Medical requirements for med school

Do you absolutely have to disclose information about any mental health problems you've had when medical schools ask for past medical history? Even if it's minor depression due to life events/circumstances? Would it reflect negatively on my application if I told them about it? Because I know doctors have to be able to cope well with stress and upsetting situations but the situations I've coped with are not the kind you would experience as a doctor. Or at least not on such a personal level as it's not like I'd be treating family members. It may sound cocky but because of what I've been through, I know I could cope with the stress of medicine. It's just made me more determined to do something to help people. But I'm worried unis won't see it that way.

These may be stupid questions so if that's the case I'm sorry.

Any advice would be much appreciated. :smile:

Reply 1

Tetanus

You don't tell them about that sort of thing in a PS. They give you an offer. Then you tell them you are depressed in the medical disclosures form they send you (when they talk about vaccinations and tingzzz) .. :awesome:

e: you aren't depressed anymore, sorry!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 2

dentistry1

Phone the unis up you will be applying to and ask, I wouldn't use ur real name on the phone though.

Reply 3

Tetanus

Original post by dentistry1

Phone the unis up you will be applying to and ask, I wouldn't use ur real name on the phone though.

I googled funny doctors names thinking the OP could use one, and the best I came up with was this:

FUNNY DOCTORS NAMES

:erm:

Reply 4

Becca-Sarah

Original post by thequiet1

You are advised to disclose it (cos if you have problems later it seriously backfires on you if you didn't give the uni a heads up beforehand), but only after you have an offer, on the Occupational Health forms. So many people have mental health issues that it really isn't seen as a great problem, and the uni just wants to know so that it can help if needs be.

Reply 5

DexterM

Original post by Tetanus

I googled funny doctors names thinking the OP could use one, and the best I came up with was this:

FUNNY DOCTORS NAMES

:erm:

Dr. Alden Cockburn--(Urologist)

:biggrin:

Reply 6

Duckasaurus

Yeah, agreeing with what everyone else has said- after the offer you get an occupational health questionnaire to fill in, that's where you put stuff like depression etc. But so many people have depression, I would doubt it would cause them to retract the offer- I may be wrong, but I think you'd have grounds to sue if they did. But yes, you do really need to be brutally honest and put stuff down. Not doing so is more likely to jeopardize your position than putting depression down.

IMO, I wouldn't mention it before then; you risk raising suspicions that something's not entirely ok if you make too big a deal of it. You could mention the adverse life events that prompted the depression in your personal statement, as an example of how you've thrived despite difficulties, but I'd be hesitant to mention the depression itself. Best of luck though! :smile:

Reply 7

No Future

Original post by DexterM

Dr. Alden Cockburn--(Urologist)

:biggrin:

Awesome. My fave was Dr Waki Ho. :smile:

Reply 8

Tetanus

Original post by DexterM

Dr. Alden Cockburn--(Urologist)

:biggrin:

Reply 9

thequiet1

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful and reassuring. :smile:

I was just asking as I know Nottingham has a questionnaire that's a large part of the selection process and didn't know if other unis did the same. Love the funny doctor names. xD