at "multi-tasking?"

I'm not trying to perseverate on this, just to continue this discussion. It seems patently ridiculous to me to say that you graduated with honors from an Ivy and then law school then all of a sudden got hit with ADD.

Adderall is a drug that improves concentration. I knew lots of people in college that would buy them off a kid in the dorm to cram for finals, I knew people that took them before athletic events. It's a performance enhancing drug, period.

I will tell you Dr. Blaine, that sometimes it is easier to concentrate when you put yourself in the extreme situation. A person who is easily distracted in class, or by background noise, may be able to concentrate better in a higher stress environment. ADHD is more complex, like most psych conditions, than DSM IV criteria. As someone who has never taken, and never intends to take, Adderall, I can tell you that. It is way overdiagnosed, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

 

[MystikBliss]

this may sound stupid, but i use lots of highlighters and colored pens when I study. For some reason, the colors keep me focused on reading. I also listen to music or play DVD's that I've watched a million time (like family guy) in the background. I've found that if I try to sit a quiet place and just look at a piece of paper I can't. But if there's something going on around me (you know, not a full on circus), it helps me divert my attention back. Also, I switch what I'm studying frequently. If I find myself drifting off on one note set, I immediately put it down and go to a new one. Also I study in short sperts (is that a word??). I'll do 30 or 45 min and then take a 5 min break instead of trying to go three hours.

and another problem for me are exams with lots of questions. I skip around on the exam. I start at the beginning and then I'll go to the last question and work backwards. Also, I'll get up at least once and use the bathroom or get some water.

 

[vtucci]

Then you don't have ADD.

From DSM IV

SYMPTOMS OF INATTENTION
a. often ignores details; makes careless mistakes
b. often has trouble sustaining attention in work or play
c. often does not seem to listen when directly addressed
d. often does not follow through on instructions; fails to finish
e. often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
f. often avoids activities that require a sustained mental effort
g. often loses things he needs
h. often gets distracted by extraneous noise
i. is often forgetful in daily activities


So if you truly meet the criteria of ADD, why are you drawn to specialties that would be nightmarish for someone with the disease? Infectious Disease is certainly a curious choice, it is among the most methodical of all the medical subspecialties. EM is a field where you must juggle multiple patients (some of them critical) at once, if anything you have to be MORE focused than your colleagues. How can you claim that you meet those ADD criteria but also claim that you are gifted at "multi-tasking?"

I'm not trying to perseverate on this, just to continue this discussion. It seems patently ridiculous to me to say that you graduated with honors from an Ivy and then law school then all of a sudden got hit with ADD.

Adderall is a drug that improves concentration. I knew lots of people in college that would buy them off a kid in the dorm to cram for finals, I knew people that took them before athletic events. It's a performance enhancing drug, period.

Just a minor correction first, Amory- I graduated with honors from law school, not undergrad. Law school is way easier than most people think. We had one exam per semester so I all had to do was study for that (it was not the mental marathon that medical school is).

Also, ADD did not just creep up on me in medical school. It was very badly exacerbated by the anatomy block. My doctors always thought I had ADD and my parents refused to put me on ritalin when I was younger because of the perceived side effects (They had heard horror stories about it making kids like zombies). Up until medical school, I had adequate compensatory mechanisms (discussed below) to minimize the effects of ADD on my life.

With respect to your question, how can I be ADD and be a lawyer or do well in school? I am a little surprised. Based on your comment, why didn't you ask how any student with ADD or ADHD can be in medical school- didn't we all need to get good grades, take the MCAT and have clinical experience? There are four students with ADD in my class.

As psychiatrists will tell you, the DSM-IV is a guideline. There are more detailed tests (500 or 1000 question batteries) to determine whether a person has the condition. There are many very high functioning people with ADD. My psychiatrist treats exclusively doctors, lawyers, judges, professors in math, physics etc.

SYMPTOMS OF INATTENTION
a. often ignores details; makes careless mistakes
b. often has trouble sustaining attention in work or play[/B]
c. often does not seem to listen when directly addressed
d. often does not follow through on instructions;fails to finish
e. often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
f. often avoids activities that require a sustained mental effort
g. often loses things he needs
h. often gets distracted by extraneous noise
i. is often forgetful in daily activities

I have had all of these to one extent or another. The most significant for me are items b, c, g, h and i (esp. item b).

However, as a high functioning person with ADD, I have been able to compensate for it for most of my life. I have unconsciously developed systems whereby I pay my bills the day I get them so I don't forget. Or, I put my keys in the same place every day so I don't lose them (I am still always losing my pocketbook when I go out though). I get easily distracted with noise in the form of conversations but not if it is music or TV (I can block those out like they are low-level background noise). I had forced myself to become organized almost to an extreme so I won't forget deadlines (I program it into my outlook with frequent reminders) and make lists.

With respect to academics, I took as many advanced placement classes in high school as I was permitted, worked full-time and managed to accumulate 2000+ hours of community service. In college, I worked, was president of more organizations than you could count and was almost a triple major (Yale does not let you do that). Ditto in law school. For post-bac, I worked full-time and took Chem and lab, Physics and Lab and Orgo with lab in one semester. What can I say...I get bored very easy. I need a lot of mental stimulation or I run into problems.

I love EM. I love the pace, the action. Everyone who has met me has told me that my personality is well-suited for it. I also love solving puzzles and challenges. The more tasks I have to do and the harder they are, the better I do on every task I have. I feed off this. As Miami-med indicated, my mind gets calmer in the middle of storm, which means I am an excellent crisis manager. Chaos does not do to me what it does to so many others.

No doubt about it, EM will require intense bursts of concentration for each case. That is not the same thing as an extended amount of concentration for only one activity (e.g., 12 hour transplant surgery). Think about it, being stuck at the operating table and not being able to move around- that really is my idea of hell. I am really worried about this for third year and forcing myself not to zone out. I am interested in doing as well as I possibly can in every rotation but I know myself and I start to get fidgety after an hour. I pace frequently. I like to move when I am thinking.

As far as infectious disease goes, yes it can be regimented. I would never want to be in a lab. However, I love figuring out the problem. It is like being a detective. That is the aspect of this field that appeals to me. Likewise with path (although, not enough personal interaction here). The most methodical field to me is surgery followed by ortho, anesthesia, rads, derm, ENT, urology etc.

My ideal job will be as a medical school professor, teaching clinical and pre-clinical students and then maybe serving as residency director in an EM program and seeing a ton of patients each shift.