3rd Class Medical Exam

Snaggletooth

Snaggletooth

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In the next few days I'll be going to my local Aviation Doctor to setup and appointment to do my 3rd Class Medical Exam. One question.

What all do they do to you during the exam??
 
When you breathe on a mirror, does it fog over?

Can you see the airplanes on the ramp (extra points if you can correctly ID your airplane 4 out of 5 times)?

Can you hear an airplane engine at 20 feet?

You're good to go.




It might be a little more stringent than that, but it's really nothing more than a basic physical. Nothing to worry about at all, so long as your BP is somewhere close to normal and you don't have any other major maladies.
 
Snaggletooth said:
In the next few days I'll be going to my local Aviation Doctor to setup and appointment to do my 3rd Class Medical Exam. One question.

What all do they do to you during the exam??
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You will be required to pee in a cup (looking for sugar or blood in the urine), get your vision and hearing checked, and the doctor will conduct a rather simple and brief physical exam. Some include a rectal exam of you prostate but that's optional. The hearing test for 3rd class can be as simple as the doc asking you what he said when he talks quietly while facing away from you (in case you can read lips!). The vision test is usually done on a machine like and includes checks of your near and far vision, your ability to distinguish between red and green, plus a check on your preipheral vision. The color test is difficult for folks with normal vision but doable for most. If you have trouble with that there are alternatives but it's best if you can pass the first test.

He will also go over your answers on the form you must fill out on your medical history.

And on that form you must disclose all sorts of stuff you probably won't remember like every doctor visit you've had in your entire life, and especially any hospitalization or surgery. You also must disclose any incidents where you were charged with anything that was alcohol or drug related even if there was no conviction as well as any times your driving privileges were suspended or you were required to attend remidal driver's training (whether or not related to alcohol or drugs). There's a big list of medical conditions ranging from heart transplants to hay fever on which you have to indicate if you've ever been diagnosed.

When you fill out this form, DO NOT LIE or OMIT ANYTHING, but if you think you should check a box in the affirmative, leave it blank and ask the AME whether or not you should check it. If you provide false info (diliberately or inadvertently) you can get into big trouble, including the loss of all flight privileges you've earned when the error is discovered, even if the error doesn't surface until years later.

If you've ever had medical issues with things like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or any chronic condition it would be a good idea to bring whatever medical records you have on that. You should also be able to ask the AME beforehand what records he wants/needs to see.

Given your young age, I expect the exam will be easy to pass unless you have a known medical problem.
 
Snaggletooth said:
In the next few days I'll be going to my local Aviation Doctor to setup and appointment to do my 3rd Class Medical Exam.
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I'm scheduled for the 23rd of this month, 3rd class here too. I may still be on a cane since I had a hip revision. I was wondering about pain meds, I haven't taken any for over a month so I know that will be good but I was wondering if I had to report. I don't think I need to because of the word "currently" but here is question number 17a, I'm going to check off no.

17a) Do You Currently Use Any Medication (Prescription or NonPrescription)?

The OP can go to the turbo medical form on the AOPA web page and get a look at what you will have to fill out.

http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/turbomedical/
 
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Talk about airplanes
Vision test
Talk about airplanes
Checks muscle and reflexes
Talk about airplanes
Listens to your chest
Talk about airplanes
Urine specimen, BP,,,
Talk about airplanes
About an hour including paperwork
 
CT Arrow said:
Talk about airplanes
Vision test
Talk about airplanes
Checks muscle and reflexes
Talk about airplanes
Listens to your chest
Talk about airplanes
Urine specimen, BP,,,
Talk about airplanes
About an hour including paperwork
Click to expand...

you forgot....write the check......:D
 
Hopefully you are an AOPA member by now. If so go do their turbo online medical to get an idea of the questions you will be asked. If anything is yes ask Dr. Bruce HERE ON POA before you go the AME so that you can be properly prepared.
 
Thanks for all the answers guys.

So before the exam, what should I do/not do?
 
