"withdrew" from US med school--can I reapply to other US schools?

[still want MD]

Here's my sad and very true situation...

I went through the first year of med school this past year and had a terribly difficult time.I ended up failing 2 classes, and subsequently, the advancement committee decided to dismiss me from the school.

I appealed the dismissal, but it was upheld. The school did give me the option to "withdraw" myself from the school rather than being dismissed by them, which I will be doing...apparently, such semantics may help my plight of reapplying to med school, or at least in a job search.

now, post-dismissal, I have been diagnosed with ADHD, and the neuropsychologist has told me that among other things, I need to be requesting accomodations for extra time, should I reapply somewhere.. My ex-school decided to ignore this new diagnosis because they claim it was my own fault that I did not find this out earlier.

Bottom line, though it took awhile to get there, I was told that US schools will not want to touch you after you have withdrawn from one, or had academic difficulty. Does this mean that I shouldn't even bother with trying to reapply via AMCAS, or that I shouldnt even bother retaking th MCAT? Should I set my sights on the Caribbean schools, or would they avoid me like the plague too?

I will honestly do whatever it takes to get my MD; it's just so sad because I was already in one!

If anyone could help me out, or refer me to someone who could, I would be eternally grateful.

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[BlackPuma]

ouch I'm so sorry to hear that.....

I can't believe your still interested in going to medical school despite what has happened...

I don't think a lot of people have experience or knowledge about this subject, especially int he pre-allo forum...

have you tried posting it in the allopathic forum? maybe they can help you there...

I wish you the best,

 

[jonquille]

For such a complicated case, I might get in touch with a professional pre-med advisor. Although it might be somewhat expensive, it would probably be worth it if they can help you figure out how to go about this, and how best to tailor your application to put the best spin on this. I don't know of many profressional advisors, but I know that a woman who was the former director of admissions at New York Medical College, named Judy Levine, is now a private pre-med advisor. She seems like a compassionate and supportive person from what I can tell, just from reading her responses to pre-med questions on www.examkrackers.com/forums

You also should find the link to her pre-med services, and you could set up an appointment with her (I'm sure it doesn't have to be in person). Good luck. You deserve a pat on the back for taking steps to find out what giving you trouble, and for remaining committed to your dreams.

 

[tBw]

Originally posted by still want MD
My ex-school decided to ignore this new diagnosis because they claim it was my own fault that I did not find this out earlier.

How ironic that such 'educators' should claim to seek new students that will be compassionate health professionals when they seem to fail one of their own so completely....

I am sorry for your situation. I would suspect that your best bet is to set up meetings with deans at a medical school you would be interested in attending. Discuss with them your situation as I doubt anyone else here will really be able to advise you as it is a particularly unusual situation for these boards. I expect the outcome will weigh heavily on what your previous school has to say about you. The fact that they themselves will not consider taking you back will probably not be a good sign to other schools. I know you say your ex-school will not take you, but in honesty, at this stage that might be the most likely option, if there is one, of returning to medical school. I would therefore ask for a meeting with a dean there to at least try that again. I realize you may have already done this to no avail, but I would be sure this is definitely not an option before pursuing other avenues - as with that on the record, it will definitely be harder to do it any other way.

Good luck.

 

[Resident Alien]

Originally posted by Molybdenum
I am sorry to say this, but if you are truly having trouble with medical school courses, may be you should explore other career options closely related to medicine. Good luck.

Given he failed only 2 courses, I wouldnt give him that drastic an advice. I dont think anyone here is qualified to question the other's for medicine. He was accepted to med school in the first place, so the adcoms must have had some confidence.

Anyway, I have no answer for the OP . Sorry

 

[nuclearrabbit77]

i think it would be very hard to get into medical school again, since the adcoms do have previous information of your application, in addition, a typical question is "have you ever matriculated into a medical school". checking yes to this, will raise red flags, and eventually a revelation that you got dismissed from a medical school.
i don't want to sound pessimistic, but i think the odds are quite low that an adcom would want to take a chance on a dismissed student. however, anything is possible, and i think your best bet if you do try is to play up the ADHD, and how you feel that you can compete at the appropriate level. In addition, by law, since you are diagnosed with ADHD, you should be able to get more time on the MCAT, and even the USMLE (i think). It is also possible that you can take the school that dismissed you into court, claiming that your disability prevented you from performing to your potential.

If you have the will, i am sure there is a way. It may not be easy though.

 

[Spiderman [RNA Ladder 2003]]

Well, bad things happen to everyone. I would not aply into a med school right away without doing some course work and getting A's for it. Earn an graduate degree or take some post-bac classes. I know that it is going to be hard because you would have to prove to adcoms again that you can handle the work Why should they believe you now after you did fail the med school classes? You have to offer some proff. BU and Geaorgetown offer one-year MS programs during which students take medical school classes. If you do well in these classes, will shift the odds on your side.
Taking MCAT again would help also.

