How would my previous Medical Withdrawals affect this application cycle?

[existentialist]

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Due to an undiagnosed, chronic medical problem, it took me five years to graduate after attending three different schools. That is, in my first year at School A, I barely made a 3.0 GPA, withdrew from 75% of my coursework, and was placed on academic probation that ultimately led to an academic dismissal. In my second year of university and first year at School B, I withdrew from all of my courses for the entire year. I then managed to transfer to School C, where I managed to get my health under control, and pull off a 3.9 cumGPA, a 4.0 science GPA, and a 41S MCAT. I have strong LORs, three publications, an unique hook, and the standard shadowing/hospital experiences; I will be graduating Phi Beta Kappa from School C next weekend and successfully appealed the academic dismissal from School A.

In your view, would the original blemishes on my record--15 withdrawals, expunged dismissal, and so on--affect my candidacy at top medical schools? How would schools view someone who attended three different undergraduate institutions? Will I have to disclose the name and severity of my illness in the AMCAS application? Thank you.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

What's your overall GPA, and how many semesters of great grades do you have? Your MCAT is ridiculous, congrats.

 

[existentialist]

What's your overall GPA, and how many semesters of great grades do you have? Your MCAT is ridiculous, congrats.

Thank you. I have a 3.91 overall GPA, including freshman year. Between 2009-2010 and 2011-2012, I've taken six semesters of Fall-Spring coursework and one semester of Summer classes.

 

[DanGee777]

Thank you. I have a 3.91 overall GPA, including freshman year. Between 2009-2010 and 2011-2012, I've taken six semesters of Fall-Spring coursework and one semester of Summer classes.

You're sure you're not trolling? 3.91/41 with decent research will get you tons of top 20 interviews most likely, even with your past history of withdrawals.

 

[DanGee777]

I see that OP's 1 post history (which he edited 1 hour ago) includes a post from 2010 asking about the reciprocity of Michigan medical licenses with other states:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=739553

Why would someone who is supposedly going to be applying to med school for the 2013 cycle have been asking about the reciprocity of Michigan medical licenses in the studentdoctor family medicine section in 2010?

 

[Catalystik]

Due to an undiagnosed, chronic medical problem, it took me five years to graduate after attending three different schools. That is, in my first year at School A, I barely made a 3.0 GPA, withdrew from 75% of my coursework, and was placed on academic probation that ultimately led to an academic dismissal. In my second year of university and first year at School B, I withdrew from all of my courses for the entire year. I then managed to transfer to School C, where I managed to get my health under control, and pull off a 3.9 cumGPA, a 4.0 science GPA, and a 41S MCAT. I have strong LORs, three publications, an unique hook, and the standard shadowing/hospital experiences; I will be graduating Phi Beta Kappa from School C next weekend and successfully appealed the academic dismissal from School A.

1) In your view, would the original blemishes on my record--15 withdrawals, expunged dismissal, and so on--affect my candidacy at top medical schools?
2) How would schools view someone who attended three different undergraduate institutions?
3) Will I have to disclose the name and severity of my illness in the AMCAS application? Thank you.

1) Yes. It will give them pause. Hopefully, your ECs are amazing enough to help them overlook your early mediocre grades when there will be so many other applicants who hit the ground running in freshman year.

2) Not an issue.

3) No, but you will have to come up with a good explanation for your academic past or adcomms will probably assume worse than what is true. What speaks loudest on your behalf is the many excellent academic terms uninterupted by further blips in the most recent years.