GPA decline and depression, my adviser told me to give up

[reach4thestars]

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When I used to run on the cross country and track team at UCF, I had an academic adviser that really discouraged me from pursing my dream of trying for medical school. (I think its because I take meds for ADHD?)

I had HUGE decline in GPA before I left on a medical withdraw due to severe major depression. My GPA went from a 3.9 in molecular biology to 2.89 in psychology (my adviser FORCED ME to switch majors as soon as I got a D in one of my science classes when my depression started, claiming I wasn't smart enough to be molec and ADHD adults dont make it that far. Despite the fact previously I had all other A's in science and some B's in nonscience. I hated psych and it was so boring and being really depressed didnt help at all. And when you are running in a college athletic program, you dont have control over your major, at least at UCF.) That spring semester I got a F in one of my classes and it really sucked. She proceeded to tell me that college isnt for me.

That summer (2007), I went on medical withdraw for severe major depression and recieved treatment at home from my old psychiatrist as well as inpatient treatment at the hospital. My parents were pretty angry at the fact that my advisor was so negative to me. I tried not to let it affect me, but I am worried that my dream my be impossible to reach.

I returned in fall of 2008, with all intention of going back out on the team and convincing my adviser that i can do premed. Again, it was a no, complete with a lecture on how to let dreams go. Right then and there I quit the team I was sick of her bull****. Seriously not even letting me try again?

I was able to go back to molec bio after quitting the team. I am also doing really well. My GPA is up to a 3.48 and its only been two semesters since the 2.8 However, I am scheduled to graduate this spring, but I hardly have anything done. I entered school in fall 05 and 05-06 I had molec bio major with a 3.9 until the fall when I got a D and C's and B's in my classes and I had to switch which made it worse that spring 2007 especially getting the F. I took fall 07 and spring and summer 08 semesters off and now I came back with only 2 years of work with different majors and poor grades under my belt.

I plan on graduating in 2011 or 2012 but I want to make sure I take a lot of electives in the molecular biology department to raise my GPA, as science is something I am good at.

I made up my schedule for the next three semesters and I wonder if I should see my pre health adviser. I am just scared that this one will discourage me as well because of my past. I dont want to be discouraged but I want to know if I am doing the right thing and taking the right classes. I mean my GPA has a sharp upward incline right now and I hope that it keeps going up to above a 3.5. I have lots of clinical experience and over 100 hours of volunteering at the hospital. I also shadow. I plan on doing a post bacc too, so I can try and balance out my weak spot in the application. I really dont want to deal with advisers but it might be a good idea to get some advice on my comback plan. Im just worried about yet more negative feedback. I really dont need that now.

 

[funkymunkytoes]

Your adviser is a major *******. I can't speak for you, but I know the adviser at my school doesn't know her ass from her face, so I try to ignore anything and everything she tells me. SDN has been my adviser.

Whatever you do, don't give up. You sound like you have the chops to do it. A 3.9 in molecular biology for a year, while running X-country?!?! C'MON!!!! You can do it.

 

[BlueElmo]

Never give up. You can do it.

 

[witness23]

wtf is up with these advisers

 

[Anthony Hartsoc]

In short, if this is really what you want to do...tell that adviser to shove it and see about getting another. I had a friend who had a similar story and they ended up seeking advice from the local med school...about a month later that adviser lost their job; funny how that works. An advisor's job in life is to assist people who really want to pursue medicine. As far as your psych issues go, make sure you continue to see someone throughout the process with those. It's also true that there is a higher prevalence of mental health issues with doctors than of other similar professions; I'm saying this to show any issue you have/had doesn't rule you out.

Steps you should be taking from here:

1. Study hard and take your MCAT
2. Try to find research/shadowing opportunities.
3. Maybe consider an SMP or a year off to get some of the research/shadowing done.
4. Get a new pair of running shoes and hit the pavement (I always look to running as one of my many coping mechanisms).

Good Luck. Keep posting.

 

[binko]

Her telling you that you couldn't do pre-med because you're on ADHD meds is discriminating against you because of a disability, and is illegal.

After you deal with your depression, get back into the major you love. Even if it's objectively more difficult, it will be easier to get yourself to do the work if you are doing something you are interested in. Personally I work much better when I'm slightly overloaded anyway.

