First off: damn, that list of forums was a bit overwhelming.
Upon entering college, I was a neuroscience major and pre-med. I took intro to chem and bio, which I eventually dropped because I was failing. I decided to become a philosophy major instead and enter my school’s pre-law program. Now, I am considering switching back to pre-med. I’m not sure of what to do.
First, I need to clarify that I was having a rough first year. Unfortunately, I had a psychotic break. I was having minor hallucinations and became delusional. I was also rapid cycling throughout the entire school year. I have bipolar disorder type 1 with psychosis, but I wasn’t diagnosed until after my freshman year, so I was unmedicated and not in treatment. On paper, I managed academically, but I actually completely floated into space. I didn’t go to class for three months. Thankfully, my teachers pitied me and I did not fail any of my classes. I took a year off of school and I am now stable. After everything, however, I think I want to go back to pre-med. This would require me to retake intro to bio and chem.
Has anyone else made a 360 in pre-med? Is anyone else a pre-med student while also dealing with severe mental illness? Would doing this look absolutely horrible to med schools (I want to get into a top 30 med school)? Is med school even doable as a nut case? I feel like the answer is obvious – “do whatever you want, it is your education” – but I need validation and advice lol. Would med schools view me as unreliable? I mean, they can’t discriminate agaisnt me for being mentall ill, but why would they choose me over someone else who has the same scores, grades, and overall credentials?
I apologize for the length of my post – I am gregarious and an over-thinker.