Off the record medical questions?

[d328pilot]

I got selected for a guard slot and I am starting the medical process next month. Anyone know of a way to find a flight doc and get some questions answered off the record?

 

[JCJ]

I got selected for a guard slot and I am starting the medical process next month. Anyone know of a way to find a flight doc and get some questions answered off the record?

Couple of flight surgeons here

http://www.dynamictruth.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/forum/f/3.html

 

[Pistlpetet]

Don't volunteer any Med info that you don't need to. Let them find something wrong with you first before you start spilling your guts out. The more extra paperwork in your physical, the more scrutiny it will get.

If you are worried about something, you can always research the AF Medical Reg somewhere on the net.

Also, asking an FAA flight doc, and a Military flight doc are two totally different things. Unless the guy is a Military flight doc, he is not going to be able to answer your questions.

 

[kingsize]

Yep, the main flight doc at the link JCJ posted is a senior Air Force flight doc. If anyone knows, he does. Register a new email address on yahoo and on that forum so no one knows your identity, and ask away. He gets questions all the time on waivers and medical issues. You can send him a private message if you want, too. The main flight doc's screenname is "Rage " and can be found at the top of the forum.

 

[pkober]

Be careful with what you say. I had a FAA doc who was telling my ANG flight doc about how my FAA physical went. They are friends. I had no problems, however he has no right to do that. I have also heard stories about Docs, mostly at Brooks AFB, asking double edged questions to candidates to get info they normally wouldn't give.

 

[Gorilla]

Doctors are NOT your buddies. Have a family or other doc not officially in the aviation loop and use him as needed. Of course you'll also need a flight surgeon/AME; use them as little as possible, just enough to stay legal. Keep your medical info close to you and like these guys said, never volunteer anything to the flight docs. There are things that you might consider trivial but which can result in an instant and lengthy grounding.

 

[frog_flyer]

I'll answer your question for you.

your herpes are only disqualifying when theyre active!


booyah!


sorry, had do. but yeah talk to rage, he knows his stuff.

oh, and congrats on the guard slot!

 

[Say Again Over]

And don't mention the floaties.

 

[Learsforsale]

Doctors are NOT your buddies. Have a family or other doc not officially in the aviation loop and use him as needed. Of course you'll also need a flight surgeon/AME; use them as little as possible, just enough to stay legal. Keep your medical info close to you and like these guys said, never volunteer anything to the flight docs. There are things that you might consider trivial but which can result in an instant and lengthy grounding.

At Riddle if a pilot was caught drinking in the dorm (before 2003) more then once, the housing director would send you to the local doctor to discuss you "problem". The catch was that he was also an AME, so treatment was not the reason you were being sent to the doctor. It just so happened that when I was caught the second time (admittedly, very dumb of me) I also had to go and have my medical renewed. I actually contemplated bringing up my "problem" with the doctor during the exam, but I thought better of it. So the next time I was in the Housing director's office for a follow up, she asked if I had been to the doctor. I could truthfully answer "Yes". She thought it was odd that he didn't ground me for 3 months like he normally did.

Hypothetically speaking, what would have happened if I had told the doctor that I was sent to him because of underage drinking during my medical exam?

 

[prozac]

Think of flight surgeons as the enemy. I've known many of them who are really good dudes, but I honestly think that they have no idea how heartless they are being when they take a guy off flying status. Don't volunteer any information, however harmless you think it is. Especially don't admit to ever having seen a shrink. On the flip side, I've known guys who played football in college who I know for a fact have been knocked stupid unconcious several times mantain their medical for years without any problems. Just luck of the draw I guess.