Aviation Medicine

This might be a very stupid question (as I hope it is). Would being born premature (7 weeks in my case, no health issues from it) be an issue for an FC1? The only reason I ask is because it's listed as part of my health history on a medical report. Hopefully I'm not about to open up a can of worms. Thanks in advance.

My flight doctor told me I am the only flyer in the AF with my type of autoimmune disorder. Actually, my autoimmune disorder has become so widespread that Congress was lobbied by an organization in California to fund research for a cure. Congress granted the request for funding. There is a medical center in San Francisco who can help. I was scheduled to go there but I had a TDY, training, and a subsequent PCS out of California prevent me from going. I am going to retire in 3 years and I wanted to know if I could request a PCS back to that area for treatment once I've been on station for 2 years minimum? I will not die without treatment. On a scale of 1 to 10 my …

Hello everyone, I received a secondary (explanations below) FC1-eye exam on April 4th of this year. The information was eventually submitted to Texas for review on July 27th and I've been waiting patiently ever since which seems to be a longer than normal time from my research. A little backstory: I'm a civilian that began the OTS route close to, or over 2 years ago. I was selected pilot after my second round of selection / interviews and DQ'd after my left eye did not fall within waiver-able limits (I had a -3.5 correction when the limit is -3 if I remember correctly). I pushed for a re-test and both eyes fell well within the waiver-able limits. The rec…

I went searching through this site and the best I could find was a few posts from medical students in 2011. Does anyone know if there is any kind a process or waiver to go from the AF nurse corps to aviation? I'm in a program currently where they pay for my graduate school in trade for my service (which is a great deal and extremely competitive). At the suggestion of an AF pilot friend, I was told if I'm going to change I should do it sooner rather than later because I'll need an age waiver by the time I am done with my nursing commitment. I know physician pilots exist and there are flight docs, etc but all of that is closed to nurse practitioners.

Hello everybody. I'm trying to become a pilot either in the Reserve or ANG. I'm planning on spamming out lots of apps to different units, but have also been working with an enlisted recruiter for the ANG as a backup plan (their unit does nearly all their UPT recruiting internally from people already enlisted with them). My recruiter sent me to MEPS to get my physical last week and I didn't really understand the results until a Reserve officer recruiter pulled my physical and told me I'd failed both depth perception (weird since I've never had an issue with that in my life) and hearing (but just barely, I'm 5 db over the limit at 2000HZ in my left ear and everything else i…

Does the FAA have access to a pilot's Air Force medical records? I know the database for waivers and such is computerized now...does the FAA have access to that database without the member's consent?

Hello, I was disqualified during my Class I Flight Screening after selection, and I'm currently applying for a Class III now to try and be an ABM. I understand that some conditions are permanently disqualifying from rated positions, but I have no idea if mine is (esophoria). Any idea where I can find out if I can even apply again? I've tried calling AFPC/AETC, and the base that performed the physical, but I haven't gotten much apart from the issue that DQ'd me the first time. If anyone has any info, thank you!

Long story short, I was in college a while ago and was in a Navy program. It was cut during sequestration and since I was struggling in school, I was one of the folks that got cut out. All of that back story to get to by question. When I went to MEPS the first time, I said that id been prescribed medicine for acid reflux in past and that caused a stir. I went to a gastroenterologist and had test done and he wrote a letter saying that my general practitioner had misdiagnosed me years prior. Now that I am going through the process of trying to get a guard or reserve slot, I’ll have to go to MEPS again (I last went in 2010) and wanted to know how to handl…

Hey everybody, Haven't posted in a while, was selected for OTS with a pilot slot last year, went to JBLM for my FC1 in February of LAST year and was eventually denied due to history of asthma, even after completing the MCT with no issues. I was urged by others to look for other routes into the Air Force, but due to my age (29), I figured it was a no-go. Since the age has been risen to 33 for rated officer accessions, I was curious if anyone had gouge on medical requirements differing between AD and guard units? As far as I've read from stuff on here, asthma waivers with a successful MCT are usually no problem, so I was curious if it was due to the other waivers …

The wife and I are both WSOs on AD...15ish years for me on the MDS, about 10 for her. She is in excellent health, not on meds, etc. This weekend she experienced two syncopal episodes (loss of consciousness) while we were eating lunch. No alcohol involved, she had finished her food and all she was drinking was water. First time lasted 60-90 seconds, second time occurred while paramedics were checking BP and lasted less than 10 seconds. She had low BP (no surprise there) but at the ER all her labs came back normal. She's not pregnant (that was confirmed). No root cause established. Saw the flight doc today, more labs (NSTR) and she is now trying to get an appoin…

Hello all, Wanted to share my MEPs experience for anyone who might be going soon or in the future - for you "off the street" folks like me. I had some nerves about it because of the horror stories I've heard (some of my friend's got DQ'd for stuff that would make you cringe - pilot slot gone forever) but I definitely would say personally that my day got better as it went on. A couple of key points: Dress professionally - you are going for a pilot slot aren't you? I wore khaki's and a button down tucked in with dress shoes. There were some kids who looked like scrubs - and I noticed they got treated very differently. Sit up str…

Current ANG rated guy, thinking about applying to med school. Live in great location and have custody of kids here. Big picture question, in the event I get accepted, is there an avenue where ANG would/could pay for med school? Fully understand there would be some sort of “medical commitment” I’m only finding AD commitment stuff online, which is a no-go do to custody issues referenced above Thanks for any and all help -Chem

Does anyone know the process for prior enlisted? Do we still have to go to MEPS even though we had to when we enlisted? Does the FC1 staff just take our medical history from when we enlisted? If there are any enlisted guys on here who went through the process or if anyone knows that would he great.

