Just starting out, need medical, process?

[B&TPilot]

Hey everyone,

I've just started taking private pilot lessons, and gone up a few times and decided its fun, I like it, I wanna keep going with it.

So, I know I'm going to need to get my medical before I solo. I've been reading around here and the basic jist I'm getting is, I should make sure I KNOW I'm going to pass before I apply, because a denied medical would lock me out of the sport pilot option.

So I'm just wondering what I need to do before scheduling the appointment to get my medical. I have a list of local doctors provided by the flight school. I understand if I start calling them up I should be able to get a consult appointment? Is there any place I can see the forms ahead of time and see what questions are going to be asked?

I don't think there is a reason I would be denied from what little I've heard, but I don't know all the conditions that would cause a denial. Just trying to get an idea of what sorts of things would cause my medical to get declined.

I'd need a class 3, right?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, I'm just very new to all this.

 

[Gary F]

Hey everyone,

I've just started taking private pilot lessons, and gone up a few times and decided its fun, I like it, I wanna keep going with it.

So, I know I'm going to need to get my medical before I solo. I've been reading around here and the basic jist I'm getting is, I should make sure I KNOW I'm going to pass before I apply, because a denied medical would lock me out of the sport pilot option.

So I'm just wondering what I need to do before scheduling the appointment to get my medical. I have a list of local doctors provided by the flight school. I understand if I start calling them up I should be able to get a consult appointment? Is there any place I can see the forms ahead of time and see what questions are going to be asked?

I don't think there is a reason I would be denied from what little I've heard, but I don't know all the conditions that would cause a denial. Just trying to get an idea of what sorts of things would cause my medical to get declined.

I'd need a class 3, right?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, I'm just very new to all this.

I think you can schedule an appointment with an AME, preferably one who practices primary care, for a general medical evaluation (not an aviation medical exam). You can then ask if you would have any problems if you decide to apply for a third class medical certificate.

 

[Matthew]

You can get a 6 month student membership to AOPA (your CFI should have a post-card that he can fill out for you.) That can get you access to their medical staff on the phone for very specific questions. They also have a thing called TurboMedical on their website (members only, that's why I mentioned the student membership). It's an online medical form, very similar to the ones that the AME will be using. The advantage is that it will guide you step by step, similar to TurboTax or TaxCut, and has some descriptions and explanations of what all the questions mean. Plus, you get a pretty decent monthly magazine focusing on flight training and student pilots.

Or, you can ask on this board, too, and get plenty of expert help.

Some folks will say "If you can breathe, see, and hear, you'll pass". It's not that simple, don't treat it that way, but don't be scared of it either. Round up any and all prescriptions you are taking, any medical procedures you've had in the past. Don't overlook the little, simple, things that you might think are no big deal - sometimes they are.

Good luck, and keep having fun.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

You can get a 6 month student membership to AOPA (your CFI should have a post-card that he can fill out for you.) That can get you access to their medical staff on the phone for very specific questions. They also have a thing called TurboMedical on their website (members only, that's why I mentioned the student membership). It's an online medical form, very similar to the ones that the AME will be using. The advantage is that it will guide you step by step, similar to TurboTax or TaxCut, and has some descriptions and explanations of what all the questions mean. Plus, you get a pretty decent monthly magazine focusing on flight training and student pilots.

Or, you can ask on this board, too, and get plenty of expert help.

Some folks will say "If you can breathe, see, and hear, you'll pass". It's not that simple, don't treat it that way, but don't be scared of it either. Round up any and all prescriptions you are taking, any medical procedures you've had in the past. Don't overlook the little, simple, things that you might think are no big deal - sometimes they are.

Good luck, and keep having fun.

