Similarity/cross-compatibility of FAA med certs and DOT physical exams for truck drivers?

[Larry H]

Hi,

First post here. At the present time I am a truck driver, though I have to be honest, trucking has really worn out its welcome with me after 21 years. One of the options I am looking at is pursuing an ATP license.

Here on the ground where we have more wheels than most of you have on your birds, we are subject to a physical exam every two years at minimum. Any physician registered with the USDOT may perform these to a set of specifications decreed by USDOT. Certain conditions may subject a driver to more frequent renewal intervals: for example, high blood pressure means you get a 1-year card, diabetes means you get a 3-month card, and so on.

I'm sure all of that sounds at least somewhat familiar to what you all have to do to keep the FAA happy. My question, if there is anybody here who knows, is how similar the DOT and FAA exams are, and to what extent, if any, one of the two would be considered satisfactory toward the other.

The physical movement skills involved are largely, though certainly not completely, the same -- a yoke is basically a steering wheel but with less travel, the use of two feet to operate the rudder would not be entirely foreign to an old-school manual-transmission driver, etc.. Obviously there are some differences in the details, but there are also some broad similarities in terms of what the physician is instructed to assess. For that reason, I bring the question to you.

 

[MPB]

Excellent question - what's interesting here is that many of the folks who show up for Basic Med exams at DOT examiners offices - and I suspect this is where a lot of these are being done are in fact receiving DOT physicals. What's different than a FAA medical is the discretion of the examiner to issue the Basic Med versus an AME who is more rule bound and can/should not issue. For that matter the DOT examiner has the option of the three month card or year card when health issues are "challenging" on the DOT exam whereas they have discretion on the Basic Med.

Honestly, I think the DOT is tougher on some things - HCM I recall is a no way on the DOT whereas it is an SI on the third class. Years ago lots of folks advocated for the DOT card in lieu of the third class - circuitously I think that's where we've kind of gotten.

What's interesting is that there is likely more at stake safety wise with a DOT physical than there is with a third class, unless that is you are flying something big like a 747 with a third class and you can do that.

 

[Half Fast]

 

[idahoflier]

There is no "cross-compatibility".

 

[TCABM]

@Larry H. Aside from DOT being the issuing (or delegating issuance) authority , there is no credit suitable sub unless you have a DoD Flying Class I that’s current.

 

[Half Fast]

Excellent question - what's interesting here is that many of the folks who show up for Basic Med exams at DOT examiners offices - and I suspect this is where a lot of these are being done are in fact receiving DOT physicals. What's different than a FAA medical is the discretion of the examiner to issue the Basic Med versus an AME who is more rule bound and can/should not issue. For that matter the DOT examiner has the option of the three month card or year card when health issues are "challenging" on the DOT exam whereas they have discretion on the Basic Med.

Honestly, I think the DOT is tougher on some things - HCM I recall is a no way on the DOT whereas it is an SI on the third class. Years ago lots of folks advocated for the DOT card in lieu of the third class - circuitously I think that's where we've kind of gotten.

What's interesting is that there is likely more at stake safety wise with a DOT physical than there is with a third class, unless that is you are flying something big like a 747 with a third class and you can do that.

I’m afraid you’re misleading @Larry H a bit.

Folks who are getting a Basic Med exam have already held at least a class 3 FAA medical. Basic Med exams can be done by any state licensed physician, but an FAA medical exam must be performed by an FAA Aeronautical Medical Examiner (AME).

Furthermore, Larry is considering a career as a pilot, and Basic Med won’t work for that anyway. For any career besides a flight instructor, he’ll need a class 1 or 2 FAA medical certificate.

The FAA has a long, long list of medical conditions and medications that aren’t permitted and the only way a medical can be obtained is through a “special issuance.” I don’t know whether that’s true for DOT, but I doubt that the DOT is anywhere near as restrictive as the FAA.

 

[Albany Tom]

I don't know anything about a DOT physical, and I'm far from being a doctor. But I do know that there's a medical office off rt 155 in Albany that does both DOT and FAA physicals. Betting that this situation also exists in other places in the country. So next time you need a DOT physical, go to one of those, get a dr that can do either, and after the DOT, ask him if you would pass the FAA exam for ATP. He might give you a free consult.

One thing about FAA medical is that failing one has a bunch of negative consequences. So if you have any concerns, a consult w/o filling out any of the paperwork first could be a good plan.

 

[WDD]

Congrats on asking a smart question of whether you can pass the 1st class FAA medical before you begin any flight training to become an airline pilot.

Second what Albany Tom said - review all the bad medicine list, have you ever conditions, and get a consult - do not even touch the med express system

 

[Dana]

I believe that unlike a FAA medical, a DOT physical includes a drug test.