Past Depression - Need Some Advice

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CowMan007

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Hi everyone,

I had past depression and it is pretty evident from my transcript. My question is what do I say/do when asked about a gap in my transcript during an interview. I know saying if you have past depression, you could never be accepted. I am not sure how to approach this during an interview at all. The stigma sucks, I understand that. But I am fine, and I can handle stress much better than before.

If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it. I am a strong applicant 3.8+ GPA and 34+ MCAT, I just don't know how to address a random semester off.

Thank you guys, I'd really appreciate it.

@LizzyM @Goro
 
How long has it been since that semester off? How did you address the problem? Therapy? Medication? Any issues since then? Depression shouldn't cause an auto-reject if you can demonstrate that it is no longer an issue and won't become one in med school.
 
CowMan007 said:
I had past depression and it is pretty evident from my transcript. My question is what do I say/do when asked about a gap in my transcript during an interview.
Click to expand...

Surely "depression" isn't what is listed on your transcript; it would be a medical or administrative withdrawal from courses, no? If you (and your medical providers) feel that you can handle medical school, I'm not sure why anyone needs to know that you have had (or have) depression. Depression is a medical problem, so you can honestly answer to any questions about a gap in your transcript by saying that you have a now-controlled or now-resolved medical concern requiring you to take some time off.
 
I've been fine for more than two years now, without a single problem. Even my psychiatrist thinks I can handle the rigors of medical school. I just hope the stigma doesn't affect me later on in life.
 
cactus8910 said:
How long has it been since that semester off? How did you address the problem? Therapy? Medication? Any issues since then? Depression shouldn't cause an auto-reject if you can demonstrate that it is no longer an issue and won't become one in med school.
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If the possibility of depression was a reasonable cause for rejection, no one would ever be accepted 😛. I'm of the opinion that those who have successfully overcome depression in the past would make way better students. They have the insight to recognize the issue as it's arising, the demonstrated ability to deal with/ address it, and usually some sort support system if it ever rears its ugly head again. Compare this to the "typical" med student who has no idea what depression or burn out feels like, is ashamed of it, unwilling to address the issue, and, if willing, unsure where to go or what to do.
 
I guess so, I just hope many people sitting on admission committees feel the same way. I just hope the stigma towards something like this would end.
 
CowMan007 said:
I guess so, I just hope many people sitting on admission committees feel the same way. I just hope the stigma towards something like this would end.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't count on it. As embarassing as this is for the medical profession, it's still in your best interest to not talk about it. There's a time and place for people to work on changing the stigmatization of mental health issues in medicine and the interview is neither the time nor the place. If you can avoid talking about it, do so. If I were in your shoes and I, for whatever reason, needed to talk about my issues, I would own it though.
 
Long Way to Go said:
Surely "depression" isn't what is listed on your transcript; it would be a medical or administrative withdrawal from courses, no? If you (and your medical providers) feel that you can handle medical school, I'm not sure why anyone needs to know that you have had (or have) depression. Depression is a medical problem, so you can honestly answer to any questions about a gap in your transcript by saying that you have a now-controlled or now-resolved medical concern requiring you to take some time off.
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this. give a generic, professional answer without divulging any more information than you have to
 
So, if asked I should just say its a medical issue? The world is truly a messed up place.
 
So I may never become a doctor due to past depression.... This is sickening to say the least
 
Just say it was a medical issue that was satisfactorily treated. An interviewer is forbidden to ask what the exact illness was.
 
CowMan007 said:
So I may never become a doctor due to past depression....
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Well, that's an overstatement. If you can avoid saying outright that you suffer(ed) from depression, it shouldn't impact your application. If it does come out somehow, emphasize how your mental state has improved since then and how you know you can handle a high-stress environment.

Best of luck to you.
 
Physicians are people who are suppose to be caring, understanding, empathetic, but this whole medical school application is ridiculous. If I get a note from my psychiatrist that I am fine, what is the big deal? Doctors have the highest depression rates, and many of them don't even talk about it. Why? It's pathetic. I'm not even sure if I want to do this anymore....
 
CowMan007 said:
Physicians are people who are suppose to be caring, understanding, empathetic, but this whole medical school application is ridiculous. If I get a note from my psychiatrist that I am fine, what is the big deal? Doctors have the highest depression rates, and many of them don't even talk about it. Why? It's pathetic. I'm not even sure if I want to do this anymore....
Click to expand...
I absolutely agree that the stigma associated with depression needs to be addressed.
I think you've answered your own question about why admissions committees would be concerned if applicants have suffered from depression before. Depression is common among physicians; it's the nature of the job. It is up to admissions committees to try to choose candidates who will excel professionally while maintaining their own physical/mental/emotional health. Someone who has uncontrolled depression is not a good candidate. While a letter from your psychiatrist may seem like enough to you, it may not be sufficient to convince medical schools that your depression wouldn't come back due to the stress of med school, residency, or long-term burn out. That's a hard thing to predict. Ultimately, it will be up to you to decide if you can handle it and apply.
 
