When a patient is really sick?.

The University of Kiel distrusts their students and want's to know exactly: it just tweaks in the knee, or the student is bedridden? A standard certificate is not enough - who missed a test, seeks to revoke his doctor confidentiality. Student representatives are outraged.

 

Who is sick, can not write test - where are the student representatives and the Bureau of the Christian-Albrecht University in Kiel, just agree. But: When you are sick enough to cancel an examination and she later completed? And: How much should the university know about the sick to get to form their verdict? At this point there is discord instead of harmony between university management and students at the Kiel Fjord.

Corbis
True or tiefenentspannt sick? The University may ask - with (almost) all the means

Moreover, if an illness is bad enough to make an assessment to be absent, is not just a doctor to decide - this is the university's Bureau. The Examination must determine who is healthy enough for a test. This, however, need more detailed information from the Office a doctor.

The form, which the university for this purpose to the students, still requires much more than an ordinary sick leave. The university is obviously assume that their doctors always studying patients from complacency inability attest audit. Therefore, the physician should submit a statement. The particulars are ...

the name of the disease "(with the addition of" optional ")
"Symptoms / type of power reduction"
whether the disorder temporarily (including "expected duration") or permanently (and since when it exists)
whether from a medical perspective a significant effect on performance exists "- with the words:" fluctuations in the daily form of stress testing and the like are no significant adverse effects "

The Kiel Asta finds this appalling practice and criticized the university forced the students to a "soul striptease before the examination." The student representatives are calling the "disrespectful management practice" and more on trust must be set.

We just wanted to "test all students equal opportunities allow" and "injustice and abuse possible to exclude," says the University and on the other hand, is certainly so in the spirit of the students to act. The procedure is also not new. Already "several years" to use this form and are in accordance with law and order.

Data protector "not thrilled"

This is confirmed by the Schleswig-Holstein Thilo Weichert DPO. 1996, the Federal Administrative Court in the matter of medical examination determined that precise demands of offices in student illness was legitimate. Nevertheless, Weichert form of "not enthusiastic" and considers it "politically problematic data. The Examination is a field in a university, the medical information and could not do this data then keep for years.

Now is certainly not for every disease for a simple cold, a gastro-intestinal flu or a broken hand. There are many possible cases in which students have a legitimate interest in ensuring that no one at the university familiar details - neither the precise diagnosis or the symptoms from which you look at the disease may include retroactive.

Should an audit around them know that a psychology student occasionally suffers from depression? The fact that the would-be doctor is a sexually transmitted disease, or captured, the future jurist was addicted to drugs? That the sport student anorexia have to deal with, the economists HIV-infected, or that the engineer has multiple sclerosis?

"The student is pregnant" - Oops!

Such findings are strongly in the intimate and embarrassing. You could also affect the career prospects - for example if a student is a student assistant job or applying for an examination candidate seeking an academic career, possibly at the same university, which it examines. Of course, each university would always swear that info from the Examination never, never, never passed on or are getratscht. Indians honor the sacred word. But: Will you be as a student genuinely leave German universities since the data often
quite nonchalant handle?

Where juggling with private information can lead, shows a breakdown on the "taz" reported: At the Berlin Humboldt University (HU) have an audit committee chairman of a round-mail to the Institute written distributors - and in a subordinate clause ausposaunt that a student was pregnant. Big Oops. A happy event, but one that nobody at the university have a stake. HU student representatives now gather signatures calling for an end to the medical data.

Students are protected as intellectual curiosity bad workers. Whether a student or an examination schwänzt really sick, if an employee makes or blue with complaints battling evil - such questions should always be clarified by courts, says Weichert. He sees a certain imbalance between labor and student life. For employed persons regulate dozens of meticulously rules what is allowed and what is not - it hardly matters remain open.

Tender notice: do you say No, you fall through

Generally employees are obliged to inform the employer to report for work and by demonstrating a medical certificate. And of course they can not feign illness. The employer has no right to the exact reason of the incapacity to experience - neither the employees nor the doctor, because the diagnosis is covered by the confidentiality obligation. Deviations from this general rule is only in special cases, under strict conditions.

When the test is different, a Uni can blithely questions. Interesting on-up "Medical clearance" of the University of Kiel is especially the fine print: There is not enough that the doctor examining inability attest, there is. Because the student must participate in the clarification, it was necessary, "if necessary, the treating physician of the duty to relieve."

PDF Download: clearance form the University of Kiel

The candidate could refuse consent although, it says further. But then could a test for "not sufficient" to be explained. The note shows the candidates for the case of non-cooperation the same time the instruments of torture: no one can ever say - and then fail. "Quite voluntarily, that is not," says Weichert data protectors.

Not just a nuisance Weichert unease, even the university schlingert now a little. In a hasty press release on Tuesday is in bold: "The doctor will not be relieved of its confidentiality." The passage, however, is further evidence on the official form, including the possible lifting of secrecy. And this applies to form, said the university ONLINE blogs on demand.

"Release of Confidentiality should be maintained"

Weichert says he criticize the past two years, the clearance procedures of the university - where it says you are so occupied for several weeks. Due to an internal discussion, the Board on 29 April, together with student representatives decided that in June a new form to use. There is currently working jointly with the students, said a university spokeswoman blogs ONLINE.

To do it is by no means agreed to insure student representatives. In the Central Study Committee had requested that the end of April, to introduce certificate forms, "to refrain from medical data," said the student committee member Benjamin Raschke blogs ONLINE. Although the professors have pledged to use the forms to work, "the exemption from the duty and the indication of sensitive data such as symptoms of disease but should be maintained."

With students and Asta parliament had no discussions since then, so Asta-Officer Anne Spall. So far, only individual faculties, the controversial form in case of illness required. In the summer but could now form in order to review and for the entire university will be introduced, they feared. How exactly the new form should look like, was the university press office does not answer. For questions or an opinion on Tuesday was not a Board Member to speak.