dotphysicalblog|Queens, NYC

Color vision testing and color blindness.

Types of Color Vision Tests – AOPA. Color blindness is a mostly an inherited vision abnormality where there is deficiency in perception of red, green, and blue due to abnormality of cone cells located in the eye.  Red-green color blindness is passed from mother to son on the 23rd chromosome (sex chromosome).   The 23rd […]

NRCME website functionality partially restored; FMCSA eases reporting burdens for medical examiners.

On June 22, 2018  FMCSA restored partial functionality to the NRCME Website which allows medical examiners to submit driver examinations.  The site has been down for about six months prior to that, due to reported hacking.  Certified and registered medical examiners were contacted via email by the FMCSA and were instructed on how to create an account […]

What pilots should know about the FAA airman medical certification.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical examination process assures that pilots *requiring medical certification do NOT have any of the disqualifying medical conditions under 14 CFR Part 67 and that they meet all medical standards of the Class of certificate applied for. *Note:  Persons exercising pilot privileges under BasicMed (or exercising any pilot privilege in […]

Medical Examiners Should Evaluate OSA Risks Despite Formal Rule Withdrawal.

“Medical certification determinations for such drivers are made by the examiners based on the examiner’s medical judgment rather than a Federal regulation or requirement.” FMCSA

Update on Sleep Apnea and Insulin Treated Diabetes Proposed Rules.

The joint FMCSA/FRA ANPRM Rule on Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has been withdrawn.   According to FMCSA, after reviewing all the public comments there was not enough information to support moving forward at this time.   The purpose of the ANPRM was to evaluate the prevalence and consequence of moderate to severe OSA in safety […]

54,055 Registered Medical Examiners in 2017. Source: NRCME DATA Dashboard.

The Data Dashboard of the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) showed a total of 54,055 total registered medical examiners for 2017. Of the total: 40% are Medical Doctors (33% or 17,750 MDs; 7% or 4,033 DOs) 33% are Nurses (22% or 11,894 Nurse Practitioners; 11% or 6,177 Advanced Practice Registered Nurses) 20% are […]

Basic Med- FAA Alternative Medical Certification Program for Pilots Starts May 1, 2017

Starting May 1 2017, in lieu of getting a third-class FAA airman certificate general aviation pilots acting solely as pilot in command seeking to operate a small aircraft (weighing less than 6,000 lbs and carrying 5 occupants or less) in accordance with Title14 of Code of the Federal Regulations (14 CFR), § 61.113(i) may obtain […]

Mayo-ATRI NRCME Impact Survey: National Registry Sharply Criticised and CME Incompetence Ranked Third in Motor Carrier Concerns

The Mayo Clinic and the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) recently released a joint study to gauge the experience of medical examiners, and trucking industry professionals (drivers and motor carriers) with the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME).   The Mayo Clinic conducted the survey in the winter of 2016, two years after the […]

FMCSA Medical Examiner Bulletins 2016

12/19/16 5 year Mandatory Refresher Training –required under 49 CFR 390.111(a)(5)(i) When training becomes available FMCSA will provide refresher training online to medical examiners at no cost.  So keep your contact information current. Examiners who fail to complete the training will be removed from the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.  If you have any […]

Controversies Loom over 2016 Obstructive Sleep Apnea Recommendations

Timeline 3/8/2016:   After recommendations from the National Transportation and Safety Board the FMCSA and FRA jointly published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  The purpose was to collect data and information concerning the prevalence of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea  in highway and rail workers and it’s impact on […]