Can your VA doctor do your DOT physical?

Some drivers acquired the sleep apnea equipment through the VA.

 

Easiest place I’ve found to get it done is the clinic at CVS pharmacy.

go online and make an appointment and if they offer it , it will be an option in the drop down menu for the reason you’re making the appointment.

I schedule mine first thing in the morning and get up and don’t drink any water or anything .
And don’t totally empty your bladder for your morning pee.
Save some ammo for the sugar dipstick test .

I’ve found that drinking water just before the physical temporality raises my BP by about 10-12 points .

and just waking up and going right to the clinic appointment gets me the lowest
Blood pressure

 

Looks like they need to register, take a class, pass a test, then wait for paper work to clear.

FMCSA National Registry

 

I figured out a routine where I go see my primary care doctor and cardiologist at the VA right before and take their notes to the DOT physical. I also have a cpap through the VA and they send the compliance report over.

It would certainly be nice if I could just do the physical itself through the VA instead of jumping through these hoops, but I've just been dealing with it.

 

§ 390.123 Medical examiner certification for qualified Department of Veterans Affairs examiners.
(a) For a qualified VA examiner to receive medical examiner certification from FMCSA under §§ 390.123 through 390.135, a person must:

(1) Be an advanced practice nurse, doctor of chiropractic, doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, physician assistant, or other medical professional employed in the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(2) Be licensed, certified, or registered in a State to perform physical examinations;

(3) Register on the National Registry website and receive a National Registry number before taking the training that meets the requirements of § 390.125;

(4) Be familiar with FMCSA's standards for, and physical requirements of, a commercial motor vehicle operator requiring medical certification, by completing the training program that meets the requirements of § 390.125;

(5) Pass the medical examiner certification test provided by FMCSA, administered in accordance with § 390.127, and has had his or her test information forwarded to FMCSA; and

(6) Never have been found to have acted fraudulently with respect to any certification of a commercial motor vehicle operator, including by fraudulently awarding a medical certificate.

(b) If a person becomes a certified VA medical examiner under §§ 390.123 through 390.135, then to renew such certification the certified VA medical examiner must remain qualified under paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section and complete additional testing and training as required by § 390.131(a)(5).

 

We have a VA clinic near us. It's about three steps below Docs in a Box as far as staffing and the efficient and helpful practice of medicine.
They don't do DOT or FAA physicals and have no interest in doing anything that adds to their workload.

 

Thanks @Moose1958

 

My last physical was by a VA Physician at the VA Medical Center in Hampton Virginia. Dr Sagar, who at the time was working the homeless PACT team there. She has been retired now for a number of years. A fantastic lady who was one of the good ones. The day of my physical I had to wait for several hours for her to get finished with her medical exams of the homeless vets in the clinic. One of the nurses had already taken my BP and did my vision tests and I had already done the lab urine check. Just took a few minutes and she gave me a one-year card. I was not driving then. I used that physical to transfer my CDL from Georgia to Virginia. Then finally lost it all!