Student with a disability (now under control)

[bpmd]

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Hi, I have a chronic disease that was diagnosed during my college years, my GPA suffered (3.56 - in Psychology). My medical condition continued to interfere with my life but I managed to get a MS in computer science, then work in a neuroscience lab for a couple of years. Rather than continue in research, I really want to become a clinician. This means taking science classes (from gen chem, orgo, physics, calc etc. etc.) from the start. I am, by the way, 32 years old, with a chronic medical condition that is now finally under control. Do you think this is a reasonable wish? I did not mention that my chronic disease is a mental health problem: Bipolar Disorder.

Thanks,
bpmed

 

[cfdavid]

If you're situation is under control to the extent that you'll be able to complete med school and pass your boards, then I think you should be fine.
I'm no expert on these things, but I do know there are effective treatments available.

It sounds like you recognized the problem (which may be 1/2 the battle, right?), and have taken ownership of it. Now, you're having success (meds, therapy...), and you know you need to keep it up. Just like a diabetic needs insulin. Whatever....

But, I DON'T think that your past struggles should prevent you from pursuing your goals/interests. Good luck.

 

[powerbooki]

I started volunteering after this Aug MCAT, 4 hours a week. I believe that's reasonable (full time work too) and schools will understand that. You are a very brave person, salute to you.

 

[cfdavid]

Oops. I totally missed the mark on that one. Sorry about that. I guess I didn't read carefully enough.

 

[toothless rufus]

Hello! I think that getting through something like this creates the fortitude and persistence of character that form an exceptionally solid bedrock of personal attributes that will sustain one throughout any endeavor. You have accomplished much already, and your affliction has no doubt made you a more empathetic person. If it is your passion, then GO FOR IT!! Obviously, you will have to keep a sharp eye on maintainence of your illness, but I believe you can do it! 😎

 

[psychedoc2b]

Hi, I have a chronic disease that was diagnosed during my college years, my GPA suffered (3.56 - in Psychology). My medical condition continued to interfere with my life but I managed to get a MS in computer science, then work in a neuroscience lab for a couple of years. Rather than continue in research, I really want to become a clinician. This means taking science classes (from gen chem, orgo, physics, calc etc. etc.) from the start. I am, by the way, 32 years old, with a chronic medical condition that is now finally under control. Do you think this is a reasonable wish? I did not mention that my chronic disease is a mental health problem: Bipolar Disorder.

Thanks,
bpmed

Well,
please read my past posts. If I can do it, you can too!! I think you will be a great physician.

psychedoc2b

 

[MSc44]

Well,
please read my past posts. If I can do it, you can too!! I think you will be a great physician.

psychedoc2b

GO FOR IT BUDDY!!!!!!
GO FOR IT

 

[Caboose]

Yup - I convulse on occasion and admins said they'd let me in. In the end, it gives you a better perspective and ability to relate to people's various debacles.
Caboose.

 

[brown98]

Hi There:

Thank you for this posting.

Would you mention such illnesses in personal statements?

Has anyone talked to admission officers/premed advisors about this?

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Hi There:

Thank you for this posting.

Would you mention such illnesses in personal statements?

i wouldn't. being mentally ill still has enough stigma that i think you'd not want to advertise it. it sucks, but i'd be cautious.

to the op, good for you! i wish you the best of luck. if your condition is stable enough for you to get a graduate degree and hold down a stable job, i don't see why it would stop you from becoming a doctor.

 

[bear]

Hi,

Does anyone know which med schools are friendliest towards students with psychiatric disabilities--with regard to appropriate accommodations, avoidance of stigma, and either neutral or supportive rather than punitive treatment? Disability discrimination is very, vary difficult to prove legally in the med school setting, because the law gives med schools a wide berth in their treatment of students. Any advice?

bear

 

[Caboose]

Hi,

Does anyone know which med schools are friendliest towards students with psychiatric disabilities--with regard to appropriate accommodations, avoidance of stigma, and either neutral or supportive rather than punitive treatment? Disability discrimination is very, vary difficult to prove legally in the med school setting, because the law gives med schools a wide berth in their treatment of students. Any advice?

bear

Not sure. I called around a myriad of schools asking about epilepsy and most schools gave me the, "say, why don't you look it up on our website?" This is completely ridiculous because the disability overviews are ambiguous and truly left to the interpreters reading bias.

I haven't done much school exploration, but I have to say that Stanford was the one school I was completely impressed with in their response. This guy was all over it. He researched past cases, emailed and even called me in Japan. Guess that's pretty friendly.

