How many people fail on medical?

[McNamee]

Just been talking to a mate of mine (ex-mil), and he's just said about 50% of people fail on medical if not more (i think this may have been an exaggeration).

Just how many do fail on the medical, and what are the most common reason(s)?

Cheers

[Gazza85]

5-10% is more realistic.

The number one reason is a "heart murmur" Which dosent fail you but it refers you to see a specialist. 90% of these murmurs are fine for active service.

Other things could be eyesight, Hearing, High blood pressure.


*edit*

O and how can i forget. Athsma is a big no no if you have had any signs of it within the last 4 years.

Look at me, i'm short sighted, Had athsma when i was kid and found to have a heart murmur on my first medical, but i passed.

Sas here i come haha. joke.

[McNamee]

heh heh cheers gazza,
yeah i've heard about heart mumurs, but havn't a clue what they are exactly...

[Gazza85]

Its when one of the 4 chambers in your heart is making a extra noise than what it should be doing. Most are harmless but they need to be checked for something serious.

I bricked it on my heart scan at the specialist. We get onto the topic of football and i make a comment about Manchester united (i'm a blue) and he says "i'm a united fan" he was from Norwich for christs sake and being serious.

So after this revelation and need for change of underwear i ask him if i have passed. (its up to him to say yes or no) he said yes.

Phew.

Next stop is a pub in Shropshire with other people who have passed and a fun train ride home back to Manchester.

[McNamee]

also, I know people can fail from extreme hayfever, how would you define this? I get hayfever, quite bad, but nothing some clarityn can't fix.

[Tab]

Reading the posts on here, there seem to a fair number of people that apply for the forces knowing that they already have a medical problem and then wonder why they get turned down.

[Gazza85]

The only thing i dident know i had was a heart murmur but that's fine.

I had athsma when i was 7 and it went after i turned 8. My parents were land lords and we lived in the flat above the pub so i was exposed to smoke from the day i was conceived up until we moved out which is coincidently when i got slight athsma shortly after getting away from this enviroment.

I have been short sighted since i was a kid and before i went to the AFCO i was told by my optician i was fine with my eyes.

[Jo]

In the stages of RSC, the medical they give you is as standard for the army. Usually about 5 people or so fail the medical. The common reasons are, as gazza said, from a heart murmur. However this is not anything too serious and most army hopefulls are recommended to see a doctor and re-take RSC again in 3-6 months time.

If you are joining the Infantry, and im sure this will be the same for the rest of the infantry, you will have another medical exam, not quite as detailed as the one at RSC, just to make sure no one passed the medical at RSC by mistake.

When you get into training, this is where people are sometimes diagnosed with things like asthma, either without knowning they had it, or more commonly from what ive come accross, people who have had asthma for a while but not told the army.

The medical examinations at RSC and Depot, arnt a big thing to worry about, and not many people do fail the medical. 50% failure rate is a massive exageration there.

[Gazza85]

I went to RSC on the 9th of August, refered for heart murmur, saw the specialist on the 27th of aug, went back to RSC and passed on the 23rd of September.

Apparently mine was really fast as far as seeing a specialist is concerned.

[James the kiwi fruit]

I was told by a doctor recently that you would fail a medical for having had asthma ever as a child (i.e. more than 4 years ago) if you had been on regular medication. Talk about strict.

[Tugg]

Well as a boy i never thought id get in due to my flat as f@#k feet.But noone said anything so i just cracked on.Happy with that

[Paraintraining]

I went to ADSC last week and three failed the medical out of about 29/30. One of them knew he had a spot of deafness! but he tried anyway... But i did hear from one lad that when he went to ADSC for the first time (he was deferred for being to quiet!) 23 out of 55 failed the medical!

So not that many and as said above, alot know they won't pass but try it on anyway!

[lodgi]

Colour blindness is another thing I think you can fail on.

[AJtothemax]

Colour blindness is another thing I think you can fail on.

Correct, but there are certain levels arent there? The eye test for your medical will tell you whether you can serve or not.

I have also been told that if someone has had a surgical procedure done on them which would effect them in any way in joining would have to wait 6 months to a year before cracking on with their application again. Then again, i just thought i got a bad doctor as some of the stuff she said was pretty much first class sh!t.

You'll know when your medical comes, what will fail you and what wont. Doesn't hurt to have a good old search on the site for information though.

EDIT: My spelling after a messy night out....