Find a faculty member you respect to be your informal mentor, and never speak to this massively incompetent advisor again unless it's in court.

 

[nlax30]

Agree, go for it. Sounds like you are certainly capable of it, so just make sure you can do well from here on out. And ditch that advisor (I guess he/she was assigned to you because of being on the team?). Anyway, it's probably a good thing you took the break from running if it was going to mean having no control over your major and such. You can still do club running or something else to keep active though.

But it sounds like you have a plan now. By all means go see a pre-health advisor there. At this point they can't really say anything worse to you so you have nothing to lose.

 

[singinfifi]

Ok. Hi. I graduated from UCF, in fact, I'll bet there's a good chance you were one of my students when I was teaching labs for Bio I.

I don't know who your academic advisor is, but they have no idea what they're saying. I used to do recuritment and advising for UCF and I'm appauled that you had this kind of experience.

If you want, you can bounce your schedule off of me. It's been a while, but I can give you some pointers maybe 🙂

Also. If you're talking about Susan Yantz, the prehealth advisor GO TO HER. TALK TO HER she'll LISTEN to you, the other person I found to be EXTREMELY helpful was Frank Logudice in the biology dept and Pam Thomas (who I used to TA for and who teaches bio I and molec cell bio, or at least she used to. She's normally involved in some pretty neat research if that's something you're interested in).

🙂

you can e-mail me or PM me any time (singinfifi at gmail dot com)


GOOD LUCK

 

[bigbad]

Remind her who's paying ~100k and that her job is to advise.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

premed advisors suck. mine tried to tell me I couldn't do it too.

keep your head up.

 

[191159]

Yea I had 1 bad semester at USF and the pre-health adviser tried to convince me to do podiatry. Seriously these people are useless.

 

[236116]

1. please make sure your depression and add are taken care of
2. report that bitch of an advisor to someone
3. don't give up!

You have a bit of an uphill road, but it's totally doable.

 

[Handy388]

my premed advisor told me that despite my 35+ MCAT, I had a dismal chance of getting in and should not apply.

I ended up getting 3+ acceptances including top 20 schools.

He can suck it.

 

[pietachok]

I suffered from depression/PTSD after someone attempted to murder my fiance. This was between college and my post-bacc.

Dealing w/ the psych issues left me with a W, a C, and 3 B-'s during my post-bacc. I also had 2 C's as an undergrad. My GPA was a 3.45/3.21 science. I applied two years in a row to med school with no acceptances (largely, I believe b/c my adviser did not acknowledge that I had a medical leave or said something disparaging in my committee letter regarding my medical W).

My 3rd year of applying I went from no acceptances and no interviews to 8 M.D. interviews and many D.O. interviews. I got into Keck USC w/ my stinky GPA after ditching my committee letter!--far better of an outcome than I ever expected, so DON'T GIVE UP HOPE, and DON'T TRUST YOUR ADVISER.

The only caution I have is to always present your depression as a "medical leave" without specifying the cause unless some school really pushes you for details (which they shouldn't). When you bring it up, refer to the fact that you have since been treated by a specialist for your chronic illness, it is not contagious, and now with proper care you never expect it to interfere with your studies again.

One of the major concerns of schools is that students know how to deal with stress, and depression gives them an inkling--valid or not--that you may not be good at coping. If you are switching advisers, I would even try to just tell the adviser that you had a "medical leave" without specifying the cause, due to the touchiness of this issue. As you can see, I went through 2 years of unsuccessful apps, and I wonder if it may have been b/c my adivser thought PTSD was not treatable or said something awful about my psychiatric status. I'm totally stable now, and have been for a long time, and see patients as part of my job--I've never done anything inappropriate b/c of my depression, but some people on the "outside" wouldn't know any better. Don't give them the opportunity to hold it against you.

 

[Fakesmile]

Your advisor is the worst one ever!!!!!!! (Actually, I think that 90% of the undergrad advisors across the country are like that. This is why people hate advisors. They just suck and don't do their job properly as an advisor.) S/he should be called a "discourager" instead of "adviser". How and why the hell did s/he (and rest of the typical, sucky advisors at other schools) become an advisor in the first place?? I just feel really sorry for you. Sadly I don't know what advice to give you but I hope that everything turns out well for you.

