Pilot physical vs regular physical

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Monpilot

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Monpilot
It's time for my private pilot medical exam and wonder if it is as comprehensive as a regular medical physical exam.

I have not had a regular medical physical in over 15 years, hence my question.

So if I go this month for my pilot physical will that clean bill of health be good enough? Or should I find a doctor and get a physical there as well?
 
3rd class physical goes something like this:

"I see you're here for your flight physical. Please wait in the second room on the left."

A few minutes later, the nurse checks to see if you made it to the second door on the left under your own power. If so, you pass.
Very, very basic. All you really need is a pulse.
 
Monpilot said:
It's time for my private pilot medical exam and wonder if it is as comprehensive as a regular medical physical exam.

I have not had a regular medical physical in over 15 years, hence my question.

So if I go this month for my pilot physical will that clean bill of health be good enough? Or should I find a doctor and get a physical there as well?
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It's not the same thing.

The FAA medical exam is to verify you meet whatever FAA says you need to meet. The AME is not working for you, he's an agent for FAA.

Best thing - get a regular physical first. Find out if there's anything that needs to be fixed. You don't want to find out from the AME that you have high blood pressure, for example. Get your eyes checked ahead of time, and get your eye doc to test for colorblindness while you're at it.

You need to know you'll pass before you go to the AME.
 
Matthew said:
The FAA medical exam is to verify you meet whatever FAA says you need to meet. The AME is not working for you, he's an agent for FAA.
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Memorize those words.

Talk to local pilots and see who they recommend as an AME. A "good" AME (from a pilot's point of view) will only check the required medical items.

Tim
 
It's mostly a vision test, including color vision and depth perception.

If you have nothing on your record, I'd suggest doing an optometrist check right before, just to make sure you hit the minimum 20/40 with correction.

You will get screened for diabetes and a few other things.

It is not at all comprehensive. They are looking for things that might incapacitate, and most of that is by records.
 
Why does the doc check for a hernia? Is there a set of standardized criteria, or is some of it left up to the doctor?
 
ateamer said:
Why does the doc check for a hernia? Is there a set of standardized criteria, or is some of it left up to the doctor?
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14 CFR 67.

The Federal Air Surgeon has authority to add things that might interfere with safe operation of the aircraft.

I dunno about the hernia. Maybe pulling the yoke for flare or operating rudders might be excessively painful.
 
Matthew said:
It's not the same thing.

The FAA medical exam is to verify you meet whatever FAA says you need to meet. The AME is not working for you, he's an agent for FAA.

Best thing - get a regular physical first. Find out if there's anything that needs to be fixed. You don't want to find out from the AME that you have high blood pressure, for example. Get your eyes checked ahead of time, and get your eye doc to test for colorblindness while you're at it.

You need to know you'll pass before you go to the AME.
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Yeah pretty much. There is nothing particularly difficult or thorough about the physical itself, but there are deal killers, and you have one, it's a real pain to work through the process once diagnosed and processed by the AME.
 
Something I didn't realize before my medical: The 3rd class medical is mostly about history, history, history. Even things from years past that you wouldn't think would affect your piloting. Kidney stones, depression, passed out once, and so on. If you have/had ANY medical issue, especially ones that are on record somewhere, do some research before you schedule with an AME. You don't want any surprises.
 
Oh, yeah - and if you ever took Adderall or whatever for ADD, you are screwed if you show up at the AME without doing your homework first.
 
Monpilot said:
It's time for my private pilot medical exam and wonder if it is as comprehensive as a regular medical physical exam.

I have not had a regular medical physical in over 15 years, hence my question.

So if I go this month for my pilot physical will that clean bill of health be good enough? Or should I find a doctor and get a physical there as well?
Click to expand...

The standard 3rd class medical isn't going to run blood tests or various other tests (eg prostate exams, depending on your age) that would be a part of a normal "physical."

