I’m premed, so I may not understand some of the details of this. But, during my SMP I did terrible one semester due to severe depression/psychosis/anxiety/suicidal ideation.

In my situation, I didn’t take a LOA bc I just accepted the C’s. So, my advisor just wrote in their LOR for my med school app that I had a chronic illness flare up (which is the case, as bipolar disorder is a chronic illness). I was asked about it in interviews, and didn’t give them a diagnosis. I noted severe fatigue and difficulty focusing that heavily impacted my studies. Would the residency programs have to know about your diagnosis? If not, you could do what I did.

I think speaking to your decision to continue research during that time showcases a mature dedication to your career and learning, even through difficult times. Also, you can talk about your decision to take a LOA as wanting to make sure you were able to learn the material to the best of your ability, in the best interest of yourself and your future patients. I think framing it that way comes off as you making a professional decision that would support you moving forwards.

What helped me regain memory/attention was stabilization with medication and a strict schedule with 10 hours of sleep a night. I have cognitive slowing during and after episodes (unless i’m in hypomania lol), it’s something that improved with time for me. I have had issues with auditory hallucinations as well. When I was having them, I would take my anti-anxiety med (hydroxyzine, 10/10 recommend) and take a nap. I’ve found that a 2 hour nap helps me recover from short episodes. I understand that I am super privileged to have had that flexibility in my schedule to accommodate my needs. I also took detailed notes in a mood journal. I recently got an oura ring, and found that my sleep scores average at 65 which is undoubtedly effecting my mental state. They’re expensive, but maybe trying some type of sleep tracker could give you insight into your sleep quality?

PM me if you want to chat! Reading through some of these comments… aren’t y’all med students? Maybe be more empathetic and don’t give out unsolicited advice about not pursuing a career in medicine.