Reporting an injury after DoDMERB Exam

minnesota20

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Oct 12, 2015
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Hi, I took my medical exam about a month ago and passed, but 2 Fridays ago I was playing football and my shoulder popped out! It went back in right away but the team trainer made me wear this brace to stop it from popping out again and let me go back into the game. Now my shoulder is ok but the trainer is still making me wear the brace to make sure it doesn't pop out and I have done many exercises since then that require my shoulder like pull ups with no problem. Do I have to tell DoDMERB about the injury even though I never saw a doctor for it and I am ok now??? I haven't been accepted into any of the academies yet or received any ROTC offers, but I read that they can do background checks and talk to my friends and teachers and stuff and I am scared that they will talk to my school in the future and find out about it and kick me out of the military for not telling them about it. I'm also scared that they will be angry that I waited so long to tell them about the injury if I tell them. What should I do? I read online that popping/dislocating shoulders can disqualify me but technically a doctor never told me that I dislocated my shoulder just the school trainer did. Since no doctor has said anything about it and I am not gonna visit one about it will that make it ok to not tell them since I am self-diagnosing? I'm really worried please help!!!
 
Some trainers are doctors or PA's. If the injury was documented on paper in a record someplace (like with the Medical practice associated with your trainer) or in the school medical records, I would report. I would think that any injury that occurs on school property is recorded. However, I am sure someone more knowledgeable will respond!
 
Actually, I'm surprised your trainer allowed you back on the field without clearance from your Doctor. Ours would not have. The problem is , that if it pops again at your unit or SA , and you failed to disclose and get re-cleared, they could discharge you from the unit/SA.
 
Some trainers are doctors or PA's. If the injury was documented on paper in a record someplace (like with the Medical practice associated with your trainer) or in the school medical records, I would report. I would think that any injury that occurs on school property is recorded. However, I am sure someone more knowledgeable will respond!
The injury occurred on a road game so I wasn't on school property. I'm gonna ask the trainer if he keeps any records but I don't think he does.
 
There has been mixed recommendations on all this... remind you none of us are authoritative sources or doctors (except kp2001), so take our advice with a grain of salt. In the past folks have said if it wasn't seen by a doctor or recorded then don't report. A shoulder separation can be very serious. Honestly this decision falls on you. If you want further guidance, then call DoDMERB help desk and ask.
 
There has been mixed recommendations on all this... remind you none of us are authoritative sources or doctors (except kp2001), so take our advice with a grain of salt. In the past folks have said if it wasn't seen by a doctor or recorded then don't report. A shoulder separation can be very serious. Honestly this decision falls on you. If you want further guidance, then call DoDMERB help desk and ask.
Ok I'll consider doing that, thanks!!! The main thing I am worried about is that almost all of my friends and teachers were at the game so everyone at my school knows that it happened and if they were to do a background check one day and ask my friends/teachers about my shoulder they would find out and I could get kicked out. Do you know if that is the sort of thing that they ask about about during background checks?
 
Actually, I'm surprised your trainer allowed you back on the field without clearance from your Doctor. Ours would not have. The problem is , that if it pops again at your unit or SA , and you failed to disclose and get re-cleared, they could discharge you from the unit/SA.
How would they figure out that I failed to disclose if there is no documentation of it happening? Would they do a background check and ask my friends and teachers???
 
Yes, you go through background checks throughout a military career. Not sure if its the first but you will go through one just before commissioning. They might ask about anything and they'll talk to whoever they please.
 
I see no reason to report. If you have more issues with it go see a Dr. and then you will have to report. Could easily be a one time thing. If you can still do all of the things you did previous to the "pop" then I see no reason to open a can of worms. Just my .02 cents.
 
Yes, you go through background checks throughout a military career. Not sure if its the first but you will go through one just before commissioning. They might ask about anything and they'll talk to whoever they please.
Do you think they would kick me out if they found out that I didn't tell them about it?
 
I see no reason to report. If you have more issues with it go see a Dr. and then you will have to report. Could easily be a one time thing. If you can still do all of the things you did previous to the "pop" then I see no reason to open a can of worms. Just my .02 cents.
The main reason is that I'm scared they'll kick me out of the military in the future if they find out I didn't tell them about it.
 
Like Hoops said (Hoops puts out good advice)..We are not experts. However, if you read the medical instructions completely, you know what you should do. Honestly, it is a roll of the dice. Call the help desk with "hypothetical question", then do the right thing. If you get caught, and it is something that should have been reported, or if it happens again, they will discharge you. However, if it happens again, and you were cleared, it is on them, not you. If your trainer has you in a brace so it does not pop again, then he/she thinks it is significant. This is not an ankle sprain, tape and go.
 
Like Hoops said (Hoops puts out good advice)..We are not experts. However, if you read the medical instructions completely, you know what you should do. Honestly, it is a roll of the dice. Call the help desk with "hypothetical question", then do the right thing. If you get caught, and it is something that should have been reported, or if it happens again, they will discharge you. However, if it happens again, and you were cleared, it is on them, not you. If your trainer has you in a brace so it does not pop again, then he/she thinks it is significant. This is not an ankle sprain, tape and go.
I only wear the brace when I play football, it's attached to my shoulder pads. I have done pull ups and other stuff without any brace on and felt fine. If it happens again why would they discharge me? They wouldn't know that I had hurt it before.
 
Like Hoops said (Hoops puts out good advice)..We are not experts. However, if you read the medical instructions completely, you know what you should do. Honestly, it is a roll of the dice. Call the help desk with "hypothetical question", then do the right thing. If you get caught, and it is something that should have been reported, or if it happens again, they will discharge you. However, if it happens again, and you were cleared, it is on them, not you. If your trainer has you in a brace so it does not pop again, then he/she thinks it is significant. This is not an ankle sprain, tape and go.
I only wear the brace when I play football, it's attached to my shoulder pads. I have done pull ups and other stuff without any brace on and felt fine. If it happens again why would they discharge me? They wouldn't know that I had hurt it before.
All we are saying is that if they found out that you failed to report it, and it happens again, then you most likely will be discharged. Obviously you have made your decision to roll the dice. Like those have told you, it is your decision, not ours. Please do not look to us to make the decision for you.
 
I think you should peruse the site of the SA that you are applying to:

For example:
USCGA's website states the following:
If you are injured or hospitalized after your initial exam, or if you failed to report any medical conditions during your exam, you should contact DoDMERB immediately. Failure to disclose pre-existing disqualifying conditions can be grounds for separation from the Academy. All incoming cadets must pass another medical exam shortly after reporting to the Academy.

Source:
http://www.cga.edu/admissions2.aspx?id=82


The USAFA states something similar:
Note that the medical qualification for Academy entrance is based on the assumption that your DODMERB medical examination reflects your true medical status. You can ensure this by IMMEDIATELY reporting any change in your medical status (injury, physical or mental illness or diagnosis of a new condition) to DODMERB at 1-719-333-3562, after you have finished your examination.

Source:
http://www.academyadmissions.com/admissions/the-application-process/medical-evaluation/
 
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I talked to the trainer and he said they do keep records but that what he says amd puts in the records doesn't matter to the military because they are not doctors and only diagnosises given by doctors mean anything to them.
 
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