possible? or probable?

[red dot]

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a good friend who is finishing up his residency told me that med students who see psychiatrists during school or who are taking meds for psychiatric purposes, could get blackballed when applying for residency, and that it most definitley happened to a friend of his.

how true is this? if most issues brought up within the psychiatrist's office are linked to common physiological deficiencies in the brain, can you as a medical student still be labeled as "unstable" and become ruined? i brought up HIPAA, but this resident told me that it's not much use within "those circles" so you can still get blackballed, because someone always finds out and things get told "in confidence" at the water cooler.

can anyone shed some light?
and no, i'm not a sociopathic killer 😉

 

[LizzyM]

a good friend who is finishing up his residency told me that med students who see psychiatrists during school or who are taking meds for psychiatric purposes, could get blackballed when applying for residency, and that it most definitley happened to a friend of his.

how true is this? if most issues brought up within the psychiatrist's office are linked to common physiological deficiencies in the brain, can you as a medical student still be labeled as "unstable" and become ruined? i brought up HIPAA, but this resident told me that it's not much use within "those circles" so you can still get blackballed, because someone always finds out and things get told "in confidence" at the water cooler.

can anyone shed some light?
and no, i'm not a sociopathic killer 😉

So many students seek care for mental health issues during med school I can't imagine that it would result in being blackballed in residency. (A third of some graduating classes would be unmatchable.) If through second-hand information there is the perception that someone didn't get a good residency because he was on meds, consider the possibility that there were other red flags on the student's residency application (failure to follow-through, tardiness & unexcused absenses, generally not being on the ball) that are the real reason why the applicant didn't do well in the match. Now, some of those behaviors might have been related to the applicant's mental illness or due to medication side effects but I would highly doubt that a psychiatrist caring for medical students would gossip about those students around the water cooler. I have never experienced that level of unprofessionalism among physicians. If there is any evidence that protected health information was leaked, the financial windfall for the victim would more than cover the cost of his educational loans. No one wants to be the subject of a federal investigation!

 

[vtucci]

The only thing I can think of that might keep a med student from getting a residency is if the individual really had a psychotic break or was a danger to himself or others. Or as has been suggested, during the period when he was not medicated, his behavior was truly problematic (i.e., was arrested, honor violations at the college of medicine).

In any event, it would most likely be more of an issue with licensure. We have to report any psych visit and medications on our applications for licensure-- failure to do so, is one of the quickest ways to get your license denied. This also includes diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, depression, bipolar etc. Many state board will admit students to their ranks as long as they are forthcoming about their conditions. Although some with more problematic conditions (schizophrenia, bipolar), might have to agree to some monitoring.

However, if there is a pattern of really problematic behavior, it might show up in a Dean's letter if the student is unmedicated and truly a danger (although one would think the situation would be addressed long before this point) and that could prove problematic. However, I seriously doubt that the Dean would mention a psych illness, specifically, due to HIPAA.

 

[dbhvt]

I would highly doubt that a psychiatrist caring for medical students would gossip about those students around the water cooler. I have never experienced that level of unprofessionalism among physicians. If there is any evidence that protected health information was leaked, the financial windfall for the victim would more than cover the cost of his educational loans. No one wants to be the subject of a federal investigation!

I have. It happens, and it can be really hard to prove.

 

[LizzyM]

No student, no applicant should avoid seeking help for a treatable condition because of a fear of retribution or black-balling. Nothing is more career ending than suicide.... 🙁 And working at less than your potential because you are ill is another way to derail a promising career.

If there is a concern about "loose lips", seek care from someone who is not affiliated with the medical school. It might mean traveling a little more than would otherwise be required but it might be worth it is you are afraid of discrimination.

 

[dbhvt]

No student, no applicant should avoid seeking help for a treatable condition because of a fear of retribution or black-balling. Nothing is more career ending than suicide.... 🙁 And working at less than your potential because you are ill is another way to derail a promising career.

If there is a concern about "loose lips", seek care from someone who is not affiliated with the medical school. It might mean traveling a little more than would otherwise be required but it might be worth it is you are afraid of discrimination.

👍 👍

 

[velo]

a good friend who is finishing up his residency told me that med students who see psychiatrists during school or who are taking meds for psychiatric purposes, could get blackballed when applying for residency, and that it most definitley happened to a friend of his.

how true is this? if most issues brought up within the psychiatrist's office are linked to common physiological deficiencies in the brain, can you as a medical student still be labeled as "unstable" and become ruined? i brought up HIPAA, but this resident told me that it's not much use within "those circles" so you can still get blackballed, because someone always finds out and things get told "in confidence" at the water cooler.

can anyone shed some light?
and no, i'm not a sociopathic killer 😉

Unless they've made an error in judgement and shared that information with someone they shouldn't have, this wouldn't happen.

