Health Requirements

Assessment

All candidates offered a place following interview must complete a health assessment with the College's Occupational Health Service. This is a separate process from your selection interview and does not form part of the selection panel's decision on whether or not to offer you a place. You will be sent a confidential health questionnaire along with your offer. You should complete this and return it to the College's Occupational Health Service as soon as possible.

The primary aim of the assessment is to learn about any health problems or disabilities you may have which may require special support, so that we can plan for this before you begin your course. We are also required by the General Medical Council (GMC) to ensure that you are not affected by a condition that would make it impossible for you to acquire the skills necessary to qualify and work safely as a doctor before accepting you onto the course.

Read the GMC requirements in a booklet entitled Tomorrow's Doctors, available form their website

The School of Medicine welcomes applications from candidates with disabilities and, wherever possible, seeks to provide any extra support that may be necessary. Most disabilities or mental health problems, even if substantial, can be accommodated. If you have a disability or health problem that you think may affect your fitness to practise, or which you think may be difficult to accommodate, then you can contact the College Occupational Health Physician for advice, in confdence, before applying

Vaccinations for medical school

If you are offered a place, you will need to be immunised against a range of infections to meet health & safety standards necessary for work with patients. You will be sent details of the vaccination programme along with your offer. As soon as you receive thsi information, you should arrange with your doctor or health clinict to begin this programme, as it can take eight months to complete.

 

Blood-borne infections

Chronic viral infections that are carried in the blood can be transmitted during surgery to patients from an infected healthcare worker. When you come to Imperial, in order to comply with NHS requirements, you will be offered a blood test to check that you are not infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C and/or HIV, before you can be cleared for hands-on surgical experience.

If you are infected, you will be allowed to continue your course but not allowed to assist with or undertake surgery or other 'exposure-prone' procedures on patients. It will not prevent you from qualifying or practising as a doctor, except for the restriction on exposure-prone procedures.