PSNI Recruitment - Stage 4 - The Medical

EB1979

Average body fat is usually 15%-17% for men and 18-22% for women.

If your BMI is below 30 I don't think you really need to worry though.

POLICE99

thanks, EB1979. My BMI is 27 but im still worried... Really dont wana fail!!!

Shield

27% is within the limits. You're fine. Work on the fitness now!

EB1979

BMI 27 is dead on. As PSNI says, work on the fitness - be ready to do a hilly 5k when you get in by all accounts!

Good luck.

POLICE99

Iv got roughly 1 week before medical so i am going to try and lose some more weight. Im in the gym 3-4 times per week, do u have any recomendations for fitness levels?

EB1979

Aim for sub 30 mins for 5k. If you can try to do some road running. If not make sure you vary the incline on the treadmill.

Plenty of upper body strength training - chest, arms back and shoulders. Core work will help with all aspects of strength also. You also want leg strength exercises - squats, lunges, leg press.

Try circuits as well for a good all round training session - this will also come in handy for PT sessions!

If this sounds daunting pm me for more information or post on the fitness thread.

mcb2009

Hi guys, I got the 'you're on the merit list' letter on Wednesday but haven't heard anything re medical yet.

Just wondering how much notice anyone got before their medical? I was hoping to get a bit of travelling in before (hopefully...) starting at GV but obviously don't want to go anywhere before I get a date for medical and have it out of the way.

Thanks:)

POLICE99

Hi, i got my medical letter on Wed, and it is in less than 2 weeks!! but still havnt heard any thing about the merit pool!! i havnt recieved vetting forms either although i am already police vetted within the last year, does any1 know if i need to complete vetting forms again?

Delancey

POLICE99 wrote: »

Hi, i got my medical letter on Wed, and it is in less than 2 weeks!! but still havnt heard any thing about the merit pool!! i havnt recieved vetting forms either although i am already police vetted within the last year, does any1 know if i need to complete vetting forms again?

I only got 2 weeks notice of my medical also - 2 -3 weeks notice seems to be the norm . Other people have had the same sort of question re. vetting such as '' I was vetted last year '' or '' I was vetted for my current role '' , the general consensus is that in those cases the candidate must undergo the full vetting process again , no shortcuts I'm afraid !

mcb2009

Thanks for that. Really hoping I hear soon about a date. I'm not sure about the vetting - I haven't heard anything about that either but also have an enhanced Access NI certificate from June of this year so with any luck that'll speed up the process a bit??

Best of luck for your medical anyway.

LXI 87

POLICE99 wrote: »

HI,
im new to this site, got my medical comming up, anyone know what is meant by the requirement " > 5% above predicted maximun does not meet standard"
What is the predicted max?

any help, greatly appreciated!!

27 is fine. To work out predicted BF they measure your bicep (arm straight), waist, forearm and round your leg (think its round your knee) they then do a sum and come up with a predicted BF. Then they actually measure your BF with calipers and if its more than 5% above the predicted one they came up with before u would fail. This is a fair way of measuring ppl with a large muscle mass who are gonna be over the bmi limit cause bmi dosen`t take into account fat or muscle. But to be honest I would say anyone who fails the bmi will more than likely fail BF test apart from a small percentage who do alot of weight training.

And in terms of vetting acces NI has nothing to do with police vetting. Developed vetting is a very in depth process and If u were vetted for c14 some of the information that psni had to get on u may still be valid but I would say 6 months is prob the limit but they def still have to do all the checks again.

poppysox

LXI 87 wrote: »

Developed vetting is a very in depth process

Not all police officers are developed vetting, only certain branches are and you are certainly not dv'd as part of the application process.

LXI 87

Wasn`t sure. There were different forms that came this year with the vetting forms. Proper Government ones that had DV and SC in the boxes which as far as i knew ment developed vetting and security clearance suppose it depends on what level they want to run.

poppysox

yeah the same form can be used although for dv there's interviews and 2 nominated referees get interviewed aswell. Its cost £5000 to dv one person so I doubt the PSNI are going to dv 440 new recruits every year on top of the existing staff as there is already very little money in the pot :rolleyes:.
Besides there isn't an operational need for dv unless your working with certain material.

Better stop posting about this now or we'll get told off.........it is the medical thread

POLICE99

LXI 87,

a friend of mine done the medical last year and although BMI was tested they did not measure body fat. Does anyone know is this always tested??

im gettin really worried now, cant help but think im going to fail on something.. dont want it to be because of weight!!