With HIPAA the only way residency directers could have that information is if you shared it with them, or shared it with someone (other than a physician treating you) who then passed it along.

If you're worried about this and see a psychiatrist during med school just be discreet.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

a good friend who is finishing up his residency told me that med students who see psychiatrists during school or who are taking meds for psychiatric purposes, could get blackballed when applying for residency, and that it most definitley happened to a friend of his.

how true is this? if most issues brought up within the psychiatrist's office are linked to common physiological deficiencies in the brain, can you as a medical student still be labeled as "unstable" and become ruined? i brought up HIPAA, but this resident told me that it's not much use within "those circles" so you can still get blackballed, because someone always finds out and things get told "in confidence" at the water cooler.

can anyone shed some light?
and no, i'm not a sociopathic killer 😉

horsesh**.

At my school (which consistently has great matchlists) they told us at M1 orientation to seek help if we needed it. Then again at M2 orientation. Becoming clinically depressed and failing a class or boards is going to hurt you alot more than any story a resident (n=1) tells you.

The only possible way I can imagine something like this happening is if the student a) was really sick (i.e. schizophrenic), b) said student was applying for a residency at his home institution, c) said student had been treated at his home institution, and d) a psychiatrist had either made a gross violation of confidence or acted on the basis of the Tarasoff decision.*

* CA case in which an MD was found guilty for not warning a lady whom his patient had expressed a plan to kill.

 

[brianwilson]

My sister had this problem when applying to a residency in florida. She had been seeing a psychiatrist sometime during med school for depression, and for the florida licensing, she had to disclose whether or not she'd seen one in the last year. Most people lie on the form (which you should do) as they won't investigate. But since she was honest, she didn't get her license in florida and had to hold off a couple of weeks of her residency to be examined by psychiatrist to make sure she was "stable." Needless to say she was perfectly fine and this whole ordeal was a pain for her. So if you have to disclose it on a form, LIE.

 

[Gabby]

My sister had this problem when applying to a residency in florida. She had been seeing a psychiatrist sometime during med school for depression, and for the florida licensing, she had to disclose whether or not she'd seen one in the last year. Most people lie on the form (which you should do) as they won't investigate. But since she was honest, she didn't get her license in florida and had to hold off a couple of weeks of her residency to be examined by psychiatrist to make sure she was "stable." Needless to say she was perfectly fine and this whole ordeal was a pain for her. So if you have to disclose it on a form, LIE.

You're seriously advocating lying on something as important as a licensing form? If they did happen to find out, couldn't your license be revoked and couldn't you be banned from ever practicing medicine in that state again? All to avoid a hassle? Wow.

 

[akinf]

You're seriously advocating lying on something as important as a licensing form? If they did happen to find out, couldn't your license be revoked and couldn't you be banned from ever practicing medicine in that state again? All to avoid a hassle? Wow.

That's so true. Especially if you were to get sued later on (which is quite probable) this could come back to seriously haunt you. I would suggest not lying and just get the psychiatric go-ahead. That way, even if you do get sued, they can say you were deemed fine a long time ago.

 

[red dot]

keep it coming! thanks for the input 🙂 does anyone have more information on this or can share other experiences?

 

[hellodoc]

Do they ask you about this on residency applications and medical school applications?
But if you do have schizophrenia and paranoia I think you should definately get help and not care about what people think?
But here is a good question what happens if you have schizophrenia and paranoia and dont get treated for it and you are a medical student?

 

[DrBowtie]

keep it coming! thanks for the input 🙂 does anyone have more information on this or can share other experiences?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=286020

 

[LizzyM]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=286020

consider that the Washington Post story that started this thread ^ is about an sophomore undergraduate at GWU who lived in a college dorm (likely under 21). consider, too, that he is suing the school and this may change the way that students who choose to seek inpatient care for suicidal ideation are treated by their undergraduate institutions.

this is a different situation than a medical student seeking outpatient care or taking medication.

I think that schools are trying to avoid the trauma and disruption to others that occurs when students commit suicide on school property. Asking them to leave until they get help forces students out of denial and into help. In this kid's case, the school, I think, wanted to keep him off of the campus until he had a clean bill of health. this might not have been reasonable depending on how one interpretes the Americans with Disabilities Act.