Class 1 (this is what happens)

[AndyMax]

Having done my Class 1 medical a few days ago I thought I would put up a synopsis of the day just so people who have not done it yet can get a "heads up" on what happens. I know this is alot of reading but stick with it and you will go into the medical without any surprises.

I arrived at the Mater Private at 07.45. Began filling application forms with basic stuff like name, address, your current medical, pilot licence number, total hours, and various ordinary health questions. That took about 15 minutes. Nothing difficult at all. Bring photographic ID so they can photocopy it.

After all the forms were filled in I went and got a blood and urine test. Now, because you have been fasting the day before they do the blood work first so you can go and have breaky.
So, after breakfast it was the eye test. This is fairly vigorous and involves a number of differnt tests. The first eye test was reading the letters on the chart from across the room one eye at a time. You start from the top and keep reading down untill you cant read anymore. The second eye test was the same but this time the doctor moved an object across your field of vision (like a pendulum) to block your view. The third eye test was the colour blind test. The doctor opens a book and on each page there is all sorts of different colours. Mixed in with the colours is a number. If your colour blind you cant see the number. So you either get it right or wrong. The forth eye test was to read a paragraph from a book. The doctor places the book about 18 inches from your face and you have to read paragraphs with the words getting smaller and smaller.
The fifth eye test is where you have to put on 3D glasses. The doctor then shows you symbols that appear 3D up off the page. You have to point out the 3D image with each image getting smaller and progreessively harder to spot. The sixth eye test is again a close up reading of a paragraph. This time the words are placed about 5cm from your eyes. You just have to read them as best you can. The seventh eye test is where you place your head into a "contraption" and the doctor shines a light into your eyes to look right into them. This is to check for cataracts or retinal damage/laser correction. The eighth eye test is for Glaucoma. The doctor puts drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils and asks you to wait outside for about 15 minutes before calling you back in. You cannot see clearly then for the rest of the day. Everything is blurred. It takes a few hours for it to wear off. Head is placed back in the "contraption" again and doctor looks into your eyes again. The nineth eye test was to follow a moving object around the room with your eyes. Soom people can have a bad reaction to the drops. In my case I had bad pain behind my eyes until the following day. Also, my vision was still blury until the next day. It was fun driving home!

Right thats the eye tests out of the way!. Next was a chest x-ray.
Nothing much to say about this really except you stand there and get your picture taken.

Next was the ECG (Echo CardioGram). This is just a heart monitor thats gives a print out of your hearts activity. My heart was racing as I was nervous so my print out was abit erratic. The doctor saw the funny side to it.

Next up was the hearing test. You are put in a sound proof room and you put head-phones on. Each time you hear a beep you press the button. This test can be hard because when you are in the booth all you can hear is your own heart beat which can put you off hearing the beeps. What made it worse for me was my phone rang during the test! The doctor said I still passed though.

Next up was a general check up with a doctor. This involves stripping (underwear left on) and getting a full visual check over for scares and tatoos etc etc. Height and weight measured. Then a blood pressure test. Then the doctors gets you to ly down and he presses your abdomain to check for hernias or anything unusual. The doctor is suppossed to check your testicles by hand but he just asked me was everything fine down there. Thats pretty much all thats involved with the phsyical check up

Next up was the Spirometry test. This tests the elastisity of your lungs. If your a smoker you will find this difficult. It involves taking a big deep breath and blowing as hard and as fast as you can into a tube. You have to keep blowing untill the doctor says stop. I had to blow for about 6 to 8 seconds which is not easy because you think you have emptied your lungs and the doc is telling you to keep blowing! I did this 4 times.

Thats the Class 1 medical. I was finished around 11.30 which was quick. I have heard of the medical taking most of the day. It just depends on if the doctors are busy.
I left the place 574EURO worse off LOL LOL

thanks.[/u][/i]

[angelshigh]

Good post,

Except fo the X-Ray, that is the medical I do anually in my Job and its free - Company pays for it.

Must be a good medical so, and therfore I must be ok !!

[ei6265]

Thanks Andymax,

Very helpful post Now I can dread about the tests knowing what theyll do! aghhh!

[Alan Murphy]

Do they no longer carry out the EEG on the initial test?

Also, some of the doctors there DO carry out the old cough test on the testicles.

[Maverick]

Great post Andy, certainly helps put the mind at ease.

[Wanderlei]

Great post, have my test on the 19th - cant wait to get it over with.

[Maverick]

by the looks of it, every1 seems to s*** a brick going into this medical (me included) nd after reading andy's account there probably isnt a huge amount to worry about. Is it all hype nd myths of horror stories? maybe if we all relaxed a bit our ECG wudnt look so hilarious!

[aviateire]

Its great to see a generic account of the day thats init to give candidates an idea of what to expect. I had my class1 med last month and for a long time I was anxious about it, not really receiving detailed information and unaware of what to expect, putting it off for as long as possible which certainly manifested into a 'white coat phobia/hypertension' on the day and there was no need for, its all very quick and painless! Most of my time was spent waiting i.e on x-rays (which when seen, took seconds) and other appointments mentioned above. The free time can be useful...was speaking to a few commercial pilots while waiting! The clinic staff are very professional and well experienced in dealing with apprehensive clients I'd say! It was defo not as bad as I thought it was going to be

[AndyMax]

which certainly manifested into a 'white coat phobia/hypertension' on the day

thats what I get every time I see one of those bloody ECG machines! LOL LOL

The free time can be useful...was speaking to a few commercial pilots while waiting!

True, I got talking to an Aer Lingus 320 Captain.