bipolar therapy
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
Does having bipolar disorder interfere with getting a job in the medical field?
I am in college, pursuing Physical Therapy, but was recently diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Should I look into different career paths now, or can I still be a physical therapist?
I don’t know what they ask on the PT licensing exam in your state but technically it’s illegal for them to ask anything that isn’t directly relevant. I know many states ask illegal questions of physicians still (such as “have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness” which is not necessarily relevant and discriminatory under the ADA).
Anyway, I will pass along this bit of advice given by my psychiatrist: Lie. If anyone asks that, they are not your friend. Unless you’ve applied for disability because of it, they should not have any way of knowing and it’s really no one’s damn business but yours. The ADA even says so.
Bipolar Treatment: One Bipolar’s Road to Wellness