How does a chronic/communicable disease affect admissions?

[Ascetic]

I'm interested in attending a D.O. school in the future.

Long story short, I inherited Hepatitis C from my mother at birth (she has a history of drug use and alcoholism) now I'm dealing with stage 4 cirrhosis. The experiences I've had dealing with this are some of the foundation of why I'd like to be a doctor.

Aside from that, is hepatitis C reason to make me ineligible for medical school?

In the long term, I'm interested in endocrinology or hepatology. Nothing surgical or where transfer of disease is likely.

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[slammer922]

I'm interested in attending a D.O. school in the future.

Long story short, I inherited Hepatitis C from my mother at birth (she has a history of drug use and alcoholism) now I'm dealing with stage 4 cirrhosis. The experiences I've had dealing with this are some of the foundation of why I'd like to be a doctor.

Aside from that, is hepatitis C reason to make me ineligible for medical school?

In the long term, I'm interested in endocrinology or hepatology. Nothing surgical or where transfer of disease is likely.

This is from the UT Houston Med School catalog: "CHRONIC CONDITIONS: A candidate must not possess any chronic or recurrent illnesses, including but not limited to, infectious, psychiatric or substance abuse problems that can interfere with patient care or safety and are not compatible with medical practice or training."

 

[Goro]

I'm interested in attending a D.O. school in the future.

Long story short, I inherited Hepatitis C from my mother at birth (she has a history of drug use and alcoholism) now I'm dealing with stage 4 cirrhosis. The experiences I've had dealing with this are some of the foundation of why I'd like to be a doctor.

Aside from that, is hepatitis C reason to make me ineligible for medical school?

In the long term, I'm interested in endocrinology or hepatology. Nothing surgical or where transfer of disease is likely.

I admire your intentions. There are two problems that I see as an AdCom member:

Even if you don't wish to practice surgery, you still have to do a surgical rotation. The risk of your infecting a patient is small, but it's still there.

More problematic is whether or not you'll be able to finish your studies. You're on schedule for needing a liver transplant at some point in the near future. You should carefully study the requirments of each osteopathic scholl you plan on applying to and see if they have barriers like the previous poster mentioned.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Hepatitis C is spread by fluid contact. If you're wearing a mask + have no cuts on you I don't see any particular reason why surgery would be a problem. So I'm curious why this is a point.
To an Adcom I think they'd be disgruntled by your disease since it will probably limit your life span ( you've already got cirrhosis) so to them it might not be a great investment.

 

[angryazn88]

I'm interested in attending a D.O. school in the future.

Long story short, I inherited Hepatitis C from my mother at birth (she has a history of drug use and alcoholism) now I'm dealing with stage 4 cirrhosis. The experiences I've had dealing with this are some of the foundation of why I'd like to be a doctor.

Aside from that, is hepatitis C reason to make me ineligible for medical school?

In the long term, I'm interested in endocrinology or hepatology. Nothing surgical or where transfer of disease is likely.

damn... good luck to you

 

[Bacchus]

I wouldn't disclose at the time of application. Using standard precautions you aren't a threat to patients. If this is the only reason you have for going into medicine play the game and find something else to serve as application-season motivation.

 

[Pvt]

I am curious to know how med school handles admission of students with communicable diseases that can be prevented with basic precautions that students have to undertake no matter what. To me it doesn't make sense to "discriminate" against students who have such disease. I think in UK students with AIDS can apply for med schools.

 

[Rollo]

OP, you need to contact several DO schools to get a firm, conclusive answer because as you can see from this thread, you will get nothing more than speculation about your situation. You are in a very unique situation and I doubt anybody here is credible to give you a correct answer.

Hepatitis C is spread by fluid contact. If you're wearing a mask + have no cuts on you I don't see any particular reason why surgery would be a problem. So I'm curious why this is a point.
To an Adcom I think they'd be disgruntled by your disease since it will probably limit your life span ( you've already got cirrhosis) so to them it might not be a great investment.

This doesn't make any sense. We don't know when the OP is scheduled for liver transplant therefore we can't put a "deadline" on OP yet. Also, survival rates after liver transplant are high so you also can't suggest that the OP will be a "bad investment" for adcoms.

By your logic, adcoms should put a cap on age for people applying to medical school since older applicants' life span is lower than younger applicants...hence it would be a bad investment on adcom's part to accept old applicants.

While we are at that same logic, let's just go ahead and ask applicants to fill out a risk-scoring survey which will tell the adcoms who is at higher risk of dying within the next 20 years vs. who is not and let's not admit the former group.

Kinda like what Ben Stiller does in the movie Along Came Polly where he calculates risk versus benefits ratio....

 

[selfhealer]

I wouldn't disclose at the time of application. Using standard precautions you aren't a threat to patients. If this is the only reason you have for going into medicine play the game and find something else to serve as application-season motivation.

