"Unrecognized PTSD" from childhood experience. Disqualified?

[OperaFan]

Should I give up all hopes for USUHS or HPSP?

I am very worried. USUHS is my first choice school followed by any school with HPSP. I have various reasons for this

.I am a 29 year old man and current allied-health professional in the process of applying to medical schools (MD and DO) for 2015 admission. Between the ages of 5 and 13 I was sexually abused by four older males. I only recently "got help" for this. A therapist (masters degree) diagnosed me with something like "long unrecognized PTSD" on paperwork to help me get a leave of absence from my current work (which I am on). Later my primary care physician noted this in my chart. I never saw any primary doctor in my adult/independent


I noticed PTSD is a disqualifying condition. Should I give up all hopes for USUHS or HPSP?
I'm not sure how "official" this diagnosis of "long unrecognized PTSD" is. The masters degree level therapist informed me something like "it doesn't matter if it was or is officially and technically PTSD according to the DSM book, there are overlapping symptoms and this form is to get you a leave of absence to deal with your past".

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[BouncingBack]

Try everything you can to prevent any PTSD, depression or psychiatric issue being put on your record. Because of what happened in Fort Hood and all these former veterans with PTSD and other psych issues doing some ill-advised things in the real world, the military is doing all they can to weed out those with any psych issues. Right now, they are trying to further cut forces and this is one of the weapons they want to use.

Further, someone from MEDCOM stated that, soon, all commanders may get a list of all personnel in their formations with any known past psychiatric condition. Those on the list will be highly scrutinized. In case, you didn't know the army already micromanages everything from the top down. For example, this private could not buy a used car with his OWN money, because the commander thought the dealer was giving him too high of APR. Another case, this nurse was told to go work as a S2 because they already have enough civilian nurses in the clinic. She was pissed because she signed up solely to work at this clinic. Finally, this one doc was told to work at an after-hour clinic because the PA left and they have no replacement. He saw 7 patients per week; the rest of the time, he was told to do some paper work because the day time docs are busy and he is not; oh not to mention and he better not fall asleep :O

 

[OperaFan]

Try everything you can to prevent any PTSD, depression or psychiatric issue being put on your record. Because of what happened in Fort Hood and all these former veterans with PTSD and other psych issues causing havoc in the real world, the military is really trying to weed out those with psych issues. Right now, they are trying to further cut forces and this is one of the weapons they are likely to use.

Further, someone from MEDCOM stated that, soon, all commanders may get a list of personnel in their formation with any past psychiatric condition, and those on the list will be highly scrutinized. In case, you didn't know the army already micromanages everything; for example, this private could not buy a used car with his OWN money, because the commander thought the dealer was giving him too high APR. Basically, he had to walk everywhere for 6 months.

Thanks. I might apply and just wait and see what happens. I have never been on any psychiatric medication.

 

[DrMetal]

Further, someone from MEDCOM stated that, soon, all commanders may get a list of all personnel in their formations with any known past psychiatric condition.

What on earth are you talking about??? Don't listen to BouncingBack. He's a troll who likes to lurk around here, disseminating misinformation, he's bitter b/c he got kicked out of the Army, or med school, or both.

No commander in this military is getting a list of service-members with past psychiatric conditions. Commanders are only informed if the condition affects the operational capability of said service-member. Depressed because your dog died? If you can continue to do your job well, get treated for it, and it resolves, your chain of command never has to know about it. Now sometimes its a good idea to voluntarily tell your chain; from my experience, most often the chain works very hard to get you the treatment you need. Again, if you get the treatment, respond well to it, and continue to do your job well ....then you'll be just fine.

Again, don't listen to BouncingBack, it's this type of misinformation that has created the "stigma" of mental health issues in the military. He's totally wrong.

To the OP: if you truly have PTSD, and you're being actively treated for it, then you might be a no-go for the military life; this is view as a "pre-existing" condition, tantamount to active asthma or hypertension. If it's a part of your past, no longer getting treated, then it depends. You can go ahead and apply, be honest about it, disclose it, and see what they say. You might be able to get a waiver for it, especially if it's in your distant past and no longer an active issue.

 

[OperaFan]

What on earth are you talking about??? Don't listen to BouncingBack. He's a troll who likes to lurk around here, disseminating misinformation, he's bitter b/c he got kicked out of the Army, or med school, or both.