You should: get a good nights sleep.

You should not: drink heavily, do drugs, or otherwise injure yourself.

Beyond that, it's really not much to worry about. As everyone else has said, it's just a basic physical; nothing special or unusual.
 
don't go to the bathroom while you are waiting at the doctors office.
 
If it's your first exam:

http://flightphysical.com/Exam-Guide/About-the-Exam.htm

has some info on what to expect, and what to bring.

The AOPA website has an on-line medical form that you can fill out ahead of time. It also flags problem areas for you, too.

The thing that seems to catch a lot of first-timers are the medications or other medical daignoses you've had in the past that seem so minor to you that you don't even think about them. Most of the time it's not a problem, but sometimes it is.

edit: I've been to a couple different AME's, and they've been all over the scale as far as how they perform the exam. One guy was by the book and very, ahem, 'thorough'. Another wanted to make sure I could stand up long enough to make it back out of the office.

Make sure you can pass before you go.

If it's not your first exam: then you already know what to expect.
 
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smigaldi said:
Hopefully you are an AOPA member by now. If so go do their turbo online medical to get an idea of the questions you will be asked. If anything is yes ask Dr. Bruce HERE ON POA before you go the AME so that you can be properly prepared.
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I agree. AOPA keeps your turbo online medical answers so you can check them every year and see what you previously reported.
 
Do NOT have a bowl of Captain Crunch just before you come to the office. Don't eat for a couple of hours prior;

Don't pee just before coming in, we need a little of that for the urine dipstick.

BRING your glasses (you'd be amazed how few remember....)
For those that have a waiver, bring a copy....
 
Yup. I had a guy from upstate new york who had an interview with Horizon (for which he now flies). He wanted to be able to say he possessed a First Class Medical Cert. He went to the AME in upstate NY, spilled glucose in his pee, after having had his cereal an hour before. That AME was not interested in doing anything but deferring.

So, a helpful stepfather got him here where after an overnight fast, he was just fine. :) He got the job.
 
bbchien said:
Yup. I had a guy from upstate new york who had an interview with Horizon (for which he now flies). He wanted to be able to say he possessed a First Class Medical Cert. He went to the AME in upstate NY, spilled glucose in his pee, after having had his cereal an hour before. That AME was not interested in doing anything but deferring.

So, a helpful stepfather got him here where after an overnight fast, he was just fine. :) He got the job.
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I've seen Mountain Dew have the same effect.

Barb
 
One Short said:
I've seen Mountain Dew have the same effect.

Barb
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I am semi addicted to the stuff. (Actually, I claim it is a habit rather than addiction, but that may be my denial kicking in.) I avoid the Dew before the checkup for that reason.
 
Well, I've been trying to call the doctor today to schedule a appointment but it says they are unavailable. I'll keep calling.

And while a Aviation Doctor was in the thread I just thought I'd ask... now this is going to sound sooooo dumb but..... On the Urine test, do I bring the cup back out with me, or leave it in there? I've never had to do one. lol...
 
When you are handed the specimen container, just ask what they want done with it. One office had a little pass through door in the restroom that was used to place the sample where they wanted it. They had instructions posted prominently in the restroom. Don't worry, they've delt with samples many times.:smile:

In another office the sample had to be witnessed so it was done in the exam room. That was a pre-employment physical so they were more interested in chemicals other than those produced by my body...
 
Snaggletooth said:
Well, I've been trying to call the doctor today to schedule a appointment but it says they are unavailable. I'll keep calling.

And while a Aviation Doctor was in the thread I just thought I'd ask... now this is going to sound sooooo dumb but..... On the Urine test, do I bring the cup back out with me, or leave it in there? I've never had to do one. lol...
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Make sure when you bring the sample back out it has a little umbrella in it. :rofl:
 
My Exam is July 21.

Oh... and will I know the results that day??
 
Snaggletooth said:
My Exam is July 21.

Oh... and will I know the results that day??
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Yeah.