When I was wandering around the career arena, a PA admin told me that if I was not always able to meet the regular requirements, the program was not for me and there were many other candidates that could meet them. It is mostly an unspoken bias that some people have because they are human, me thinks.

I'm currently doing my personal statement and I have to put it in. It's not quite the same, although depression does tend to accompany epilepsy. It's the reason I didn't go in right away, why I took so long in college and screwed some grades. If such a major thing didn't come out on paper, it certainly would at the interview.

I won't be mentioning my father during the interview because it would make their eyes wide for no reason. It depends on how much it contributed to your life, I think.

Caboose.

 

[Cinnameg]

This is a very interesting thread to me because I suffered from major depression on and off during my first two years of college. I managed to get out of it with only a few C's and two withdrawls, then got great grades my second two years of college and ended up with an overall 3.5. I did stop doing premedical courses after halfway through sophomore year, though, and ended up going to a postbaccalaureate premedical program right after I graduated from college. When I did my applications -- and yeah, I'm actually done with secondaries -- when schools actually asked me to "please explain any irregularities or weak points in your application" I would say that I suffered from an eating disorder (which is also more or less true, but isn't actually the reason I screwed up some grades). That eating disorder information only ended up on maybe a third of the applications I did, but now reading this thread I worry that saying an eating disorder might not be better than saying that I had major depression. I thought that it was because girls with eating disorders are known to be perfectionists and many recover completely and go on to have great, stellar careers, unlike people with depression, which tend to have recurrences.

Anyway, I wanted to ask, for the sake of any upcoming interviews I might have, WHAT are people saying who are in something akin to my situation? Do you tell them you were sick or do you chalk up any application flaws to "immaturity" and "misplaced priorities"? Do medical school admissions committees accept NOT having an explanation for bad grades?

Anything anyone could say about this would help me. My first interview is January 5th and I'm very nervous about grade-related questions.

Thanks!

 

[psychedoc2b]

Hi,

Does anyone know which med schools are friendliest towards students with psychiatric disabilities--with regard to appropriate accommodations, avoidance of stigma, and either neutral or supportive rather than punitive treatment? Disability discrimination is very, vary difficult to prove legally in the med school setting, because the law gives med schools a wide berth in their treatment of students. Any advice?

bear

Hi,

I would recommend going to a public school. I went to one myself. I have heard of horror stories from people at private schools who had a disability took time off during medical school and were not able to return. My school was great and was very accommodating. I had trouble during medical school because of a bad regimen of meds, but towards the end I did quite well. I think the public schools try to accommodate more than private schools because they receive funding from the government and need to be non-discriminatory, whereas private schools receive most of their funding through private donations. I think that any public school would do its best to accommodate to a student's disability once you are accepted. Usually, there is a ADA or American Disabilities Act Office on campus at public schools and one can go there to inquire about its accommodations and whether or not one can request for accommodations given their disability. I encourage those with a disability to go to the ADA office of the medical school to which they are applying and see what they can offer. If the ADA office seems to be accommodating to one's needs, then I would apply there.

psychedoc2b

 

[Caboose]

Anything anyone could say about this would help me. My first interview is January 5th and I'm very nervous about grade-related questions.
Thanks!

No worries, Cinn, it was something you learned from. Is there a reason it was in your first two years? Did you go through treatment? Although a big reason for me not to go into medicine was epilepsy, I hadn't developed the motivation to fight for it either. It's something I learned from. Just truly believe the extent of your circumstances and show it in a positive light - what you took from it, not what it took from you.

Caboose

 

[bpmd]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies and encouragement.
I truly appreciate it. I'm enrolling in an evening math class to test out the waters next semester.

I'm just bumping this thread to see if anyone else has a story to share re: mental illness & med school.

Thanks,
bpmd

 

[klptvf]

So, I have a question along the lines of this subject:

If your GPA is low due to some condition such as mental illness, do you address that in the statement? I know that sounds silly, but I really need to know. How do you address low GPA that has a legit reason (not excuse though) but it very disclosing, personal, etc.?

I've heard that you should definitely address low GPA and WHY it is that way, but how do you say, "I was XXXX and XXXXX and it caused XXXX". What if it was a very personal traumatic event that caused the low GPA ie failing ocurses that you had to retake, Fs, Ds, etc.? Too personal to mention in a statement but also too personal to NOT affect your life. Too personal that if they knew, it would make some sense why your GPA suffered.

Thanks.

