Medical school with Chronic illness

[DOhopefulontarion]

Hi all,

I was recently diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis and will be starting a biologic very soon. I graduated in 2016 with a 3.6 GPA and have good extracurricular including internships and decent amount of clinical experience (shadowing, hospital volunteer, clinical research assistant, ER scribe, hospice volunteer etc.) I was going to apply to DO schools but feel really down since the diagnosis. I might be on immunosuppresants long term and I'm scared of all the opportunistic infections that I may get in a hospital due to my compromised immune system. Do you think it's worth to go ahead and apply to medical schools?

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[DOhopefulontarion]

@Goro @gyngyn I will appreciate your input

 

[DelayedGratification]

I think you need to speak with ur primary or specialist thats taking care of you in regards to long-term outlook, they would be best suited to advise you.

I wish you the best!

 

[Goro]

Hi all,

I was recently diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis and will be starting a biologic very soon. I graduated in 2016 with a 3.6 GPA and have good extracurricular including internships and decent amount of clinical experience (shadowing, hospital volunteer, clinical research assistant, ER scribe, hospice volunteer etc.) I was going to apply to DO schools but feel really down since the diagnosis. I might be on immunosuppresants long term and I'm scared of all the opportunistic infections that I may get in a hospital due to my compromised immune system. Do you think it's worth to go ahead and apply to medical schools?

I've had students who were transplant recipients, so It's doable. But be prepared for how to catch up when, not if, you get an infection.

 

[balston82]

I've had students who were transplant recipients, so It's doable. But be prepared for how to catch up when, not if, you get an infection.

I've had students who were transplant recipients, so It's doable. But be prepared for how to catch up when, not if, you get an infection.

What specialties would you advise for person in this situation?

 

[Goro]

What specialties would you advise for person in this situation?

NOT Infectious Diseases or Peds!

 

[balston82]

NOT Infectious Diseases or Peds!

For sure! I am comforted to know that others have walked the autoimmune disease med school path before me. I've tested positive myself, but so far haven't needed anything more than eye drops for dry eyes and NSAIDs for minor aches and pains. Who knows what the future holds though. I wonder if something like PM&R would be a good choice?

 

[Dr.Barker&Mr.Scootches]

Hi all,

I was recently diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis and will be starting a biologic very soon. I graduated in 2016 with a 3.6 GPA and have good extracurricular including internships and decent amount of clinical experience (shadowing, hospital volunteer, clinical research assistant, ER scribe, hospice volunteer etc.) I was going to apply to DO schools but feel really down since the diagnosis. I might be on immunosuppresants long term and I'm scared of all the opportunistic infections that I may get in a hospital due to my compromised immune system. Do you think it's worth to go ahead and apply to medical schools?

Still go, just be careful. Tbh, it depends though because for me, biologics didnt surpress my immune system bad enough where I was getting diseases left and right. I've been on 3 different biologics and I'v never really gotten sick.

You might also need to check for certain OTHER things, btw. That disease is seen in Crohns, from my experience? You need to be careful with manifestations of the disease moreso than the disease. Autoimmune disease leads to autoimmune disease.

If you want, pm me for biologic advice

 

[AnkylosingSpondyliter]

I was actually just diagnosed a few weeks ago with the same and I am to start school this Fall. I know ankylosing spondylitis manifests differently in different people, and mine was luckily caught early. I have recurrent anterior uveitis and sacroilitis as my main issues. However, my sacroilitis is moderate and not severe, so I decided to turn down the immunosuppressants and do physical therapy/NSAIDS when necessary as the NSAIDS work well. I also have a good stock of durezol and atropine to tackle the uveitis whenever I may have a flare.

I think first it is important to discuss with your doctor if these immunosuppressants are even necessary. If you have excruciating pain, or advanced spinal fusion and it interferes with your daily life, then I believe they are necessary. Otherwise, if you are young/active like myself, and have very slow disease progression, you might be able to be okay without them. I understand that the immunosuppressants like Humira require an injection once a month or so, but otherwise it is usually tolerated well with little side effects (as long as you have been cleared for TB, Syphillis, Lyme's disease, etc.). If you start now and have a year to adjust to this routine and find the right drug for you, I think pursuing a medical career is possible. You can also discontinue them at any time as well (women who are expecting are told to discontinue any immunosupressants). There are also precautions you can take in hospitals so as to avoid infection, and different biologics are less immunosuppresive than others.

I am not a doctor, this is just what I have learned from my personal experiences since being diagnosed. Please discuss your options with your rheumatologist. Unfortunately AS is very under-studied, so it may be difficult to make the perfect plan. However if being a physician is your dream I think you should apply and move forward instead of cancelling it all prematurely. Best of luck to you!

 

[Shammyguy3]

Diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis over two years ago. Been on a biologic now for 15 months. Only had one cold for 2 weeks over that time (easy to remember because i have to skip my injections when im sick). Hand and wrist pain pretty much every day. It is what it is.

 

[Arizona Doc]

Current 4th year DO student in Arizona. Diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at age 17 (about 10 years ago). The year or so after my diagnosis was very difficult and it took a long time to get my pain down to a functional level. I have been on MTX, Enbrel, and currently Humira. I picked up Valley Fever when I moved to Arizona but no other serious infections on biologics, even after months of rotation through various hospitals. I would not let the fear of infection deter you at all from the hospital. Granted, there is a big range of disease severity with AS, but I am someone who has done extremely well on Humira and can function normally with minimal daily symptoms. If you are in that boat, then I would definitely encourage you to go for it, assuming medical school is something YOU really want. A chronic disease like this sucks enough already, don't let it alter your long term life goals.

 

[giguerex35]

I've had students who were transplant recipients, so It's doable. But be prepared for how to catch up when, not if, you get an infection.

Do medical schools understand and allow students with these illnesses to miss a few days of class throughout the year for doctors appointments, assuming the schools requires attendance and the work is made up in time? Or is it more of handle it on your own time type of deal?

 

[Arizona Doc]

Do medical schools understand and allow students with these illnesses to miss a few days of class throughout the year for doctors appointments, assuming the schools requires attendance and the work is made up in time? Or is it more of handle it on your own time type of deal?

Cannot speak for other schools, but my school does not have mandatory attendance for most lectures years 1-2. Years 3-4 you can usually work out something with your attending/residents if you need off for an appt during a rotation. I imagine most any school is willing to work with you for something like this, as it is an "excused absence". I imagine the biggest pain for you will not be the school's requirements, but the study time lost having to go to doctor appointments.

 

[Goro]

Do medical schools understand and allow students with these illnesses to miss a few days of class throughout the year for doctors appointments, assuming the schools requires attendance and the work is made up in time? Or is it more of handle it on your own time type of deal?

At my school sick student can get excused absences, but they still have to make up any required work.

 

[FirmResolve1!]

As someone who has some chronic illnesses, I think that as long as you have a plan for staying ahead if possible/catching up as Goro mentioned, you should be fine. Granted I am just in college, but you still need to have a plan for the days that are more taxing on you physically and mentally from the physical issues.

 

[jets46]

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