Aviation Medical Examiner Training
A Guide for Prospective FAA Aviation Medical Examiners
Medical certification of U.S. airmen officially began with the Air Commerce Act of 1926, mandating that all pilots be medically qualified to fly. Disqualifying for any class of medical certificate were conditions that could cause sudden incapacitation or death, or could otherwise compromise aviation safety.
Since that time, aeromedical research has discovered, validated, and codified information about the physiological aspects of safe flight. The U.S. aviation system has the safest record of any mode of passenger transportation in the nation, but continued effort is required to preserve that record. Major challenges to aviation safety include revolutionary changes in aviation technology, human error, and intense physical demands. To function safely in today's complex airspace, it is imperative that all air crewmembers be medically qualified to perform their duties. For this reason, the aviation medical examiner is a key element in the aviation safety formula.
If you are interested in aviation, look into the rewards of being associated with this vital industry. Your customers will be pilots, air traffic controllers, and other aviation professionals, all of whom must be physically qualified to perform in the aviation environment. Mostly, you will perform routine physical examinations. As an aviation medical examiner, your skills contribute to the public's need for a safe, efficient air transportation system.
