How to deal with mental problems without affecting med school chances

[TheDENNISsystem]

I'll try to make this as concise as possible without getting too personal, but there is just so much going on in my head right now and I don't know how to deal with it.

I've dealt with depression most of my life now (since 9) and learned to deal with it. For the most part, I've stable enough to study and get the grades I need and participate in everything that supposedly makes you a good applicant.

But it's gotten worse than I can imagine and I'm falling apart.

I feel like I need to take a break and finally deal with this once and for all, but my schedule as a rising Junior makes taking time for anything besides prepping for the MCAT, doing research, and working almost impossible. I get that Med school and the life of a resident/doctor are stressful occupations without these personal problems, but I just don't know how to go about this without affecting my chances for something I'm genuinely passionate about.

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[LoveBeingHuman:)]

I've seen many people go through this. Basically, you have to assess your own situation. If you think you can get through with the MCAT and graduate, then I suggest applying after graduation and focusing on your health in the meantime. If it is extremely severe, then it may even warrant dropping out of university for a semester, which is perfectly ok if you have a good application and a genuine passion for medicine.

 

[TheDENNISsystem]

I've seen many people go through this. Basically, you have to assess your own situation. If you think you can get through with the MCAT and graduate, then I suggest applying after graduation and focusing on your health in the meantime. If it is extremely severe, then it may even warrant dropping out of university for a semester, which is perfectly ok if you have a good application and a genuine passion for medicine.

But when taking a semester less than 14 hours poses some kind of problem when applying, how would not going to school for semester look? Would explaining it hurt my chances all the more by making me look unstable?

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

But when taking a semester less than 14 hours poses some kind of problem when applying, how would not going to school for semester look? Would explaining it hurt my chances all the more by making me look unstable?

I don't think so. Medicine is a very humanistic based field. You are a person. Taking time off to get some control over your life and being patient for success is a very mature and ok thing to do. Besides, if you do well on the MCAT and get high grades otherwise, then you'll be able to clearly show that you can handle it

But you can also ask @Catalystik and @gyngyn for confirmation on this

 

[Goro]

This is very simple. You have a real disease, as real as tuberculosis or liver cancer, and if you don't get it treated, you will never be doctor.

So go see a therapist STAT.

Do not look at getting help as a loss of face or a sign of weakness. You'll have plenty of non-compliant patients of your own in your clinical career.

Medical school is a furnace, and I've seen it break even healthy students. The #1 reason my school loses students to dismissal, withdrawal or LOA is to mental health issues.

People get into med school even with an entire semester of Ws.

IF you need to take a LOA or a gap year later on, fine. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

And getting help doesn't affect your chances negatively. It's a pre-med delusion that your therapists blab your medical history to admissions offices. Admissions deans can't find out that you're on anti-depressants either.

I'll try to make this as concise as possible without getting too personal, but there is just so much going on in my head right now and I don't know how to deal with it.

I've dealt with depression most of my life now (since 9) and learned to deal with it. For the most part, I've stable enough to study and get the grades I need and participate in everything that supposedly makes you a good applicant.

But it's gotten worse than I can imagine and I'm falling apart.

I feel like I need to take a break and finally deal with this once and for all, but my schedule as a rising Junior makes taking time for anything besides prepping for the MCAT, doing research, and working almost impossible. I get that Med school and the life of a resident/doctor are stressful occupations without these personal problems, but I just don't know how to go about this without affecting my chances for something I'm genuinely passionate about.

 

[Lifeblood_20]

Get healthy first. Med schools like people who make good decisions, and if taking some time off is the best option for you I don't see why they would think that's a problem. Med school admissions aside, you gotta be well yourself before you can heal other people.
Best of luck to you.

 

[yersinia_pestis]

I agree with all above regarding sorting out the mental health stuff first. My depression started around the same time as yours (10 years old,) so I can empathize a bit with your struggles. I had to take a LOA in college to deal with my mental illness (junior year.) I think it is wise to bite the bullet and consider a non-traditional path. That doesn't mean you have to go sit around for ten years before applying, but in my case at least, I waited until after I graduated to take the MCAT. Gave me some extra study time and allowed me to focus on classes in college and not the MCAT.

A TON of medical students/residents/physicians struggle with mental illness. And a lot of people don't start medical school right away.

Mental health is your main goal, NOT prepping for the MCAT, doing research, and working.

Also, regarding the 14 credit hour thing...not the same necessarily, but due to other issues, there were semesters where I was only able to successfully complete 4 credit hours.

Still in med school so...

Best of luck, and feel free to PM me with any questions!


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