Will being 302’d effect licensing?

[BB22981]

I’m not quite sure how to say this but last weekend I made the terrible decision to not take my medication and drank far too much. Long story short I presented with suicidal ideation/behavior and got 302’d.

 

I will be starting PA school later this month and have since got back on my medication for anxiety and depression.

 

Will being 302’d effect my ability to get licensed? I have no criminal history or inappropriate behavior in school. I’m just worried I possibly screwed up my future through a dumb, reckless decision.

[UGoLong]

1 hour ago, BB22981 said:

I’m not quite sure how to say this but last weekend I made the terrible decision to not take my medication and drank far too much. Long story short I presented with suicidal ideation/behavior and got 302’d.

 

I will be starting PA school later this month and have since got back on my medication for anxiety and depression.

 

Will being 302’d effect my ability to get licensed? I have no criminal history or inappropriate behavior in school. I’m just worried I possibly screwed up my future through a dumb, reckless decision.

Lots of people make mistakes. A buddy of mine got his license and DEA with a marijuana-selling conviction in college that he clearly disclosed.

I do think that you're missing the bigger problem here: you are going off to school YET THIS MONTH and have shown you don't have yourself under control. PA school is stressful and here you are, recently demonstrating self-destructive behavior to the point you had to be held in custody to protect you from yourself. This is not a good combination.

I think you need to talk to your psychologist/psychiatrist and work through this. Taking a year off (many schools cut this kind of slack for health issues) and starting next year may be your best bet.

Good luck.

[BB22981]

I have been recently talking to my therapist and have been taking the steps to go back into therapy, as well as having a continuation of care near the university. I’m not trying to make excuses, what I did was something inexcusable and the fact that it did happen so close to school starting did put a shock to me and my therapist.

 

I thought I had gotten past therapy and neglected taking my medication prior to the incident but this has been a wake up call for me to continue with treatment.

 

I assumed I’d gotten past the need for treatment and I’m definitely not going to be making that mistake again.

[UGoLong]

2 hours ago, BB22981 said:

I have been recently talking to my therapist and have been taking the steps to go back into therapy, as well as having a continuation of care near the university. I’m not trying to make excuses, what I did was something inexcusable and the fact that it did happen so close to school starting did put a shock to me and my therapist.
 
I thought I had gotten past therapy and neglected taking my medication prior to the incident but this has been a wake up call for me to continue with treatment.
 
I assumed I’d gotten past the need for treatment and I’m definitely not going to be making that mistake again.

 

Sorry, but you still don’t sound stabilized to me. I'm not sure how you would act if you made another mistake and no one can ever promise that they won't do exactly that.

Take the time to get yourself right.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Edited May 3, 2019 by UGoLong

[tantamint]

4 hours ago, UGoLong said:

Sorry, but you still don’t sound stabilized to me. I'm not sure how you would act if you made another mistake and no one can ever promise that they won't do exactly that.

Take the time to get yourself right.

 

Please do not listen to this response; it is clearly abysmal and uncalled for. You know yourself better than anyone, especially compared to random people on an online forum. 

That being said, do take care of yourself. Your mental health comes first and PA school can be a significant source of stress. Listen to your body and prioritize your well-being. You got this! You would not have gotten into PA school if anyone thought you couldn't handle it.

To actually answer your question, I do not believe this would affect you getting licensed at all, but I do not know that for a fact.

[UGoLong]

4 hours ago, tantamint said:

Please do not listen to this response; it is clearly abysmal and uncalled for. You know yourself better than anyone, especially compared to random people on an online forum. 

That being said, do take care of yourself. Your mental health comes first and PA school can be a significant source of stress. Listen to your body and prioritize your well-being. You got this! You would not have gotten into PA school if anyone thought you couldn't handle it.

To actually answer your question, I do not believe this would affect you getting licensed at all, but I do not know that for a fact.

Readers may not like my opinion, which is certainly your right. It was given because it was implicitly called for by the original post.

I am generally an optimistic, supportive guy and would have liked to have been in this case as well. On the other hand, threatening to hurt yourself just a few weeks before school starts to the point that you actually had to be held in protective custody is a warning light -- not forever, but for now.

I want the OP to be stabilized to the point that the poster's medical team is certain that he or she does not represent a threat to him or herself or others, especially  if and when something goes south during PA school (which it can).

Telling someone who just recently went through all this that that "you've got this!" sounds way more optimistic that any of us strangers has a right to be. I think we can all agree that the ball belongs in the OP's medical providers' court.

Edited May 3, 2019 by UGoLong

[rev ronin]

On 5/3/2019 at 4:37 AM, UGoLong said:

Readers may not like my opinion, which is certainly your right. It was given because it was implicitly called for by the original post.

UGoLong is a well-respected contributor to the PA community and these forums; applicants should pay careful attention to his suggestions--I consider them, on the whole, better thought out than my own recommendations.

[Guest thatgirlonabike]

On 5/3/2019 at 2:54 AM, tantamint said:

Please do not listen to this response; it is clearly abysmal and uncalled for. You know yourself better than anyone, especially compared to random people on an online forum. 

You can't tell someone going through chemotherapy to just go on to school because they can power through and they "got this!"

Sometimes your health needs to come first and I definitely think it needs to be between you and your provider.  Please listen to them and take care of yourself. 

[tantamint]

I'm saying the person knows himself/herself best and encouraging them to take charge of their own situation and listen to himself/herself. I'm not trying to influence the person to go to school or take a break. I'm encouraging her/him to make the decision for himself/herself and to not base decisions off of what random people say. After all we know ourselves best. I agree, health comes first whether it is physical, mental, or emotional. I'm just saying just because something bad happened and you lost control, it will never define you or your ability. I'm trying to encourage empowerment and not pretend like I know what is best.

Edited May 8, 2019 by tantamint

[MaryFred]

13 hours ago, tantamint said:

I'm saying the person knows himself/herself best and encouraging them to take charge of their own situation and listen to himself/herself. I'm not trying to influence the person to go to school or take a break. I'm encouraging her/him to make the decision for himself/herself and to not base decisions off of what random people say. After all we know ourselves best. I agree, health comes first whether it is physical, mental, or emotional. I'm just saying just because something bad happened and you lost control, it will never define you or your ability. I'm trying to encourage empowerment and not pretend like I know what is best.

You are correct in the fact that having something bad happen or losing control doesn't define a person by any means, but it speaks volumes to their mental, emotional and/or psychological state at the time.  I believe these older and experienced guys/ladies have been around the block a few times and know the pressures and demands that come with PA school to say the least.  The fact that he/she gotten off of their meds for depression and anxiety and quit seeing their therapist, had too much to drink and was threatening to hurt themselves is a huge red flag and speaks to the lack of sound judgment and decision making, and please know that I am in no way judging or criticizing by saying this. I am merely pointing out that if these things are happening weeks before school starts imagine what will happen under the tremendous pressures of a rigorous PA program.  I wish BB22981 the very best personally and professionally, but I do believe they need to be 100% stable for everyone's sake before starting a program.

Edited May 8, 2019 by MaryFred