Question on Conflicting Medical Certifications

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by EzekelRAGE, Oct 24, 2016.

  1. EzekelRAGE

    EzekelRAGE Bobtail Member

    24
    15
    Oct 10, 2016
    The Wall
    0
    I am fat/obese. Not so fat that I should be on one of those reality shows but fat as to where you go "hope he played football in high school".

    Now that's out of the way.

    School 1/Facility 1. Went to one facility (chosen by the school, 30 mins out of town from my home) by way of one trucking school to have dot phys/urine sample done. Regular nurse does eyesight test. APN checked my bp,weight, breathing, ears, mouth. That's all. Says she can only certify me for a month and I must do a sleep study. School says that is no good and get back to them when the situation is handled. I say ok. That's that then.

    Around two weeks later I get a call from another school. Do research and they seem to be ok. They tell me to take test for permit. I fail the first section on the first day, pass all including endorsements the following day. The second day's test location is in the same city as the facility the phys was done in. I figure I will call back the facility and see if i can talk to the nurse or something. I honestly dont know what I hoped to accomplish. The woman who answers the phone says the nurse is no longer there. But says the file she has says she wanted to periodically check up on me because of risk of diabetes etc. I'm like, I have a regular doc for things like that, I just needed you guys for the phys. She says I need to still do the sleep study and come back when it's done.

    School 2/Facility 2. After results from my permit, they set me up with lab to schedule a place to have dot phys/urine/hair done. It's an hour out of town. Go into the facility, spend about 5 - 10 minutes filling out the same form I filled out for School 1's phys place, putting the same thing. Nurses take my BP/test eyesight/urine/hair. I see the physician, he checks my breathing. Asks me do I have any problems with bp, diabetes or anything (Facility 1 Nurse didn't even bother to ask me those basic questions). I say no. He has me squat, tests my arm rotation, neck turning, pushing against his hands to test my arm strength. All good. He clears me for two years.

    Boom, medically cleared. No less than two year certification, no sleep study needed.

    I call school 1 and mention I have a new cert. They wonder why I only got 1 month with their facility. I told them I think the nurse was inexperienced and she isn't even with the facility anymore. The recruiter speaks with her manager and says that they probably can't do anything since the facility they sent me to required a sleep study. The recruiter still asks me to send in copies of facility 2's forms anyway to be reviewed on the slight chance that they can use them.

    My questions:
    1. Was facility 1 just that inexperienced for dot phys? Going from 1 month cert to 2 year at another clinic seems crazy.

    2. Should I send in the facility 2 results to school 1? I don't want them to try and mess up my stuff and say I need to have sleep study, trying to get facility 2's result discredited. Assuming they can.

    3. Getting a second dot phys done by a more experienced/qualified person shouldn't cause any problems should it? It should be the same as getting a second opinion from a doctor in regards to other health matters. I took the results to revenue office and they just updated the medical info.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Ke6gwf

    Ke6gwf Medium Load Member

    412
    406
    Oct 1, 2016
    Napa Valley /Yreka CA
    0
    It sounds like the first place was taking a CYA get a sleep study done because you are overweight approach (thus putting the final clearance on someone else's license), and the second place didn't find any cause or symptoms to indicate any problems.

    Since the second school was the one who picked the second doctor, you can't be accused of "shopping" for a more lenient doctor, however I do not know how the National Registry will view it.

    I would probably contact your DMV, or I guess maybe the National Registry?, tell them how you applied to 2 different schools, and their designated doctors didn't agree, and the one who restricted you no longer even works there, and see if they go off the last one, will require you to comply with the first one, or throw you in jail and throw the key away...

    Not handling this the right way could lead to serious consequences, so going to the source is probably best.
     
    EzekelRAGE Thanks this.
  4. Ke6gwf

    Ke6gwf Medium Load Member

    412
    406
    Oct 1, 2016
    Napa Valley /Yreka CA
    0
    Oh, and do remember that some trucking companies do require a sleep study if you are over a certain weight, so maybe just get it out of the way now, and be set up for whoever you go with, with no problems
     
    EzekelRAGE Thanks this.
  5. HotH2o

    HotH2o Road Train Member

    4,094
    4,863
    Sep 23, 2012
    Bunyan Springs, Colorado
    0
    Your new med card trumps the old card. Forget about the company that is dicking you around. Plenty of others to choose from.
     
