Will a medical deferment prevent me from getting into the Peace Corps?

Question

Has anyone else had a mental health related medical deferment with the Peace Corps? If so, did you get in? I have to wait until next year, do you think I will get in?

Answer 1

It just may.  Peace Corps is inconsistent with this type of stuff.  It's usually best not to divulge that type of stuff unless it's serious and may affect your service or you may require treatment.  Then you have to tell them before you begin service.

They may not let you in as a result.  Or they might.  Who knows?  You'll just have to be patient and hope for the best.

Answer 2

Someone I know had a mental health related deferment for a year, but has been nominated and expects to be invited as long as her application stays "competitive" (enough experience). I knew a couple other people who had been deferred for various things (not mental health) and are already off in their countries doing training!

The deferment only means that they want to make sure that everything is okay. A lot of the times, someone is starting a new medicine or has been recently diagnosed. Since the PC is in charge of all its volunteers for 27 months, they need to make sure everything is a-ok and handled correctly.

Sure, sometimes a deferment could keep you from being invited--but only if you don't show either (a) steady progress, or (b) no further changes/staying the same. The only way the deferment can keep you from being invited is if during the deferment you get worse, or in a case where you need to get better, you don't get better.

That's not to say you won't have a restriction/accommodation. But if you are nominated, and medically cleared with a restriction, that is still fine. You can easily get invited with a restriction. I have a restriction on my file for epilepsy and I have been invited to go to El Salvador. Sometimes with your restriction, you may not be able to go to your original nomination that was intended, but they WILL find you a country that supports your restriction. It may be in the same region, it may not be in the same region, it may be in the same month or you may have to wait a little longer, but it will happen. All restrictions are able to be accommodated by multiple countries, so it'll happen. I have only ever heard of 1 restriction that can only be accommodated by 1 country--that was a pace maker and Thailand.  

Answer 3

My future son in law insists he was in the military even though he has mental health & medical problems. When we asked how he was able to get in, he said he lied on the application.