BTW, what's ADHD?

 

[none]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
http://my.webmd.com/encyclopedia/article/1623.50570

 

[Sammmeyeam]

Even if you appealled it and they didn't accept it, I would still try and talk to the Dean or whoever...

Sometimes the Dean is in the position to make a big decision like this... I understand that your case has been reviewed by a Committee, but you have nothing to lose.

It would be easier for you to convince your current med school to keep you rather than apply all over again... you need to exhaust all possibilities at your current med school before you go to plan B.

Even if the Dean will not change the Committee's decision, he will still provide very valuable advice about reapplying, etc.

Also, maybe you can ask for a deferral? You can tell them you need some time off to sort things out... who knows, they might give you another chance.

Anyways... don't give up... I remember I had a class once with this really awesome professor, and he once said, "The most successful graduate students are not always those that are the smartest, but instead those that are the most persistant..."

goodluck to you.

 

[Mr. H]

I can't believe someone had to ask what "ADHD" is. Seriously, you want to be a doctor?










LOL

just messing with you spider, but still, i thought most people new that

 

[Spiderman [RNA Ladder 2003]]

Originally posted by Mr. H
I can't believe someone had to ask what "ADHD" is. Seriously, you want to be a doctor?










LOL

just messing with you spider, but still, i thought most people new that

Whatever

 

[SDN]

Since you've been diagnosed with a disability -- I think the med school that is dismissing you should give you a second chance. Dismissing someone with a diagnosed learning disability could be grounds for a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The dismissal can't be final yet, since you haven't filed the Withdraw request. I'd discuss this matter ASAP with the dean of the school and let them know that you've been diagnosed with ADHD and you would like the school to re-consider the dismissal based on this new information.

Having a w/d or dismissal from any school doesn't look good. It's nearly the same thing, just different semantics. It's all the same from an adcom point of view.

 

[steiner19er]

Lee

I think the wihdrawl is done and over with. From reading the first post it seems like it has been a good year since he last enrolled at said medical school. Anyways it doesn;t look good. I would consider dentistry, if i were u

 

[Spidey]

http://www.caribbeanmedicine.com/

 

[BlackPuma]

Originally posted by Lee A Burnett
Since you've been diagnosed with a disability -- I think the med school that is dismissing you should give you a second chance. Dismissing someone with a diagnosed learning disability could be grounds for a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The dismissal can't be final yet, since you haven't filed the Withdraw request. I'd discuss this matter ASAP with the dean of the school and let them know that you've been diagnosed with ADHD and you would like the school to re-consider the dismissal based on this new information.

Having a w/d or dismissal from any school doesn't look good. It's nearly the same thing, just different semantics. It's all the same from an adcom point of view.

oooooooh way to go LEE!!!!

hey buddy, I agree with Lee....sue sue sue their ass in court, take the millions and then go into law

heck....I would have done that best of luck to u...all is not lost...

 

[qweewq11]

I agree with the above poster that suggested you get a med skool consultant.

Btw, any tips for future med students on what not to do?

 

[JmE]

Originally posted by qweewq11
I agree with the above poster that suggested you get a med skool consultant.

Btw, any tips for future med students on what not to do?

I second that... any potentially helpful insight would be appreciated.

-JmE-

 

[leorl]

Yes, talk with the dean of the school...but also talk to someone you know is compassionate. In the other board, someone brought up the fact that if you got through hs and college okay, med schools would be wary of taking that excuse. Is it just possible that the original poster is smart enough to never really have had to study very hard or focusedly to do well? Undergrad is hard, granted...but not all the classes are that difficult, and it's quite possible to do well with scattered attention. Then again, ADHD and ADD are often seen as the "excuse" diseases.

Best of luck!

 

[Spidey]

Yeah, I'd talk to the dean too. And if at the end he says something like 'there is nothing I can do for you' casually mention something like 'ah well, I guess my lawyer was right. I suppose he'll be happy to hear about this' sigh


:0

 

[limit]

Post this in the law school forum

 

[marleybfour]

I'm sorry, but this post infuriates me......."Get a lawyer" ....I say "Get real."

I too have a learning disability called dyslexia. What that tells me is that sometimes I have to WORK HARDER then the average person in order to accomplish something. It doesn't mean I get special attention, time or treatment. Nor does it mean that I "sue" when I do not succeed.

Your "disorder" obviously did not hinder you in highschool or college, albeit with the fact that you got accepted to med school in the first place. I say, stop looking for an excuse and take a good, hard look at yourself and the level of your work and committment to medical school.