You don't need a card:

https://flighttraining.aopa.org/app...1.cfm?priority=SX07AGN&WT.im=sx07agn_09-21-07

 

[Gary F]

I think that you have to pay extra for the medical services. Essential services costs $37 and gives a member access to online services only. Comprehensive enrollment runs $99 and includes medical records review.
http://www.aopa.org/info/certified/medical/

 

[Matthew]

I think that you have to pay extra for the medical services. Essential services costs $37 and gives a member access to online services only. Comprehensive enrollment runs $99 and includes medical records review.
http://www.aopa.org/info/certified/medical/

They have made some changes in those areas lately. I haven't figure out just what exactly is now costing extra. I just logged in under my account (I'm not paying extra) - TurboMedical is available, as well as an 800 number and e-mail to AOPA medical. It looks like the extra cost gets you some premium services.

edit - here's what they say ( there is still a whole lot of good info at AOPA that doesn't cost extra ):

>>
The AOPA Medical Services Program offers valuable services that can assist you with issues regarding your FAA aeromedical certificate and provide you with a variety of tools to help manage your health. AOPA medical certification specialists will review your medical records as it pertains to your FAA medical certificate and act as your advocate with the FAA. You'll receive support from our specialists who are in regular contact with FAA aeromedical reviewers who can help track the progress of your medical certificate application.
Enrollment in the program will also provide you with access to numerous services designed to help you reach your health goals such as:

• Unlimited access to WorldDoc, a comprehensive health website where you'll find personalized risk assessments for pilots, healthy living tips, pharmaceutical drug information, pharmacy finder, details on specific medical conditions, a medical library, and an FAA medication list.
• Secure online medical record storage through HealthVault. Store all your medical records in one convenient place. Access and manage your records anytime from anyplace. You can even share your records with your health care providers.
• Informative bi-monthly Medical Newsletter tailored to the needs of pilots, including updates on the FAA's changing medication list and regulations.
• Plus a free prescription drug discount card.

Comprehensive enrollment in the AOPA Medical Services Program is only $99 and will give you full access to all the benefits and services offered by the program. Essential enrollment is for those just looking for the basics. For just $37, you'll get access to all of the general online tools and resources. Medical record review is not included. Take control of your health; enroll in the AOPA Medical Services Program today. Program runs concurrently with membership
<<

 

[Gary F]

I am fairly certain that if you want to talk to a real person in the AOPA medical department you will need to pay extra. This may be helpful if you have a known medical issue and need to find out if it might be a problem but I would trust Dr. Bruce more.

I would not risk an aviation medical exam unless I had been evaluated by a competent primary care physician fairly recently. You do not want to find out you have hypertension or a heart murmur or whatever during the exam for the 3rd class medical and get deferred or rejected. The advantage of having an unofficial (not for the certificate) exam by an AME is that he or she will know if you have any issues and should be able to advise accordingly.

 

[bbchien]

B&T you need a class 3. Make sure you can see at last 20/40 out of each eye individually (Optometrist visit if you're not sure, BEFORE!).

If you are young ( 18-30) what's most important is no DUIs in the past and no ADD meds. Those are the two main obstacles.

If you are middle aged, no psych medicines (xanax, prozac, etc) at any time in the past. If you have, it can still be done if your exposure to them was short ( less an 6 months and you can document that).

Any history of kidney stones?

If you are boomer, any known heart disease?

If you are a first tiem and a babe in the woods, fill in a MedXpress (AOPAs product) and have an AME look at it. If you know by word of mouth of a really top notch AME (the kind who will talk to you before you get there for the appointment, do an https://medxpress.faa.gov and have him look at it and give you feedback. It there is a problem, just don't go- it will evaporate in 60 days.

Lastly, do not eat before you go to the AME. No Captain Crunch an hour before, you will spill sugar in the urine and get into "deferral h_ll".

 

[B&TPilot]

Thanks for the info everyone. The AOPA info looks like it might come in handy some day, but right now I'm mostly just looking for a heads up on what types of questions I'll need to answer, and what answers would cause me to get declined.

Thanks Dr. Bruce thats what I had in mind.

