Aeromedical Safety Brochures
Medical Certification Questions & Answers
OK-24-1154 10/02/20242 Pages
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When There Are Questions About Your Medical Certification Qualifications
A checklist for speeding your medical certification
Most (more than 95%) medical certification applicants pass their physical examinations, and the Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) is able to issue a medical certificate at the time of the exam. However, occasionally, a condition is found that requires a process of further review and, possibly, additional testing. The purpose of this brochure is to help answer some of the questions that you might have about this process.
What are my chances of ultimately being certified?
While it is impossible to predict your individual likelihood of certification, our current process allows us ultimately to certify 96% of individuals whose medical qualifications are initially questioned. Sometimes this process requires a period of recovery from an illness, surgery, or other condition.
Why does it take so long to process my application and other reports?
We receive an average of 1800 applications for medical certification each day. We are required to review each to assure that medical standards are met. When an application is found that may not meet the requirements,
a letter is written to the applicant identifying the problem and outlining the further potential courses of action. We must then wait for a response from the applicant before we can proceed further. Each time new information is received, the application package must again be reviewed. Given the large number of applications being processed and the amount of time required to evaluate the information, it sometimes takes longer than we all would like.
What can I do to speed the process along?
There are several steps you can take to assure that your application package is processed in the shortest time possible. Use this list of items like a checklist to speed the processing of your application.
Don’t hesitate to ask your AME for advice and assistance in gathering the requested information.
When we ask for additional information, we ask for the least amount possible to make our decision. This means that we really do need everything that we request, so the first thing that you can do is to make sure that all the information that we have requested is being provided. Also, please understand, if we ask that a certain test be performed in a certain way, that is what we need. Be sure that you take all of our letters with you to your physician, and try to emphasize the importance of exactly fulfilling our requests.
Have your designated AME upload all of the required information or have all of the information forwarded to us in one package.
Please disclose all medical information as indicated in your MedXPress application. Failure to completely disclose the information will cause delays in the process of your application.
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If you have not received communication from our office within 60 days of your application submission, please feel free to call us at 405- 954-4821 or write to us at the address listed below. If your application was deferred, you may also check the status through MedXPress.
Special Delivery/Overnight Mail Federal Aviation Administration Aerospace Medical Certification Division 6500 S. MacArthur Blvd.
CAMI Bldg 13, AAM-300
Oklahoma City, OK 73125
Regular 1st Class Mail
Federal Aviation Administration Aerospace Medical Certification Division CAMI Bldg 13, AAM-300 P.O. Box 25082 Oklahoma City, OK 73125
If my personal physician believes I am fit to fly, why am I unable to obtain certification?
If your personal physician believes you are fit to fly, it is important to understand that their assessment is primarily focused on your overall health and well-being. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must ensure compliance with Title 14 CFR Part 67, which governs the medical standards for aviation safety. Your physician may not fully consider the specific medical risks and unique demands associated with operating an aircraft. The FAA’s certification process is designed to address these aviation-specific safety concerns and ensure that any medical conditions do not compromise safe flight operations. Therefore, even if your personal doctor deems you healthy, the FAA must ensure that you meet the required medical standards under this regulation.
Provided by Aerospace Medical Education Division, AAM-400
To obtain copies of this brochure online: https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/ pilotsafetybrochures/
or contact:
Federal Aviation Administration Civil Aerospace Medical Institute AAM-400 P.O. Box 25082 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 (405) 954-4831