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Good student with previous medical problem - I don't know how to explain this
- Thread starter JulianaW
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1. Yes, if you were to be completely honest, it appears as though you need to report this institutional action even though it did not appear on any of your official paperwork, this is according to the 2011 AMCAS instructions (see bottom of page 27 and continuing onto page 28, http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/2011amcasinstructions.pdf ). One could argue, how would they know, if there is no paper trail at your academic institution? On the other hand, getting caught lying on AMCAS can get you banned for life.
The application gives you space to explain yourself. Utilize this appropriately and you should be able to accomplish decent damage control.
2. Your AMCAS will not be complete until valid MCAT scores are available. The August MCAT results will not be available until September and if you are waiting for these results, then obviously your primary application will not be available until September. This is a late application (with most people being complete in June or early July). This means that most applicants will have a 2-3 month advantage over you (important where rolling interview invitations utilized – nearly everywhere). The most common effect of a late application is fewer interviews, but how this affects individual applicants is dependent on the quality of the applicant. Below-average applicants will be lucky to get a few interviews; while above average applicants may only miss out on a couple interview offers.
-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student (5 days left)
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After further thought, in the space where you are expected to comment on the institutional action, I would recommend keeping it simple. State the facts and give the reason of health problems, which have now resolved. If you leave it at this, adcoms can't ask anymore questions about it since asking health related questions is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
I would be leary about disclosing a history of mental health issues in the application. Technically it can't be held against you, but you never know how it might subconsciously bias someone.
I would be leary about disclosing a history of mental health issues in the application. Technically it can't be held against you, but you never know how it might subconsciously bias someone.
What do medical schools have to look at beside your official transcript and background check? I understand the "honesty is the best policy" approach, but I'm curious to know what realistic chance there is of them finding something out if you have seen your official transcript and know it is clean. (If I'm mistaken about what they can see, please inform me...)
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I agree. You developed an illness and withdrew from classes. Your school places all people on medical leave on probation as a matter of policy and this was applied to you. You attempted to return to class while your medical condition persisted, but later elected to extend your medical leave to expedite a full recovery. Full recovery happened, you resumed classes and continued your excellent academic performance, and you have no reason to forsee any future need for accomodations as the medical issue has resolved.
Leave it at that.
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You are right; I guess adcom staff would have no way of knowing since there is no paper trail (that the applicant is aware of). What it comes down to here is professionalism and honesty; its probably not best to start down this career path with a lie (not a good precedent to set when you will be responsible for other peoples health and potentially their lives). Plus, if for some reason AMCAS found out that an applicant knowingly lied, that applicant could potentially be banned for life from further AMCAS activity and this deceit could be forwarded to all schools applied to. This is not a risk I would be willing to take, especially since I as well as another responder have provided a viable alternative that is honest, but discrete.
Another issue is that the breaks in her undergraduate career will come up during the interview. Now she has to respond in person to this issue. It is much easier to right off the resolved health problems in AMCAS than to explain them during the interview (given the explanations relation to a health issue, it is virtually untouchable by the interviewer, as long as this is stated as such in AMCAS).
-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student (4 days left)
Are you saying that if I explain the institutional action/break was related to a medical problem they can't ask me about the interruption in my undergrad work during an interview? I just assumed that they could ask me about my break, but couldn't fish around for details of my medical condition.
Also, I was planning to not mention the eating disorder specifically, but in your opinion, is referencing a "medical condition" a hint to adcoms that a mental health problem is the issue? Maybe I am just being paranoid here but I feel like someone who had... Crohn's disease for instance would just say so flat out and possibly elaborate on how it intensified their desire to be a doctor. Will I be "identified by omission" so to speak?
It sounds like waiting is probably the best option. I am so tempted to squish it all in this year, but I'm also scared to death that I'll end up having to reapply (which my advisor claims will seriously disadvantage me). I am confident that I can get a 30+ MCAT score in August and my new job will allow me to tuck a full year of great clinical experience into my application by next summer. I feel like even with my record, I will be a decent applicant if I apply early next year.
Thanks to tremulousNeedle (congrats on your graduation!) and lord_jeebus for the advice. It is infinitely helpful to get completely objective opinions.
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JulianaW, congrats on your recovery.
You don't need to give any specifics of your medical condition but you do have to explain the breaks in your academic record (and, depending on your transcripts, the Ws) When I review an application, I do check the coursework time line, extracurriculars, etc and I do look for unexplained gaps and questions to determine why those gaps exist are fair game -- just not getting into medical particulars unless disclosed somewhere else on the application. I think lord_jeebus gave a great response there that may be a good starting point for you to consider.
re the question of the timing of your MCAT...I'm personally inclined to have people take the test when they feel ready to do well on the test. If that's August for you then so be it. Even if you apply in August and it's considered "late" compared to the June and July folks, a solid score and your GPA will land you some interviews -- just apply broadly. Reapplying only puts you at a disadvantage if you apply to the same schools all over again without any significant change in your application from one cycle to the next.
If you are going to wait until next year, then make this year off a "productive" one by engaging in experiences that can help your application further.
You don't need to give any specifics of your medical condition but you do have to explain the breaks in your academic record (and, depending on your transcripts, the Ws) When I review an application, I do check the coursework time line, extracurriculars, etc and I do look for unexplained gaps and questions to determine why those gaps exist are fair game -- just not getting into medical particulars unless disclosed somewhere else on the application. I think lord_jeebus gave a great response there that may be a good starting point for you to consider.
re the question of the timing of your MCAT...I'm personally inclined to have people take the test when they feel ready to do well on the test. If that's August for you then so be it. Even if you apply in August and it's considered "late" compared to the June and July folks, a solid score and your GPA will land you some interviews -- just apply broadly. Reapplying only puts you at a disadvantage if you apply to the same schools all over again without any significant change in your application from one cycle to the next.
If you are going to wait until next year, then make this year off a "productive" one by engaging in experiences that can help your application further.
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What lord_jeebus wrote is a good example of what you could right. If you don't make a big deal about it, then application reviewers would be less likely to make a big deal about it. Just make sure you are clear that the health problem has resolved. If your interviewers know the laws and rules (which most do), they will stay away from asking health related questions during the interview unless you open the door by offering information about it (then it is questionably fair game since you brought up details).
Not everyone who has health related issues uses those experiences to fortify why they want to go into medicine. Many applicants have had minor or major health problems throughout their lives and that fact plays no (conscious) role in their decision to go into medicine nor do they want to share their medical history with admissions committees (and rightfully so). Most interviewers would not think it weird that you do not want to disclose details nor would they assume that your "health" or "medical" issue was a "mental health" issue. There are plenty of other sensitive medical topics that people would often choose not to disclose (beyond mental health issues), such as issues with reproductive organs. Again, if you dont make a big deal about it, your interviewer/reviewer is likely to not make a big deal about it.
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