I use corrective lenses and need to visit the optometrist every year to update my contact lense prescription. Last visit has been within 6 months. I believe I'm 20/20 corrected in each eye.

I'm 27. I've had no DUI and have never been on ADD meds. Never taken psych meds. (actually, no meds of any kind other than painkillers) No kidney stones. No heart disease.

I did have my gall bladder removed a year and a half ago, and I am a big guy and overweight, but I'm working on it. For my work health insurance, I need to provide my "numbers" for a discounted rate - things like fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, BP, etc - tested about a year ago, everything was good to excellent except my weight and bodyfat of course. I was told to expect leading questions on sleep apnea due to my weight.

I haven't actually been to a physician in a while though, maybe I should find an AME that is also a PCP and just get myself a physical or something to get established as a new patient and then I can ask questions then.

I'm also taking steps to get my weight under control - actually, I've been doing so for the last 10 years but... its always a struggle. I lose a lot and then gain more back - 1 step forward then 2 back. I haven't taken any meds for weight loss, just excercise and eat right (then get complacent, stop exercising, and go back to bad eating habits). I know I can lose weight at a healthy rate when I'm motivated to, I just haven't figured out how to maintain weight after I've lost. Seems like I'm always either gaining or losing.

 

[Gary F]

Try to get a copy of the surgeon's operative report and pathology report for the gallbladder surgery, discharge summary, note from the follow up visit with the surgeon,and copies of your most recent lab tests. These might come in handy.

 

[Steve]

Plan on taking the vision test @ the AME using current prescription eyeglasses, not contacts. And plan on keeping a spare pair of spectacles in the plane even if you wear contacts.

 

[denverpilot]

AOPA medical certification specialists will review your medical records as it pertains to your FAA medical certificate and act as your advocate with the FAA.

I'd rather pay a real Doc.

You'll receive support from our specialists who are in regular contact with FAA aeromedical reviewers who can help track the progress of your medical certificate application.

Which Doc Bruce has stated that you can do yourself or ask your AME to do. FAA's not going to answer AOPA any faster than your AME.

Unlimited access to WorldDoc, a comprehensive health website where you'll find personalized risk assessments for pilots, healthy living tips, pharmaceutical drug information, pharmacy finder, details on specific medical conditions, a medical library, and an FAA medication list.

Internet. Free.

Secure online medical record storage through HealthVault. Store all your medical records in one convenient place. Access and manage your records anytime from anyplace. You can even share your records with your health care providers.

I own a filing cabinet, and or more secure storage areas if it were something sensitive, and have access to a copy machine, and know where to buy manilla folders. Why the HELL would I want someone to put this in a database somewhere in a data center?

Informative bi-monthly Medical Newsletter tailored to the needs of pilots, including updates on the FAA's changing medication list and regulations.

Anything worthy of note will either be on the main AOPA website, announced by other (read: faster) Internet sources, or my AME will update me at my next visit.

Plus a free prescription drug discount card.

Tons of other places hand out the same cheap card. I think I've been offered one by my Credit Union, for pete's sake.

I guess I'm not too shocked (having never looked up the details because I wasn't interested) that this new AOPA service that costs over $300 a year, is pretty worthless.

Thanks for posting that. I hadn't really seen a list nor gone looking for one, but that sure nailed down my decision NOT to join that thing.

 

[B&TPilot]

Alright, so I've got an appt. to get my medical for July 7th.

The AME office should be able to pull up any records from my gall bladder surgery, the AME and hospital where I had my surgery are all part of the cleveland clinic.

I found a copy of the 8500-8 form to look at and I don't see anything that should be disqualifying. Just a couple questions though.

17b: do you every use near vision contact lenses while flying - I use contacts but I need them for distance vision so I check no here correct? (I wasn't sure what was actually meant by "near vision" contacts - the whole nearsighted/farsighted terminology always confuses me)

18a-y: the only thing I have to answer yes to is u. admission to the hospital and x. other illness, disability, surgery - both for the gall bladder problem 2 years ago, and also a surgery to set a broken foot when I was like in 5th grade. None of that should be a problem, correct?