Sorry, I don't agree with this at all. First off, med schools have the right to know this sort of information regarding their applicants.

Unfortunately you got dealt a tough hand in life, but that doesn't give you or anyone else the right to decide what med schools "need to know".

Also, many med schools ask you directly about chronic illnesses, and you don't want to lie on ANY part of your application.

I admire your perseverance and just urge you to be honest with schools and if you are a qualified applicant, I bet that you will find schools willing to accept you.

I don't want to get too depressing, but let's be honest here-there is a good chance you will have a shorter lifespan then the average applicant due to your illness. A shorter lifespan means a shorter duration of practice. However, lets remember that med schools often accept older applicants who will therefore have shorter durations of practice, so I see no reason for them to discriminate against you due to the potential that you will have a shorter practice. Good luck.

 

[Ascetic]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'll contact some schools and see what they say. I would never NOT disclose such information.


As far as a shortened lifespan, I tend to be a little more positive. My liver functions been pretty much the same for the past three years due to healthy living, so I hold a little more hope. Who knows what treatments will be around in ten years anyways, they're already working on stem cell organs and such.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Bacchus]

Sorry, I don't agree with this at all. First off, med schools have the right to know this sort of information regarding their applicants.
No, med schools do not have the right to know your health records beyond your ability to successfully meet the technical standards of the school you are applying to. Managed HCV through medication and/or transplant should not be limiting in a career in medicine.

Unfortunately you got dealt a tough hand in life, but that doesn't give you or anyone else the right to decide what med schools "need to know".
Medical schools are not allowed to grant/deny admission on the basis of medical records.

Also, many med schools ask you directly about chronic illnesses, and you don't want to lie on ANY part of your application.
I was never asked in the completion of 15 secondaries whether or not I had X, Y, or Z disease. Upon acceptance to a program you have to verify you can meet the technical standards set forth by the school. The school has to meet your accommodations within reason under the ADA.

I admire your perseverance and just urge you to be honest with schools and if you are a qualified applicant, I bet that you will find schools willing to accept you.
The poster isn't being dishonest. Disclosure and honesty are separate entities and jeopardizing admission to a professional school because of disclosure is not going to make you a martyr or better person. The applicant has to answer all questions on the application honestly but not go above and beyond that.

I don't want to get too depressing, but let's be honest here-there is a good chance you will have a shorter lifespan then the average applicant due to your illness. A shorter lifespan means a shorter duration of practice. However, lets remember that med schools often accept older applicants who will therefore have shorter durations of practice, so I see no reason for them to discriminate against you due to the potential that you will have a shorter practice. Good luck.
Predicting an HCV patient to have a shorter lifespan is not within your scope of knowledge. Also, length of practice to a school isn't considered in admissions. Unless the school wants every graduate to work for it, length of practice really isn't an issue.

OP, I would not disclose your HCV status to schools. You will not be asked about it nor will it be a problem on rotations granted you take reasonable and accepted precautions to protect both yourself and the patient you are responsible for.

I know this has influenced your decision to enter medicine, but I would either write about a general theme in your personal statement or use other ideas to convey why medicine is for you.

I looked at a few sources online and found that the CDC does not ban physicians from practicing invasive procedures when infected with HCV. I also read the NY State Licensure website in regards to HIV and HBV and they had this to say:

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation of a healthcare worker should be based on the premise that HIV or HBV infection alone is not sufficient justification to limit a healthcare worker's professional duties. The determination of whether an individual healthcare worker poses a significant risk to patients which warrants job modification, limitation or restriction requires a case-by-case evaluation which considers the multiple factors that can influence risk. Periodic reevaluation of an HIV-infected healthcare worker may be appropriate if physical or mental functioning changes due to disease progression.
Factors that may have a bearing on the ability of healthcare workers, including those with bloodbome infections, to provide quality healthcare include:

• physical or mental condition that may interfere with the worker's ability to perform assigned tasks or regular duties;
• lack of compliance with established guidelines to prevent transmission of disease and/or documentation or evidence of previous transmission of bloodborne pathogens;
• the appropriateness of techniques as related to performance of procedures; any health condition that would pose a significant risk to others.

Needless to say, you deserve to gain admission to medical school like anyone else. The only people you will probably have to disclose your status to are those at a private insurance company in which you seek health insurance.

 

[selfhealer]

OP, I would not disclose your HCV status to schools. You will not be asked about it nor will it be a problem on rotations granted you take reasonable and accepted precautions to protect both yourself and the patient you are responsible for.

I know this has influenced your decision to enter medicine, but I would either write about a general theme in your personal statement or use other ideas to convey why medicine is for you.

