Since everyone else has one, I thought this could help out as well. Be cautioned: everybody's timeline is different! I have two timelines: Short and long. The short one just contains the most important dates and the long form one contains my entire *ongoing* process. If you have been deferred, I would take a look at the long one. Also, at the bottom of the post is the cost (so far), if anybody is interested in that.
Short Timeline
2011
January 14 - Application Sent!
February 1 - Interview!
June 1 - Nomination. Francophone SSA, Health Extension, January 2012!
July 7 - Medically deferred until December.
August 18 - Sent in my deferral appeal.
September 1 - Deferral extended until June.
2012
June - attempt to get deferral lifted before July deadline.
July - Deadline for old Medical System. Didn't make it :(
August - New Medical System up.
October - Submit all Medical forms that are in my control. Still waiting on one.
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Long Timeline
2010
Late December - Started the Application. It took a long time, and most of it was dedicated to the essays. Make sure you know all of your interests, start and end dates, etc. It's like a super involved resume on steroids.
2011
January 14 - Sent in Application.
January 20 - First contact from Recruiting Office. Telling me to fill out forms (Vegetarian Questionnaire, etc) and such, and make sure my references are in.
January 25 - First contact from my actual Recruiter. Scheduled the interview.
February 1 - INTERVIEW! Last a little under 2 hours. I also got my fingers printed. I live in Los Angeles, about 25 minutes from the Regional Recruitment Office. I forgot some papers, but they let me bring them back after the interview. (Woo for wasted gas!) I cannot stress this enough: all of the questions asked are floating around the internet and in various books about the Peace Corps. Be prepared, but also be yourself. Dress nicely.
Make sure you bring all the paperwork. For example if you have non-deferrable loans, you need a notarized letter from whoever is going to take care of the payments.
My recruiter said I was highly qualified, etc. I wasn't nominated because I didn't want to leave until November. She said I could've left as early as September, but I wanted to spend some time with my family before leaving, which she said was completely reasonable.
February-June - Kept in constant touch with my recruiter! (About 2 emails a month). Consistently updated her with any new developments, such as taking French or getting CPR certification. I'm not saying bother your recruiter, what I'm saying is that if you have any (non-easily solved) questions, don't hesitate to ask! It let's them know that it is on your mind and you are passionate about being the best volunteer you can be. This contact is what I believed was about to get me the second nomination, because I told her my plans for taking French classes, etc.
Also, PATIENCE. This feels like it takes forever.
June 1, 10:26am - Nominated! Sub-Saharan Africa. Health Extension. April 2012.
June 1, 2:49 pm - Nominated AGAIN! French-speaking, Sub-Saharan Africa. Health Extension. January 2012.
This was actually quite a ride for a day, but yay EARLIER!
June 18 - Received a "Mental Health Status Review" form (dated June 8!) to fill out before they will send my Medical Review Packet. Here is the exact letter for those who may be wondering:
"Dear Ms. ____,
Thank you for submitting your Health Status Review form. Before we can proceed with our medical review, we need special information from your physician(s). This will help us determine our ability to provide reasonable medical accommodation during overseas service.
The responses you provided on the Health Status Review form indication that you have or have had:
* (the mental health thingy- hey I need SOME privacy!)
Because this condition(s) may be exacerbated in overseas environments, it is essential that we understand your current status, treatment and anticipated health care needs. Enclosed is a special form(s) for your physician or specialist to complete (the form indicates if a specialist's evaluation is required).
Please fax the results of this evaluation(s), identified with your name and social security number, to the Office of Medical Services.
If we determine that your needs concerning this issue(s) can be accommodated, we will send you a Medical/Dental Examination Packet at that time. There may be other health issues from your Health Status Review form which will need clarification or explanation by the physician who performs your physical examination. Further instructions will be included in the Medical/Dental Packet, including instructions for reimbursement of the routine examination.