17a, medications: Just this past week I started having wisdom teeth related problems. Went to my dentist yesterday and he prescribed me some motrin, antibiotics, and a mouthwash. By the time for my appt, my prescriptions will be out and I won't currently be taking them, so just to be sure, I don't have to report them because they are not current medications, correct? No where could I see where I have to list past prescriptions or medications I'm no longer taking. Also, the dentist also prescribed me vicodin, but I didn't get it filled because it doesn't do anything for me. Would I have to list medications I was prescribed but never got filled and didn't take?

19: visit to health professionals in last 3 years - obviously have to list the gastro from my gall bladder problem. I'll be visiting an oral surgeon regarding my wisdom teeth between now and my AME appt so do I have to list that? It says routine dental doesn't need to be listed but I figured this isn't routine. Do I have to list non-routine visits to my dentist such as when I went earlier this week for the wisdom teeth pain?

Only other question is on the examination page, everything should be checked normal or pass except depending on what happens between now and the 7th I might still have some swelling in my mouth due to my wisdom teeth issue, would that receive an abnormal check on line 28 mouth and throat and if so would that cause me to get deferred? If I end up needing to get my wisdom teeth removed, should I do it before I go to my AME appt and let it heal first, or does it not matter if I go to my AME appt. first, anticipating that I'll get my medical, and then have my wisdom teeth removed after?

 

[murphey]

Alright, so I've got an appt. to get my medical for July 7th.

The AME office should be able to pull up any records from my gall bladder surgery, the AME and hospital where I had my surgery are all part of the cleveland clinic.

All you need to state on the form is the date & surgeon for the gall bladder.

18a-y: the only thing I have to answer yes to is u. admission to the hospital and x. other illness, disability, surgery - both for the gall bladder problem 2 years ago, and also a surgery to set a broken foot when I was like in 5th grade. None of that should be a problem, correct?

true but Dr B can give you a definitive answer.

17a, medications: Just this past week I started having wisdom teeth related problems. Went to my dentist yesterday and he prescribed me some motrin, antibiotics, and a mouthwash. By the time for my appt, my prescriptions will be out and I won't currently be taking them, so just to be sure, I don't have to report them because they are not current medications, correct? No where could I see where I have to list past prescriptions or medications I'm no longer taking. Also, the dentist also prescribed me vicodin, but I didn't get it filled because it doesn't do anything for me. Would I have to list medications I was prescribed but never got filled and didn't take?

If you never took the meds, did not possess the meds, no need to report the meds. I've had various medications prescribed in the past and only got them filled after I checked 1) the AOPA med database and 2) called my AME. If the med was verboten, I asked the AME to prescribed something that I could take.

19: visit to health professionals in last 3 years - obviously have to list the gastro from my gall bladder problem. I'll be visiting an oral surgeon regarding my wisdom teeth between now and my AME appt so do I have to list that? It says routine dental doesn't need to be listed but I figured this isn't routine. Do I have to list non-routine visits to my dentist such as when I went earlier this week for the wisdom teeth pain?

I think so. Ask the AME when you get there.

 

[Matthew]

17b: do you every use near vision contact lenses while flying - I use contacts but I need them for distance vision so I check no here correct? (I wasn't sure what was actually meant by "near vision" contacts - the whole nearsighted/farsighted terminology always confuses me)

Near-sighted - able to see near things more clearly than far things
Far-sighted - able to see far things more clearly than near things

Near-vision correction - basically, reading glasses/contacts.

If you need reading glasses, your medical will say something like "must possess near-vision glasses" or something like that. FAA wants to make sure you can see-and-avoid (distance vision), as well as still read a chart (near vision).

I'm not an AME - but I am not sure that you are allowed to wear one contact for near vision (reading), and one for distance vision.

