Three new medical tasks



My medical review started this week and I was given three bonus tasks for my doctor to complete.  (No additional tests or shots for me at this time.)  These were for some other conditions that are in my medical history even though they are not currently causing problems and have not changed in the six months since my close of service and medical clearance.  I’ve emailed the paperwork to my doctor and will follow up this week to see if I need to do anything.  Hopefully, I can return the paperwork this week as well.

I’ve got a good doctor and office and I will happily complete (and pay for) any additional medical tasks so that I can to have the opportunity to live overseas in poverty again.  (More on this in a later post.)

Additional medical tasks are common.   A friend is currently working through her fourth or fifth round of bonus tasks, which is unusual, and I understand frustrating for her as well as for the medical office.   

Medical clearance does cause some number of people to be disqualified, but many medical conditions are accommodated – although it may require posting to a different country and some delays if a medical condition cannot be managed in the first country.  This is not to scare people who are thinking of volunteering off – just to give some indication that although many people have no problem with medical clearance some, particularly older volunteers with longer medical histories, face additional scrutiny.   (More information at:  Peace Corp's Medical_info_for_applicants.pdf among other Peace Corps information available online.)

Peace Corps will take on a lot of responsibility for the volunteer’s health in the overseas posting, so they want to know everything.  Some of this is so they can be sure that any expected medical conditions can be accommodated at site.  Some, so they know what sort of resources to have in place in country to support the volunteer.  I would guess also so they know about any pre-existing conditions and other matters for the paper hungry federal bureaucracy.

Until next week …

 Love always,

John

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