When I used to run on the cross country and track team at UCF, I had an academic adviser that really discouraged me from pursing my dream of trying for medical school. (I think its because I take meds for ADHD?)

I had HUGE decline in GPA before I left on a medical withdraw due to severe major depression. My GPA went from a 3.9 in molecular biology to 2.89 in psychology (my adviser FORCED ME to switch majors as soon as I got a D in one of my science classes when my depression started, claiming I wasn't smart enough to be molec and ADHD adults dont make it that far. Despite the fact previously I had all other A's in science and some B's in nonscience. I hated psych and it was so boring and being really depressed didnt help at all. And when you are running in a college athletic program, you dont have control over your major, at least at UCF.) That spring semester I got a F in one of my classes and it really sucked. She proceeded to tell me that college isnt for me.

That summer (2007), I went on medical withdraw for severe major depression and recieved treatment at home from my old psychiatrist as well as inpatient treatment at the hospital. My parents were pretty angry at the fact that my advisor was so negative to me. I tried not to let it affect me, but I am worried that my dream my be impossible to reach.

I returned in fall of 2008, with all intention of going back out on the team and convincing my adviser that i can do premed. Again, it was a no, complete with a lecture on how to let dreams go. Right then and there I quit the team I was sick of her bull****. Seriously not even letting me try again?

I was able to go back to molec bio after quitting the team. I am also doing really well. My GPA is up to a 3.48 and its only been two semesters since the 2.8 However, I am scheduled to graduate this spring, but I hardly have anything done. I entered school in fall 05 and 05-06 I had molec bio major with a 3.9 until the fall when I got a D and C's and B's in my classes and I had to switch which made it worse that spring 2007 especially getting the F. I took fall 07 and spring and summer 08 semesters off and now I came back with only 2 years of work with different majors and poor grades under my belt.

I plan on graduating in 2011 or 2012 but I want to make sure I take a lot of electives in the molecular biology department to raise my GPA, as science is something I am good at.

I made up my schedule for the next three semesters and I wonder if I should see my pre health adviser. I am just scared that this one will discourage me as well because of my past. I dont want to be discouraged but I want to know if I am doing the right thing and taking the right classes. I mean my GPA has a sharp upward incline right now and I hope that it keeps going up to above a 3.5. I have lots of clinical experience and over 100 hours of volunteering at the hospital. I also shadow. I plan on doing a post bacc too, so I can try and balance out my weak spot in the application. I really dont want to deal with advisers but it might be a good idea to get some advice on my comback plan. Im just worried about yet more negative feedback. I really dont need that now.

 

[sarahg]

I was told I could probably get into a DO school at least with my current GPA at a 2.9 so I know you can do it! (I also had a bad period of depression, brought my GPA down by half a point.) A 3.48 is pretty good, especially with an upward trend and all the bad grades condensed into one time period.

Did you have a special athletic academic advisor? She may have been pressured to keep students in easy courses of study by the coaches. She may also have wanted to avoid extra work for herself, or have heard the "depression" excuse from students who really couldn't handle the work intellectually or were too lazy to do it. Regardless of the reason, don't listen to her. If you keep getting good grades for another couple of years I don't think you'll even need the postbacc unless you want to get into some top schools or schools that put a big emphasis on numbers. Check out MDapplicants to see how many students get in with GPAs below 3.5.

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

You can do it. 👍

 

[chessknt]

This is what happens when you allow others to make decisions for you. Nobody forced you to do anything, YOU did it, not your adviser. Take responsibility for your mistakes and move forward.

 

[runr5mi]

Her statement of people with ADHD is just flat out incorrect. I have ADHD and do not take medication. I have a very good job in the Medical Field and will likely apply to medical school for 2011/2012 admission cycle. We (being ADHD) can do very well for ourselves regardless of what one advisor says.

It is fairly obvious from your first year grades (3.9) that you have mastered the ability to study with this condition. This is the first and toughest battle, we don't study like everyone else. Typically most college students could lock themselves in a room/library and just have at it in a completely silent environment. That would drive me nuts! A recent study (this week) showed that a constant distracter (radio/tv/etc) actually makes us focus and increases the amount that we learn.