 

[B&TPilot]

regarding vision: yeah, I only wear glasses/contacts for seeing far away. I have always been just fine reading close up with no correction needed. So, no bifocals, reading glasses, or one and one contacts for me. I think I'm ok.

regarding medications: I'm still confused about what I have to write down. The form says to only write down medications I'm currently taking. On the date of my AME exam, I will not have any current medications, so I don't need to write anything down? I'm also confused about how there are verboten prescriptions - if I was prescribed something 6 months ago, took it for a month, and then stopped, then I am no longer currently taking the medication, and there is no where on the form to list medication I have taken in the past but am no longer taking. So theoretically, how could someone be denied a medical for taking some verboten medication in the past, but are no longer taking it when applying for a medical? Unless it was something that would cause you to answer yes in boxes 18a-y, it wouldn't be listed anywhere on the form.

 

[Skip Miller]

Not a problem for you at this time, but please keep in the back of your mind that as you age you may need bifocals - i.e., help seeing both near and far. One answer is one contact lens for near, one for far. This arrangement is not acceptable to the FAA.

-Skip

 

[bbchien]

Alright, so I've got an appt. to get my medical for July 7th.

The AME office should be able to pull up any records from my gall bladder surgery, the AME and hospital where I had my surgery are all part of the cleveland clinic.

I found a copy of the 8500-8 form to look at and I don't see anything that should be disqualifying. Just a couple questions though.

17b: do you every use near vision contact lenses while flying - I use contacts but I need them for distance vision so I check no here correct? (I wasn't sure what was actually meant by "near vision" contacts - the whole nearsighted/farsighted terminology always confuses me)

This is meant to capture the "one contact for near, one contact in the other eye for far". That is a prohibited combination, check out AAR 97/03, an accident at LaGuardia on 10/19/1996 (google will hit it).

18a-y: the only thing I have to answer yes to is u. admission to the hospital and x. other illness, disability, surgery - both for the gall bladder problem 2 years ago, and also a surgery to set a broken foot when I was like in 5th grade. None of that should be a problem, correct?

Correct.

17a, medications: Just this past week I started having wisdom teeth related problems. Went to my dentist yesterday and he prescribed me some motrin, antibiotics, and a mouthwash. By the time for my appt, my prescriptions will be out and I won't currently be taking them, so just to be sure, I don't have to report them because they are not current medications, correct? No where could I see where I have to list past prescriptions or medications I'm no longer taking. Also, the dentist also prescribed me vicodin, but I didn't get it filled because it doesn't do anything for me. Would I have to list medications I was prescribed but never got filled and didn't take?

Currently taking means just htat, and is usually construed to mean "90 days".

19: visit to health professionals in last 3 years - obviously have to list the gastro from my gall bladder problem. I'll be visiting an oral surgeon regarding my wisdom teeth between now and my AME appt so do I have to list that? It says routine dental doesn't need to be listed but I figured this isn't routine. Do I have to list non-routine visits to my dentist such as when I went earlier this week for the wisdom teeth pain?

Yes. "possible elective extractions".

Only other question is on the examination page, everything should be checked normal or pass except depending on what happens between now and the 7th I might still have some swelling in my mouth due to my wisdom teeth issue, would that receive an abnormal check on line 28 mouth and throat and if so would that cause me to get deferred? If I end up needing to get my wisdom teeth removed, should I do it before I go to my AME appt and let it heal first, or does it not matter if I go to my AME appt. first, anticipating that I'll get my medical, and then have my wisdom teeth removed after?

DON'T go for the medical if that's happening. Get over the teeth. That's like taking a practical checkride with a sprained ankle. GET BETTER FIRST!

 

[B&TPilot]

passed my medical today, no concerns at all. I wonder what all the worry was about

 

[AggieMike88]

passed my medical today, no concerns at all. I wonder what all the worry was about

Nothing ever wrong with obtaining all the good and correct info. Especially when working with the FAA.

Now get out there and commit some aviation.