I’ve had many people share with me that they had to give up on their childhood dream to become a pilot due to the fact they wear glasses or contacts to attain normal vision. This is one of the biggest myths in Flight Medicine.  Both military & civilian pilots are allowed to wear glasses or contacts! There are a few differences between the FAA civilian and DoD military visual acuity medical standards, but both allow a wannabe pilot to use corrective lenses to achieve that standard.  The biggest differences between the two are that the FAA only requires 20/40 vision for near ..read more

An ECG (or EKG) is short for electrocardiogram and is a tracing of the heart’s electrical activity. It can be used to diagnosis abnormal rhythms and even heart attacks. There are two main variables that determine when a pilot will need to have an ECG/EKG completed with their medical certificate – Age and Medical Certificate Category. The below table comes directly from the FAA AME Guide. Pilots Air Traffic Controllers For Air Traffic Controllers, an EKG is needed at slightly different time intervals. See below. REFERENCE: For AME’s, here is the guidance directly from the AME GUIDE The post ..read more

Time to see the AME… Most pilots have experienced the anxiety and trepidation felt when going to any doctor. This feeling is even more intense when visiting the flight doc for medical clearance. This is why it is so critical for airmen to find a trustworthy Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). [More info on how to become an AME HERE] The best AME’s juggle a concern for the pilot’s health and the implication of their medical conditions on flight safety while also being sensitive to the pilot’s career. The best AME’s will remain up to date on the ever-evolving FAA guidance and be willing to advocate ..read more

Ready for 70,000 feet. It is an exceedingly rare privilege for anyone aside from highly trained military pilots to don the yellow pressure suit and fly along the very edge of outer space in the infamous U-2 spy plane. But I was one of those lucky few…but first a story that may have led to this envious opportunity.       IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCY AT 70,000 FEET So there I was…a typical day in the clinic when suddenly, all of my companion phones and radios began to ring in chorus. I was the flight surgeon on call at Beale Air Force Base north of Sacramento. It was an in-flight emergency ..read more

CACI or Khakii? Pilots and other aircrew must maintain strict medical standards to be considered fit & healthy to fly airplanes & passengers. Check out this previous post for a full history and explanation on Aeromedical Standards. The FAA has created a useful way for individual Aviation Medical Examiners (AME) to issue a medical certificate when a pilot applicant has a common medical condition that is unlikely to lead to sudden incapacitation. The acronym CACI is used to describe these conditions. See the FAA page on CACI conditions HERE.       What does CACI even mean ..read more

Basic, Senior, & Chief USAF Flight Surgeon WingsHow does one become a USAF Flight Surgeon you may ask? The recipe is simple. Step 1: Meet the appropriate licensing requirements to practice medicine. Step 2. Join the USAF as a commissioned officer. Step 3. Complete the USAF Aerospace Medicine & Aircrew training requirements.     Below is an article detailing the current aerospace medicine training required of USAF Flight Surgeon candidates, written by none other than the current lead instructor for all of the Aerospace Medicine Primary (AMP) Courses aka “The AMP Daddy”, Lt Col ..read more

BLUF: This is Your Vaccinated Captain Speaking The two mRNA options for the COVID-19 vaccine are considered safe & effective. The FAA & USAF has approved use of both vaccines. Both vaccines require a 48 HOUR NO FLY DUTIES following both doses. FAA requires airmen to self-identify if they have any adverse reactions to the vaccine. If you’re still not sure if you should get the vaccine: CLICK HERE   FAA Official guidance directly from the FAA: “The COVID-19 public health emergency has driven extraordinary global efforts to develop an effective and safe vaccine. Some of the va ..read more

Well Worth the Pain I received my second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine a little over a week ago. That’s great news for me as it means I’m essentially immune to the deadly virus that has been crushing the health, finances, and overall well-being of our entire planet for almost a year. Aside from mild pain at injection site, I had zero symptoms or immune response following either dose. Should you also get the vaccine? YES!   COST-BENEFIT OF VACCINES Although no medical intervention is ever 100% safe, modern vaccinations have an amazing safety profile. The biggest risk you run as a rec ..read more

Some important dates are approaching and both pilots and AME’s need to be aware. Due to the COVID19 pandemic and challenges accessing medical care, the FAA has modified the standard medical certification process. Within the larger FAA COVID-related regulatory relief policy, there exists a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR 118-1) that applies to medical certification. This SFAR grants relief to medical certificate privileges that expire from March 31, 2020 through August 31, 2020. This extends medical certification for a maximum of three (3) additional months or until September 30 ..read more

Recently, I was catching up with a fellow USAF flight surgeon who is leaving active duty for the greener pastures of civilian residency. When I shared with him that he would qualify for GI Bill compensation as a resident, he seemed shocked and completely unaware of this fact. This is exactly what I did 3 years ago. Below I relate my experience and some additional info regarding the GI Bill that I hope readers may find helpful. Added bonus: GI Bill payments are considered a stipend and therefore tax-free! GI BILL DURING RESIDENCY I graduated from my residency in Emergency Medicine at the U ..read more