Medical Investigation
Individuals must pass a rigid medical exam, which includes:
- Vision Standards — Applicants for ATCS employment in an en route center or a terminal must have distant and near vision of 20/20 or better in each eye separately, without correction, or have lenses that correct distant and near vision to 20/20, each eye separately. Applicants for a flight service station specialist position must have distant and near vision of 20/20 or better in at least one eye, without correction, or have lenses that correct distant and near vision to 20/20, in at least one eye.
- Color Vision Standards — Applicants must have normal color vision.
- Hearing Standards — Applicants must have no hearing loss in either ear of more than 25 db at 500, 1,000 and 2,000 Hz, and no more than a 20 db loss in the better ear by audiometer, using ANSI (1969) standards.
- Cardiovascular Standards — Applicants must have no medical history of any form of heart disease. A history of high blood pressure requiring medication will require special review.
- Neurological Standards — Applicants must have no medical history or clinical diagnosis of a convulsive disorder, or a disturbance of consciousness, without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause, and must not be under any treatment, including preventive, for any condition of the nervous system.
- Psychiatric Standard — Any medical history or clinical diagnosis of a psychosis, or other severe mental disorders, is disqualifying.
- Diabetes — A medical history or diagnosis of diabetes mellitus will require special review.
- Substance Abuse/Dependency — A history of substance abuse/dependency, including alcohol, narcotic, non-narcotic drugs, and other substances will be extensively investigated.
- Psychological Exam — Individuals must take and pass a psychological exam.
- General Medical — All other medical conditions will be evaluated on an individual basis. All applicants' medical histories and current examinations will be carefully reviewed. This includes past medical records and, if applicable, a review of military medical records.