Medical Student with Lupus & Bipolar I

On Life as a Patient Doctor, Dr. Stephanie Moss interviews “MS,” a Quebec medical student and first in her family to pursue medicine, who describes navigating medical school while living with lupus cerebritis and later being diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. MS recounts repeated depressive episodes, course cancellations, accommodations, a neurologist-guided medication change that improved memory, and a psychotic manic hospitalization over Christmas break, followed by challenges from antipsychotic side effects. She shares the emotional toll of watching classmates graduate while she remained in pre-clerkship, including a six-week hospitalization, and how studying in advance helped her complete remaining classes and prepare to start clerkship in the fall. The conversation emphasizes reducing the gap between patients and providers, focusing on patients’ context and daily hospital life, and finding community through the Canadian Association of Physicians with Disabilities.00:00 Mania Hospitalization01:19 Podcast Introduction01:55 Path Into Medicine02:49 Lupus And Early Depression04:13 Medical School Setbacks06:52 Memory Help And Recovery08:37 Manic Episode Diagnosis10:40 Depression And Time Off16:06 Motivation To Continue17:57 Patient Perspective In Care20:42 Breaking Stereotypes21:54 Advice And Community24:05 Closing Summary And Resources