I just got pinged that I was ID’d as a bone marrow match for someone in need. What would that do for my Mil/Civilian medical? DNIF for a bit during recovery?

Finding absolutely zero information on this process except from the very generic information that AFPC pushes out. I reached out to them and received additional clarification on the actual process, but not necessarily what is/isn't permitted or accepted to be submitted. I'm currently a 2d Lt with only about 4.5 months TIS and therefore I don't have much to show in terms of Air Force accomplishments or awards. I doubt they care about any performance from AFROTC or that I was already selected for a pilot slot beforehand. DQ'ed from FC1 without waiver and attempting to push for an Exception to Policy. Background info: AD 2d Lt; Commercial Single/Multi + Flight Inst…

I searched but didn't find anything in the last decade about this topic: I had PRK eye surgery 4 months ago. My eyes were initially each about 20/400 and they are now 20/25 individually, 20/20 when working together. The doc that did my surgery told me there is nothing I can ever do or wear that would get me to 20/20 in each eye due to the “muscles not developing”. That leaves me with two questions: -Has anyone ever heard of a waiver for 20/25 vision that does not correct to the much-desired 20/20? -Flight docs, does that sound correct that there is nothing I could ever do or glasses I could wear that could get my eyes to 20/20 individualy?

This week I finally got something back about the FC1/MFS I did at Brooks in April. It looks like I have to do some follow up work and was hoping F16PilotMD could shed some light on the problem I may have. From the Report of Medical Examination: "Request current consultation from: Orthopedics for finding noted on chest X-ray. There is evidence for a mildly increased thoracic kyphosis with moderate loss of height of the T8 vertebra and mild loss of height of T7. The findings are compatible with prior trauma." The report says to include examinee's personal and family history related to the condition, past and current signs and symptoms, treatment rendered, and da…

any one know where I can find the Air Force regs on uvietis and or iritis for pilot candidates?? thanks for all your help

Anyone know if Omeprazole, the generic Prilosec, is waiverable. Thanks.

So I'm trying to enlist in the Air Force so that I can attend the Defense Language Institute. I just graduated from college and am more interested in learning a new language and possibly going to OTS later. I've passed everything except that last August I passed a kidney stone. I have retained stones in my parenchyema. I knew the MEPS would disqualify me and that a waiver would be required. I found this: https://www.brooks.af.mil/web/consult_servi...nal%20Colic.htm It says that retained stones are waiverable providing conditions are met. I believe I meet those conditions but understand that I should see an Air Force urologist. The recruiter came back and said the …

About a year ago I had a dull pain in the left side of my chest. I passed it off for a couple of months then one day I decided to go to the hospital to have it looked at. The doc had blood work, ekg, chest xrays and found nothing other then saying it could have been attributed to some medication I was taking at the time. I since have stopped taking the medication and have not had the chest pains again. My question is do you think that I will have any trouble with the Brooks physical? How should I go about telling the docs there? Any advice would be appriciated. Thanks

While I was boxing recreationally, a blow to my right eye gave me, in additional to a swollen black eye, a blowout fracture in the orbital floor. I wasn't knocked out by the hit. I was lucky in that there was no muscle entrapment, and the double vision I got AFTER swelling (but not after the hit) went away three days later. My vision is still 20/20 in both eyes and the doctors found no damage to the eye itself. However, in order to decrease the chance of getting a sunken eye due to the size of the fracture, I'm going to be getting surgery to insert a medpor mesh material to seal up the fracture. My doctor told me he advises against scuba diving after such damage to the e…

This is pretty embarassing: I just got entered into the Commander's Review board process due to flight doc recommending admin removal for manifestation of apprehension. I'm not afraid of flying, in fact I love it, it's just when I'm flying that I have problems. Anyway, I'm hoping that they'll let me enter SUNT but have no idea if I'm already DQ'd for that due to this MOA issue. I can't find anything specific in the regs regarding UPT/SUPT...that I'm aware exist anyway. Can someone please help me out with some info? More info about my situation: It was recommended to me by my flt cmdr that I go to life skills, since I thought it was maybe just a pressure/stress issue.…

I was hoping any flight docs out there could fill me in a little bit about the process of transitioning from being a flight doc or a general internist to a specialy in the AF such as a Diagnostice Radiologist. My brother is a soph in ROTC and wants to pursue something like this but wants to get more info before he goes to Field Training and incurs a commitment to the AF and find out that its something that he can't pursue after all. We really don't have any med groups in CO that have specialties such as that so if anyone else has any ideas of med groups that he could get in touch with would be great as well. Thanks! also, sorry for an grammaical errors and the like... …

Okay, so I am an ROTC cadet, have my slot, and have already passed medical at Brooks, just waiting to graduate. I have a question however. I have had a family friend who is a general practice doctor identify something on my arm known as a lipoma. its kind of a fatty cyst that is apparently not a big deal. I however, would like to get it removed because it's just annoying to me. Its like the size of a small grape and is slightly noticeable just looking at it. Question is, does this DQ me? I didn't mention it at my physical because I was told it's not a big deal. Any input on what I should do would be greatly appreciated, and if anyone knows the regs for waivers on some…