No commander in this military is getting a list of service-members with past psychiatric conditions. Commanders are only informed if the condition affects the operational capability of said service-member. Depressed because your dog died? If you can continue to do your job well, get treated for it, and it resolves, your chain of command never has to know about it. Now sometimes its a good idea to voluntarily tell your chain; from my experience, most often the chain works very hard to get you the treatment you need. Again, if you get the treatment, respond well to it, and continue to do your job well ....then you'll be just fine.

Again, don't listen to BouncingBack, it's this type of misinformation that has created the "stigma" of mental health issues in the military. He's totally wrong.

To the OP: if you truly have PTSD, and you're being actively treated for it, then you might be a no-go for the military life; this is view as a "pre-existing" condition, tantamount to active asthma or hypertension. If it's a part of your past, no longer getting treated, then it depends. You can go ahead and apply, be honest about it, disclose it, and see what they say. You might be able to get a waiver for it, especially if it's in your distant past and no longer an active issue.

I am so angry at the older boys/men that messed with me as a child. They have ruined my life. For certain reasons being in the military, specifically as a medical doctor is important to me. If USUHS or HPSP doesn't work and i'm still up for it I wonder if FAP can be an option, especially after the military sees I got through medical school without USUSHS or HPSP.

 

[BouncingBack]

You're just a resident in some MEDCEN. You do not know what is going on operationally in MTOE units. Just go study for your in house exams. Currently, as an executive officer in this big well-known Medical Brigade, I get some feedback from various sources. You don't know what type of information we get on people, especially if they are considered "high risks" - sometimes, I don't even want to know all those details.

I said "may" because it is still work in progress. The line units have been pushing for this list to be pushed down to the commanders for past few months, and MEDCOM is being pressured to do so. With the Army needing to cut additional 80,000 troops as well as 3000-4000 competitive category officers, you do not want to be in this list with known past psych issues. Lets just say that it won't benefit your career in anyway.

What on earth are you talking about??? Don't listen to BouncingBack. He's a troll who likes to lurk around here, disseminating misinformation, he's bitter b/c he got kicked out of the Army, or med school, or both.

No commander in this military is getting a list of service-members with past psychiatric conditions. Commanders are only informed if the condition affects the operational capability of said service-member. Depressed because your dog died? If you can continue to do your job well, get treated for it, and it resolves, your chain of command never has to know about it. Now sometimes its a good idea to voluntarily tell your chain; from my experience, most often the chain works very hard to get you the treatment you need. Again, if you get the treatment, respond well to it, and continue to do your job well ....then you'll be just fine.

Again, don't listen to BouncingBack, it's this type of misinformation that has created the "stigma" of mental health issues in the military. He's totally wrong.

To the OP: if you truly have PTSD, and you're being actively treated for it, then you might be a no-go for the military life; this is view as a "pre-existing" condition, tantamount to active asthma or hypertension. If it's a part of your past, no longer getting treated, then it depends. You can go ahead and apply, be honest about it, disclose it, and see what they say. You might be able to get a waiver for it, especially if it's in your distant past and no longer an active issue.

 

[aklark]

You're just a resident in some MEDCEN. You do not know what is going on operationally in MTOE units. Just go study for your in house exams. Currently, as an executive officer in this big well-known Medical Brigade, I get some feedback from various sources. You don't know what type of information we get on people, especially if they are considered "high risks" - sometimes, I don't even want to know all those details.

I said "may" because it is still work in progress. The line units have been pushing for this list to be pushed down to the commanders for past few months, and MEDCOM is being pressured to do so. With the Army needing to cut additional 80,000 troops as well as 3000-4000 competitive category officers, you do not want to be in this list with known past psych issues. Lets just say that it won't benefit your career in anyway.

^This isn't relevant to the OP's question, which was whether he would be initially disqualified from HPSP or USU based on his medical history.

OP - You'll start by filling this form out. You'll have to indicate Yes for (16) and go from there. The recruiter will get you a definitive answer on whether or not it is waiverable.

 

[bustbones26]

Should I give up all hopes for USUHS or HPSP?

I am very worried. USUHS is my first choice school followed by any school with HPSP. I have various reasons for this

.I am a 29 year old man and current allied-health professional in the process of applying to medical schools (MD and DO) for 2015 admission. Between the ages of 5 and 13 I was sexually abused by four older males. I only recently "got help" for this. A therapist (masters degree) diagnosed me with something like "long unrecognized PTSD" on paperwork to help me get a leave of absence from my current work (which I am on). Later my primary care physician noted this in my chart. I never saw any primary doctor in my adult/independent


I noticed PTSD is a disqualifying condition. Should I give up all hopes for USUHS or HPSP?
I'm not sure how "official" this diagnosis of "long unrecognized PTSD" is. The masters degree level therapist informed me something like "it doesn't matter if it was or is officially and technically PTSD according to the DSM book, there are overlapping symptoms and this form is to get you a leave of absence to deal with your past".

