been misdiagnosed with schizophrenia

I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia. If I am able to prove the psychiatrists that they are wrong will I be in with a chance of getting into med school? Someone told me not to mention my illness at any job interview - is this also the same for med school interviews?

Reply 1

Knugs

12

Original post by 1lastchance

I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia. If I am able to prove the psychiatrists that they are wrong will I be in with a chance of getting into med school? Someone told me not to mention my illness at any job interview - is this also the same for med school interviews?

I don't think anyone is discriminated against having a medical condition or mental health issue but I have no idea what the strict rules are about schizophrenia specifics.

Chances are that if you accept and take medications and improve over time that you will be completely discharged and treated in the community eventually. Then nobody can stop you for applying to medicine or reject you based on that. If you were acutely ill and under the mental health act then this could have been completely different.

If you dont mind me asking.
Why do they think you have schizophrenia?

Reply 2

Beska

21

Original post by 1lastchance

I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia. If I am able to prove the psychiatrists that they are wrong will I be in with a chance of getting into med school? Someone told me not to mention my illness at any job interview - is this also the same for med school interviews?

This is something that it is not appropriate for us to advise on, other than to say please do not lie about any medical condition in any job application (for medicine or otherwise). You obviously have concerns and your doctor is the best placed to discuss them with you.

Reply 3

username1234032

14

Original post by 1lastchance

I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia. If I am able to prove the psychiatrists that they are wrong will I be in with a chance of getting into med school? Someone told me not to mention my illness at any job interview - is this also the same for med school interviews?

You actually need a Dr to say you have been misdiagnosed and to put it down on your med records. You can't claim that without any evidence so please don't jump to conclusions and speak to your psychiatrist about why they think you're schizophrenic. Its a serious thing to start deny a possible mental health disease and in a lot of cases these things dont end well.

Reply 4

1lastchance

OP

7

Original post by Knugs

I don't think anyone is discriminated against having a medical condition or mental health issue but I have no idea what the strict rules are about schizophrenia specifics.

Chances are that if you accept and take medications and improve over time that you will be completely discharged and treated in the community eventually. Then nobody can stop you for applying to medicine or reject you based on that. If you were acutely ill and under the mental health act then this could have been completely different.

Thanks for your reply. What you have said makes sense. I am taking meds and have improved a lot,the only problem I have with this is convincing doctors I am safe. I'm sure if I was going to an interview and said I have schizophrenia they would reject me. Nevermind if I am discharged and are taking meds. It's just the stigma attached to mental illness.

Original post by Knugs

Why do they think you have schizophrenia?

I guess based on the fact I hear voices. Can't think of any other reasons.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 5

1lastchance

OP

7

Original post by Ambrosia_angel

You actually need a Dr to say you have been misdiagnosed and to put it down on your med records. You can't claim that without any evidence so please don't jump to conclusions and speak to your psychiatrist about why they think you're schizophrenic. Its a serious thing to start deny a possible mental health disease and in a lot of cases these things dont end well.

Sorry I don't really understand what you mean.

Reply 6

username457532

17

Original post by 1lastchance

Thanks for your reply. What you have said makes sense. I am taking meds and have improved a lot,the only problem I have with this is convincing doctors I am safe. I'm sure if I was going to an interview and said I have schizophrenia they would reject me. Nevermind if I am discharged and are taking meds. It's just the stigma attached to mental illness.

I guess based on the fact I hear voices. Can't think of any other reasons.

This sounds like it's not that you don't have schizophrenia (obviously I can't say if you do or not) but that your meds are working and thus your diagnosis is probably correct.

Reply 7

WiseApple

1

Original post by 1lastchance

Thanks for your reply. What you have said makes sense. I am taking meds and have improved a lot,the only problem I have with this is convincing doctors I am safe. I'm sure if I was going to an interview and said I have schizophrenia they would reject me. Nevermind if I am discharged and are taking meds. It's just the stigma attached to mental illness.

I guess based on the fact I hear voices. Can't think of any other reasons.

Unless your mental health would impact on your line of work which helps others (ie soldier who saw the enemy everywhere), rejecting an application on mental health grounds out of hand is a breach of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. However, hallucinations, given the precision required with medicine and the wide-reaching impact of the work practitioners perform on patients, could disqualify you.

Whatever you do, DON'T lie during the interview process; it's not only a firing offense to hide an illness, it's also likely to leave you in court if someone ever sues you over a treatment should you be employed as a medic and something goes wrong.

Reply 8

Ronove

18

In terms of regular job interviews, the law is a bit complicated in terms of what questions, when and why an employer is allowed to ask re. health and disability. I certainly wouldn't voluntarily bring up schizophrenia unless it seemed to be necessary and the employer didn't seem to be breaking the law (because good luck proving you were asked inappropriate questions at interview just before you were rejected).

With med school, however, you would definitely need to contact occupational health before taking up a place. They would help you work out what you need to do/whether you can take up the place at all. I don't think you would need to bring it up in the actual med school interview (though any form of lying would look very bad if you were found out) - it's occupational health that needs the information to make the decisions on whether you can take up the place, not the interviewers who are the ones making the decision whether to offer you said place.

Reply 9

username1234032

14

Original post by 1lastchance

Sorry I don't really understand what you mean.

I meant that its dangerous to go to your doctors denying a mental illness that you've been diagnosed with. Especially if your meds are working.

Reply 10

Ronove

18

Original post by Ambrosia_angel

I meant that its dangerous to go to your doctors denying a mental illness that you've been diagnosed with. Especially if your meds are working.

I got the impression from the OP's posts that he/she was still in the process of working this through with his/her doctor(s). I think it's quite understandable that someone would have doubts about such a diagnosis as this, it's hugely stigmatising and presumably the voices the OP hears didn't start sounding any less real to them just because a psychiatrist said the word 'schizophrenia'. It sounds like this has all happened relatively recently, it'll take time to come to terms with the issue, whatever it is.

been misdiagnosed with schizophrenia

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