TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Doctors on Wednesday (Feb. 19) stressed the near impossibility of feigning illness to avoid military service during conscription health checks. Even if an initial report finds someone unfit for service, a re-examination by two experts is mandatory, ensuring accuracy and fairness in the process, they said.
Chiang Kuan-yu (姜冠宇), a physician at Taipei City Hospital (台北市立聯合醫院), explained that diagnosing heart or internal organ diseases requires instrumental detection, leaving little room for error.
Chiang believes the probability of misjudgment is almost zero, making it difficult to successfully feign illness as the conscription health examination differs from routine health checks. Instead, it focuses on functional assessments, including organ failure, heart disease, hypertension, vision, hearing, musculoskeletal injuries, and psychological conditions.
He pointed out that vision and weight are the most frequently manipulated aspects by individuals trying to deceive examiners. However, even if someone successfully tricks the initial examination, they must still pass the re-examination process to be exempted from service. Medical professionals have warned that any doctor found fabricating medical records or tampering with results could face license revocation or legal consequences.
