health concerns

[flit]

Just wondering if any one might have any experience/advice re: talking to the program one is going into about health problems or disabilities?

I am really hoping not to have to bring it up .... have a specialist appt coming up and in an ideal world, she'll have some nice & easy diagnosis and solution so that by the time I start my doctorate in the fall it will be a nonissue

I would be pretty surprised if they haven't already heard about the issues.... kind of figuring they have...and that if they had questions or were concerned about it, they'd ask....

but on the other hand, if they have heard and I don't say anything, then will it look as though I haven't been forthcoming?

[firefly85]

Hm, well I'm not totally sure how this whole thing works. I would think that you have medical privacy laws on your side as you would from an employer, so if they do find out somehow and have a problem with it, I don't think you'd be required to tell them. Unless perhaps it would significantly effect your ability to work or something similar. To be certain I'd ask the specialist when you see him/her because doctors probably have some experience with this kind of thing. I also have some ongoing health problems, but I don't plan to disclose any information about it to my school unless I have to. As long as it remains under control it shouldn't affect my work. So ask your doctor about it, but I think it's fine to keep your medical information to yourself, unless it would critically affect your work somehow.