Psychiatrists themselves, obviously, have interesting things to say about such colleagues, but the situation does exist.

In a more concrete realm than these sentiments, experience has shown many medical schools that some students with the avowed goal of psychiatry sometimes tend to downgrade their basic science courses. This is a genuine handicap, to a student, who must master the basics no matter what his specialty may be.

There is nothing sinister about an interest in the human mind, and students have little to fear about being frank about an interest in psychiatry, provided they demonstrate that psychiatry for them is an interest--not an obsession--and that their minds are open to knowledge not immediately concerned with this specialty.

Ex-Patients

There is another factor also: the attitude of medical schools towards applicants who have themselves had treatment. Many schools ask outright on their application forms. What effect this has on a student's chances varies with the school; but nowhere, certainly, does a record of psychiatric consultation help a candidate.

It is only common sense that their records are especially scoured. Also, such students are usually required to have a little chat with the medical school psychiatrist, and sometimes resentment is exhibited against what is considered to be an invasion of privacy. As a result suspicions are reinforced, and the medical schools shy away.

What line of action to take on this problem must be chosen by the student involved. However, the University Health Services emphasize that no psychiatric information is given out to any medical school, and students who feel they need help should have no qualms on this score. Rather, as one doctor put it, "It's those who haven't done anything about their problems who are the real dead ducks."

Students who have taken a leave of absence for a year or more because of personal problems should also be ready to explain their situation to medical schools.

Dr. Daniel H. Funkenstein, assistant professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who has conducted much research on medical school admissions, has found that if such students return and do well academically, demonstrating their ability to do science, and if their recom- menders emphasize the "new man," they usually gain admission. For those who have taken all of their premedical requirements before they left, he recommends that at least one more science course be taken after returning to demonstrate ability in this area.

Financing School

One essential aspect of a medical education which some prospective students do not consider seriously enough is money.

"When you ask some of these fellows how they prospose to finance their education, they mumble blandly about 'scholarship' and 'loans,' or say they haven't really considered it yet, but they're confident that 'some way' will be found to meet the costs," one official complained. "We don't feel that this is the attitude of someone who has considered the problem in a mature fashion," he added.

There are multitudinous demands on medical school funds. For this reason the bulk of their scholarship aid is reserved for upperclassmen, so freshmen must find funds from some other resources.

Despite all the pitfalls outlined above and the stringent standards of American medical schools, Harvard graduates have been outstandingly successful in getting into medical school. An average 95 per cent of Harvard applicants per class are admitted.

Last year, however, something seemed to go awry. Although about 180 seniors secured a place in medical school, some 25 from the bumper premed crop were rejected.