Flight Surgeons and Retinal Detachments: mutually exclusive?

[sfensphan]

I wanted to be a fighter pilot, but my eyes kept me out of the cockpit, and now I'm deciding on going to medical school. This flight surgeon thing really appeals to me. My vision is horrendous (-8.5 with slight astigmatism and -10.5 with retinal detachments previously in both eyes. I stayed up way too late reading about airplanes as a kid). From what I gather, the Flying Class II is much less strict. Would my history pretty much hose me for a FS position? From the manual, I'm not sure if it is waiverable seeing as my eyes don't meet the minimum visual acuity.
I once had a civilian 3rd class certificate but don't really know how they translate. This seemed the most and only appropriate place to ask.
If you guys bring the good news, I'll be heading to the Air National Guard office for the Early Commissioning Program for Physicians! Thanks!

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[NavyFP]

Might be able to get a waiver for flight surgery, but first you will need a waiver just to get a commission. Max correction is 8 diopters and history of retinal detachments is disqualifying.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

I wanted to be a fighter pilot, but my eyes kept me out of the cockpit, and now I'm deciding on going to medical school. This flight surgeon thing really appeals to me. My vision is horrendous (-8.5 with slight astigmatism and -10.5 with retinal detachments previously in both eyes. I stayed up way too late reading about airplanes as a kid). From what I gather, the Flying Class II is much less strict. Would my history pretty much hose me for a FS position? From the manual, I'm not sure if it is waiverable seeing as my eyes don't meet the minimum visual acuity.
I once had a civilian 3rd class certificate but don't really know how they translate. This seemed the most and only appropriate place to ask.
If you guys bring the good news, I'll be heading to the Air National Guard office for the Early Commissioning Program for Physicians! Thanks!

At a minimum, you will need to have an ophthalmologist examine you, and possibly a retinal specialist, before being granted a waiver. You remain at risk for detachments. You ought to assemble a full record of your treatments for the detachment, including operation records, office notes if laser retinopexy was done and whether any pneumatic procedures were done and whether any implant materials were placed if you had surgery. If I were screening you, that is what I would require. I might also want visual field studies done if the detachments were extensive or central.

Be prepared for a delay, and possibly for a denial.

 

[AF M4]

At a minimum, you will need to have an ophthalmologist examine you, and possibly a retinal specialist, before being granted a waiver. You remain at risk for detachments. You ought to assemble a full record of your treatments for the detachment, including operation records, office notes if laser retinopexy was done and whether any pneumatic procedures were done and whether any implant materials were placed if you had surgery. If I were screening you, that is what I would require. I might also want visual field studies done if the detachments were extensive or central.

Be prepared for a delay, and possibly for a denial.

Totally agree. You MIGHT get a waiver, but that waiver will likely also restrict you from flying in high performance aircraft (ones that pull G's) like fighters.

 

[JerryMeister]

1. Is macular degeneration (dry type, previous myope with no vision loss, correctable to 20/20 O.U. with less than 1 diopter O.U. a disqualifying medical condition for direct commission?
If so, is it possibly waivable?? Currently being treated with Ocuvite by the way. No abnormalities on Amsler Grid.

2. Where can I find a complete list of medically disqualifying conditions for direct commission as an Army officer?

3.Any knowledge on upper age limits for direct commission as a resident physician to a military residency? I'm 49 now and at one time I knew OCS had a 35 year age limit but I think direct commission may have different restrictions, if any. I have 4 years active duty Army medic time, 3 1/2 Army NG time so I don't know if prior service affects any age restrictions. If there are restrictions are they potentially waivable? There is limited "official army website info" on this, at least I can't find specific AMEDD direct commission requirements, including any age restriction regs.

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[JerryMeister]

Does ANYONE have any further advice in response to my questions posted above?

 

[FlyDoc34]

In this day and age, anything is waiverable. They're so desperate for flight surgeons right now they'd probably waiver you if you were missing any eye. Manning right now is about 60% across the board.

You'd need a waiver not only to be a flight surgeon but to be commissioned. YOu'd likely be restricted to low-G aircraft and helos, but hey, if you're willing to jump on board, I'm sure the Air Force would love to have you. Tell them I said hi.

 

[sfensphan]

Thanks for all your thoughts. I've got the MCAT in a few days, once I'm done kicking its ass, I'll be heading over to the recruiting office. 🙂

 

[ravager135]

Hate to be the party pooper here but I am assuming you want to fly regularly. I am also assuming Navy is the only serious option you are considering for that reason. That being said, I hope you'd be happy just being a doctor first and foremost. Very few physicians make flight surgery a career long goal. That being said, you can do the RAM program if you like. You will see senior flight surgeons out there but the majority of them are being recalled to FS billets (like two at my command) and others come back to it once and awhile for an easy tour. However, only doing flight surgery for the rest of your career is much like being 34 years old and in college still... It just isn't cool anymore.

Just because manning is down (not 60% in the Navy) but 60 unfilled billets, it doesn't mean NAMI is being pressured to suddely train more flight surgeons. In fact NAMI is training about the same number if not a tiny bit less. GMO billets with Marines are prioritized and previously trained flight surgeons like myself are not being retained.

I graduated from NAMI in 2010, flight surgery is not a guarantee. I saw people get rejected who were more than qualified and people get accepted who can barely make weight standards and almost failed internship. Passing NAMI is easy if you work at it but you will need to study and work hard. It is not the fun, laid back atmosphere it used to be. That has as much to do with the line caring less about training us and the NAMI staff becoming less desirable in my opinion.

Please get off this since I can't be a pilot I will be a flight doc thing. They are nothing alike. Hell you may get FS, finish NAMI, and get sent to a clinic billet where you barely fly at all. Just do things for the right reasons.

 

[DrMetal]

Does color blindness (not being able to pass the color number test, but can pass a vivid red green test) exclude you from FS ??? (it cetainly excluded from flight school years ago)

 

[Lee]

For the 6 week Army FS course you can be waivered. Don't know if that is true for the Navy or AF courses.

 

[backrow]

Does color blindness (not being able to pass the color number test, but can pass a vivid red green test) exclude you from FS ??? (it cetainly excluded from flight school years ago)

If you can pass the FALANT test then you don't even need a waiver for Navy.

FALANT is the red/green/white lights in a box test.

 

[sfensphan]

Thanks for all the replies. I've definitely given it a lot of thought, whether I'm doing it for the right reasons. I wanted to fly because it was a chance to serve the community at large as well as have a fast paced job that required a great deal of technical knowledge as well as the ability to quickly implement it, and correctly. Since I couldn't do that, I tried finding the closest analogy, one of the reasons why I'm considering emergency medicine. For clarification, the whole FS thing was going to be done through the Air National Guard. I have a friend who went through the same program, so know it's a possibility, though he has better eyes than I do. It'd be interesting to hear more of how the typical FS spends his time, both active and ANG guys.

Just trying to have my cake and eat it too.

 

[Galo]

The love of flying is what drove me to the air force.

I finally got my pilot's license, and although its not a high performance jet with the intent to kill another, I am the one flying, and its awesome.

Don't give up that dream, but don't think that joining the military is the only way to do it.

Best of luck.

 

[sfensphan]

Well, after some searching, I found this guideline: http://www.asams.org/guidelines/Completed/NEW Retinal Detachment.htm

For those with other afflictions and asking about waivers, this appears to be a good place to go. Good luck to everyone else!