Depending on where you go you could speak to the physician about "boosting" your medical to be a normal physical and make some arrangement for this to happen but by default the FAA physical isn't the same as what you'd get with your normal primary care physician.
 
thanks for the input. this will be my 3rd FAA medical exam and nothing has changed so I should pass it..

but I am of the age to start prostate exams so I guess I won't use the FAA medical in place of a regular physical exam.

when I call in for my FAA medical i'll ask about making it comprehensive, although I don't think the examiner is part of my insurance network that would at least cover that portion of the exam..
 
I'll suggest you have your own physician do that. Until your next medical (two years?), you're self-certifying. So, if something happens, you make the safety judgment and ground if necessary, and get all the paperwork in order for a special issuance BEFORE going to the AME.
 
Get the real physical first. Then look for a AMA that is a pilot, even if they have not flown in 30 years. In my experience a AMA/pilot is looking for a reason to pass you. A AMA/non-pilot is looking for a reason to fail you.
 
timrb said:
Memorize those words.

Talk to local pilots and see who they recommend as an AME. A "good" AME (from a pilot's point of view) will only check the required medical items.

Tim
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:yeahthat:

You want someone of the mindset of making sure you're safe, not someone looking for problems.
 
The FAA medical is really perfunctory. It won't do things like cholesterol screens, recommend colonoscopies, etc... You really should go to a different doctor for a real health assessment.
 
Monpilot said:
It's time for my private pilot medical exam and wonder if it is as comprehensive as a regular medical physical exam.

I have not had a regular medical physical in over 15 years, hence my question.

So if I go this month for my pilot physical will that clean bill of health be good enough? Or should I find a doctor and get a physical there as well?
Click to expand...

If you have not had an exam in 15 years I would recommended seeing your primary care physician a getting one done :yes:

They're going to do some other stuff like draw some blood for test and evaluation, stool sample, and maybe even recommended a few other test depending on your age... Many healthcare plans pay 100% of this under the "preventative examination" portion.

But, I would recommend getting you FAA exam done first....
 
3rd class medical is the most basic of screening. There is a certain list of conditions that if you answer Yes to, will start the system, but outside those issues, it's a pretty basic physical and vision test with liberal passing standards.
 
Non Compos Mentis said:
3rd class physical goes something like this:

"I see you're here for your flight physical. Please wait in the second room on the left."

A few minutes later, the nurse checks to see if you made it to the second door on the left under your own power. If so, you pass.
Very, very basic. All you really need is a pulse.
Click to expand...

Nonsense. You're doing newbies a disservice.
 
If you have been 15 years since seeing a doctor, I would suggest you set up an exam and consultation with AME first, that avoids a denial which will cause issues if you decide to still go fly on a Sport Pilot rating.
 
Lots of good advice here. If you have any concerns do a consult (a GOOD AME IS working for you). Find a gray haired pilot sitting around and ask them "Who is a good AME". There IS a difference. My last two here in Austin died so I drive to San Antonio for mine.

As a professional, I have a flight physical every six months and a REAL physical every year or so. My old AME asked me one day if I needed or wanted to tell him anything else and I replied "I wouldn't tell you if I farted". Just like the Miranda Rights statement...ANYTHING you say CAN and WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU...but not for you. Go SGT Friday...Just the facts Ma'am and not one word more.

AFTER the physical DO NOT try to get free medical advice....get the heck out of there.
 
It's not a physical so much as an audit. Way more people get in trouble based on the written part than from the actual exam.
 
Henning said:
3rd class medical is the most basic of screening. There is a certain list of conditions that if you answer Yes to, will start the system, but outside those issues, it's a pretty basic physical and vision test with liberal passing standards.
Click to expand...
True, but that "list of conditions" is a mile long and includes things like non-melanoma skin cancer, hypothyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, and lots of other nuisance issues that most newbies wouldn't think had any relation to aviation. The exam itself is very basic, but the part that opens the door to the Inquisition is the question about health care provider visits in the last three years. Anything that wasn't completely routine can put the poor unsuspecting student pilot into a world of hurt, and there's pretty much no reliable way to know beforehand without doing some research (e.g. reading the AME guide), or going in to see the AME for a consultation first.
 
