Does anyone know what I can do about this situation

[concernedstudent34]

Hep B positive medical student restricted from practicing medicine.  What are my rights?

[Sharp7]

How is your ALT these days? I ask to know if you have medical motivation for treatment now. If you do have to go through treatment again, it will not be interferon based (certainly not in your case, because you have already done it once). These tablets that we pop in once a day have no side effects at in most people. Of course, when I say all this, it has nothing to do with whether or not you go into med school.

[concernedstudent34]

Yes, I have thought about getting a lawyer.   I believe that the information I found regarding different state policies should allow me to practice medicine with no restrictions.  I told the school about my status when I began the program and was told not to worry about it until I started my clinical rotations.  Now they are saying that I might possibly be withdrawn from school, because of my status. My viral load is low and I am not HBe positive so I think that they are over reacting.  The school tried to tell me that I might not get a residency if they allow me to graduate due to my status.  They want me to go through treatment again, which I refuse.  I had interferon/lev combo 8 years ago and I felt like I was going to die.  I do not want to go through that again since my dna count is so low.  I will never have antibody, and that is what they said I must have.

[stef2011]

to get inactive there are 2 ways according to your hbvmarkers:
interferon and tenofovir, but interferon is much better since it is just 1 year therapy

since hbvdna und is enough for them why dont you ask them if you can attend school after interferon treatment?

they sound very ignorant at your school, i think they started checking hbsag on students from a short time, there are too many infected for you to be the first one

[tnd073000]

I was going to start dental hygiene school in the fall. While getting my immunization/physical done I found out that I was born with hep b. The dental hygiene school said that I have to be an inactive carrier for them to accept me. Hope this helps...if any.

[Sharp7]

Sorry to hear that. Have you tried contacting hepb.org? Also, this Hep C forum ( http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Hepatitis-C/show/272 ) is "manned" by a doctor. Have you tried asking him? At this point, I would have seriously considered getting a lawyer. Have you done so already?

[concernedstudent34]

The school in Ohio that I am currently attending is thinking about possibly expelling me.  They are currently forming an expert panel to see what they should do with me.  I would be performing surgeries, however I do not think they would be considered exposure prone according to the CDC guidelines.   The problem is that they have never had a student with Hep B before, so they are afraid that I could possibly transmit it to patients even with simple procedures.  I think they are way to worried for their liability, and not worried about my rights.  

[Sharp7]

I would have copy/pasted the right extracts, but since you are a med student, I suppose you would be quite used to reading these documents.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/InfectedHCW____4_106395_7.pdf can help you get started. This document covers just Michigan, but I suppose you can find more by following citations and cross-references.

I get the impression that you would not have to deal with all these issues if you do not perform invasive procedures.

When you said "restricted from practicing medicine", what exactly did you mean? Who restricted you, and in what way? I'm sure that the many nurses here with Hep B would want to know.

[concernedstudent34]

In the USA. The laws are vague and not easy to interprate.

[Sharp7]

Which country are you in? What does the law say out there?