Education while on ESA (MH)

GlasweJen

I'm sorry but it's how I feel. I've got enough to worry about without wondering wether my doctor is mentally fit to practice.

littlerat

GlasweJen wrote: »

Surely though severe mental health issues and studying medicine IS a contradiction? Political correctness is going out the window here but when I see a doctor I don't want someone with mental problems treating me, I want the person who is sane and doesn't get confused/anxious/aggressive/homicidal. I don't want to be one of these people whose mentally ill doctor/nurse decides to bump off with insulin or whatever else is sitting around the ward.

I feel like you're confused between mental health issues and psychopathy. And mental illness is higher in doctors than in the rest of the population - I've read it's around double in fact. But past or correctly treated depression/anxiety doesn't make somebody dangerous. In fact, arguably I'm better than somebody with it who's in denial about their issues.

I also have this strange plan of, you know, getting better instead of sitting on my bottom in a benefits black hole for the rest of my life. Why not aim for the career I've wanted now for years?


Thanks Princessdon, mine may be partially contradicted and I think it would lead to a reassessment I'd assume, as part of my trouble is social anxiety, but I think for the hours I'd be at college and with support I'd be managing it possibly next year. Medical school would of course be at least 3 years away giving me time to be completely better.


Better plan is to be completely well by next year - that'd be a better outcome! And I am improving slowly. But I'd rather not necessarily have to wait until I'm 100% before I start even doing A-levels.



I've looked into it for if I'm off ESA by then, as I'd be under 25 the tuition would be free and I could go and use the.. low income bursury thing most likely to pay for my exams etc. Both of my local colleges appear to do that, 1 definitely does. Not as easy money-wise mind as doing it at the normal age!

littlerat

GlasweJen wrote: »

I'm sorry but it's how I feel. I've got enough to worry about without wondering wether my doctor is mentally fit to practice.

If you think depression/anxiety is going to make somebody go mad with insulin and murder you, I suggest some reading. about the condition.

Shipman for instance was a severe narcissist who liked his ability to control peoples life or death, just like any other serial killer - not just a person with depression.

People don't become dangerous just due to anxiety/depression.

Plus anybody with health problems has to go through fitness to practise etc - the GMC will not allow people who may be a danger to practise, but they will allow those who are ill but safe.

GlasweJen

Your mental health issues are enough to have you in the support group of ESA, in my mind that's too severe to be treating me! I can understand a bit of work related stress (my family doctor had a breakdown a few years back but he was just over worked), maybe some depression after a bereavement or something but anxiety at such a young age which is so disabling you're not even fit to look for work, sorry but no. You'll probably find you'd never pass the medical fitness test with a background like that, I had to fight fitness to practice to be a dispensing optician and I just use a wheelchair.

littlerat

Do I also need to go over the definition of "better" or "cured" with you?

If I was doing a fitness to practice now of course I'd fail. I'm not on about now. I'm on about 3 years time at least. Then 5 years of medical school before I'd be trusted alone with people.

Oh, and for the record my problems all started after a bereavement.

GlasweJen

It makes me uncomfortable. Im sorry but it does. At least I'm honest about it. People get freaked out by my wheelchair, it puts them off but I don't go rolling up to them to tell them that's it's just a mobility aid. People stare at my brother who has a big facial scar, people just get uncomfortable around things they don't know. For me my thing is mental health. I don't mind mentally ill people who I meet in day to day life, i work with drug addicts, little kids with foetal alcohol syndrome and I treat them the same as everyone else but the idea of waking up in intensive care and having a mentally ill nurse/doctor frightens the life out of me!

littlerat

Ok, that's fair enough, your earlier posts felt aggressive (edit: I realise that's probably the issue of writing on the internet) but you're right, honesty is best - as you know how strict fitness to practice is, well they won't allow anyone whose illness isn't under control, whether that's mental health or diabetes. Plus you have to declare before you even get to uni and they will assess, if somebody was found to have hidden it they'd almost certainly lose their place at the school too.

Up to 30% of medical students suffer some sort of MH issue though.

My support group is also as right now I struggle to be around people or care for myself, I'm not a danger in any sense to other people. I assume it'd be different if somebody had something that made them a risk.


Without going into too much personal history, my issues are to be correct stemming from a breakdown due to multiple personal issues, so as those issues are addressed my health is improving.

Dunroamin

littlerat wrote: »

I've looked into it for if I'm off ESA by then, as I'd be under 25 the tuition would be free and I could go and use the.. low income bursury thing most likely to pay for my exams etc. Both of my local colleges appear to do that, 1 definitely does. Not as easy money-wise mind as doing it at the normal age!

Why do you think that the tuition would be free?

littlerat

Dunroamin wrote: »

Why do you think that the tuition would be free?

Blurb on the college website and some other places says for those under 25 tuition for level 3 qualifications and under (GCSEs, A-levels, BTECs etc) is free tuition but you may have to pay course costs including exams yourself. Then the stuff about the bursary fund to pay for those costs for those on low income (I forget what it's called).

~Chameleon~

littlerat wrote: »

Blurb on the college website and some other places says for those under 25 tuition for level 3 qualifications and under (GCSEs, A-levels, BTECs etc) is free tuition but you may have to pay course costs including exams yourself. Then the stuff about the bursary fund to pay for those costs for those on low income (I forget what it's called).

Yes, that's true as long as you don't already have any level 2/3 qualifications. Good luck with it all and don't let narrow minded people deter you from achieving your dreams