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dismissed

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dismissed

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? NY


I was a fourth-year medical student in NYC. In my first-year, in December of 1999, I suffered a manic episode and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was on medical leave for two months, and I was reinstated back at school in February of 2000. About four months after that -- by the summer of 2000-- I stopped taking medication. I did not want to believe that I was bipolar. I stopped seeing my psychiatrist by April, 2001.

In January of 2002, I was studying for a cardiology exam and I had trouble concentrating. I reached for some medication that I had left over from my 1999 hospitalization. It knocked me out for a couple of days and I did not appear for my exam. My dean asked me what had happened and he gathered that I wasn't under psychiatric care and set me up with a local psychiatrist. I told him how I stopped my medication and he saw that I was asymptomatic. He documented in a report back to the college that I was not on medication and that he wouldn't even call me bipolar. The diagnosis he gave to the college was "single manic episode." This diagnosis was my ticket out of treatment -- I feel that I had good reason to believe that I was not bipolar. I incorrectly believed at that time that what I suffered was an isolated incident in my life ("single manic episode") rather than an illness (bipolar disorder) that needed treatment and professional monitoring. I stopped seeing him as a result, shortly after he sent his report to the school.

In November of 2003, I suffered another manic episode. I did not do anything wrong during my illness -- I was taking radiology (no patient care responsibilities) -- but I had a conflict with my school because I was not the one to come forward. My roomate contacted my dean and told him that I was acting strangely and wasn't sleeping. The day that I was discovered, I feel that I recognized that I had no business going to the hospital that morning -- to that extent I feel that I did recognize that something wasn't right.

I have now been stable on medication for over a year. And I have fully embraced my illness, bipolar disorder. My psychiatrist has documented that it would be rare for a relapse to occur on medication and that given monitoring and psychotherapy from a psychiatrist there would be ample time to intervene should symptoms recur. Nonetheless, my school feels that I may relapse on medication and inspite of treatment under a psychiatrist. I was dismissed on January 10, 2005.

Throughout my time as a student, I was liked by my peers and superiors. I was three months away from graduating when I relapsed and was headed into a good residency program based on my credentials and accomplishments as a medical student.

I have been told that I am protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Should I invoke legal action against my medical school?
 


pattytx

Senior Member
This forum is for employment law. Were you an employee of the medical school? I couldn't figure it out from your post. :confused:
 

dismissed

Junior Member
Medical student

No I was not an employee. I was a medical student. I posted in this forum because I feel that I was wrongfully terminated. There is no forum for education law.
 

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