As a resident who has reviewed applications and make recommendations for/against granting interviews, I believe that NOT addressing those grades would turn your application into an easy "No Friggin' Way".

Be honest about your circumstances in your personal statement, but take responsibility and don't make excuses. I'd also ask to have it addressed in your LORs and/or Dean's Letter. You should be careful, though, so that those grades don't dominate your application.

I think 2 F's in MS1 will be difficult, but not impossible to overcome, especially with outstanding grades afterward and great letters from someone who knows you well.

I had to take a year off due to medical issues and was faced with addressing a leave of absence in my application. Only 2 programs asked me about this on interview day.

If you're now in the top 30% of your class, then I imagine you got much better grades in the same classes you failed the second time around. Turn this into a positive statement -- you persevered in the face of adversity, you learned not to take your health for granted, how precious the opportunity to attend med school has been. State it up front -- one solid paragraph -- then move on. Don't make excuses, don't sound sorry for yourself, don't make it the whole focus of your statement. Ask your dean to do the same -- to mention and clarify the situation, but not to dwell on it. The situation will also come up in interviews so be prepared to tell them why that year has now made you a stronger person.

On a totally separate note, doing away rotations might be KEY for someone like you because it will give you the best opportunity to validate yourself as a strong ortho candidate in the program's eyes.

Bonenailer,

Obviously someone like Two fingers is more qualified than I (an M4 yet to match) am to comment on your situation but I have a few thoughts for you.

I think you must explain what happened and it would be the kiss of death not to. Be matter of fact, take responsibility where appropriate, and move on. Avoid making that the focal point of your application or interview except to give appropriate explanations and focus on the silver lining. I personally spent some time pursuing another professional, medically-related degree between college and med school and ultimately came to see I wouldn't be happy doing anything but med school. I got asked about it at nearly every interview and had decided I was going to treat it for what it was--a detour in my education, but an incredible learning and goal clarifying experience--and hopefully that was the way to go (I'll tell you next Thurs). At one interview I was in front of a panel and asked a very astute and tough question to the effect of 'if you left one professional program, what reassurances can you give me that you won't change your mind during your PGYII year and do something else (I assume he was alluding to another specialty like radiology, anesthesiology, or some other 'lifestyle' specialty). Obviously our two sets of circumstances differ, but you should be prepared for the same question, or any of its spawns, in the form of 'well, those kinds of things happen in life and are you going to just stop your residency training midstream for another similar problem (the implication being that they'll be left a resident short and the other residents will have to pick up the slack , etc, etc). (I'm merely playing the devil's advocate by asking that question). But, hopefully you get the picture. I think it's important that they are just as much looking for reasons why to rank you lower as to rank you higher (ie differentiate the applicants).

Best of luck and hopefully you have really since kicked butt on your grades, boards, research, LOR cultivation, etc. I also agree with Dr Dre that you may be someone who particularly would benefit from some away rotations assuming you feel you can do well in that setting. Best of luck.

OF