Health Check & Hep B

[Dave82]

Hey:

Are the GEP offers conditional on us having a health check and a course of hep B immunisations? If so, whats involved in the health check and can your local GP do it or does it have to be somebody affiliated with the medical school that you want to attend? In the case of hep B does your GP do a blood test first then if you require it you undergo the immunisation course?

Thanks;
Dave

[Echani]

When you accept an offer, you'll be sent information about what health checks you need. In RCSI they'll be looking for your immunisation status - if you don't have it, you'll have to pay to have a Mantoux test. They also mention something about having a check up; I went for a medical before the course started but I know there's a few people who didn't, so the offers aren't conditional on that, but you should probably do it anyway. It can be your local GP or whoever you want, they just write a letter that you can pass onto the college or the health centre, can't remember which.

You'll receive Hep B immunisation in 1st year if you don't already have it, and whatever other necessary immunisations you're missing. They'll take some blood during the session to check for a few conditions, so you don't need to have that done by your GP - I think they'll do the blood test regardless.

[Dave82]

Thanks for the info echani
I reckon I'm covered for the initial immunisation since I got a few jabs for a trip to Thailand in 06 and by the looks of things its up to date. I have a WHO card with the details on it made out by my GP that I got at the time.
If I get accepted I'll head over and get a medical done. Like you say, its probably a good idea to get it done anyway.
Hope all is going well with the course

[CatherineT]

just wondering if anyone on the current GEP courses knows anything about how the schools look on mental health issues - I've discussed this before with a few folk - and as regards my GP saying it's okay to go - she has - I'm just wary of getting set up to go, i have my hep B already sorted - only to find that my past comes back to haunt me

[RCSI-GEPer]

Health Status isn't an issue, I wouldn't worry about it to be honest. Only things they care about are infectious disease so AFTER you're already in the course you get an appointment in the RCSI clinic to get bloods taken if you've had Hep-B vaccine already, or the first Hep B vaccine if not, and they will check for a BCG mark (TB vaccine) - if you don't have it they'll do a Mantoux and go form there with vaccinations if you require them. A physical or full medical of any kind isn't required at all before or during the course, infectious disease is the only concern they have that i'm aware of. Give admissions a call if you've a query.

[CatherineT]

that's great - thanks - I tend to avoid calling admissions to be honest - I don't like having to declare my hand sooner than is necessary to be honest - if I'm not asked about these things, then I might be tempted to just let it lie - whereas I sometimes think that if you ask someone, then they might remember your name - and then my cover (as it were!) is blown.

Neurotic, huh!!!