NEVER give up on a dream. There will always be a naysayer... be the one that proves them wrong...

God Speed and Good Luck!😎

 

[Neuronix]

Im just worried about yet more negative feedback. I really dont need that now.

Get thicker skin. You'll need it. chessknt87 is right. You can only answer for yourself. Nobody is going to care your advisor told you X and it made you upset and this caused you to do Y.

I wish I had $$$ for every time someone told me I couldn't do something. Everything from getting a job to getting into college to getting into MD/PhD to finishing a PhD. It never ends. Wait until you get into med school and someone tells you the nonsense that since you didn't know some factoid you'll kill patients some day. OMG THE HORROR I FORGOT MY INTEGRIN TYPES. GOD KILLED A KITTEN. The last thing you need to do is freak out about it. Frankly, your pre-med advisor may very well say your chances of getting into med school are poor. It depends where you go to school, as the big name places love to discourage people from applying to med school. Destroying lives because it keeps their percentage accepted to med school high. All so they can have some very misleading numbers to brag to gullible high school students with and justify those huge tuitions to their parents. Just smile and nod and come back to SDN and MDapplicants and the MSAR and decide for yourself your own chances. For my ex-gf, the pre-med committee at Penn said they wouldn't even write her a LOR for med school and her chances were quite poor. She's on a full scholarship now at a top-20 school. For another friend of mine, his pre-med committee at Hopkins really didn't recommend him for med school. Now he's a TJU graduate. My pre-med advisor told me I had no shot at top MD/PhD programs without at least 2 publications. I had 0 when I got into half the schools I applied to.

The only constant that I've found is that some people like to make excuses for their failures and some people don't. Which are you going to be? It's time to keep getting high grades and a high MCAT score and you will get into med school.

 

[nlax30]

 

[riceman04]

When I used to run on the cross country and track team at UCF, I had an academic adviser that really discouraged me from pursing my dream of trying for medical school. (I think its because I take meds for ADHD?)

I had HUGE decline in GPA before I left on a medical withdraw due to severe major depression. My GPA went from a 3.9 in molecular biology to 2.89 in psychology (my adviser FORCED ME to switch majors as soon as I got a D in one of my science classes when my depression started, claiming I wasn't smart enough to be molec and ADHD adults dont make it that far. Despite the fact previously I had all other A's in science and some B's in nonscience. I hated psych and it was so boring and being really depressed didnt help at all. And when you are running in a college athletic program, you dont have control over your major, at least at UCF.) That spring semester I got a F in one of my classes and it really sucked. She proceeded to tell me that college isnt for me.

That summer (2007), I went on medical withdraw for severe major depression and recieved treatment at home from my old psychiatrist as well as inpatient treatment at the hospital. My parents were pretty angry at the fact that my advisor was so negative to me. I tried not to let it affect me, but I am worried that my dream my be impossible to reach.

I returned in fall of 2008, with all intention of going back out on the team and convincing my adviser that i can do premed. Again, it was a no, complete with a lecture on how to let dreams go. Right then and there I quit the team I was sick of her bull****. Seriously not even letting me try again?

I was able to go back to molec bio after quitting the team. I am also doing really well. My GPA is up to a 3.48 and its only been two semesters since the 2.8 However, I am scheduled to graduate this spring, but I hardly have anything done. I entered school in fall 05 and 05-06 I had molec bio major with a 3.9 until the fall when I got a D and C's and B's in my classes and I had to switch which made it worse that spring 2007 especially getting the F. I took fall 07 and spring and summer 08 semesters off and now I came back with only 2 years of work with different majors and poor grades under my belt.

I plan on graduating in 2011 or 2012 but I want to make sure I take a lot of electives in the molecular biology department to raise my GPA, as science is something I am good at.

I made up my schedule for the next three semesters and I wonder if I should see my pre health adviser. I am just scared that this one will discourage me as well because of my past. I dont want to be discouraged but I want to know if I am doing the right thing and taking the right classes. I mean my GPA has a sharp upward incline right now and I hope that it keeps going up to above a 3.5. I have lots of clinical experience and over 100 hours of volunteering at the hospital. I also shadow. I plan on doing a post bacc too, so I can try and balance out my weak spot in the application. I really dont want to deal with advisers but it might be a good idea to get some advice on my comback plan. Im just worried about yet more negative feedback. I really dont need that now.