I just had my 3rd class physical yesterday. My regular doctor always takes a blood sample for tests and a prostate exam on my annual physicals. Neither has ever been done for my flight physicals. The first thing I did was provide a urine sample. Next they documented my height and weight. I was on the high side of normal but not in the overweight section of the BMI chart. (6'2" @ 188) My blood pressure and pulse was checked. Next I was given an eye exam with and without my glasses. Then the doctor checked my ears, looked in my mouth and listened to my heart and lungs. He asked me a few questions that seemed pretty minor and straight forward and that was about it.
 
azure said:
True, but that "list of conditions" is a mile long and includes things like non-melanoma skin cancer, hypothyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, and lots of other nuisance issues that most newbies wouldn't think had any relation to aviation. The exam itself is very basic, but the part that opens the door to the Inquisition is the question about health care provider visits in the last three years. Anything that wasn't completely routine can put the poor unsuspecting student pilot into a world of hurt, and there's pretty much no reliable way to know beforehand without doing some research (e.g. reading the AME guide), or going in to see the AME for a consultation first.
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He Hasn't Been To The Doctor In 15 Years.:lol:
 
Matthew said:
Why not just see a regular doc for a 30,000 mile checkup?
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Don't you have to report that visit, why you went, and if anything was found when you see the AME? That is a reason to not see a doctor for any reason... Bad, bad system!
 
skidoo said:
Don't you have to report that visit, why you went, and if anything was found when you see the AME? That is a reason to not see a doctor for any reason... Bad, bad system!
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You report the visit as a routine physical. That's what it is, right?
 
skidoo said:
Don't you have to report that visit, why you went, and if anything was found when you see the AME? That is a reason to not see a doctor for any reason... Bad, bad system!
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Stupid people don't make the system bad.
 
I asked my AME why only three lines for visits and he said "we only want more serious stuff, NOT that you had a routine physical".

I put down surgery etc.

GOOD AME example - you had better lose some weight before the next visit, your BP is creeping up

BAD AME - mixing your routine BP check with a Angiogram patient and sending that to the Feds. It is fun to get registered letters from the Aeromedical Branch. He fixed it..he next sent in that I had a stress EKG (never). He lost his AME status.
 
ateamer said:
Why does the doc check for a hernia? Is there a set of standardized criteria, or is some of it left up to the doctor?
Click to expand...

I asked an AME several years back. He told me it's a demonstration that the FAA has you by the balls. :wink2:
 
Stewartb said:
I asked an AME several years back. He told me it's a demonstration that the FAA has you by the balls. :wink2:
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You should only be worried if he performs the exam with both of his hands on your shoulders.... :yikes:
 
skidoo said:
Don't you have to report that visit, why you went, and if anything was found when you see the AME? That is a reason to not see a doctor for any reason... Bad, bad system!
Click to expand...

MAKG1 said:
You report the visit as a routine physical. That's what it is, right?
Click to expand...

Yeah - it's just a report on Medexpress of a visit to a medical professional within the last 3 yrs -
"March 18, 2015. Dr. xxx, routine physical."
"March 18, 2014. Dr. xxx, routine physical."
"March 18, 2013. Dr. xxx, routine physical."

What's the big deal, unless you are worried about trying to hide some diagnosis by avoiding it in the first place?

Do you want to let the AME be the one to find out you have high BP or diabetes? Then you might get denied or deferred when you could have been getting it treated and getting the AME to hand you a fresh medical.

I know pilots always have to judge any visit to a doctor from the perspective of "how is this going to affect my medical". But a routine physical for the first time in 15 yrs?
 
The bigger issue with me is just remembering all of the visits. I don't visit the doctor frequently, but I did forget one key one last medical after I submitted my Medixpress form. Fortunately the AME was able to edit it and add the visit.
 
Sac Arrow said:
The bigger issue with me is just remembering all of the visits. I don't visit the doctor frequently, but I did forget one key one last medical after I submitted my Medixpress form. Fortunately the AME was able to edit it and add the visit.
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I thought the FAA didn't care about gender reassignment?
 
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