But what makes it different than someone who burns out and suffers from depression in medical school? Wouldn't they want someone who has already experienced it before and knows how to handle the situation rather than someone who doesn't? This backwards thinking is pathetic
 
CowMan007 said:
But what makes it different than someone who burns out and suffers from depression in medical school? Wouldn't they want someone who has already experienced it before and knows how to handle the situation rather than someone who doesn't? This backwards thinking is pathetic
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Well sure, someone who knows how to handle their depression would likely do better than someone dealing with it for the first time in med school. But that's not the choice. The choice is someone who, as far as the committee knows, has no history of mental health issues vs. someone who does, who is more likely to face more mental health issues in the future. It's not guaranteed, of course, but it's not an illogical thing for adcoms to consider.
 
But isn't that discrimination? Which is against the law?
 
You tell the truth and point out that your recent performance proves that you can handle medical school.

You're not the first person in this boat.

CowMan007 said:
Hi everyone,

I had past depression and it is pretty evident from my transcript. My question is what do I say/do when asked about a gap in my transcript during an interview. I know saying if you have past depression, you could never be accepted. I am not sure how to approach this during an interview at all. The stigma sucks, I understand that. But I am fine, and I can handle stress much better than before.

If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it. I am a strong applicant 3.8+ GPA and 34+ MCAT, I just don't know how to address a random semester off.

Thank you guys, I'd really appreciate it.

@LizzyM @Goro
Click to expand...
 
Thank you for the reply Goro. How do you usually judge someone based on a previous mental illness? Thank you
 
CowMan007 said:
Physicians are people who are suppose to be caring, understanding, empathetic, but this whole medical school application is ridiculous. If I get a note from my psychiatrist that I am fine, what is the big deal? Doctors have the highest depression rates, and many of them don't even talk about it. Why? It's pathetic. I'm not even sure if I want to do this anymore....
Click to expand...

Stigma/misunderstanding of mental illness is a big problem, but don't overstate the situation. No one said you should hide the truth because all physicians* will hold your past depression against you. We're just saying that it might be a good idea to avoid making it explicit for the 5% who will. And in any case, why would physicians being insensitive about mental illness dissuade you from medicine? It doesn't mean that *you* will automatically be insensitive to mental illness when you get your MD. If it truly bothers you, become a psychiatrist and use your training and authority to fight that problem!

*There will be other people interviewing you besides physicians
 
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Salt Salt said:
Stigma/misunderstanding of mental illness is a big problem, but don't overstate the situation. No one said you should hide the truth because all physicians* will hold your past depression against you. We're just saying that it might be a good idea to avoid making it explicit for the 5% who will. And in any case, why would physicians being insensitive about mental illness dissuade you from medicine? It doesn't mean that *you* will automatically be insensitive to mental illness when you get your MD. If it truly bothers you, become a psychiatry and use your training and authority to fight that problem!

*There will be other people interviewing you besides physicians
Click to expand...
I really like your thinking, and I hope others see it the same way as well.
 
Yeah, this isn't a stigma issue.

Medical students in general are fcking awful at taking care of their mental health, and problems reveal themselves WAY more than people realize in professional school secondary to the rigor, stress, uncontrollable bullsht that goes on. Your grade issues are going to be a red flag. It'll be up to you to determine how you're going to address said flags, and note that being nonspecific is going to leave things to the ADCOM's imagination.

If you want to address the issue directly in your application, discuss in detail how you've proven to have taken the steps necessary to prevent a relapse despite the increasing amount of stress that you're likely to endure over the next 4+ years.
 
As someone who suffered from pretty severe depression and just received a few top acceptances, let me tell you that it will not hinder your ability to become a doctor. My advice is to be honest during interviews... My GPA only dropped 0.1 during my worst semester (I took one less class than normal because I nearly had to take a semester off), but if I had been asked I would have explained that I was suffering from severe depression and explain how that experience has enriched my life and enhanced my capabilities to become a doctor. Many of your patients will suffer from mental illness and you will be much more equipped to discuss options with your patients if you UNDERSTAND what they are going through. Finally, I wouldn't want to go to a place where I could not be honest about my past difficulties and how they have formed me into a better, more resilient individual. I realize that honesty leaves room for vulnerability and everyone is fighting tooth and nail to get in somewhere, but I believe that an interviewer will respect you if you discuss your past mental illness with honesty, clarity and maturity. My biggest interview advice is to be yourself. I answered some questions with a bit of brutal honesty and all of my interviewers commented on the genuine nature of my answers. Just be a person, we need more doctors who are human beings too.
 
I've been fine for more than two years now, without a single problem.
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CowMan007 said:
I really like your thinking, and I hope others see it the same way as well.
Click to expand...

Part of the risk is that those admissions committee members are people who also care. Med students come in rather similar to the general population and then become much much higher in terms of depression and suicide. We're not even close to the general population.