I looked at a few sources online and found that the CDC does not ban physicians from practicing invasive procedures when infected with HCV. I also read the NY State Licensure website in regards to HIV and HBV and they had this to say:

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation of a healthcare worker should be based on the premise that HIV or HBV infection alone is not sufficient justification to limit a healthcare worker's professional duties. The determination of whether an individual healthcare worker poses a significant risk to patients which warrants job modification, limitation or restriction requires a case-by-case evaluation which considers the multiple factors that can influence risk. Periodic reevaluation of an HIV-infected healthcare worker may be appropriate if physical or mental functioning changes due to disease progression.
Factors that may have a bearing on the ability of healthcare workers, including those with bloodbome infections, to provide quality healthcare include:

• physical or mental condition that may interfere with the worker's ability to perform assigned tasks or regular duties;
• lack of compliance with established guidelines to prevent transmission of disease and/or documentation or evidence of previous transmission of bloodborne pathogens;
• the appropriateness of techniques as related to performance of procedures; any health condition that would pose a significant risk to others.

Needless to say, you deserve to gain admission to medical school like anyone else. The only people you will probably have to disclose your status to are those at a private insurance company in which you seek health insurance.

As was mentioned earlier in the thread, most med schools (perhaps all) make you sign something stating that you do not have any chronic illnesses including infectious disease, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders etc.. If the OP were to sign this on his application, he would be deceiving the med school which was considering his application.

Were you not aware of this fact, or are you aware of it and still suggesting that he deliberately lie on his application?

I think he should disclose this information (the way I see it, he has no choice-most schools ask this question directly and I would NEVER endorse lying on any part of your app.). I think if he is honest and discusses his condition in detail and explains how he thinks it would and would not potentially affect his future practice, med schools would be very understanding and not hold this against him.

 

[spicedmanna]

As was mentioned earlier in the thread, most med schools (perhaps all) make you sign something stating that you do not have any chronic illnesses including infectious disease, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders etc..

Proof?

 

[Bacchus]

It is illegal to interview people and ask what you are suggesting. The OP would voluntarily have to give up such information and I am saying he does not have to do so and shouldn't do so.

There is nothing mentioned in my technical standards that addresses preexisting health conditions: http://www.pcom.edu/Admissions/adm_app_process/adm_Do/adm_DO_TechStan/adm_do_techstan.html

State agencies (like NY cited above) are only concerned that risk to the patient is minimized by various precautions and that an employee be tested/have his work modified if he cannot perform his original job.

 

[selfhealer]

It is illegal to interview people and ask what you are suggesting. The OP would voluntarily have to give up such information and I am saying he does not have to do so and shouldn't do so.

There is nothing mentioned in my technical standards that addresses preexisting health conditions: http://www.pcom.edu/Admissions/adm_app_process/adm_Do/adm_DO_TechStan/adm_do_techstan.html

State agencies (like NY cited above) are only concerned that risk to the patient is minimized by various precautions and that an employee be tested/have his work modified if he cannot perform his original job.

Who said anything about an interview? In many of my APPLICATIONS, I have had to sign a page which ensures the school that I have no chronic illnesses/substance abuse, etc.

As someone else posted in this thread, here is an example:

This is from the UT Houston Med School catalog: "CHRONIC CONDITIONS: A candidate must not possess any chronic or recurrent illnesses, including but not limited to, infectious, psychiatric or substance abuse problems that can interfere with patient care or safety and are not compatible with medical practice or training."

For most of my applications, i have had to sign a similar statement.
So again, are you advocating that he lie on this statement?

 

[selfhealer]

Proof?

Read my above quote (which was posted earlier in this thread). Most of my applications have asked me to sign similar statements.

Why are you guys acting surprised or dubious that a med school might be interested in learning of any chronic illnesses which might affect their candidates?

 

[Bacchus]

Hepatitis C does not impair someone from caring for another individual as long as said person has control of the disease. You're not doing surgery barehanded with lacerations on your limbs. Having HCV does not make you unable to care for others.

 

[cbrons]

To an Adcom I think they'd be disgruntled by your disease since it will probably limit your life span ( you've already got cirrhosis) so to them it might not be a great investment.

Gee serenade, you are such a ray of sunshine. I bet all the boys on-campus are lining up outside the door to take you out.....

 

[slarveson]

i definitely feel for the OP and wish him/her the best with everything and if he/she gets to be a doc someday then good for him/her....however, if i knew someone (not talking about OP...just speaking in general) was going to be operating on me and had any type of transmitable disease, i would be outa there in 2.2 seconds regardless of the precautions taken. You just couldn't put that kind of trust in "procedures"...what if the doc had a small nick on his hands that he/she wasn't aware of and touched the outside of the glove while putting the gloves on...you could get the disease right?...just saying that errors happen so why take any risk of that if you've got thousands of other applicants just as qualified but without any transmittable diseases? That being said, if i went through all the hoops and $costs and time to get into med school and found out i had a transmittable disease, i wouldn't tell anyone about it unless i had to and just be sure to be extra cautious as a doc and i think most others would do the same regardless of how honest you are....sorry just speaking out my ars at the moment.