Russler

POLICE99 wrote: »

LXI 87,

a friend of mine done the medical last year and although BMI was tested they did not measure body fat. Does anyone know is this always tested??

im gettin really worried now, cant help but think im going to fail on something.. dont want it to be because of weight!!

Hi mate

Body fat is only tested if your BMI is above 30. They measure it by passing a small electrical current through you with electrodes placed on one hand and one foot. You must not be more than 5% above your predicted level or else you fail. If your BMI is below 30 they will not do the body fat test.

I speak from experience of 3 medicals 2 of which needed the fat test and luckily this time my BMI came in at 29.7!

unistudent2009

I do my medical in a few weeks time. just a question about the letter you recieve after the event. Do they go into specific reasons about a fail etc. or does the letter just state that you do npot meet the required medical standard? I am a little worried about my hearing and wondering if they will tell me.

Thank-you Russler for your previous advice on IST scores.

POLICE99

Hi got my medical very soon... does any 1 suggest anything i should do to prepare?

Shield

Don't listen to loud music for 24 hours before the medical. People report that it affects your hearing test!

POLICE99

Thanks PSNI, didnt think of that. lets hope it all goes well... although i cant stop worrying!!

Russler

unistudent2009 wrote: »

I do my medical in a few weeks time. just a question about the letter you recieve after the event. Do they go into specific reasons about a fail etc. or does the letter just state that you do npot meet the required medical standard? I am a little worried about my hearing and wondering if they will tell me.

Thank-you Russler for your previous advice on IST scores.

Hi mate - only too happy to help a fellow potential recruit:)

When I got my medical fail letters they said specifically that I failed due to 'body composition outside limits for competition' and I knew it was BMI.

Not so sure if they tell you specifically for eyes/hearing/lung function?

I thank god that my fail point was easily rectified with exercise and a healthier diet (although I have to admit I also used Ali for a month to shift weight quicker!)

POLICE99

Hi Russler,

When your BMI came in at 29.5 did they not do the body fat test on you? im, still really worried about this body fat thing. my BMI is still 27 but im comcerned that my body fat will be more than 22%.

I was even considering doin a really good workout before i go to try and shift another pound or 2. This recruitment process really stresses me out!

deanj685

did my ist end of end may,pass did my ac at the end of july. waited phoned deloitte on the first of oct my letter was losted in the post but i passed they sent out new letter pass happy days. but have hear no more. plus i have no number for the psni.

any help pls lol.

Misterjay

POLICE99 wrote: »

Hi Russler,

When your BMI came in at 29.5 did they not do the body fat test on you? im, still really worried about this body fat thing. my BMI is still 27 but im comcerned that my body fat will be more than 22%.

I was even considering doin a really good workout before i go to try and shift another pound or 2. This recruitment process really stresses me out!

If you're BMI is 27 you will be fine. I recently did mine and it came in over 29 but under 30 and it was not a problem. Reasonably fit so the PCA would not have bothered me that much (easy to say knowing I don't have to do it for now.)

You will be weighed when clothed so don't go wearing your heaviest jeans and thick woolly jumper though. And don't shed your undercrackers to try to lose some extra weight. Going commando is not the done thing it appears.

Try to relax that morning. Don't listen to loud music as already advised. The staff are professional but still friendly. If you fret about it, it will probably show in your heart rate, blood pressure and you may not be able to concentrate while doing the hearing test if your heart is in your mouth. All you will hear will be thum, thump, thump instead. :rolleyes:

Good luck with it.

Misterjay

deanj685 wrote: »

did my ist end of end may,pass did my ac at the end of july. waited phoned deloitte on the first of oct my letter was losted in the post but i passed they sent out new letter pass happy days. but have hear no more. plus i have no number for the psni.

any help pls lol.

Read some of the other posts in this forum and you will get a feel for where things are with C15.

Should you still really feel the urge to call them just ring the main switchboard number and ask for recruiting, although they have asked us not to ring until end of November I believe.

Good luck.

groovetothebeat

so what actually happens in the medical then?

Shield

The 6th post of this thread has your answer. Check it out.

groovetothebeat

thanks that was great

do they not take a hair sample at the medical?

Misterjay

groovetothebeat wrote: »

thanks that was great

do they not take a hair sample at the medical?

Yes they do but that is a separate thing at the end of the medical. Nothing too much to worry about though. If you do not have enough long hair on the old noggin they will take it from your armpit. Ouch!!

groovetothebeat

does it have to be 2cm or 2inch?