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Author Topic: Just test positive worried abt my medical future  (Read 6457 times)

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Offline liux0040

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  • Posts: 2
Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« on: August 29, 2013, 07:45:26 pm »
Hi everyone, I am a medical student in US and I just fount I am poz. I am confused as whether I should continue my med school since I heard most hospital need to check HIV before they can offer you a job. It would be a waste if I finish med school and can't get a job.

Is there any regulations or laws on doctors who have HIV? I want to Family medicine or internal medicine. I tried to find on Internet but couldn't find any useful info.

In addition, can I work as a family doctor or internist without comprimising my health, as I will be exposed to bacterium all day.

Thanks


Offline life2

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  • Posts: 52
Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2013, 10:01:42 pm »
Hi liux,

Welcome, we're sorry you had to find this forum but glad you did.  There's a lot to learn about living with HIV and the members here are incredibly knowledgeable, compassionate and honest.

I'm personally not very familiar with the laws regarding HIV and certain health care providers and how they differ between countries.  I believe there is member of these forums who is a MD, others can correct me on that and that being HIV+ in the US doesn't prevent you from working in the medical field.  Regardless of what the laws are today anyway we are seeing them change and become more accepting of HIV as new medicines are allowing us to live near normal lifespans.

I would, however, strongly recommend that you don't make any major life decisions, such as dropping out of school, at this time.  If you're like most of us the time following your diagnoses is incredibly emotionally charged.  Work closely with your Dr about your treatment options and give yourself time to learn about living with HIV.  Eventually you'll find you'll return to a normal life again.  Then you can decide if you want to change your career path.  Don't let HIV stop you from chasing those dreams.

Be well.



Offline Miss Philicia

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  • celebrity poster, faker & poser
Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2013, 10:42:16 pm »
There was a guy who came out as HIV+ publicly the day after winning International Mister Leather 1998. He was also a physician before that date and continued practicing after in general medicine/HIV treatment based in Los Angeles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Mills
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline oksikoko

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  • Writing the congressman again
Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2013, 11:17:26 pm »
There was a guy who came out as HIV+ publicly the day after winning International Mister Leather 1998. He was also a physician before that date and continued practicing after in general medicine/HIV treatment based in Los Angeles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Mills

A history class taught by you would be much more fun than the ones I had in high school...

Hi, liux0040. What country are you in? Certain restrictions on HIV+ folks in the NHS were just recently (like last week or so) lifted in the UK: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23698991

"Healthcare staff in England, Wales and Scotland having HIV treatment will be able to take part in all tasks, including surgery and dentistry."

There was a thread on here about it too: http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=50005.msg599745#msg599745
Code: [Select]
2014-11-14: CD4 Wars Episode II: Return of the Stribild (released in Europe as Stribild II: Werewolf Bitch)
2014-11-06:                ☣ VL (→) 12,627      ☣ CD4 (→) 639
2014-??-??: off treatment  ☣ VL (?)              ☣ CD4 (?)
2013-10-03:                ☣ VL (=) undetectable ☣ CD4 (+) 1105
2013-05-23:                ☣ VL (=) undetectable ☣ CD4 (-) 945
2013-02-25:                ☣ VL (-) undetectable ☣ CD4 (+) 1123
2012-12-16: Enter Stribild
2012-11-20: HIV+           ☣ VL (→) 132,683      ☣ CD4 (→) 920
2012-04-01: HIV-
Dates in this signature file conform to ISO 8601. ;-)

If no one complains, nothing will ever change.

Offline liux0040

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  • Posts: 2
Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2013, 11:27:59 pm »
I am studying medicine in US and practise here as well.

Offline wolfthorn

  • Member
  • Posts: 88
Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2013, 03:25:37 pm »
LISTEN, you're not the only HIV+ doctor or nurse in the world. You are not alone.

First responsibility is to always use universal precautions. You should have been before anyway. There's no case of a doctor using universal precautions infecting a patient. Ever.

Second, get on HAART as soon as possible. Become undetectable. That's your responsibility as a physician.

Third, once you're undetectable you can't do certain invasive procedures without approval from a hospital committee, such as orthopedic, cardiothoracic or maxillofacial surgery. There's an excellent list that the Australians used. I'd recommend not doing any of these specialties as it will make your life easier.

Your HIV status is your personal health information and is protected.

If you are doing invasive procedures you should get approval. Otherwise your biggest responsibility is to protect your patients and get undetectable.
7/10/13: Oraquick at Home (+)
7/11/13: CD4 <20, VL 286,000
7/26/13: Start Stribild, Bactrim, Azithromycin
8/13/13: CD4 64, VL 1194
9/11/13: CD4 87, VL 511
10/14/13: CD4 164, VL 34
10/15/13: Stop Azithromycin!

Offline mecch

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  • red pill? or blue pill?
Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2013, 05:20:02 pm »
What year are you?
Things are changing rapidly. Stay the course and see what happens, fight, compromise. I'm sure you will be able to practice, but there may be fights and compromises ahead.
Another option is - go into research. Rethink your career ideas.
I think people who become doctors probably stick to that career a lot more than other people who study for and enter their professions.  Just saying, over a working life, it often turns out that one pursues more than one profession, and college kids can't really predict what they'll find fulfilling, or want to do or end up doing, result of fate, or necessity.  But highly specific careers requiring such highly specific training, it must be a pretty tight spot to be in.
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline actonye

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Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2013, 12:46:10 pm »
Hey there, hope ur dealing better with this whole unexpected and almost life altering not to mention shattering diagnosis. I'm a medic as well work in ireland ATM. Hope to move to the states next year to continue my medical training, unfortunately earlier this year found out I was positive thanx to a cheating partner. Well I'm almost over the initial anger and resentment.
Anyway with regards ur medical career there are loads of options out there for you and me. Aim in emergency medicine and so far no problems with work.
I'd advice you gather as much information as u can from ur treating ID doc. You would probably have to go on meds ASAP to get ur vital load down to undetectable. That protects u and ur patients. In the UK now docs with undetectable viral loads are free to perform almost all interventions if not all.
Luckily we are in a period where the medications are effective and with little or no side effects.
Life gets back to a semblance or normality. It will take some time but believe me it'll soon feel like this is just another nuisance u have to deal with.
Feel free to contact me anytime if you want to chat it whatever.
Med school is hard enough and then having to deal with this as well makes it even worse but trust me when I say it's much easier than it initially appears to be. Don't be fooled somedays will be painfully difficult, emotionally but u need support and build ur emotional reserves u are going to need it.
Hey we are all on this journey together so feel free to ask for help anytime.
All the best.

Offline Lucek

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  • Posts: 3
Re: Just test positive worried abt my medical future
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2013, 09:54:05 pm »
Hej.
As I posted somewhere else, I'm a doctor, and have been diagnosed a few days ago. Well I do not live in the US, and where I live there is no problem in being a doctor and HIV+. Think it must be ok there to, only with a few extra stuff.
Just like actonye I work with emergency medicine, and it's all alright. I also work in a ICU - but I am thinking of quiting because I don't wanna end up colonized with multiresistant bacteria (but the 'normal' ones do not scare me that much - already treated a buch of patients with immunity problem - from HIV, Lupus, Leukemia and other conditions - and mostly it all went ok, since the right antibiotics were used).
Sometimes I even think of doing like mr. Mills and treating other people with HIV  - you know, just like Michel de Montagne said, the best doctor is the one with real experience on what he is treating.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2013, 09:57:35 pm by Lucek »

 


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