Okay, there are appropriate ways to handle your PTSD, and there are also inappropriate ways to manage your PTSD. If you are seeking counseling and following through with professional help, then you are doing what is appropriate.

In you medical career (unless you become a radiologist or pathologist) you are going to deal with numerous patients that have suffered pyschological traumas. Who better to help these people than a person who has been their himself?

Now that I am a doctor I can say with confidence that those yahoos down at my MEPS station could barely speak English or perform a adequate physical exam. They only seemed concern as to how many cattle they could push through in a day. I am not suggesting that you lie on any forms but I think going through the process is at least worth a try if it truly is what you want to do.

Now, whenever you get to medical school, most schools have a house counselor that his there for the students. Establish time with him/her.

In residency, see your counselor and psychiatrist, follow through. Your GME staff WILL get angry at you if you become a non-functional resident over the issue. If they learned that you have PTSD and you are managing it well, nobody will care to comment on it.

 

[student til 30]

.

 

[OperaFan]

I'm just going to apply to schools including USUHS and HPSP and see what happens.

 

[Sean Lee]

Contrary to popular belief, the military DOES NOT have access to your medical records. The MEPS will only know what you tell them on your paperwork!

Simply do not mention your PTSD at all, and there's no way for them to find out.

However, if you successfully enroll in the military and have a psychiatric episode while in uniform, then the military can do a thorough background check and discover your past issues.

Just be absolutely sure that you are past your problems, and that you will never have episodes ever again.

If everyone is truthful on the MEPS, then the size of today's American military will probable be closer to that of Canada's.

Good luck.

 

[notdeadyet]

Just be absolutely sure that you are past your problems, and that you will never have episodes ever again.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you have very little understanding how mental health works...

 

[Sean Lee]

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you have very little understanding how mental health works...

You are probably right.

But if the OP can CONTROL himself, then he doesn't need to worry.

 

[notdeadyet]

But if the OP can CONTROL himself, then he doesn't need to worry.

And control his environment so that it's without trauma. Because the best way to get truly crippling PTSD is to start with mild PTSD and throw more trauma at it. There is a reason the military likes to look at civilians with PTSD before accepting them in.

 

[SuperSoccer19]

You are probably right.

But if the OP can CONTROL himself, then he doesn't need to worry.

Ever try telling a schizophrenic to simply stop hearing voices or acting bizarre? Or a depressed person to "snap out of it"? Doesn't go so well. Same applies to anxiety disorders such as PTSD.

To OP: PTSD is not a perminent state and can be treatable. I would recommend focusing on getting help and treating the issues such that you can kick a** at whatever goals you have before even considering joining. Whatever problems you have on the outside tend to be exacerbated in the military, so best to be fit for full before even considering commission.

Psychiatric diagnoses are very subjective--one provider may diagnose PTSD that another provider will call a personality or adjustment disorder, so perhaps while in formal treatment, this diagnosis can be readdressed. Then again, if the diagnosis was merely used to get someone on a leave of absence id recommend against joining, as secondary gain is very common in military psychiatry and tends to drive us up the wall.

 

[OperaFan]

OP here.
There is a snowball's chance in hell I will get an unconditional acceptance with USUHS or HPSP. I am already on a leave of absence from work and experience frequent hyper-arousal. I actually "feel" the anxiety about the blood vessels of my wrists, ankles, etc. And it's all making me miss work. I can still apply this cycle to medical schools (MCAT done, glad). I have to resolve myself to accept that the military is out of the question for now, probably forever. I realize I could do the military thing after medical school but I really wanted the experience of attending USUHS. I will have to find happiness elsewhere.

 

[deuist]

I actually "feel" the anxiety about the blood vessels of my wrists, ankles, etc. And it's all making me miss work

You definitely should not be in the military if that's the case. This job is incredibly stressful – and not because of the clinical work. If normal body functions set you off, you're going to have an incredibly hard time here. Medical school is the same way. Persons with psychiatric conditions – even if they are undiagnosed – usually come out during the first and second years from all of the stressors.