I know at Rice athletes have their own advisor office. Unfortunately most of the athletic advisors (at least while was a student there) were horrible and had no concept of how to actually advise. Rather, they would exercise their right to an opinion about your perceived intelligence/stability and try to sign you up for dumb classes.

I wish you the best of luck

 

[heal da world]

what a **** (pardon my french).

Stick with it. we've all had our ups and downs but like that one quote, a champion is that dude who gets off the floor when he can't.

It looks like you're on the rise so keep working. I've also been told that no matter how many volunteer hours you have or how much shadowing you do, none of that means ANYTHING without a solid MCAT score. So chip away at raising your GPA, but it looks like the most important thing for you would be to nail your MCAT (10, 10, 10) to show that you can cut it. gl to all applying

 

[sarahg]

Her statement of people with ADHD is just flat out incorrect. I have ADHD and do not take medication. I have a very good job in the Medical Field and will likely apply to medical school for 2011/2012 admission cycle. We (being ADHD) can do very well for ourselves regardless of what one advisor says.

It is fairly obvious from your first year grades (3.9) that you have mastered the ability to study with this condition. This is the first and toughest battle, we don't study like everyone else. Typically most college students could lock themselves in a room/library and just have at it in a completely silent environment. That would drive me nuts! A recent study (this week) showed that a constant distracter (radio/tv/etc) actually makes us focus and increases the amount that we learn.

NEVER give up on a dream. There will always be a naysayer... be the one that proves them wrong...

God Speed and Good Luck!😎

I also have ADHD and generally don't take medication. We can succeed at studying anything, we just sometimes have to study differently. I have a hard time paying attention in class and find small group activities and study groups to be more distracting than helpful, but if I study in the way that works for me (in one long stretch on the weekends, alone in my room with the TV on for background noise or at a cafe so I can't get up and wander around when I'm bored) I can do very well.

 

[Red Leader]

Your advisor is an idiot.

For other posters reading this, remember advisors are ADVISORS.

Pretty much EVERYONE you meet in life is some sort of "advisor." They can't force you to do anything. Never blindly follow their "advice."

In the real world only you have your best interests in mind...everyone else is looking out for #1 and would spit in your food if you turned around for a second.

Also all the ADHD crap, don't listen to them. You can do whatever the hell you want without some psych "disorder" tagged onto your identity

 

[JokerMD]

advisors are literally useless. the sum of the knowledge possessed by the regular sdn ppl is all you need.

honestly, if anyone told me to give up, id prolly tell them so suck it and storm out...

 

[chebella7604]

DON'T give up.

 

[SFDendrite]

Dear reach4thestars,

I wouldn't go as far as to say that pre-med advisors at undergrad universities are clueless, but they are not on med school admission committees either. This is why I rely on what admission deans say when I go to pre-med conferences.

Just like you, my GPA has had ups and downs and unfortunately my curve isn't the upward one (thumbs up for you here hehe). My advisor tells me I should change the career path and maybe go into public health. I appreciate his advice but at the same time medicine is probably the only thing I want to do, I have no plan B. So, I got discouraged for a day and then the day after that, I started figuring out what to do about my GPA- work hard on the MCATs, maybe get a masters or get into a post-bac program... I'm ready to do anything to prove that I can do well in medical schools academically. My friend once said "I don't want someone operating on me who had a low GPA" and I didn't take it personally. When it comes to peoples' health, of course they want the best of the best to take care of them, right? 🙂

What I am trying to say (sorry about the long ramble) is that there is always a way to accomplish getting into med schools if you're determined. I can't tell you how many medical students i spoke to so far (M1,M2,M3,M4s...) pretty much all of them had different backgrounds, hobbies and interests. Medicine needs variety- I've heard stories of people getting in with their GPA lower than 3.0. The thing is, your circumstances matter. One medical school admissions dean mentioned that you can't discriminate future candidates based on their GPA only because some of them were privileged enough to go to private schools as undergrads and some people had to work multiple jobs and balance out being in school full time. This is where your personal statement comes in handy- you get to write about yourself. Use it wisely to explain your situation and always remember that admission committees take a lot of things into consideration, not just your GPA. I got the impression that it really varies from individual to individual. I wish you best of luck and please don't give up if you're really passionate about medicine!

