Physical Examination
During the course of the examination, Dr. Young will have you perform the distance acuity test with the Snelling eye chart and then check your peripheral vision. He will check that you are able to distinguish between the colors of normal traffic lights and then check that you are able to hear a whispered statement or words from a minimum of five feet with at least one ear with or without the use of a hearing aid. (Be sure to wear your hearing aids and/or bring your glasses or contacts with you to the test if these are worn while driving. Dr. Young will then go over any issues you stated YES to on your Medical History while checking your abdomen for any issues involving hernias , your aorta and any vasular issues, as well as checking for liver and/spleen enlargement. From there, he will check your lungs and your heart using a stethascope, as well as checking your carotid artery pulse. Then, he'll take a look in your ears, to take a peek at your eardrum/tympanic membranes. After this he will check your reflexes, basic strength and general range of motion. He will check your blood pressure and pulse rate/rythm. Twice if necessary, if your pressure is a bit high the first time. Lastly, Dr. Young will need to collect a urine specimen to check for Blood, Glucose or Protein in your Urine as well as it's Specific Gravity. Your examination may not necessarily move in this order, depending on your paticular history and discussions with Dr. Young
Barring any significant issues that need to be discussed, the examination itself normally takes no longer than 15-20 minutes, not including time taken to fill out your history and discussions with Dr. Young about pertinant issues.
What to expect at your DOT Medical/Physical Exam
We provide all forms needed for your Omaha DOT/CDL Medical Exam, and will give you your medical before you leave assuming there is no medical history that requires your doctors medical clearance.
Preparing For Your DOT/CDL Physical
1. Try to get a good nights rest before the exam.
2. Keep salt intake to a minimum for the 24-48 hours prior.
3. Stay away from fast foods if possible due to the Sodium.
4. Drink plenty of water for the 24 hours prior to the exam.
5. Stay way from soda/pop for 24 hours prior to the physical.
6. The morning of your exam, follow the same rules above but also keep your caffeine intake to a minimum.
7. Be sure to bring your hearing aids and/or contacts/glasses with you to the exam if you wear these devices while driving.
8. Bring records of any pertinant medical condition and/or your medication list with you to the exam.
9. RELAX and try not to be stressed out.
10. Our desire is to see you qualify and walk out the door with your certification intact, but we also must make sure you are Fit For Duty to Drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle, to assure the safety of the public who shares the roads and highways with you!
Dr. Mark Young DC, CME
$75.00 DOT/CDL Physical Exams
402-957-5242
Vision:
You must have at least 20/40 acuity in each eye with or without correction (eyeglasses or contacts) and at least 70 degrees of peripheral vision on the horizontal meridian in each eye.
You must also be able to recognize and distinguish standard traffic signal colors: red, green, and amber.
Hearing:
You must perceive a forced whisper voice at 5 feet or more with or without hearing aid. Otherwise, you must undergo a formal hearing test with an audiometer and pass.
Blood Pressure:
Your blood pressure must be less than or equal to 140/90 to be qualified as a driver. If your blood pressure is more than 140/90 but less than 180/110, you may qualify for a shorter interval Medical Examination Certificate. This depends on several things, including if this is an initial or re-certification and also on the discretion of the HealthCARE Express medical examiner.
Urine Specimen Collection
We will collect a Urine Specimen from you to check for Blood, Glucose and/or excessive protein in your Urine as well as its Specific Gravity which is a measure of the particulate matter or lack of that can indicate more serious issues.
Medical Conditions That Can Disqualify a Driver
1. History of epilepsy (seizure disorder).
2. Diabetes requiring the use of insulin (unless you have an exemption issued by the Federal government).
3. Failing to meet the minimum vision and hearing standards listed above.
If you don’t meet the vision standards or you are using insulin for your diabetes, it is possible to apply for an exemption by going to the Federal Diabetes and Vision Exemption Program on the FMCSA website.
4. The use of some medications:
-Methadone use automatically disqualifies you.
-Use of a narcotic, amphetamine, or other habit forming drug without a prescription from a treating physician automatically disqualifies you.
5. Loss or impairment of an arm or limb that interferes with commercial driving or tasks related to driving, unless accompanied by a FMCSA Skills Performance Certificate (SPE), meaning you must prove the ability to drive and handle the normal demands of being a commercial driver
wit the use of a prosthetic etc.
6. A history of current alcoholism disqualifies you.