 

[a_ditchdoc]

Just a word of caution. I had a friend at my medical school with a history of bipolar disorder. I will assume that prior to coming to school he did not have it well under control. Academically he was a genious, one of the top in the class. Unfortunately, the pressures of medical school pushed him over the threshhold and he was unable to control it even with multiple meds. While the faculty tried to accommodate him, in the end, they had to end his studies.

This is not meant to discourage you. Just realize that medical school is filled with many pressures, some of them are exceptionally difficult for students without pre-existing medical problems. Make sure that you have it well under control prior to embarking on this long process.

Your GPA, 3.56, exceeds mine, so it should not be a problem unless you have some really nasty marks somewhere in your transcript. Do well in your science courses, rock your MCAT, and you should have little problem getting into a good school. I am a bit weary to recommend that you disclose in your personal statement that you have bipolar disorder. While most people in the medical profession can see beyond the stigma of mental disorders, I would worry that there are some that are not as enlightened.

I wish you the best of luck in your efforts...

 

[bpmd]

Just a word of caution. I had a friend at my medical school with a history of bipolar disorder. I will assume that prior to coming to school he did not have it well under control. Academically he was a genious, one of the top in the class. Unfortunately, the pressures of medical school pushed him over the threshhold and he was unable to control it even with multiple meds. While the faculty tried to accommodate him, in the end, they had to end his studies.

This is not meant to discourage you. Just realize that medical school is filled with many pressures, some of them are exceptionally difficult for students without pre-existing medical problems. Make sure that you have it well under control prior to embarking on this long process.

Your GPA, 3.56, exceeds mine, so it should not be a problem unless you have some really nasty marks somewhere in your transcript. Do well in your science courses, rock your MCAT, and you should have little problem getting into a good school. I am a bit weary to recommend that you disclose in your personal statement that you have bipolar disorder. While most people in the medical profession can see beyond the stigma of mental disorders, I would worry that there are some that are not as enlightened.

I wish you the best of luck in your efforts...

Thanks for your reply. My transcript is slightly "checkered" with straight-A's one semester, then B's the next, reflecting the disease that I have. I had several hospitalizations during college, but still managed my 3.56. I have worked in research jobs were the hours were rough (16 hrs a day, 6-7 days a week) and still maintained my health. So, I am hopeful and optimistic that I will be able to make it.

Regarding disclosure, I agree with you. I don't think I'd like to say more than the fact that I've dealt with a chronic medical condition that is now under control.

Thanks for your reply once again,
Best,
bpmd

 

[UCLA2000]

Hi, I have a chronic disease that was diagnosed during my college years, my GPA suffered (3.56 - in Psychology). My medical condition continued to interfere with my life but I managed to get a MS in computer science, then work in a neuroscience lab for a couple of years. Rather than continue in research, I really want to become a clinician. This means taking science classes (from gen chem, orgo, physics, calc etc. etc.) from the start. I am, by the way, 32 years old, with a chronic medical condition that is now finally under control. Do you think this is a reasonable wish? I did not mention that my chronic disease is a mental health problem: Bipolar Disorder.

Thanks,
bpmed

wow...that's a great question. I do know of people in medical school who are bipolar, however, I would think that it would not be seen as a desireable trait in a physician. So I would definately not mention it as an excuse for low gpa performance. If it interferes with your school, then it will no doubt interfere with your clinical performance as well. Prior to applying I would urge you to do some soul searching as to whether or not it is fair to your patients to have a future physician which could arguably be considered "unreliable".

If you decide that medicine IS for you, then I would point you in the direction of post bac programs which are designed to put people with B.A. through the med school pre-recs in one year.

Good luck.

 

[bpmd]

wow...that's a great question. I do know of people in medical school who are bipolar, however, I would think that it would not be seen as a desireable trait in a physician. So I would definately not mention it as an excuse for low gpa performance. If it interferes with your school, then it will no doubt interfere with your clinical performance as well. Prior to applying I would urge you to do some soul searching as to whether or not it is fair to your patients to have a future physician which could arguably be considered "unreliable".

If you decide that medicine IS for you, then I would point you in the direction of post bac programs which are designed to put people with B.A. through the med school pre-recs in one year.

Good luck.

I must respectfully say that I never considered myself to be "unreliable." Now that my illness is under control, I have not missed a day of work and have performed quite well.

 

[UCLA2000]

I must respectfully say that I never considered myself to be "unreliable." Now that my illness is under control, I have not missed a day of work and have performed quite well.

Then you are the exception and I applaud you. The typical bipolar person is by the very nature of their disease unreliable.

"bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function."

The drugs help to attenuate the manic/depressive cycle but they do not completely eliminate them.

I would still not advertise the presence of that illness to the adcom. They might be wondering what would happen if your disease becomes unstable in 2 years, or 5 years? They may compare you to bipolar patients that they have had who quit taking their meds to experience the euphoria of bipolar episodes.

It's great that your disease is under control and that you're functioning without any trouble. How long has your disease been under control?

Me: Do you smoke, drink, or use recreational drugs.
Patient: No.

(after researching I discover that the patient has used heroin for 10 years.)

Me: It says here that you have a history of IV drug use. Heroin specifically.
Patient: Oh yeah, I used heroin for 10 years but I quit all that. I'm clean.
Me: That's great. Congrats. How long have you been clean for?
Patient: 2 days...

 

[bpmd]

Then you are the exception and I applaud you. The typical bipolar person is by the very nature of their disease unreliable.

"bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function."

The drugs help to attenuate the manic/depressive cycle but they do not completely eliminate them.

I would still not advertise the presence of that illness to the adcom. They might be wondering what would happen if your disease becomes unstable in 2 years, or 5 years? They may compare you to bipolar patients that they have had who quit taking their meds to experience the euphoria of bipolar episodes.

It's great that your disease is under control and that you're functioning without any trouble. How long has your disease been under control?

Me: Do you smoke, drink, or use recreational drugs.
Patient: No.

(after researching I discover that the patient has used heroin for 10 years.)

Me: It says here that you have a history of IV drug use. Heroin specifically.
Patient: Oh yeah, I used heroin for 10 years but I quit all that. I'm clean.
Me: That's great. Congrats. How long have you been clean for?
Patient: 2 days...

I am not sure how exceptional my situation is, but yes, I am aware that substance abuse disorders can often be comorbid with Bipolar. I am lucky I never went near illegal drugs or alocohol. Initially, I had difficutlies accepting my disease, but once I finally reached acceptance, five years ago, I have been stable as a rock. Never missed a dose of my medication. I do agree about disclosure; if I were on an adcom, I would be scared to take a risk on an applicant with a chronic mental illness.

It's just my gut instinct that I will be fine.

 

[UCLA2000]

I am aware that substance abuse disorders can often be comorbid with Bipolar.

Sorry, that wasn't my point at all. I was just asking how long your disease has been "under control"? 2 years or 2 days?

 

[UCLA2000]

I am aware that substance abuse disorders can often be comorbid with Bipolar.

Sorry, that wasn't my point at all. I was just asking how long your disease has been "under control"? 2 years or 2 days?

 

[psychedoc2b]

Sorry, that wasn't my point at all. I was just asking how long your disease has been "under control"? 2 years or 2 days?

I don't think that is a very nice question but do understand your point. Bipolar disorder can be controled by a mood stabilizer though. There are others out there with this disorder who are doing well. You would not believe the number of physicians who are doing well with this illness. I believe the OP will do well as long as he takes his medication.

Also, I would not disclose your illness if you don't have to do so. It won't get you any brownie points. However, if you have a past academic record checkered with leave of absences and bad grades, then I would think about disclosing your illness by saying the minimum and having learned much from your illness.

I want to encourage the OP to fulfill his aspirations of becoming a physician. There have been many people before you that have become physicians despite having bipolar illness. It might be helpful to contact other physicians with bipolar illness who are open about their illness.

Take care,
psychedoc2b

 

[UCLA2000]

You would not believe the number of physicians who are doing well with this illness.

You can't just lightly throw out a comment like that. You need evidence. Show me a study, or a statistic. Otherwise, it's just bullsh*t.

I don't think that is a very nice question but do understand your point.

My question was neither nice, nor mean. It was practical.

A perfect example of the practicality of my question would be to read the example of the encounter that I had 1 month ago with a patient who was a heroin addict.

I will re-post it below for your quick reference:

Me: Do you smoke, drink, or use recreational drugs.
Patient: No.

(after researching I discover that the patient has used heroin for 10 years.)

Me: It says here that you have a history of IV drug use. Heroin specifically.
Patient: Oh yeah, I used heroin for 10 years but I quit all that. I'm clean.
Me: That's great. Congrats. How long have you been clean for?
Patient: 2 days...

 

[psychedoc2b]

You can't just lightly throw out a comment like that. You need evidence. Show me a study, or a statistic. Otherwise, it's just bullsh*t.




My question was neither nice, nor mean. It was practical.

