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The Doctor is in! Ask a Flight Surgeon!

FlightMD

Registered User
Flight Surgeon Question

First off great website. I have searched this site and I have found a multitude of answers to my questions about being/becoming a flight surgeon. They only thing I have not been able to find is specific information on billets. Is there a link to a website or a phone number of someone I can talk to about billets? I just want to get an idea of what kind of options are available.

Some back ground information. Former major airline pilot with about 6500 tt mostly turbine/jet. Currently in medical school and considering taking a Navy HPSP scholarship. I would like to practice medicine and fly occasionally (actually as much as I can). Already flown the big stuff would prefer something tactical...but I have to balance family considerations also.

Thanks in advance.
 

Rasczak

Marine
Alright. Here's my predicament. I've been trying to get approved to go to MEPS. Just getting up there has been a huge amount of work. I'm one of those people with a plethora of medical problems in my past. Most of which were weight related. Now the thing is, the Dr. at MEPS has requested that I submit all my medical documentation to him. But sending him all the stuff from the past as it is will surely disqualify me. I'm looking at what kinds of tests and such I should have done right now to submit to him. At the moment, my OSA and I have decided that it would be best for me to go take a full physical with my current physician and have him do bloodwork and everything on me. I'm also tempted to go get a metacoline test to submit along with the paper work as well as a psychological evaluation (sp?)

My question to Feddoc or anyone else that might be able to answer, is there anything else that you would recommend for me to do to show this DR at MEPS that I am good to go?

Medical History:
Asthma, depression, insulin resistance.
I have not had any sypmtoms of asthma since i was maybe 10-11 but I always had an inhaler until I was about 17. Not by my choice but at the request of my mother.
For the depression I was on effexor and zoloft.
Insulin resistance = metformin and glucofage and well as altace(i think thats what it was)
I'm assuming it was all weight related though because at that time I weight damned near close to 300lbs. Since losing all the weight (now at 190) I've not had any problems, but just to prove it I am going to get bloodwork done. I don't know if anyone on here is a doc, but any input would be greatly appreciated. I just need to get to MEPS.
Would you guess my luck too, the Dr. that decided to review my info at MEPS was the head Dr. there. I was asking for a second opinion when they told me that .:icon_rage
 
You have the right idea about what to do. Go get an updated everything (physical, psych. eval, etc.) to send in along with all of your old stuff. You are required to send in all your medical documents, but you can do whatever you need to in order to make them more pleasing to the eye.
 

ArkhamAsylum

500+ Posts
pilot
If you've ever had to deal with depression, you should seriously consider that the military might not be for you.
 

BigRed389

Registered User
None
I'd be pretty F-ing depressed if I weighed in at 300lbs.

But I'd also be pretty damn proud if I turned that around to come in at 190.
 

feddoc

Really old guy
Contributor
teufelhunden83 "You have the right idea about what to do. Go get an updated everything (physical, psych. eval, etc.) to send in along with all of your old stuff. You are required to send in all your medical documents, but you can do whatever you need to in order to make them more pleasing to the eye. "


Yea, what he said. That is exactly what I would do If I had your conditions. Nice gouge he gave you. I would also ask the doc to mention, assuming this is correct, that the conditions for which you took the anti-depressants are no longer an issue. It may take a psychiatric exam; perhaps your family doctor will know more.

Go to section 14.8 here: http://www.nomi.med.navy.mil/NAMI/WaiverGuideTopics/pdfs/Waiver Guide - Psychiatry.pdf

and read for yourself. Make note of the ICD-9 codes. IF you were not diagnosed with major depression (the applicable codes will show up in your medical record OR if the words 'major depression' were not written in your record, my gut tells me that you will be ok.

Good luck to you.
 

ArkhamAsylum

500+ Posts
pilot
@ the haters: go hang around Fleet & Family Services. Countless youngsters who discovered the hard way that the military wasn't for them. Truly heartbreaking.
 

fc2spyguy

loving my warm and comfy 214 blanket
pilot
Contributor
@ the haters: go hang around Fleet & Family Services. Countless youngsters who discovered the hard way that the military wasn't for them. Truly heartbreaking.

Or you could look at the countless people in squadrons, and ships around the fleet, and see all the people that turned around. Really, get a clue before you start giving out advice like that.
 
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