 

[reach4thestars]

Hi everyone! Thank you for all the replies. I really appreciate it and feel so much better about my future. My parents are behind me 100% and all my friends are as well. Im not going to give up and I will keep everyone posted on how I am doing. I don't plan on applying until the 2013 application cycle. After I graduate in 2012 I plan on doing some more research or a post bac or something even if my GPA is good. I want to prove to admissions that I can indeed work under pressure. I love medicine so much and I really don't want to do anything else. If I don't make it in the first time I can always try again and im not going to leave a stone unturned.

And yes, my adviser was the athletic adviser. I just started running again on my own but improving my academics is my main focus now. Im not going to look back, im staying positive and will continue to look towards the future.🙂

 

[bigman225]

your adviser is a major *******. I can't speak for you, but i know the adviser at my school doesn't know her ass from her face, so i try to ignore anything and everything she tells me. Sdn has been my adviser.

qft.

 

[bihari]

show them who's boss!

 

[Tin Man]

Besides all the "don't give up on your dreams" stuff that is turning this thread almost sickly sweet, I would look at this tactically as well.

I mean, there isn't much better indication of commitment to medicine than coming back and fighting through what you've fought through to get where you are. If you keep fighting, it's really going to SHOW that dedication that most other pre-meds can only talk about.

 

[LaCasta]

I can't imagine having an advisor like that. I had a few semesters in a row of dropping all the classes/ bad grades, and I never had an advisor tell me college is not for me.

You shouldn't listen to her obviously, you had a 3.9 at one point, so you know you have the capability. Bad grades don't always truly reflect what the person is capable of, and you sound like one of those cases. Bad grades did not reflect my capability either, as I am now in the process of getting a 4.0 in 17 hrs of upper division science classes including research.

 

[reach4thestars]

I also have ADHD and generally don't take medication. We can succeed at studying anything, we just sometimes have to study differently. I have a hard time paying attention in class and find small group activities and study groups to be more distracting than helpful, but if I study in the way that works for me (in one long stretch on the weekends, alone in my room with the TV on for background noise or at a cafe so I can't get up and wander around when I'm bored) I can do very well.

I know right, I hate how people judge true medically diagnosed ADHD people, saying that they can't do things that involve a lot of work. Anyway I have the same problem too, I do go to class every day and never miss class but I have a hard time paying attention in most except for biology classes cause that is my main interest. Math, general chemistry, english, history and probably physics, forget it my mind wanders. I am still able to do well because I am able to teach myself things. I feel like I don't absorb any information in study groups either. I need to study alone until I understand the material and then I can do very well at helping other people out and even leading the study groups, but learning the material from them is impossible for me. I can't study in a completely quiet place either or else every little noise will distract me. If that must be the case I would need a pair of those sound blocking headphones. lol

I deal with my situation in a similar way. I can study for hours on end both days on the weekend. But I do need to have a moderately noisy environment; I avoid 4th floor quiet study at the library! But I also need to switch my location at least once during the day.

Keeping 'active' while studying helps keep me focused as well. Making an art project out of study diagrams help a lot. Its fun and I learn the material well that way. For example, in my neurophysiology class, I drew a picture of an action potential and all the different channels involved on a poster board, detailed it and colored it. It took me nearly all day but it helped me learn the entire 30 page chapter, and it was fun! I do the same for anatomy too. Highlighting the textbook,typing notes up, making flashcards, using a dry erase board to recall the information and making side notes on the prof's powerpoints are other good study strategies.

Having ADHD can be a benifit for us in some ways. I know since I have a lot of energy, I can do well on little sleep. 5 hours one night will never catch up or bother me. I can also keep going until I am finished and don't get tired until I eventually lay down. I also don't sleep much in general, sometimes I wish I would sleep more but I can't cause I am always full of energy. This is a good thing if we are science premed majors and future medical students as sleep is often sacrificed.

 

[Van Chowder]

When I used to run on the cross country and track team at UCF, I had an academic adviser that really discouraged me from pursing my dream of trying for medical school. (I think its because I take meds for ADHD?)

