Aviation medical examiners perform physical exams on pilots and air traffic controllers to determine their fitness for their roles. They take medical histories, perform physical exams, and submit information to the medical certification board. They typically maintain a regular clinical practice while conducting exams.
An aviation medical examiner performs physical examinations on potential or current air traffic controllers and pilots to help determine whether they are fit to perform the roles required of them. The examination includes taking a detailed medical history and determining whether the patient has any health conditions that could impede his or her job performance or put others at risk. The aviation medical examiner submits this information, along with a recommendation, to the medical certification board. A person may perform these roles as part of their regular practice or work for an airline, airport, or pilot training program in conjunction with their regular clinical practice.
The first part of a medical examiner’s job is to obtain a complete medical history from the patient. This includes asking the patient’s primary care physician for a history and questioning the patient during the examination. The information needed usually includes a family history of genetic health problems, heart problems, and other medical concerns that may have been passed on to the patient. An aviation medical examiner will also need to obtain information from the patient about their past health problems, their current health status, and information about current medications.
A physical examination of the patient is also part of the aviation medical examination. During this part of the job, the doctor will test the patient’s range of motion, listen to the heart, and check reflexes. A detailed vision test is also performed, which checks the patient’s vision and peripheral vision.
Once all the necessary information is collected, the aviation medical examiner organizes the information in accordance with the issuing agency’s guidelines and submits it on the patient’s behalf to the agency. Based on the Aviation Medical Examiner’s training, the physician will typically include information about whether the patient meets all of the requirements for the class of medical certificate they are requesting. In many cases, the examiner will also provide the patient with a copy of their report.
In most countries, an aviation medical examiner is required to maintain a clinical medicine practice while conducting examinations for pilots and air traffic controllers. Most aviation medical examiners maintain a regular practice or work for a practice and provide services to local people who wish to obtain a medical certificate. In some cases, an aviation medical examiner will obtain a contract with an airline or pilot training school and provide medical exams specifically for those who work for the airline or school or for potential pilots.
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