Peace Corps: Updating the Medical System... fun!

Tuesday I got a call from the Pre-Service Nurse. Here is the message she left me, word for word:

"Hi. This is a message for M.F. My name is L-. I'm calling from the Pre-Service Department at the Peace Corps Office of Medical Services. I'm the nurse team lead and G- has forwarded a message to me and I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. So you're in the situation where you're going to be one of our in-between people who a medical review is partially started because of your pended condition that required an initial review but you won't be able to send in a physical by the deadline because you haven't gotten it yet. So what we are advising folks in your situation to do is, you know continue to, if you have the updated forms for the pended condition to send in at the point where you are able to send them in again that updated evaluation we could have it reviewed, see if that particular issue can be cleared at that time but we will have you hold off until the new system goes live in August before you complete a new health history form and then continue with the process. At that point it'll probably flag the same conditions again but we'll have the paperwork on file and we can make a notation about that and move you along. So my number is 202-XXX-XXXX if you have any other specific questions. Otherwise what we'll ask you to do, is that if when the new system comes up, if you don't receive any kind of notification about completing a new health history form by the time of, let's say, the 3rd week in August, that if you could reach out to us again either through email or call me and we'll see what we need to do to maneuver you in the system to keep you moving along in this process and so I hope that's helpful for you. And if you have any other questions my number again is 202-XXX-XXXX."

Interesting. That is, by the way, the voicemail, word for word, without the "um"s. This is really good information to know. This is in response to this email, send 5/22:

Hello G-!

I have been trying to call the OMS, but I keep getting transferred to the wrong place, so I thought I would just send an email. I have a few questions.

1. My Peace Corps "Mytoolkit" has said that I sent my Medical forms in on June of last year, but that isn't correct. I only sent the Mental Health forms. Is there any way to correct this so that when I do send in my actual forms, this is what it says? I would just like to make sure that I know where I am in the process.

2. I know a few people who are also applying but in the last stages of Medical who got emails saying that they have to send in all of their forms by July 9th of this year, otherwise they won't be able to send them in or get them reviewed until after August. Is this true? I never got that email.

3. I heard that the Peace Corps is updating the application system to streamline the process in August. Is there any way I can put off my Medical until it is streamlined, or would that not include me since I already sent in my application and had my interview and nomination? I know that there is no guarantee that my deferral will be lifted come June, but I just would like to know my options.

Thank you so much! I know that these are a lot of questions and I know how much work you have to do in the Office of Medical services, but I am in limbo right now and had no idea who to contact.

Thanks again!

-

I know I sound like such a suck up, but I definitely did not want it to sound like I was hounding them.

I'm very glad to finally know what it going on though, and I'm thankful that the Nurse took time out of her day to call me. It calms my nerves to know what exactly is going on, and that I will get a second chance at filling out the Health Forms. haha. Now I just have to find the updated mental health forms that they sent me earlier so that I can have them filled out and sent back.

Hope this is helpful to the Peace Corps people out there! Have a great weekend!