Bpforever1, thank you for your opinion, coming from someone who is famous for rambling.

mote.of.soul, I do not think it's recommended, yes possible, but not recommended for people with severe mental illness to be doctors. I have had experience. Everywhere I go people gawk at me and are like "He's nuts" and it wouldn't work well if I showed my disorganized speech to my colleague surgeons or the patient's family. It'd go like


"Ma'm um..... ah.... *avoids eye contact* The patient has well... um... successfully survived through the operation... I am ... um.... Dr.<name> and I was the lead surgeon *shakes head* of your husband's -"
"He's my father"
"Oops, sorry... umm... your father's condition... I forgot its name. Oh, here's my license. I am a licensed surgeon!"
*Proceeds to file a lawsuit*
"Who let this nutcase perform a surgery on my husband?"

justafriend, they can if the disease is purely genetic. If they weren't abused, have a good network of friends and family, are social, etc. etc.

Cheryl, but from what I know, people with mental illness are disabled themselves and even though they've a greater understanding they cannot do anything except talk therapy. It's just the harsh reality of life.