Nontraditional disabilities question

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psykiater

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I am 32 and I am currently taking pre-med classes while I stay at home with my toddlers. I have a 3.76 uGPA, but it is a BA. I took Calculus and three "science for liberal arts students" type classes. However, I have Ehlers-Danlos that was recently diagnosed, after my second child was born. I have multiple semesters of withdrawal from university classes for medical reasons on my record, due to POTS that was misdiagnosed as panic disorder. Long story short, I did eventually return to school, worked multiple jobs concurrently, and earned good marks and was involved in many extracurricular activities. My health is greatly improved, and I now know how to take care of myself properly and avoid falling down or fainting randomly :)

If I can get all A's in premed classes, and volunteer in a community health center and the local hospital that is affiliated with a top 50 med school, do I have a chance at applying at 34-35? Would a ton of "W"s on my record preclude acceptance at an allopathic school? Would a diagnosis of EDS hurt my chances as well? Can any accommodations be made if someone has to sit down for a few minutes because they are getting light-headed?

I am only interested in psychiatry and family medicine at this point, I have extensive experience with the mental health care system and am quite passionate about it. I would consider a mental health NP path, but I am concerned about prescriptive powers with limited medical education. Primary care would be second choice. I also grew up in a rural area, and am beyond passionate about under-served and rural health care. Particularly with regards to mental health and substance abuse.

I would really appreciate any advice, be harsh, be real. I trust the internet will not disappoint.

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If you're looking to get roasted here, prepare for disappointment. Your GPA makes this dream a very achievable one for you, regardless of what obstructions life has thrown in your path. The hardest thing for you will be that your pre-requisites will need to be attended in-person so as not to limit your pool of schools you can attend for medical school. There have been successful applicants on this page who got in at 50 years old, and those who have applied and been accepted with Elers-Danlos. Provided your stats stay high like they are now, and your MCAT is in the 505-510 range, I don't foresee any roadblocks in your path but you.

I can't speak to which schools are more accommodating for those with disabilities (legally it shouldn't be an issue) but be aware that some say all the right things, and then make it very difficult to get the accommodations you need. Poke around a bit on here and do a couple keyword searches and you'll find a wealth of information. Best of luck to you on your very attainable journey!

Edited to add links:
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/i-am-a-physically-disabled-successful-applicant-in-my-30s-ask-me-anything
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/medical-school-with-disabilities
 
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Thank you for your reply, and for the links. I am planning on doing classes in person, I tend to think that the quality is better, but maybe I'm just old-school.
 
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