Job Discussion Forums

[lalalateda]

[Omeo]

So let's say, I get over their without them finding out about it. How hard is it to find an english-speaking doctor to get my daily suppressive medication from? I'm assuming they won't have to report me to my employer, isn't any medical visit going to be covered by my employers insurance? Won't they wanna know why I went and saw someone? Why I have to go back every time my perscription runs out?

[pnksweater]

Omeo, don't worry so much. STDs are very common in Japan due to a lack of sex education and the popularity of abortion as birth control. I'd be just as concerned about getting that cute girl to tell you what cooties she has as explaining your situation to her. (Bring your own condoms)

About the bill of clean health- STDs aren't on the list. My employer requires all faculty to take a very in depth health exam each year (chest x-rays, cardio grams, etc) but STDs are not part of the exam. Insurance may be a bit trickier. If you're on Japanese health insurance your visits will be covered. If you're on a private insurance they may have issues paying for your "previouse condition".

As for the excuse, I suppose this depends on your employer. In my position I don't have to explain my absences unless I'm gone for more than a week. For things like getting a prescription filled or a doctors visit I can often work around my class schedule. You may not be able to do that. Try to be as subtle as possible and hopefully they'll catch the hint. If all else fails, I'd look into ordering your medication online. Some foreign girls get their pills through the internet so it seems likely that your medication could be posted as well.

[Omeo]

Okay, so I've been looking at some of the recommendations others have recieved about private insurers and I have a question. If I apply for private health insurance, will they cover a pre-existing condition like this? It sounds like the National healthcare plan is my best bet. Will they cover me on this? I assume they won't notify my employer, but is there a chance they'd notify the government since they issued me the visa after I said I was okay?

By the way, I'm still not clear on exactly WHO is going to be administering any physical I might have to take before I come over. I'm still concerned that, if it's my usual physician-as opposed to one I'm assigned to see by the school-that they might rat me out. Even if I see a doctor appointed by the school, won't he wanna see the medical records I already have?

Thanx again for all the help, guys.

[Zzonkmiles]

When you go to a doctor's office in Japan, they will ask to see proof of your health insurance up front. If you have the National Health Insurance Plan, they will automatically reduce the cost of your visit by 70% (you pay the remaining 30%). The doctor will examine you and then give you a prescription that you must get filled at a local pharmacy, where you must pay the full price of the drugs, National Health Insurance or not.

And I don't see why they'd notify your employer or the immigration authorities in your case, so I think you should relax there.

As for the physical, if I remember my own physical correctly, they took a urine sample to test for traces of drugs. Checking for STDs was not a part of the exam. My then-employer (NOVA) also had its own health verification form that I had to submit in lieu of whatever statement your doctor usually provides. I did not have to provide any previous health records.

[Synne]

That will depend entirely on your company.

It could also affect your visa, as a working holiday visa -last I checked- still required a doctors note stating that you had no communicatable diseases. This will also depend on the embassy you apply to if this is the case as the rules seem to change from one to the next.

If I were you I would not listen to the common band here and hide the fact that you have herpes. I would come clean at the interview or better yet before the interview about the issue.

That is the only sure fire way to stay honest and have all your worries, questions, and concerns answered and addressed fully.

Best of luck

[mrjohndub]

[kdynamic]

Just do not LIE to either your employer or insurance agency if it should come up. There is a health check for JET and they ask you if you are taking any prescription meds. When you put down Valtrex or whatever, they will probably know. If you lie about it on your forms, and they find out, you will get dropped like a hot potato. If you are coming from the US, you would be VERY wise to maintain your US insurance while in Japan since getting re-covered can be quite tricky. So yeah, you're not going to be able to keep this a secret from everyone.

That said, I seriously doubt they will not take you because if the disease. People get in with all kinds of medical conditions. However, if you screwed those three girls without telling them just because you found the language barrier a little annoying, and cared more about the risk of you not getting some than the risk of giving them a lifelong STD, I sincerely hope you don't get in and come to Japan. It's cool man, we don't need one more slutty yellow fever dude over here, we got enough.

Oh yeah, and learn Japanese if you want to communicate with Japanese women. Or just get yourself a printout about the disease in Japanese at least.

[Synne]

[Omeo]

Unless someone can show me a list of acceptable and unacceptable medical conditions for hiring teachers in Japan, I'm not planning on mentioning it at any point in the interview process. I'll tell the insurance agency, but not the school. I'd like to believe they'd hire me even if I did tell them, but I doubt they will when there are plenty of applicants who don't have this that they can hire instead. I'm just gonna get over there, get on a good insurance plan, get the treatment I need and keep my mouth shut. As for telling the women I date, okay, it was wrong of me to not tell those three. I'm sure they didn't get it from me, but I'm sorry I did it. When I get to Japan, I'm planning on only dating women who speak English well enough to understand me when I explain that I have it and as long as we're careful, they probably don't need to worry about it.

[therock]

Is a medical examination required for Nova??

[Omeo]

I was looking at the application for the JET program and I noticed that they don't require you to turn in a medical report until after they've already notified you as to whether you've been accepted or not. So if they've already accepted me and they find out from my medical report that I have herpes, would they change their mind? Some of you have suggested herpes isn't bad enough for them to turn me down, so I'm thinking if they've already accepted me, maybe they won't change their mind if the medical report gives me away? Any thoughts? Is this similar to how it would work with AEON? Thanx again, guys.

[mrjohndub]

You're obsessing over this for no reason.

You have nothing to worry about. Just be clean with your partners in Japan. You'd be one step ahead of many of them.

[Synne]

[mrjohndub]