There are only 3 outcomes (as far as I know). OK (you will be handed your medical, and the bill), Deferred (meaning the AME will send the info to Oklahoma City and let the FAA docs make the final decision - that can take months), or denied.

edit: I guess I could be a little more clear - either way, you will know the outcome before you leave the office. Being deferred is not the end of the world, but being denied could be. That is why it's so important to know you will pass BEFORE you go in.
 
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Matthew said:
Yeah.

There are only 3 outcomes (as far as I know). OK (you will be handed your medical, and the bill), Deferred (meaning the AME will send the info to Oklahoma City and let the FAA docs make the final decision - that can take months), or denied.
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But... even if granted by the AME, Oklahoma City may still come back with questions/concerns... B)

Do read everything you can find here and at AOPA (on the website and in the forums) about completing form 8500-8 *correctly.*
(BTW - if you're not an AOPA member, you may want to consider joining...they offer 6 months free (including Flight Training magazine) for student pilots.)
 
JoeSelch said:
(BTW - if you're not an AOPA member, you may want to consider joining...they offer 6 months free (including Flight Training magazine) for student pilots.)
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For free, it really is worth it. I think you need a CFI to sign you up as a student, but you will get the full use of the AOPA medical forum and telephone support from real folks who know the medical system and can answer your questions. That's a pretty sweet deal. There's also something (already mentioned) they call Turbo Medical. It walks you through the entire medical form and flags problem areas that you may not even be aware of. Then it saves the information so the next time you can just print it all back out again.

Like Joe said, even a deferral can come back bad, and even if the medical is issued doesn't mean FAA won't find something later to come back to you about.

Sometimes I wonder how any of us qualify, but the system generally works OK.
 
smigaldi said:
That has never been my experience in any AME's office. One always gets the bill, pays the bill, then gets the medical. :D

Dr's have their standards you know ;)
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Yup. My AME requires payment in advance...cash only. No checks, no credit cards. According to his office mgr (I asked), he's had pilots stop payment on checks and dispute credit card charges due to failed medicals :nono:

What they do depends on the Dr. Your mileage will vary from pencil whipped to hours.
 
Snaggletooth said:
My CFI said he already signed me up.
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Then you can check out:
http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medical/turbomedical/
(I think you may need to use your AOPA membership number and register at the AOPA website first, but I can't remember. )

This will be the same form you would fill out at the AME, but it explains in more detail just what the FAA is asking and why. I think that some AMEs will accept the printed Turbomedical form so you don't have to fill out a new form in the office. Usually the exam itself is vision, color blindness, hearing, eyesight, blood pressure, and sugar in urine. The details that catch folks are on the form where it asks "Have you ever...".
You'll need to list all your hospital visits, doctor visits, prescriptions, diagnoses, drivers license suspensions, convictions, and other fun things like that.
 
smigaldi said:
That has never been my experience in any AME's office. One always gets the bill, pays the bill, then gets the medical. :D

Dr's have their standards you know ;)
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Heh - yeah. One AME would give me the medical and ask me to pay on the way out. Another would hold it until I handed over the check - it was like a prisoner exchange. I haven't had to pay in advance yet.
 
YES! You'll know when you are finished. Hey, you're getting all worked up; it's no big deal HOWEVER this is NOT the time to discuss every scratch you've ever had or the one time when you got a little dizzy. Basically - keep it simple --- if everything works and you feel fine --- keep it simple. The answer to all questions is NO! Remember,this has nothing to do with your health and the doctor is not there to help you. So just go with the flow and the process and discuss how nice the weather is. You feel fine, you've always felt fine, and you don't take nay medicine for anything.
 
Afterthought ---- back to your instructor ---- if you're having these questions, your instructor isn't talking to you enough. Also - see if you canhang at the airport a little more or try to find somebody to "mentor" you. That will be a big help.
 
I PASSED!!!!
Much to my surprise my far vision did not meet the standards but the Doc passed me.
 
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