A perfect example of the practicality of my question would be to read the example of the encounter that I had 1 month ago with a patient who was a heroin addict.

I will re-post it below for your quick reference:

Me: Do you smoke, drink, or use recreational drugs.
Patient: No.

(after researching I discover that the patient has used heroin for 10 years.)

Me: It says here that you have a history of IV drug use. Heroin specifically.
Patient: Oh yeah, I used heroin for 10 years but I quit all that. I'm clean.
Me: That's great. Congrats. How long have you been clean for?
Patient: 2 days...

Whoa, there. Don't be so harsh!

There is a federation of medical support groups in each state that provides help to impaired physicians. I know you probably don't believe me. These groups work with the state medical licensing federations to help physicians obtain a medical license and remain under guidance until it is deemed that the physician is truly stable and does not need to be monitored. These groups are open to medical students, physicians, and other health practitioners. They also have support groups for these physicians to interact and help each other. I know of others in these groups.

And, please refrain from using derogatory language. As a future health professional, you must learn to be professional. If you deem yourself as too worthy to accept the idea that some of your future colleagues may have some personal challenges, then I remind you to look into the mirror and have yourself realize that may be it's you with the problem and not others.

How old are you anyways? I know of some mature people despite their youth but you do sound like an immature twit who has never been out of the closet. Take off your blinders and experience some real life challenges, instead of being an immature twit, UCLA2000!

psychedoc2b

 

[UCLA2000]

please refrain from using derogatory language. As a future health professional, you must learn to be professional.

How old are you anyways? I know of some mature people despite their youth but you do sound like an immature twit who has never been out of the closet.

psychedoc2b

I wasn't trying to be harsh. That's the problem with written language. It comes off as impersonal and can sometimes be interpreted in a manner in which it was not intended.

1. Of course I believe you that there is a support group for impaired physicians. Why is that so far fetched? You STILL can't make comments like "you wouldn't believe how many physicians have bipolar". It's not proof! It's an unvalidated assertion. In addition, it gives some of us flashbacks to our colleagues starting their first IV on patients while saying "you wouldn't believe how many of these I've done!"
2. I'm your colleague not your junior and as such we ARE already health professionals.
3. You know as well as I do that physicians sometimes curse during their interactions. We're doctors not saints.
4. I'm 28 and chances are I'm older than you are. If you'll note from my prior posts at no time did I attack anyone. You calling me an "immature twit" not only crosses the line of professionalism but it also smacks of immaturity.
While I have seen physicians curse during their interactions, I have NEVER seen one attack another personally.

Who needs the lesson on professionalism?

 

[psychedoc2b]

I wasn't trying to be harsh. That's the problem with written language. It comes off as impersonal and can sometimes be interpreted in a manner in which it was not intended.

1. Of course I believe you that there is a support group for impaired physicians. Why is that so far fetched? You STILL can't make comments like "you wouldn't believe how many physicians" because it gives some of us flashbacks to our colleagues starting their first IV on patients while saying "you wouldn't believe how many of these I've done!"
2. I'm your colleague not your junior and as such we are already health professionals.
3. You know as well as I do that physicians curse. We're doctors not saints.
4. I'm 28 and chances are I'm older than you are. If you'll note from my prior posts at no time did I attack anyone. You calling me an "immature twit" not only crosses the line of professionalism but it also smacks of immaturity.
While I have seen physicians curse during their interactions, I have NEVER seen one attack another personally.

Who needs the lesson on professionalism?

Good boy, now remember to play nice now! Did your mommy forget to give you hugs and kisses while you were growing up?

28 years old and still acting as if you were in diapers. Now, if you are going to act like a hyena in heat everytime you can't get your way, I suggest you
look into therapy for yourself. Let's see here UCLA2000, may be you were neglected as a child which you still are in experience, not age, and that you want to have revenge on those who were not neglected and had a loving relationship with mommy and daddy! Waaa, waaa! Now, go back to mommy and daddy and ask for a hug and kiss.

psychedoc2b

 

[UCLA2000]

Good boy, now remember to play nice now!

psychedoc2b

Nice diversion.

I noticed that in addition to "forgetting" to state your age that you attempted to avoid EVERY SINGLE point in my post. In addition, you continue to attack me and act unprofessionally.

Strong work 👍

Unfortunately, you're not the only one here with psych training. Do you get some sort of gratification out of insulting other people? Does it validate you? If so then perhaps you're the one in need of some serious counseling.

