There is almost nothing that is an automatic disqualification for residency and licensure.
You HAVE to be eligible for a state medical license. Most states will ask if you are either currently being treated or have been treated in the last 5 years for x, y and z. Some will specify only drug and alcohol, others will ask only for things which may interfere with your practice of medicine.
Here is what the Arizona Medical License application asks for (which is fairly stringent in terms of documentation):
CONFIDENTIAL
Physical/Mental Health and Substance Abuse
1. Within the last five years, have you been diagnosed, treated or admitted to a hospital or otherfacility for the treatment of bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, paranoia or any psychotic disorder? YES �� NO ��
2. Are you now or have you in the last 5 years been addicted to or abused any chemical substanceincluding alcohol (excluding tobacco and caffeine)? YES �� NO ��
3. Are you now being treated or have you in the last 5 years been treated or evaluated for a drug or alcohol addiction or participated in a rehabilitation program? *If in a confidential program in another state see explanation below.YES �� NO ��
4. Have you ever been criminally charged with or investigated by any healthcare licensing authority, healthcare association, licensed healthcare facility or healthcare staff of such facility for inappropriate contact with a patient or patients? YES �� NO ��
5. Do you currently have any disease or condition that interferes with your ability to competently and safely perform the essential functions of your profession, include any disease or condition generally regarded as chronic by the medical community, i.e. (1) behavioral health illness or
condition; (2) alcohol or other substance abuse; and/or (3) physical disease or condition, that may presently interfere with your ability to competently and safely perform the essential functions involved in your usual practice? See below for definition of ability to practice medicine. YES �� NO ��
In the event you answer YES to any of the above questions, you must file with the application a detailed written narrative statement concerning the above matter(s), including the name and address of all training programs or healthcare providers, physicians, preceptors, hospitals/rehabilitation centers, etc. where you were counseled/treated. You must also have a copy of your history and physical examinations, consultation reports, discharge summaries from all hospitals/rehabilitation centers and a statement from
your attending physicians or treating therapists setting forth your diagnosis, prognosis and recommendations for continuing care, treatment, supervision and a statement as to whether there is anything that would prevent you from safely practicing any type of medicine. This must be sent directly to the AMB.
If you are currently participating or have participated pursuant to a CONFIDENTIAL AGREEMENT OR ORDER in a program for the treatment and rehabilitation of doctors of medicine impaired by alcohol, drug abuse or for other issues YOU MUST SUBMIT A NARRATIVE OF CIRCUMSTANCES WITH YOUR APPLICATION AND REQUEST THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE ARIZONA MEDICAL BOARDS PHYSICIAN HEALTH PROGRAM.
�� Evaluation/Treatment records
�� Psychiatric/Psychological records
�� Compliance reports from state monitoring programs
Please note: All documents requested above must be sent directly from the primary source to the Arizona Medical Boards Physician Health Program Department from the primary source and will not be accepted if submitted by the applicant.
FAILURE TO PROPERLY ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS OR DISCLOSE ALCOHOL, SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR OTHER ISSUES CAN RESULT IN BOARD DISCIPLINARY ACTION, INCLUDING REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF A LICENSE.
If you have any questions, please contact the Boards Physician Health Program at (480) 551-2716 or (877) 255-2212.
Ability to practice medicine is to be construed to include all of the following:
1. The cognitive capacity to make appropriate clinical diagnoses and exercise reason medical judgments and to learn and keep abreast of medical developments;
2. The ability to communicate those judgments and medical information to patients and other healthcare providers, with or without the use of aids or devices, such as a voice amplifier; and
3. The physical capability to perform medical tasks such as physical examination and surgical procedures, with or without the
use of aids or devices, such as corrective lenses or hearing aids.
Medical condition includes physiological, mental or psychological conditions or disorders, such as, but not limited to chronic and/or uncorrected orthopedic, visual, speech, or hearing impairments, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, behavioral health illness, dementia, drug addiction and alcoholism.
Whether they accept your treatment as being sufficient to practice medicine is up to the board. THis will be true for any state you apply. There are no hard and fast rules that BiPolar Disorder is an automatic disqualification - if it were medical schools would not accept students with the disease and there would be a lot of physicians out there out of work. I have known more than one BPD physician (and some that I have suspected of having it).
