1st Class Medical Questions

[ggreggerh]

I am very curious as to what exactly is done at an FAA approved 1st class medical.

1. Do they test for drugs?
2. Do they look for hernias (testicle squeeze)?
3. Do they look at flexibility?
4. I have back problems, will that be an issue?
5. Or is it just vision, blood, urine, etc?


Thanks for your time

 

[350DRIVER]

The first class medical is not nearly as bad as some make it out to be. Over the years I have met more than one that knew how to work the system and got around many issues they had. Obviously they are counting on the applicant to honestly and truthfully come forward if any problems, issues, conditions etc, are present. Many of the "disqualifying" factors are not very evident to the ame at the time of the exam, that is one of the reasons why you have to fill out the application that includes many yes/no type answers. As for the drug test, I do believe that they test the urine for certain types of drugs that could be present in the body within a certain time frame, some are not detectable by this test and would not be found by a simple urine test. They will do the hernia thing as well as feeling around the stomach area for anything that would be obvious to the doctor. Once again they are counting on you to come forward should you have any problems that were noticed by you. They will test the flexibility with an instrument that they use to hit (stimulate) certain areas of the arms, legs, etc. Depending on the severity and extent of your back problems it is somewhat hard to say but I know many older pilots that routinely suffer these types of problems and they have had no problems being able to hold and maintain a first class medical within the prescribed tolerances/standards. You may (or may not) want to discuss this issue with the ame, I personally would seek the advice/input from a doctor who specializes in the field versus asking the ame. Sometimes it is better to not open a possible can of worms if you can avoid doing so. Many of the ame's are just general family doctors and will not be able to offer much advice other than to possibly suggest another doctor(s) who practices this type of medicine. They will do the vision test and if you look in the far's you will see what is needed to be granted a first class medical. The blood test supposebly is something that is in the works for general "issuance" of the med- I have heard that certain people with certain pre-existing conditions must submit to a blood test upon request from someone within the FAA. The older you get the more detailed this exam will probably become. The EKG, etc, ..

I did get a laugh from a buddy who is at AE when he told me how they conduct the company physical, talk about leaving nothing out...


good luck

3 5 0

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

pee in the cup for blood sugar
scrotum feel for hernia
and 155/95 is the upper limit for blood pressure

if you can breathe, read the doctor's name on an office door and hear him call you in from across the room, you's a shoe in

 

[bobbysamd]

Medicals

An FAA medical is far, far less thorough than a physical you would receive from your own doctor. The FAA will even work with you for your medical if you have ailments such as asthma or high blood pressure. Best advice is to see your own doctor for a physical first and then see the AME.

And, by the way, do not use the FAA doctor for ordinary healthcare. An AME is the FAA's industrial physician, meaning he is looking out for its interests first and yours second.

Good luck.

 

[2000flyer]

I'll second the above posts who've said seek your family doctors opinion before goinig to the AME. I also suggest a thorough physical from a family doctor yearly anyway. They'll do a much more complete job. As you get older, more medical factors need to be checked (prostate, etc) that AME's don't check for. I used to have an AME that was an optomitrist. I refused to allow him to do the finger wave (you can refuse some exams from an AME) as I've read that the "wave" repeated over time can actually cause more harm than good. A PSA test is much more definitive (and less intrusive) test.

If you're going for your first class for the first time and are 35 or 40+, go have an EKG done by your family doc. You'd much rather find out a problem from him than from the FAA!

Personally, until you build a professional relationship with your AME, asking them to evaluate a possible ailment is like asking the FAA if it was ok to go down another 100' when you didn't see the approach lights! There is never a good reason to open an can of worms unless your on the lake fishing!

2000Flyer

 

[sydeseet]

Your urine is NOT tested for drugs. Blood and sugar (kidney/bladder problems and diabetes) are what they are looking for by method of fancy litmus type paper dipped into the urine. A drug test requires 3 or 4 separate signatures attesting repeatedly that you are aware that you are being tested for the presence of chemical substances. A drug test is only required for 135 or 121 flying.

This seems to be a popular misconception regarding FAA physicals so help spread the word.