Chances of Becoming Aviation Medical Examiner

[IMdocT]

hello, not sure if this is the right place to ask, but i couldn't find much about the topic in the search. i had a few questions about the job, if anyone has some experience with this. i have completed an internship in internal medicine and all the Step exams. i'm in the process of obtaining my license. i resigned from my residency because of personal reasons, but am trying to find a route to somehow salvage all the time that was invested. i heard about the AME job and read about the requirements. however, the FAA website was not clear about whether board certification was necessary. it also seemed as if only current practitioners with their own offices up and running could apply for the position. so my questions are:

1) can someone with an IM internship and a valid state medical license apply for the AME position

2) can someone without an active practice apply, i think i have sufficient capital to set up a single person office with no or 1 assistant relatively quickly

3) i read that the positions are limited and only open up when someone leaves, so how often do positions open up and how competitive are they

my goal if i were to be designated with a position would be to focus solely on examinations. i probably wouldn't make a lot of money ($100-130 an exam i heard, and very limited patient panel), but i don't mind as long as i can make ends meet and continue paying off my loans. i'm not sure if being an AME is a full-time or part-time job, perhaps depending on location and time of year. i also know that doing this wouldn't be very intellectually stimulating or exciting, but at least i could put what i've learned to use and perform a sort of service to a community. is this goal attainable?

i think the best place to ask would be to contact a regional flight surgeon on the FAA site, but i'm just trying to find some opinions first

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[J-Rad]

Have you looked into completing an occupational medicine residency with a focus on aerospace medicine?

 

[IMdocT]

i've been looking up info on that too. i see there are only 5 programs that are listed as aerospace medicine, but i haven't searched through the occupational medicine side yet. the aerospace side has 1 fellowship program, 2 military, and 2 civilian programs. i'm thinking if i want to do it kind of full time/gun ho maybe i'll do the navy program because i heard they lose them all the time after the 2 year committment. but if i'm thinking of doing things kind of like a supplemental work/income, and be extremely mobile and flexible, then maybe i'd just focus on AME

 

[J-Rad]

If you completed your internship, are eligible for licensure, and left your residency in good standing, you might be able to come into the military as a flight surgeon. The AF and the Navy are quite desperate for them. If you are able to do this, and you so desire, you can likely do the RAM (Residency in Aerospace Medicine. Both AF and Navy have their own) later. I am not endorsing this as the ideal gig-there are a few FS-type folk here who would be able to weigh in with their (low) opinion of being an FS; but (not to put words into their more experienced and wiser mouths), IIRC they all wanted to to some other residency and were forced into their FS pathway for one reason or another (usually just bad like/timing). Someone who wants to be an FS may have a different thought process, but I still think it wise to seek the words/opinions of those experienced in the field.

 

[Cooperd0g]

I have been a pilot for about 14 years. Civilian AMEs typically do it in concert with a FM practice. The most I have ever paid was $50 for a first class medical. Sometimes it is hard to find a place that will do a first class because the FAA requires you to have an EKG machine, even though only pilots over 40 (I think) require the EKG. So you can either give first classes or not. It isn't like you can say "well, I don't have an EKG so I'll only do first class for people under 40 and then no more than second class for people 40 over." They won't go for it. Maybe you could set up as a concierge AME. Basically you need to be able to do a physical, take a urine sample and the EKG. That seems like it from my experience receiving them.

But you better live in a big city that has at least one major airline as a hub and do some good advertising or they won't find you over going to any other doc. And have a rep for not giving the finger.

 

[jwk]

I'd be shocked if you could make a reasonable living doing just AME's. Even at $100 a pop, that's at least a couple thousand exams each year to enable you to cover overhead and pay yourself a pretty meager salary.

 

[Huey133]

Are PA’s allowed to do flight physical exams if we take the AME course?

I am a pilot of 13 years, currently a full time helicopter long line pilot flying Huey’s and live in a small town. I am planning on applying to PA school and would LOVE to do flight physicals as well on side!

Anyone know if that’s possible?

 

[Cooperd0g]

Are PA’s allowed to do flight physical exams if we take the AME course?

I am a pilot of 13 years, currently a full time helicopter long line pilot flying Huey’s and live in a small town. I am planning on applying to PA school and would LOVE to do flight physicals as well on side!

Anyone know if that’s possible?

No, it is not possible as a civilian PA.

 

[DeadCactus]

The civilian AME system is based on supply and demand. If there are a bunch of people already offering the service in your area, the FAA isn't going to approve another person. If there is a demand in your area, they are going to want to see upfront that you are in a position to provide quality flight physicals. You have to have an appropriate office with the necessary equipment before you can even apply. As others have hinted at, it's unlikely you can sustain a practice based only on being an AME. The only way you would conceivably have the volume is to carve out a practice taking care of all professional pilots near a hub and you can't even do their physicals as a new AME. The reality of the AME system is that beyond a few who have become professional aeromedical physicians, most of the AME work is done by pilot physicians as a minor part of their practice as a way to contribute to a community they enjoy in exchange for a fee a small fee that makes it marginally worth the hassle. It's really not a career plan without diving down the Occupational/Preventative/Aerospace Medicine residency and career pipeline.

 

[Huey133]

The civilian AME system is based on supply and demand. If there are a bunch of people already offering the service in your area, the FAA isn't going to approve another person. If there is a demand in your area, they are going to want to see upfront that you are in a position to provide quality flight physicals. You have to have an appropriate office with the necessary equipment before you can even apply. As others have hinted at, it's unlikely you can sustain a practice based only on being an AME. The only way you would conceivably have the volume is to carve out a practice taking care of all professional pilots near a hub and you can't even do their physicals as a new AME. The reality of the AME system is that beyond a few who have become professional aeromedical physicians, most of the AME work is done by pilot physicians as a minor part of their practice as a way to contribute to a community they enjoy in exchange for a fee a small fee that makes it marginally worth the hassle. It's really not a career plan without diving down the Occupational/Preventative/Aerospace Medicine residency and career pipeline.

Agreed! Wouldn’t do this as a full time thing, just a once a week (a day of the week I am off from my full time PA job) and because yes there is a huge demand. There are two MD’s here that do it and both are retiring in the next few years (the one I use is 88 I think).

I am curious if it is even allowed (irregardless of having office space etc) that a PA can perform flight physicals.
In speaking to an MD here locally, she said PA’s are allowed to do anything the Physician allows them to aside from a few major things such as surgery or hospital rounds. So wondering if I could work under an AME to learn the ropes and he would allow me to do that under his license? Etc?

I will call my medical examiner tomorrow and ask him as well but was hoping to get some more information before I called him.

 

[Huey133]

No, it is not possible as a civilian PA.

Thanks for the info. Even if you work under a physician who allows you to do that? (See post above)
Or does the FAA require that the person giving the physical be an MD?

 

[Cooperd0g]

Thanks for the info. Even if you work under a physician who allows you to do that? (See post above)
Or does the FAA require that the person giving the physical be an MD?

I don’t know, but if you contact the FAA regional office they might know.

Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) Seminar Schedule

 

[Huey133]

For any interested, I contacted the FAA as well as my local AME. At this time, in order to be an AME, you must have either an MD or DO. However they said PA’s being able to do it will be something that coming in the near future.

 

[Equality]

I am a US-based AME (MD). You may post questions in this thread of DM me with questions.

No, PAs are not allowed to do FAA medical exams on their own. This is true as of 11/2021 when I had the most recent training.