Two Medical Leaves - Do I Have a Future?

[jumpingshrimp021]

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Hey everyone,


I wanted to reach out because I haven't been able to find much information on students who have had to take two medical leaves of absence. I’m hoping to get some insight from others who may have gone through something similar or have knowledge about how this might impact my future.


My situation is this: I had to take a medical leave during my first year due to an illness. After treatment, I returned to school, believing everything was stable. Unfortunately, the same issue reoccurred, and I had to take another leave. After another round of treatment, things have been well managed, and the chance of recurrence is relatively low.


One of my biggest concerns is whether medical schools—and ultimately residency programs—will select against me for something that was completely out of my control but has been successfully treated. I know gaps in training can raise red flags, but will two medical leaves automatically put me at a disadvantage, even if I’ve demonstrated resilience and capability?


That being said, since returning, I have performed extremely well in my coursework and exams. My time away gave me a renewed perspective, and I’ve been able to come back stronger, more focused, and more determined than ever. I’ve consistently excelled academically, and I feel confident in my ability to continue thriving in medical school and beyond.


Despite this, I can’t help but feel like I’ve given up on more competitive specialties because I assume I’ll be selected against for things that were out of my control. I feel like my mindset has become, “Take what I can get,” rather than aiming for what I actually want. Deep down, I also struggle with this lingering internal belief that I should have been stronger and pushed through, getting treatment while continuing school instead of taking time off. I know that isn’t a fair way to think about it, but it’s something I wrestle with.


I’ve spoken to student affairs, my curriculum directors, and as many administrative individuals as I could about how this might affect my residency chances. Many of them say they’re unsure but try to put a positive spin on it. While I appreciate their support, it sometimes feels like they’re just trying to give me hope when the reality might be bleak. I don’t want sugarcoating—I just want the truth from other medical students or anyone who’s been in this position.


Additionally, I struggle sometimes when discussing my illness. I prefer to keep things straightforward and just say I had a medical issue, but I worry that not providing more detail will work against me. Will I be penalized for simply stating that I had an illness without elaborating?


Another question I have is whether it is officially denoted what type of leave I took. My leaves were not for personal or academic reasons, but I’m not sure how this is recorded on official documents or if residency programs will have access to that information.


On the positive side, after treatment both times, I was able to work in tissue recovery, which ended up being an incredibly valuable experience that deepened my understanding of medicine and patient care.


I’m really interested in emergency medicine, and my ultimate goal is to match at my current medical school for residency. I love the program and the environment, and I truly feel that I would thrive there. Given my history, do you all think I still have a realistic chance at matching into EM?

I know that was a lot - but these questions are continuously running through my head and it's time to rip off the band aid.


I’d truly appreciate any advice, insight, or experiences anyone is willing to share. Thanks in advance!

 

[DrStephenStrange]

EM is probably one of the least competitive fields out there. I wouldn’t worry about matching EM coming from an MD school no matter how uncompetitive you were. When you mention competitive fields I would think more surgical specialties, dermatology, ophthalmology, ENT, Diagnostic and interventional Radiology.

 

[jumpingshrimp021]

EM is probably one of the least competitive fields out there. I wouldn’t worry about matching EM coming from an MD school no matter how uncompetitive you were. When you mention competitive fields I would think more surgical specialties, dermatology, ophthalmology, ENT, Diagnostic and interventional Radiology.

I really appreciate your response. EM is what I've landed on after my leaves. When I was referring to competitive specialties, I was talking about my original goal which was derm (I probably should have mentioned that), but I think my chances are gone no matter how much I build myself up. Thanks again!

 

[LunaOri]

Your home program should know you well and be familiar with your issues, so you will probably be fine. I would be completely honest about the leaves and the treatment so that it is clear that residency is unlikely to be impacted. Otherwise, two leaves will look like a red flag.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

It's unfortunate that you've run into recurrent problems like this.

In general, programs are looking for reliable workers. Once you've taken two LOA's, people are going to wonder whether you have some chronic illness that's going to cause future issues. The two worries are recurrent LOA's (which create havoc with the schedule), and possible work accommodations (of which they are most worried about "can't work nights" or "needs frequent breaks" or something like that).

Legally, all you're required to disclose is that you had an LOA, and you're back now. You may state that all is well now, but programs may not believe you. If the problem is truly resolved, and you're comfortable disclosing, then doing so may be in your benefit. With a story like "I had appendicitis, returned to work, then developed an abdominal abscess. After surgery I'm fully recovered" might result in absolutely no impact, no matter the field to which you apply.

 

[pazzer2]

What was the nature of your medical leave? Cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, substance abuse?

Could be a multitude of things. Residency directors are physicians and will understand that illnesses do come up. You'll get more sympathy about psychiatric illnesses from the Psych department, and more sympathy about the cancer from the heme/onc attendings so on.

But what the residency directors want to know is if you'll come to their program and suddenly go on leave again - this leaves a gap in their coverage that they have to fill somewhere. Your goal is to reassure them that it won't happen. The best way to do this is to be up front about your illness and how you've gotten it under control.