being sectioned and studying medicine

there is a huge proportion of mentally ill students in medicine. A lot of students also develop mental health disorders during medical school. And you all see a lot of mentally ill doctors.

1) she doesnt need to disclose anything to occupational health (e.g even for HIV). All they do is check if you have got the required vaccinations to protect you from work hazzards. They are crazy with Hep-B especially.

She will be absolutely fine. She could disclose it and it wouldnt change anything. Just to be sure she shouldnt mention it. BTW, she could use this as a pass to protect her from deregistration.

Thanks so much for your reply.
Re not disclosing anything to occupational health, apparently she has to fill out a form which asks if she's ever had any mental health problems and/or been assessed or treated by a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or counsellor.

She has to give details and also get this signed off by her GP - so there is no way she will be able to avoid disclosing it is there?

there is a huge proportion of mentally ill students in medicine. A lot of students also develop mental health disorders during medical school. And you all see a lot of mentally ill doctors.

1) she doesnt need to disclose anything to occupational health (e.g even for HIV). All they do is check if you have got the required vaccinations to protect you from work hazzards. They are crazy with Hep-B especially.

She will be absolutely fine. She could disclose it and it wouldnt change anything. Just to be sure she shouldnt mention it. BTW, she could use this as a pass to protect her from deregistration.

there is a huge proportion of mentally ill students in medicine. A lot of students also develop mental health disorders during medical school. And you all see a lot of mentally ill doctors.

wait.. wut?

Wasn't me.

Nevertheless, your statement is hyperbolic.

"A report by the regulator revealed a rise of more than 50 per cent in mental health issues among the 7,182 UK graduates who applied for provisional registration. The increase is from 39 students in 2011 to 62 in 2012."

This figure represents 0.8% of the entire cohort of medical students.

IMO, I would try to convince the GP to not disclose it. Anyway, as it was only stress from studying it doesnt really matter...

there is a huge proportion of mentally ill students in medicine. A lot of students also develop mental health disorders during medical school. And you all see a lot of mentally ill doctors.

1) she doesnt need to disclose anything to occupational health (e.g even for HIV). All they do is check if you have got the required vaccinations to protect you from work hazzards. They are crazy with Hep-B especially.

She will be absolutely fine. She could disclose it and it wouldnt change anything. Just to be sure she shouldnt mention it. BTW, she could use this as a pass to protect her from deregistration.

if in doubt, disclose it.

If you don't disclose it and they find out later, they ARE going to rip you a new areshole

That was nice and concise!


So the consensus is, if she discloses it won't prevent her from studying?

Thanks guys for your responses, we have both been worrying over it for a while. There is still a terrible amount of stigma and apart from her family, I'm the only person she has told.

That was nice and concise!


So the consensus is, if she discloses it won't prevent her from studying?

Thanks guys for your responses, we have both been worrying over it for a while. There is still a terrible amount of stigma and apart from her family, I'm the only person she has told.

Nope. I really doubt that she'll be prevented from studying, as long as everything's been fine and they really don't think it's anything untoward.

Medical schools are well aware of the stigma facing mental health, but as long as there aren't any concerns about the well-being of your friend, or the well-being of future patients, then the information will be kept between relevant parties on a need-to-know basis. We had a lecture all about the stigma facing students, encouraging us to come forward if we do have any problems, emphasising how it won't affect anything if there's not a fitness to practice concern, and that it'll be confidential. I'm not sure what the GMC recommend for medical schools, or what the law says, but this is the policy at my uni at the very least.

The medical school have me down as having been referred to clinical psychology in 2012 - nothing has been mentioned to me about it, presumably because they don't see it as being a problem. I doubt they'll see your friend as a problem either, if there was no underlying disorder or concern, especially if it was a one-off thing.

Edit: Like everyone else recommends: lying will backfire. Big time.

Good advice ^ Were you already in med school when you were referred to clinical psychology? I'm seeing a clinical psychologist for the past few months (am in my 3rd year)... boy can med school really **** your head up

there is a huge proportion of mentally ill students in medicine. A lot of students also develop mental health disorders during medical school. And you all see a lot of mentally ill doctors.

1) she doesnt need to disclose anything to occupational health (e.g even for HIV). All they do is check if you have got the required vaccinations to protect you from work hazzards. They are crazy with Hep-B especially.

She will be absolutely fine. She could disclose it and it wouldnt change anything. Just to be sure she shouldnt mention it. BTW, she could use this as a pass to protect her from deregistration.

And now you label a huge proportion of medical students metally Ill? such strange behaviour