The Student Room Group

fitness to practice

hi,
I do know some things can completely stop someone from being a doctor e.g. being an ex murder or something aha but just wondering what sort of health conditions could stop someone in theory. E.g. being deaf, blind etc?
I was looking online but couldnt find a list, and GMC has a vague outline


Thanks in advance
Reply 1
I don't think there is a set list of conditions that would automatically stop you from practising, which is why you haven't been able to find them. You basically have to ask "Would this person be able to function effectively as a doctor with this problem?" Blindness would make it very hard to do most things as a doctor, but I know a couple of doctors with significant hearing impairment (use hearing aids but hearing is still not "normal") who manage well - though some specialties are harder than others for them.

A disability that someone acquires as a doctor may also be treated differently from one which someone had before starting - for example if a qualified GP had an accident and ended up in a wheelchair, they may be able to continue to work as a GP, but it would be very difficult for someone in a wheelchair to cope with clinical placements at medical school and life as an FY1/2 before moving to a more "wheelchair-friendly" specialty.
Reply 2
It's vague because they have to take it on a case-to-case basis. They have to do that because they don't have a criteria or concept of fitness to practice that would work in all situations.
Reply 3
Original post by Helenia
I don't think there is a set list of conditions that would automatically stop you from practising, which is why you haven't been able to find them. You basically have to ask "Would this person be able to function effectively as a doctor with this problem?" Blindness would make it very hard to do most things as a doctor, but I know a couple of doctors with significant hearing impairment (use hearing aids but hearing is still not "normal") who manage well - though some specialties are harder than others for them.

A disability that someone acquires as a doctor may also be treated differently from one which someone had before starting - for example if a qualified GP had an accident and ended up in a wheelchair, they may be able to continue to work as a GP, but it would be very difficult for someone in a wheelchair to cope with clinical placements at medical school and life as an FY1/2 before moving to a more "wheelchair-friendly" specialty.
i work at a hospital atm as a reapplicant but i know for sure there is a medical student at the hospital i work in who is in a wheel chair. obviously i dont know the circumstance but it just shows that it can be done. perhaps special circumstances will be considered when it comes to fy1/2 with regards to where this person goes. i'd imagine there are lots of placements that simply are unsuitable but something can be worked out no doubt.
Reply 4
Original post by delllboy
i work at a hospital atm as a reapplicant but i know for sure there is a medical student at the hospital i work in who is in a wheel chair. obviously i dont know the circumstance but it just shows that it can be done. perhaps special circumstances will be considered when it comes to fy1/2 with regards to where this person goes. i'd imagine there are lots of placements that simply are unsuitable but something can be worked out no doubt.


I know there must be a few - I know of one personally, though the wheelchair wasn't a permanent thing. But it would be quite difficult to get through all the FtP stuff - you wouldn't realistically be able to go on an on-call rota if you can't physically do CPR, so I don't know how they work that one out.

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Trending