To Give, or Not to Give... the MedXpress Number

[bbchien]

There is no practice test. The consultation is for all things other that can impinge on a sustainable issuance.
We're not going to detect a DUI on a physical exam (though I have had guys who didn't report them but had big livers on exam....and that got mentioned in the exam (and deferral)....and the guy I'm thinking of got the demand for a random urine and for a GI consult, ending in a monitored Alcohol abuse issuance about 1 year later.

We're not going to detect the disability payments that you don't report, on exam.
I sure am of the school, "gather everything the FAA will need B4 doing the exam" and how are you going to do that without a conversation and review of your documents ("consult")!


But you will need help you if you lie to me. And if you do, "Door is over there. Don't darken it again."

 

[Scottman]

As the OP, figured I would give an update:

I printed out my MedXPress app and handed it to the AME and asked if he had 30 seconds to look it over to see if anything stood out that might be problematic. He was happy to do so and, with supporting letters in hand from doctor visits, said nothing looked out of the ordinary.

In the end... walked out with a 1st class certificate.

Thanks for all the insight!

 

[bbchien]

As the OP, figured I would give an update:

I printed out my MedXPress app and handed it to the AME and asked if he had 30 seconds to look it over to see if anything stood out that might be problematic. He was happy to do so and, with supporting letters in hand from doctor visits, said nothing looked out of the ordinary.

In the end... walked out with a 1st class certificate.

Thanks for all the insight!

and that’s how it’s supposed to work.....

 

[denverpilot]

So there are AME’s that will do the exam, and if the person passes, then they enter the number into the system? And conversely, if the applicant fails, nothing gets entered?

Wow.

They’re medical professionals first. If you walk in and say “I want a full FAA style test but I don’t want to actually apply” then they do that.

Then at the end of the test you say, “I filled out the paperwork to do the FAA exam. Want it now or should I come back next week? Want another fee? What do you want?” It’s up to them.

They did the work five minutes ago, so nothing has changed.

All MedXpress is, is the old paper form on the clipboard in computer form. You’re pre-filling it out and signing the statements on it that they can have your firstborn or whatever, but it’s not any sort of mandate to the doc to do the actual FAA exam.

You can take that number to any FAA doc. It’s just a document tracker.

I can walk into my bank with signed mortgage papers in my back pocket and not use them until after talking to the branch mortgage guy about whether or not I should take out the thing, too.

If you don’t hand the doc the clipboard, no FAA exam ever started. Which makes sense. Maybe you filled out the paper on the clipboard wrong.

It’s not a timed test or a test of knowledge. If you aren’t prepared today, it’s not because you cheated. It’s because you’re ill. Fix the illness if possible. If not possible gather all required review documents first. Go away. Apply later. No biggie.

The correct way to deal with any bureaucracy has always been, “Don’t send them paperwork until you know what the answer will be.”

You want personal docs who both care about your health and are your personal advocates. Suggesting that you should apply for something they know you will fail? Not your advocate.

Suggesting you should apply for something with a ticking clock knowing you may need longer than that clock to gather the required documents? Also not your advocate.

By withholding the clipboard you give them the opportunity to be your advocate.

They want you to do the “official” FAA one on a different day for a different fee? So be it. Walk out and come back.

They want to not waste their time and have you hand them the clipboard? So be it.

It’s their time to spend as wisely or wastefully as they like.

Test starts when you hand them the clipboard/number.

 

[Wag the Dog]

If I'm pretty sure I can anticipate the items that will cause the AME to ask for more documentation, is there specific language or formatting that will make the process easier? For example, if someone has rheumatoid arthritis, managed by medication to the point of having no symptoms, what should the rheumatologist's letter say?