 

[selfhealer]

Hepatitis C does not impair someone from caring for another individual as long as said person has control of the disease. You're not doing surgery barehanded with lacerations on your limbs. Having HCV does not make you unable to care for others.

What does this have to do with anything we have been debating? You have been stating several times that you don't think the OP should disclose his having hepatitis. I've explained that many med schools require you to sign something stating you have no such illnesses. So once again, are you suggesting that the OP lie on his application and simply sign the page indicating that he has no such diseases?

Whether you personally feel that Hep C impairs someone from caring for another individual is beside the point. Med schools have decided that knowing these details about their applicants are important (which is why they ask you to sign this document), but you think it is OK to deceive them by not disclosing this?

 

[StarStup]

In LECOM's student handbook it says: "Candidates should be free of chronic debilitating diseases that preclude successful completion of the curriculum. The candidate must be free of active infectious diseases, which are highly contagious in a healthcare setting."

So, it doesn't sound like your HCV will prevent you from graduating medical school and with standard precautions it doesn't sound like HCV is highly infectious.

Also, I really don't ever remember signing anything that says I don't have a communicable disease during the application process.

The statements saying that medical schools won't accept you because your life span is shorter really are flawed because any of us could die tomorrow.

Good luck OP and I say go for it, cross the communicable disease bridge when you get to it!

 

[LizzyM]

Hi, y'all. I generally spend my time on the pre-allo board but I got a PM asking me to make a visit here....

I've been an adcom member for 10 years and I would not consider infectious hepatitis to preclude medical practice. Those of you quoting the information that needs to be signed at some schools (a statement that confirms that you meet the technical standards of the school for medical practice) please read the entire sentence; it refers only to those conditions that would preclude the safe practice of medicine. Infectious disease that is under a doctor's care shouldn't be an issue.

There are plenty of chronic conditions that may shorten one's life but that are never an issue around the length of one's career. (Diabetes might be one of the most common.)


The NY State Licensure statement gives you a good idea of how the professionals handle this sort of thing. Imagine a M4 who contracts HCV or a smiliar condition. Would you recommend expulsion from medical school?

 

[cbrons]

Hi, y'all. I generally spend my time on the pre-allo board but I got a PM asking me to make a visit here....

I've been an adcom member for 10 years and I would not consider infectious hepatitis to preclude medical practice. Those of you quoting the information that needs to be signed at some schools (a statement that confirms that you meet the technical standards of the school for medical practice) please read the entire sentence; it refers only to those conditions that would preclude the safe practice of medicine. Infectious disease that is under a doctor's care shouldn't be an issue.

There are plenty of chronic conditions that may shorten one's life but that are never an issue around the length of one's career. (Diabetes might be one of the most common.)


The NY State Licensure statement gives you a good idea of how the professionals handle this sort of thing. Imagine a M4 who contracts HCV or a smiliar condition. Would you recommend expulsion from medical school?

Pwned

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

 

[Ascetic]

Hi, y'all. I generally spend my time on the pre-allo board but I got a PM asking me to make a visit here....

I've been an adcom member for 10 years and I would not consider infectious hepatitis to preclude medical practice. Those of you quoting the information that needs to be signed at some schools (a statement that confirms that you meet the technical standards of the school for medical practice) please read the entire sentence; it refers only to those conditions that would preclude the safe practice of medicine. Infectious disease that is under a doctor's care shouldn't be an issue.

There are plenty of chronic conditions that may shorten one's life but that are never an issue around the length of one's career. (Diabetes might be one of the most common.)


The NY State Licensure statement gives you a good idea of how the professionals handle this sort of thing. Imagine a M4 who contracts HCV or a smiliar condition. Would you recommend expulsion from medical school?

Hey lizzy. Thank you for posting this, really appreciate it.

Thanks everyone else as well.

 

[theone1979]

Pwned

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Pwned?? Are you serious??? Pwned??

First off, who is that even directed at?

Second off, I sincerely hope you meant that as a joke, otherwise, considering you will be starting med school soon, you might want to start sounding more like a physician, and less like a snotty 16 year old playing playstation.

 

[loveoforganic]

stfunoob

 

[Phil Dunphy]

Pwned?? Are you serious??? Pwned??

First off, who is that even directed at?

Second off, I sincerely hope you meant that as a joke, otherwise, considering you will be starting med school soon, you might want to start sounding more like a physician, and less like a snotty 16 year old playing playstation.

 

[Kgizzle]

stfunoob

ownage again!

 

[theone1979]

....there is something wrong with your generation.