Recently diagnosed with ADD. Now what?

[doc4kids93]

I'm in my senior year of undergrad and throughout college I had been constantly struggling with being distracted. Even when I put away my electronics and only had a pen, notebook and textbook, I would daydream (sometimes for 10 minutes at a time). My friend suggested I might have ADHD (I'm also disorganized, impulsive, and scatterbrained (I'm crafty and love drawing, photography, sewing, knitting, etc). My grades have been all over the place (sometimes I'll try really hard one semester, and then other times I try and get discouraged and slack off near the end of the semester).

My friend finally suggested that I might have ADHD, which I never considered (I was always labelled "the dreamer" since I would have high hopes and goals, and daydream alot). So I finally went to my doctor. He diagnosed me with ADHD-inattentive type. So I now take medication for my ADD, and it's like a magic cure. I can focus now. And now I have all A's.

I can focus on a single thing at a time and not be distracted, and I don't even daydream. However, I am a senior, and one semester of A's isn't going to make up for my mediocre past semesters.

What should I do? My plan was to retake the classes with a DIY post bacc. Should I explain to medical schools about my diagnosis, or will it make my situation look even worse (I don't want to be labelled as the girl with the "learning disability" because I feel like I DO know the material, I just got too distracted)?

Also, what will happen once I am in medical school? I heard that they do drug screenings; will I be ok since I have a prescription, or do they have no tolerance for those kind of prescription drugs?

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[kelminak]

What's your GPA? Have you taken the MCAT? (It sounds like you haven't) I'm glad you found a drug that works for you. Schools aren't going to look down on you for it. They're looking for marijuana, etc. in drug tests. Retaking classes that you've got F/D/Cs in is always advised, but it depends on where you're at currently.

 

[doc4kids93]

Right now my GPA is 2.7. I know it's horrible. I mainly did really bad in most of my Chem classes. I'm hoping to retake the classes I got D's in and apply to DO schools. Is it all in vain, since my GPA is so low? I know I can do well. I'm taking summer classes now for my graduation requirements and have all A's this time too (so straight A's two semesters in a row so far). Since I'm a senior, the A's aren't really going to help much in terms of boosting my GPA. I'm mainly trying to retake the classes so med schools can see I can handle the work. Should I explain my situation? I'm sure they'll ask why I did mediocre in the lower division (freshman/sophomore) classes and now I'm suddenly getting A's in the upper division.

 

[kelminak]

Right now my GPA is 2.7. I know it's horrible.

Lol. I'm coming back from a 1.9, it could be a lot worse. You're far from out of the running. Just redo your F/D/Cs and get your GPA as high as possible. 3.0 is considered the cutoff, but you want to get much higher than this if you can. They're going to ask you about your GPA in med school, but if you retake classes and show you can do better, you can explain that you got assistance and you're doing much better now. Your admission will also heavily depend on a good MCAT score as well.

 

[doc4kids93]

That's inspirational. Thanks. What is your GPA now? Are you in med school?

 

[kelminak]

That's inspirational. Thanks. What is your GPA now? Are you in med school?

Over 2.9. Lots and lots of retakes and I didn't go from being a **** student to a good student overnight unfortunately. I'm applying next year.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Keep retaking your courses and try to show schools you are able to maintain that level of academic success over a long period of time. Try to also speak with a learning specialist or learning counselor at your university to further help you study. As to how to approach the interview with your ADD, you will need to walk on eggshells here. I suggest if you have a center at your university that helps with LD and other physical disabilities, they may give you ideas on how to approach your application process. You have to be very careful about it. However, there are a lot of people with physical disabilities and LD who have succeeded in medical school (ADD is one of the most manageable conditions in comparison). So you should be fine in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Shotapp]

You don't have a crippling disability...just another I got ADHD thread nothing new...Don't use this recent diagnosis as a crutch/excuse. Get the help you need and turn your grades around...

 

[spartan1994]

my story:
life before diagnosed: I am just lazy.
life after diagnosed: holy sh** if I really want to I can too be Albert Einstein I only need dopamine.

got diagnosed in during my freshmen yr(4 yrs ago). Started addies loved it initially, the superman complex bla bla bla. Decided I wanted step up my life a knotch. I started my goals were beyond my reach. I partially blame the addies because it just made me feel like I can do anything. To keep up with my hectic lifestyle that I imposed on my self I upped the dosage. Oh i forgot to mention finding the right med is the most challenging thing. If you need help with meds lmk I have done my fair share of prescribed drugs. I even took a journal that my doctor wanted me to keep on daily basis to see what med works the best. Anyway going back to upping my dosage came insomnia, irregular sleep pattern which led me to skip class a lot. I also got more done at night with my addies when everyone is sleep. It kind of made me anti social in a good way. I cannot emphasize how much CBT helped me. I wish I had the money to do CBT. Just having someone to be accountable to makes the biggest difference. I remember being in a group session and realized everyone there has been lying to them self just to prove that they are normal like its a personal vendetta to prove they are worth it and the meds can really play a role in that. So just be careful what you wish for. If i could go back 4 yrs ago I wouldn't do meds. Now if i dont pop a 70 mg vyvanse I hate my life. Also if your doc tells your take it only when you study you need a new doctor.

Life is hard with add/adhd. In this forum most of the kids will mock you or shame you for even considering yourself add or adhd so dont let it get to you. Just dont trick your brain to see yourself as victim and dont let medication guilt get to you either. Also being add/adhd we become very susceptible to instant gratification. I highly suggest you take this as a personal growth and not like "oh now I have med and It gives me an advantage so I will get a 520 on mcat and changed my gpa from 2.7 to 3.5"
I probably didnt answer your question but just wanted to share some things i had in mind.

 

[Goro]

A) Get treated for it
B) Get accomodations
C) Fix you transcript with retakes
D) Don't be ashamed of having ADD. Med schools don't discriminate agains tthis type of thing. We discriminate against people who have a track record of showing that they will fail out of med school by having poor grades. that's why part C is so important. You need to demonstrate that you can handle med school.

If any Adcom think's that you can handle med school, and accepts you, then they are obligated by the ADA to do everything in thier power to accomodate your disability and help you get that degree.

And yes, knowing that you take medication won't be an issue when the drug screen is positive.

I'm in my senior year of undergrad and throughout college I had been constantly struggling with being distracted. Even when I put away my electronics and only had a pen, notebook and textbook, I would daydream (sometimes for 10 minutes at a time). My friend suggested I might have ADHD (I'm also disorganized, impulsive, and scatterbrained (I'm crafty and love drawing, photography, sewing, knitting, etc). My grades have been all over the place (sometimes I'll try really hard one semester, and then other times I try and get discouraged and slack off near the end of the semester).

My friend finally suggested that I might have ADHD, which I never considered (I was always labelled "the dreamer" since I would have high hopes and goals, and daydream alot). So I finally went to my doctor. He diagnosed me with ADHD-inattentive type. So I now take medication for my ADD, and it's like a magic cure. I can focus now. And now I have all A's.

I can focus on a single thing at a time and not be distracted, and I don't even daydream. However, I am a senior, and one semester of A's isn't going to make up for my mediocre past semesters.

What should I do? My plan was to retake the classes with a DIY post bacc. Should I explain to medical schools about my diagnosis, or will it make my situation look even worse (I don't want to be labelled as the girl with the "learning disability" because I feel like I DO know the material, I just got too distracted)?

Also, what will happen once I am in medical school? I heard that they do drug screenings; will I be ok since I have a prescription, or do they have no tolerance for those kind of prescription drugs?