I had HUGE decline in GPA before I left on a medical withdraw due to severe major depression. My GPA went from a 3.9 in molecular biology to 2.89 in psychology (my adviser FORCED ME to switch majors as soon as I got a D in one of my science classes when my depression started, claiming I wasn't smart enough to be molec and ADHD adults dont make it that far. Despite the fact previously I had all other A's in science and some B's in nonscience. I hated psych and it was so boring and being really depressed didnt help at all. And when you are running in a college athletic program, you dont have control over your major, at least at UCF.) That spring semester I got a F in one of my classes and it really sucked. She proceeded to tell me that college isnt for me.

That summer (2007), I went on medical withdraw for severe major depression and recieved treatment at home from my old psychiatrist as well as inpatient treatment at the hospital. My parents were pretty angry at the fact that my advisor was so negative to me. I tried not to let it affect me, but I am worried that my dream my be impossible to reach.

I returned in fall of 2008, with all intention of going back out on the team and convincing my adviser that i can do premed. Again, it was a no, complete with a lecture on how to let dreams go. Right then and there I quit the team I was sick of her bull****. Seriously not even letting me try again?

I was able to go back to molec bio after quitting the team. I am also doing really well. My GPA is up to a 3.48 and its only been two semesters since the 2.8 However, I am scheduled to graduate this spring, but I hardly have anything done. I entered school in fall 05 and 05-06 I had molec bio major with a 3.9 until the fall when I got a D and C's and B's in my classes and I had to switch which made it worse that spring 2007 especially getting the F. I took fall 07 and spring and summer 08 semesters off and now I came back with only 2 years of work with different majors and poor grades under my belt.

I plan on graduating in 2011 or 2012 but I want to make sure I take a lot of electives in the molecular biology department to raise my GPA, as science is something I am good at.

I made up my schedule for the next three semesters and I wonder if I should see my pre health adviser. I am just scared that this one will discourage me as well because of my past. I dont want to be discouraged but I want to know if I am doing the right thing and taking the right classes. I mean my GPA has a sharp upward incline right now and I hope that it keeps going up to above a 3.5. I have lots of clinical experience and over 100 hours of volunteering at the hospital. I also shadow. I plan on doing a post bacc too, so I can try and balance out my weak spot in the application. I really dont want to deal with advisers but it might be a good idea to get some advice on my comback plan. Im just worried about yet more negative feedback. I really dont need that now.

Hey, dont like your adviser get you down. I my self struggle with intermittent depression and yea it sux, but you HAVE to just keep your eyes on the prize, know you want it so bad, that you cant see any future for your self BUT one as a physician. You can do it!!

"Its always better to shoot for the stars and miss, than aim for the gutter and make it"

 

[Mitch556]

I had to WD from KU for major depressive disorder. I had to reset for a few months but after seeing a multiple dr's on a regular basis and support from my family I came out of it. Last semester i reenrolled and made a 4.0. I also have ADD. So in short, **** your adviser. Get better and go back with a thirst to reach your dreams.

 

[littlealex]

Your story is very inspiring to read about. I'm usually a pretty negative/realistic person and from reading your story I realize that my way is often the wrong way.

I hope you will no longer sink back into depression, and continue to work hard and succeed in your course works.
My only word of advice is to be more confident in yourself. In the course of your career there will be many people who will doubt you, many others who will give you ill advices. Have confidence in yourself and your judgments. Believe in yourself and always give your best effort. You will fail here and there along the way, but the mettle of a person is not determined by how good their punches are but how they react when they're eventually hit.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Just to point out...unless I'm mistaken this was an advisor for athletes. Their interests and students' interests do not always align. Their job is to keep athletes eligible, and they often do this by steering them away from the "difficult" academic tracks.

 

[phonyreal98]

One of my best friend's parents has ADHD and now is a physician at a major area hospital. It can be done. Don't give up!

Edit: You sound like you're getting back on track. Good on you!

 

[pOrtEnt]

This is what happens when you allow others to make decisions for you. Nobody forced you to do anything, YOU did it, not your adviser. Take responsibility for your mistakes and move forward.

👍👍👍👍👍