Actually, I just realized what is going on. You're transferring your anger onto me regarding what your interviewer told you about how nobody with your diagnosis should do anything stressful (medicine I presume?).

I've noticed that you continue to attack me. Either you have anger issues or perhaps it is time to consider upping the dose of that mood stabilizer.

 

[psychedoc2b]

Nice diversion.

I noticed that in addition to "forgetting" to state your age that you attempted to avoid EVERY SINGLE point in my post. In addition, you continue to attack me and act unprofessionally.

Strong work 👍

Unfortunately, you're not the only one here with psych training. Grow up.

Actually, I just realized what is going on. You're transferring your anger onto me regarding what your interviewer told you about how nobody with your diagnosis should do anything stressful (medicine I presume?).

I've noticed that you continue to attack me. I would think that perhaps it is time to consider upping the dose of that mood stabilizer?

Good try! You are acting like a immature baby again! I have graduated and am doing fine. I realize that you don't take criticism too well. Are you a narcissistic baby who has not realized that as you are not the center of this universe? Now, go back to mommy and daddy and ask them to give you a BIG hug and kiss since they sure did not give you much attention while in your childhood which seems to be continous for you. I do take good care of myself and don't need your advice from a wanna-be-physican like you. You should not practice medicine without a license! Waa, waa!

And, to bpmd, there are immature twits like UCLA2000 who actually get into medical school?!!! Thus, you will be ok. Some schools must have low standards. With low standards like these, I imagine it must be getting easier to get into medical school.

psychedoc2b

 

[UCLA2000]

Good try! You are acting like a immature baby again! I have graduated and am doing fine. I realize that you don't take criticism too well. Are you a narcisstic baby who has not realized that as you are not the center of this universe? Now, go back to mommy and daddy and ask them to give you a BIG hug and kiss since they sure did not give you much attention while in your childhood which seems to be continous for you. I do take good care of myself and don't need your advice from a wanna-be-physican like you. You should not practice medicine without a license! Waa, waa!

And, to bpmd, there are immature twits like UCLA2000 who actually get into medical school?!!!

psychedoc2b

seek professional help.

 

[bpmd]

I am deeply disappointed that future physicians can behave in extremely unprofessional ways as I've witnessed right here. I understand that we are all human, but I expected physicians and physicians-to-be to meet a certain level of conduct...

As for whether I can or cannot make it as a physician, I do not seek to have this question answered by those who only know an extremely small portion of my story and profile. The fact of the matter is, many physicians have various forms of disabilities, yet are more than perfectly capable of performing their duties. I am of the belief that as long as the problem has been identified, diagnosed and treated, individuals with disabilities ought to be given the privilege of becoming physicians. I know that I will be a good doctor, no matter what others may choose to believe.

I am sorry that I posted this private question to this public forum. I was hoping to get moral support from others who may come from a similar background.

Best,
bpmd

 

[noonday]

I am deeply disappointed that future physicians can behave in extremely unprofessional ways as I've witnessed right here. I understand that we are all human, but I expected physicians and physicians-to-be to meet a certain level of conduct...

As for whether I can or cannot make it as a physician, I do not seek to have this question answered by those who only know an extremely small portion of my story and profile. The fact of the matter is, many physicians have various forms of disabilities, yet are more than perfectly capable of performing their duties. I am of the belief that as long as the problem has been identified, diagnosed and treated, individuals with disabilities ought to be given the privilege of becoming physicians. I know that I will be a good doctor, no matter what others may choose to believe.

I am sorry that I posted this private question to this public forum. I was hoping to get moral support from others who may come from a similar background.

Best,
bpmd

it's awful, isn't it? and i can't even get a g-d interview, when people like these are actual doctors.

first, to the OP, i'd hope they don't hold it against you. just like i hope they don't hold my Hx of major depression against me (fully therapy-ized and medicated successfully for over 4 years at this point). i'd hope they'd look at us and think "gee, alcoholism, drug use, depression, and other psychiatric disorders disproportionally affect medical professionals. these people have themselves figured out and together already. good!" but i doubt it. just know you're not the only one out here.

and to the "doctor" with the anecdote about the heroin USER. you may have an MD, but god help me i'd never let you near one of my clients (i'm volunteer medical coordinator for a needle exchange), and it's "doctors" like you, with your judgemental attitudes and holier than thou mentalities that drive people to seeking care in non-traditional means where they can at least feel heard and respected, no matter what their choices. shame on you.

this just makes me so sad.

good luck, OP.

 

[r_salis]

Started out as a serious thread, but turned immature. Closing...