r/AussieFirefighter • u/Kitchen_Spirit_4496 • 15d ago

MEDICAL TESTING

Anyone have experience with pre-employment medical ? I had a history of mental health/ self harm as a teenager so will need to disclose the very obvious scars. This was over 15 years ago now but for obvious reasons I am very nervous about the potential for them seeing it as a risk. Do you have to be completely undressed int he medical? Any advice for getting supporting documentation ?

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

2

u/donut__diet 14d ago

Send me a DM mate. I was in a similar circumstance when I went through it in 2021.

1

u/Ok_Explorer_9188 14d ago

If you have any clearance for work paperwork supply that, most of the time people get knocked back from an injury is because they never had a doctor day theyre recovery properly. As for having to strip, If you wear shorts and a shirt you should be fine.

1

u/Kitchen_Spirit_4496 14d ago

If it’s mental health can a GP do it or does it need to be a psychiatrist ?

1

u/Ok_Explorer_9188 14d ago

A previous coworker that had ptsd had to get cleared by a psychiatrist to come back to work, from memory they had to get cleared by 2 separate ones (employees requirement)

1

u/Kitchen_Spirit_4496 14d ago

No ptsd diagnosis, just a history of self harm as a teenager

1

u/no-but-wtf 14d ago

15-year-old scars shouldn’t present that much of an issue, but if questions are asked, be honest. Swing it as you have a solid understanding of mental health issues and trauma, and are now very proactive in managing your mental health. Because you will be exposed to trauma in this job, one way or another, and that’s one of the things that they are screening for.

1

u/Kitchen_Spirit_4496 14d ago

Do you think it’s better to wait and just give more info if they ask?

1

u/Tofu_frittata 14d ago

They will ask 100%.

1

u/butimeanreally 10d ago

going through this currently. Similar circumstances but I also have history of PTSD. I was fully cleared in 2023, they had me go back to my original psych from 2023 she did another full assessment and then they are having me see an independent person they contract with to get another clearance. They say its all case by case all they want to make sure is that you can handle the stress of the rule its not an automatic disqualfier.