ISO rejection / appeal experiences
February 3rd, 2008 by Waiting.If anyone has any experience with appealing a rejection letter from the Peace Corps, please write to me at pcnomineewannabe@gmail.com. Specifically, I’d like to know:1. Whether your appeal was successful or not, and how you went about it. 2. Whether, despite PC’s claims, a history of mental-health treatment means automatic rejection. I am so eager to serve. My qualifications are much higher than the average new college grad, and I have significant overseas and cross-cultural experience. I’m an older nominee (40+) who went through an unusually difficult time in my life nearly 10 years ago. Treatment has made me healthier than ever. I was completely open and honest in my initial application and my medical paperwork, and my therapist gave me a glowing recommendation. Maybe I’m naive, but I was surprised to be rejected so quickly — I feel as if I was just a piece of paper in the PC bureaucracy. My recruiter is outraged and eager to help me, but she warns that regional and DC offices may not be very interested. I hope someone will be willing to share similar experiences — I’d sure like to hear it’s possible my appeal will be successful!
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
They don’t reject for treatment. What was the problem? Try PeaceCorps2 at yahoo.
If they rejected you for treatment sue them. Peace Corps is the US government and they don’t want problems. The Inspector General probably won’t help. PC usually just stops communication and hopes the problem goes away, so get a lawyer.
What does ISO mean?
February 4th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
ISO = in search of.
Thanks for your response. Rather than sue, I’d simply like to determine whether I have ANY chance of a successful appeal.
To be completely blunt, and in hopes that someone out there may be able to advise me: On my application, I acknowledged an extremely halfhearted overdose eight years ago. All along, I’ve been told that if I can prove my current health, I should have no problem. My therapist has given me a great recommendation and is prepared to go to bat for me again. Yet I have found references in PC’s own medical review guidelines that anything even suggesting a previous suicide attempt, ever, means automatic disqualification.
I am a highly motivated, experienced, determined, patient, responsible and adaptable 40+ volunteer in excellent physical and emotional health. I have a hard time believing that I’m not PC’s perfect candidate. Does anyone have any advice?
February 5th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Peace Corps is sensitive to suicides because they have a high rate. The excuse is the malaria medication which is mandatory. PCVs in country have high rate and this is usually the decision rather than admitting the PCV was murdered or drugged or both. In the death in the Philippines the body was almost immediately cremated without a toxicology report. The murderer made a deal the next day. In Suriname a volunteer was shot by accident in the country on a farm. Another volunteer was hung. No toxicology.
PC passes because of country relations.
You can try an appeal, but they probably won’t change the law. I recommend you sue to have the law changed.
Good luck!
RPCV
No, I don’t work for PC or NPCA; you might want to try NPCA.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
I was medically cleared in July but “with accomodation” because of asthma (exercised induced, practically non-existent) and “hx of psychotropic medication” (antidepressants for the past 25+ years.
I didn’t know what “with accomodation” meant at the time, and Nancy Nurse said, “Oh don’t worry, it won’t interfere with you’re getting a placement, yada, yada.” I didn’t appeal at the time, and missed out on several places I wanted to go. Turns out that “with accomodation” means that the people in country get to make the decision about whether or not they can “accomodate” you.
I appealed and the accomodation was dropped. The “appeal” consisted of my writing a letter and them having a meeting. I suspect that the decision was made by one person, the aforementioned Nancy Nurse, and when it went to committee, they cleared me.
However, it wasn’t like any appeal I ever heard of, because you can’t go… or have a real advocate there. When I asked the nurse about the process, she actually told me that she would be my advocate there. She didn’t seem to get it that if she had made
I know this isn’t exactly the same thing, but I would go ahead and appeal. What have you got to lose?
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:03 am
I am very nervous about my medical clearance. I used to smoke marijuana in the early years of college.
Then I cut myself but it was not a real suicide attempt. This was at 19-20ish. I never had an incidence since. Now at 25, I have a BA and Masters degree in political science. I have even studied and interned overseas at an international organization. My doctors signed off on everything with positive marks. I am very nervous that I am NOT going to be medically cleared. In my letter I expressed to them that i moved on and I have been on stable medical treatment for 6 years now and that I have many positive coping mechanisms in stressful situations. I would be so disappointed if I was not accepted. Any advice. I wanted to be completely honest with them. I hope that my honest will pay off and I will become medically cleared.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
You all do sound very qualified to volunteer and do great service. The Peace Corps has its limits, and though we might not agree with them, they can’t always be changed upon appeal.
Just remember, the Peace Corps is not the only volunteer organization that does service abroad. Look at the other opportunities out there, and explore them.. because another organization may be eager to place you!
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:24 am
Hmmm. I have a nomination currently and am awaiting my MD appointment for medical clearance. This thread concerns me a bit. I didn’t have any previous concerns about being medically cleared, but after reading this, I realize that I would fall under the “hx of psychotropic medications” category as well (I didn’t realize there was such a category). I still currently take Wellbutrin. I’ve never had a suicide attempt or psychiatric inpatient stay or anything of that nature. In fact, I don’t have any current psychological difficulties, but I prefer being on the medication as it has been helpful with mood. Is this (Psychotropic medications in and of themselves) a problem for Peace Corps? Thanks!
March 13th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
I have very good news to report: My appeal was successful! So for those of you battling the PC bureaucracy, don’t give up. Show them how determined you are.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:23 am
I’m sending my medical forms in on Monday. On their health survey I decided to be honest, admiting that I used an inhaler when I was playing soccer competetively and that I had used psychotropic drugs in my lifetime. Was this ever a mistake.
The inhaler was for very mild excersize induced asthma that was not really a problem, more of an annoyance. And in my twenty-two years of life I have taken psychotropic drugs a grand total of four months. Two of those months were due to a mis-diagnosis ten years ago. Furthermore, when I sent my form into the doctor who perscribed the psychotropic, a man I haven’t seen for four years, he wrote under family history “uncle committed suicide”. This is true, but boy does it look bad on paper.
It is good to see all of your comments. At least it shows that there are plenty of applicants who have used psychotropic drugs, which I think we all must know. It is not uncommon. I would even venture to guess that those of us who have thought and dealt with our mental health might be better equiped to deal with stressful times. Too bad Peace Corps doesn’t see things this way, yeah?
To the writer of the blog: I am sorry. It sounds like you are more than qualified. And having watched the youtube videos, most taken by just-out-of-college volunteers, you would be an asset to the Peace Corps. I wish you the best.
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 am
To all who are reading this:
I have asthma and also take medication for bipolar. I was initially denied medical clearence to the Peace Corps (this winter). I appealed the decision, was medically cleared, and am leaving July 14th for Africa (somewhere that they speak Portuguese…will know more when I get my packet!). DO NOT GIVE UP!!! Make sure your doctors write excellent letters for you and that you detail your medical history in the appeal. The more info you give, the less chance they have to deny you. You may not get to go to your first choice in countries, but you may still get to go!
June 24th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Hey everyone.. This is a question about the legal clearance of the application process- Im at the end of my application process now and have been cleared medically and for everything else on the checklist except legal clearance because I have a DUI on my record from over 3 years ago. Does anybody know if they deny people for this? Nobody from Peace corps will email me back with an answer as to why the legal clearance is taking so long and Im hoping it does not hold me back. I had to write a few essays and do questionares and an interview with a pc social worker already concerning this but that was 3 months ago when I did the alcohol interview.. Anyone who has experienced this would be helpful! Thanks -