We look forward to hearing from you soon so we that we can proceed with your medical review. (numbers and such to reach them at)
Office of Medical Services"
At first, I thought that they had lost my packet in the mail. Those 17 days were the longest of my life. I have to cancel the doctor's appointments I have made so I can fill this out, etc. ANOTHER UNANTICIPATED STEP!
I have to write a personal statement about my mental health as well.
June 23 - Saw my therapist and faxed my Mental Health Evaluation and Personal Statement (at 10:30pm East Coast Time). Also, emailed the Pre-Service Nurse to make sure that they received it.
June 24 - Heard back from the Pre-Service Nurse. They did receive my fax. BUT: "Please allow a few weeks for processing. Your screening nurse will contact you once she takes a look at your documents."
Ok, so I need more patience, but I'm going to give them two weeks before I ask again.
July 1 - Didn't need too much patience! Receive an "Application Status Update" in my email. Check it out, and voila! "The Peace Corps has mailed you a Medical Kit on June 30, 2011." Yay! (But of course they had to mail it Fourth of July Weekend... which means I won't get it until at least Tuesday! (Today is Friday)
Also, emailed the Pre-Service Nurse to get permission to go to a VA Hospital. My student health insurance unfortunately ran out today, so I need to find a place where I don't have to pay for services. At this point, living in Los Angeles is a huge help, thank goodness.
July 2 - Another Peace Corps "Application Status Update" email. Nothing has changed, except for the fact that "Peace Corps sent you an important letter regarding the status of your application." I'm assuming that this is the letter telling me I passed Mental Health Clearance? Since they already sent the second part of the Medical Kit?
Too bad it's a holiday weekend, and I won't get mail until Tuesday. Waiting until then to have all my questions answered by the Pre-Service Nurse, and now, also waiting for the letter (and my Med Kit).
July 5 - No mail. Spent the morning calling VA hospitals. No luck. Finally made an appointment for free dental (in San Diego) and my physical. Still waiting on the eye doctor...
July 7 - Hopes and dreams crushed. I kid... Got a little letter, which is NOT my Medical Kit. Apparently, my toolbox was wrongly updated, and now I am actually on Medical Deferral until December, which means I will definitely not be leaving in January. Hopefully, I can get everything squared away. In the meantime, I am thinking about appealing, however, 5 months is better than the two years I have seen some people deferred...
and now, the waiting game.
Late July/Early August - Decided that I'm not a very patient person when I feel like I may be able to do something to speed up the process, and started working on a revised personal statement and contacted my therapist.
August 2 - Saw my therapist, explained everything, how I think I'm more stable than I have been in years, yadda yadda. Showed her my revised personal statement (Thank you Alex, for helping me with that!), and told her what I wanted out of a letter and would she please write one. She agreed to o it whole-heartedly. She really thinks I'm going to make an excellent addition to the Peace Corps, with my mindset and everything. Says she will write the letter, and we make two more appointments.
August 13 - Appointment with my therapist. She shows me the rough draft of the letter for my approval. (She really is the best. I'm sad to be leaving her.)
August 15 - Appointment with my therapist. Gives me the typed and signed letter, and we say our goodbyes since I'm moving home!
August 18 - Faxed the letter to the Peace Corps OMS. And now, more waiting...
September 1 - Received call from Pre-Service Nurse telling me that my referral has been EXTENDED to June 2012. This was due to them reading the paperwork wrong (I went to my therapist in June to get the paperwork done; they thought I went back to actually see her!). Since an appeal decision cannot be appealed, I have to wait it out. Ouch.
later in September - called to see if I could do anything to get my deferral lifted early, and they said no. I begged! But at least they were nice.
2012
January - Called OMS to get paperwork and updates for June, since it was now the same year as when my deferral could be lifted.
May 22nd - Sent the following email to my OMS Nurse. She forwarded it to the Head Nurse. I still haven't heard back.
"Hello _____!
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!"
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Cost so far:
Trip to Therapist: $5 (I have great insurance)
Fax Mental Health Forms: $10.44
3 Mores Trips to Therapist: $15
Fax More Mental Health Forms: $8.85
=
TOTAL: $39.29
