Medical conditions that prevents you from being a EMT/PMedic

[Panda_Bear]

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I have had seizures since i was a kid. I am in college now and want to be a Paramedic. There are alot of restrictions to people with seizures. Some are with vehicles.... and paramedics relies on Ambulances. So what i'm asking is that will my seizures (i haven't had any for 6th months) prevent me from being hired or getting my education for Paramedics at all?

[BEorP]

This thread from a different forum may help you a bit.

IIRC from it, the general answer was that it depends mainly on whether or not your seizures are under control.

[spenac]

If anyone hired you, you would never be allowed to drive. So honestly you might want to look at a different profession.

[Ridryder 911]

I agree it might be hard, but there are services where the Paramedic may never drive. There are some services that have EVO drivers only.

R/r 911

[AnthonyM83]

If your doctor clears you for a driver's license eventually, I would think the company might clear you to work? Like they said it's about keeping it under control.

[JPINFV]

If your doctor clears you for a driver's license eventually, I would think the company might clear you to work? Like they said it's about keeping it under control.

The problem is that there's a long range of conditions that are an automatic disqualifier if your company/state (California, for example) requires you to have a DOT physical (green DOT card). Your PMD doesn't have a choice to "clear" you or not, and I believe seizure activity is one of them.

[akflightmedic]

While not as exciting or glamorous, there are tons of doctor's offices that hire medics, hospitals, ERs, trauma centers, hyperbaric/wound care centers....you name it.

I have done all I mentioned and each and everyone was a great experience and could of been a great long term job if I had desired that.

[zippyRN]

poorly controlled diabetes or epilesy / other seizure disorders are an obvious problems

if you are well controlled with seizures or as a type 1 diabetic

a lot will depend on what exactly the local rules are over driving licences, and whether you only require a car driving licence or a commercial one to undertake ambulance work, even if you are not driving routinely as part of your work you may find problems and it will probably restrict your ability to be promoted to operational management roles

if the service is a firemonkey one, eyesight correction and things like asthma / hayfever may also be an issue with respect to SCBA etc

[DwayneEMTP]

Becksdad might be a good one to ask.

After a seizure brought on by meds (the only one he's had in his long, long, long, life) I believe he told me he was barred from "ambulance work" for a period of 5 years seizure free...

I might have misunderstood, or be remembering incorrectly, but I think that's what he told me.

I'm afraid I don't know if it will effect you getting your education. I don't remember being asked about these types of medical issues when applying, just the standard background checks, drug or alcohol abuse questions, etc. I can't imagine it would be a barrier to a medic education.

Good luck.

Dwayne

[Just Plain Ruff]

I would think that if you had any absolute disqualifications that a alternate career path would be in order.

I for one know that I don't want a poorly controlled diabetic or a uncontrolled seizure patient driving me around.