    Chinatown and EzekelRAGE Thank this.
  6. Ke6gwf

    Ke6gwf Medium Load Member

    412
    406
    Oct 1, 2016
    Napa Valley /Yreka CA
    0
    "What about “shopping” for a DOT doctor who will be “lenient” on the qualifiers for DOT medical certification?

    Some drivers used to do “shopping around”. Starting 2016, the FMCSA reporting system with the National Registry will have the capability to flag multiple exams, identify missing or false information reported by the driver in the Driver Health History section of the MER Form, MCSA-5875, and make a determination to void the driver’s MEC, Form MCSA-5876, if appropriate.

    It isn’t an issue of lenience. It’s an issue of whether you, as a driver, are safe and medically fit to operate a commercial motor vehicle. It’s about safety for you and the public at large. Do what you need to do to be medically fit to pass the DOT examination and don’t worry about finding a lenient DOT doctor.

    Second opinion: A driver always has the option of getting a second opinion. If the qualification restrictions or disqualification seems unreasonable, and you feel you are truly fit enough to safely drive a CMV, you should find a different clinic to get a second opinion. The new examination decision supersedes the previous examination.

    Certified medical examiners are now required to understand the role of a commercial driver. The doctor who understands the lifestyle and job challenges of a driver, should really want to help you alleviate conditions that could potentially threaten not only your livelihood, but also your life, and possibly the lives of others if a catastrophic event could occur. So if you need a second opinion, look for a medical examiner who considers the big picture of fit for duty rather than one who does a checklist exam.'

    That is from an industry website, not official FMCSA or anything, but it looks like you should be good to go on the second one.

    Did you answer any questions differently on the second one? Anything that may look suspicious when they compare the 2?
    If not, and the second doctor was more thorough anyway, I wouldn't worry about it.

    Oh, and I also saw there that for the FMCSA, the sleep study is only required if there are symptoms that indicate OSA, not just based on BMI and neck diameter.
    Now, company policy can require it for BMI, but that is separate than for FMCSA.

    So if you have no OSA symptoms, you should not need the sleep study, unless your employer requires it.
     
    Chinatown Thanks this.
  7. Mark Kling

    Mark Kling Technology Contributor

    10,935
    4,212
    Sep 23, 2007
    Statesville, NC
    0
    Ke6gwf Thanks this.
  8. EzekelRAGE

    EzekelRAGE Bobtail Member

    24
    15
    Oct 10, 2016
    The Wall
    0
    Answered them all the same. I checked back on the first results to be sure.
    OSA - That's the thing, she only did the breathign ck, ear, mouth, BP. That's it. I guess she said "Fat guy so let's do a sleep study" or as was posted earlier, she wanted to have someone else clear me.

    Old one expired in like 2 wks neway, so at the very least the new one should be ok then.

    The DMV had no problem taking the new medical certificate.
     
    Chinatown and Ke6gwf Thank this.
  9. Moose1958

    Moose1958 Road Train Member

    14,711
    31,267
    Dec 17, 2010
    Williesburg, Virignia
    0
    I might be wrong on this. I will check. I think the doctor shopping thing when it kicks in the last examiner is actually prevented from putting the last physical in. OP you should be good to go.
     
  10. Moose1958

    Moose1958 Road Train Member

    14,711
    31,267
    Dec 17, 2010
    Williesburg, Virignia
    0
    I really wish the admins would pin something about this topic. I am tired and physically weak. I would love to launch into the incestuous relationship between some carriers/schools/walk in medical clinics/sleep labs and CPAP machine makers, but I won't!
     
  11. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

    7,740
    14,412
    May 7, 2011
    0
    As long as your medical history stayed the same from doctor to doctor, there is nothing wrong with getting a second, third, or however many other opinions you want to pay for. Where you get in trouble is when you start omitting details from your medical history in order to appear healthy even if you know you are not. For example, if asked "Do you snore?" and "Do you feel tired during the day?" by doctor 1 and you answered in the affirmative, causing them to ask for a sleep study...and then you go to doctor 2 and respond "never snored a night in my life" and "I wake up every morning refreshed and don't get the least bit tired until the end of the day"...then, the feds will dig deeper.

    As long as you are consistent with how you fill out the forms and answer questions, you can go to as many different doctors as you like.
     
    Ke6gwf Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.