The Shoulder Injury and the Holiday
Tama is 24 and has applied to become a police officer. He has passed the online aptitude tests and the initial interview. He is now scheduled for the physical appraisal test (PAT) in three weeks, followed by a medical and vetting. He has a shoulder injury from rugby two years ago; it has healed but occasionally clicks and aches after heavy lifting. He has not seen a doctor about it recently. He also has a two-week overseas holiday booked that falls during the expected police college intake. He did not mention the holiday or the shoulder when he applied. He is worried that disclosing the shoulder will delay or disqualify him, and he is considering not mentioning it. He asks you for advice.
1. What should Tama disclose, to whom, and why?
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He should disclose the shoulder injury to the recruitment medical team and the holiday to his recruitment coordinator. The medical assessment exists to ensure he can safely perform the physical demands of the job; hiding an injury risks further harm and could be treated as a false declaration. The holiday affects scheduling and college intake, so hiding it could cause problems later when dates clash. Disclosure is not an automatic disqualification. The medical team will assess his current function, not just the history. He should see a physiotherapist or doctor now to get an assessment and evidence of fitness. He should provide context: when the injury occurred, what rehabilitation he did, and what symptoms remain. Integrity is a core value, and early honesty gives him the best chance of a fair process.
2. What are the steps in the recruitment process he still faces, and how might the shoulder affect each?
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After the initial interview, he faces the PAT, a medical examination, vetting, and a final interview. The PAT includes push-ups, sit-ups, a beep test, and other physical tasks; it may aggravate the shoulder if it is not fully functional. If he cannot complete it, he may be deferred or asked to retest. The medical will review his history and may request a specialist report or physiotherapy clearance before he can proceed. Vetting checks his background and does not assess the shoulder. The holiday may mean he misses an intake; he should ask about deferral. He should not attempt the PAT while injured. He should seek medical clearance first and follow the official process rather than trying to work around it.
3. What should he do if he fails the PAT or the medical?
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He should ask for feedback and a remediation plan. If the issue is fitness, he can train, rehabilitate, and reapply or retest within the allowed period. If the issue is medical, he can provide further evidence, undergo treatment, and ask what clearance is needed. He should not give up or hide the issue. He should ask about the reapplication period and whether he can defer his application until after the holiday. He should also consider honestly whether the job is right for him if the injury is ongoing, because policing is physically demanding. He should keep his recruitment coordinator informed and follow the official process rather than trying to bypass it.