If there was a profession with increased likelihood of broken bones and you showed up with osteoporosis, someone might be concerned for you.

I'm a big fan of simply know the risks and make your own decision though so do what you want. You can't control the adcoms reactions but you can really inventory your own self. Be sure that this is an acceptable risk to your health based on your situation. You may decide the risk is acceptable, but don't deny it is a risk.
 
I get that there is a risk, however it could be equally as small or even smaller if it has been treated. I don't know how to address this other than this way.
 
If you can demonstrate prolonged academic excellent in a rigorous environment, that goes a long way in allaying our fears that the pressure can break you. I've seen it happen here to healthy students. med school is in deed a furnace.

Our wily old Admissions dean stomps on anyone who tries to make the stretch from depression to poor medical student.

As someone who's been through several depressive episodes, two of which required medication, I say don't be afraid to mention this in interviews.

CowMan007 said:
Thank you for the reply Goro. How do you usually judge someone based on a previous mental illness? Thank you
Click to expand...
 
If I were OP, I would make it a point (assuming the depression comes up in interviews) to say that not only is the depression now alleviated, but the cognitive techniques you have learned through therapy or whatever over the years have rendered you MORE resilient to stress than the average med student. Most people don't consciously address their moods and practice cognitive-behavioral determinants of their mood; you can now successfully claim that you are *more* conscientious than the average joe about recognizing signs of depression in yourself, and *more* practiced than the average joe in stress relief techniques.

Make it clear that your past depression is a *strength*, not a weakness.
 
sb247 said:
Med students come in rather similar to the general population and then become much much higher in terms of depression and suicide. We're not even close to the general population.
Click to expand...

Can I have a citation for this? I would like to know more about the differing rates
 
Salt Salt said:
Can I have a citation for this? I would like to know more about the differing rates
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I couldn't find an exact paper saying that, but a quick search brought up this MedScape page (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/739527) with some studies that I'm betting are pretty good. Pamela Wible also does a bunch of stuff with this. If you email her she will literally call you and talk to you about it.
 
All I could wish for is that the stigma around mental illness can change. I've never been stronger since then. The stigma to be honest is heart breaking in a sense. You have to work twice as hard as the average person to get where you are and even then you're faced with discrimination.
 
I don't see how depression should keep you out of medical school if you have it under control. It's one of the most common psychiatric illnesses in the world and generally responds well to treatment. As long as your grades aren't too low and you showed improvement, it should be sufficient to say that you suffered some hardships due to depression, but that you overcame it and were able to continue your studies.
 
Be careful with yourself emotionally once you are in med school op. Take time for yourself to decompress and have fun when you're in, and ensure that you have a good set of healthy coping mechanisms before you start. Med school will get under your skin and can easily push you back into depression if you aren't mindful.
 
I completly understand that, I honestly do. If my mental health wasn't allowing me to go to medical school, I wouldn't even bother applying. But it hurts how people still think of people with mental illnesses as weak. We aren't weak, we are capable people just like everyone else. The fact that it is 2015 and we are still stigmatizing mental illness is tough to take in.
 
CowMan007 said:
I completly understand that, I honestly do. If my mental health wasn't allowing me to go to medical school, I wouldn't even bother applying. But it hurts how people still think of people with mental illnesses as weak. We aren't weak, we are capable people just like everyone else. The fact that it is 2015 and we are still stigmatizing mental illness is tough to take in.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. But an Olympic level mogul skier with early arthritis should probably take a few more precautions than one who is totally healthy, just so they don't accelerate the process. I can't see anyone on this thread saying not to apply.

Salt Salt said:
Can I have a citation for this? I would like to know more about the differing rates
Click to expand...
https://www.afsp.org/preventing-sui...an-and-medical-student-depression-and-suicide
 
CowMan007 said:
I completly understand that, I honestly do. If my mental health wasn't allowing me to go to medical school, I wouldn't even bother applying. But it hurts how people still think of people with mental illnesses as weak. We aren't weak, we are capable people just like everyone else. The fact that it is 2015 and we are still stigmatizing mental illness is tough to take in.
Click to expand...

If you had a heart condition that was being manages properly, I would still caution second thinking a marathon. Do what you want but don't be surprised people are concerned for you
 
But I don't even take medication anymore, heck the signs of depression are not there. It's not like I'm facing this chronically..
 
CowMan007 said:
I am a strong applicant 3.8+ GPA and 34+ MCA@LizzyM @Goro
Click to expand...

You're a strong applicant, by your own words. Sounds like a good reason to apply to me.

Think about it this way: you had an episode of depression, and then, instead of wallowing or self-medicating with alcohol and drugs like too many people, you gots you some help and pulled off an immelman. bonne chance!
 
The stigma really keeps me up at night. It's been on my mind constantly. The only thing I can do now is to hope for the best. It's tough, it truly is. I wish they would see it in a positive light but I doubt that will happen. I think I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut completly and hope for the best..... Sigh what a sad world we live in
 
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