We use necessary cookies to make our website work. We'd also like to use optional cookies to understand how you use it, and to help us improve it.

For more information, please read our cookie policy.



What to expect at your examination

A medical examination at an AeMC may take up to 4 hours. This page provides detailed information about the areas the examination will cover.

Medical history

Application for Medical Certificate

These are a series of questions about medical history and any previous illness. You will be asked about them by your AME, and if there is any major illness in your past, it is important to bring reports about it from your family doctor or treating specialist. Appendicitis or a broken arm are not regarded as major illnesses.

Further details of the regulatory requirements can be found on our Medical Examination Standards page.

You may find it helpful to print off the requirements and discuss them with your GP or Specialist.

Guidance on the information your AME will require in medical reports, together with flow charts on the assessment process for a number of medical conditions can be found on our Documents for Download page.

Close Medical history

Colour vision

You will need to pass an Ishihara test for the initial issue of a medical certificate. More information can be found in our Guidance on Colour Vision page.

Close Colour vision

Eyesight

  • Eye examination

Eyesight requirements are listed in the Class 1 Visual Standards guidance material. If you wear glasses or contact lenses it is important to take your last optician's report along to the examination. An applicant may be assessed as fit with hypermetropia not exceeding +5.0 dioptres, myopia not exceeding -6.0 dioptres, astigmatism not exceeding 2.0 dioptres, and anisometropia not exceeding 2.0 dioptres, provided that optimal correction has been considered and no significant pathology is demonstrated. Monocular visual acuities should be 6/6 or better.

Close Eyesight

Physical Examination

A general check that all is functioning correctly. It will cover lungs, heart, blood pressure, stomach, limbs and nervous system.

Close Physical Examination

Hearing

  • ENT

A pure tone audiometry test will evaluate your hearing. Applicants may not have a hearing loss of more than 35dB at any of the frequencies 500Hz, 1000Hz or 2000Hz, or more than 50dB at 3000Hz, in either ear separately.

Close Hearing

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

This measures the electrical impulses passing through your heart. It can show disorders of the heart rhythm or of the conduction of the impulses, and sometimes it can show a lack of blood supplying the heart muscle. Changes on an ECG require further investigation. A report from a cardiologist and further tests (for example an exercise ECG) may need to be done.

Close Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Lung function test (spirometry)

This tests your ability to expel air rapidly from your lungs. Abnormal lung function or respiratory problems, e.g. asthma will require reports by a specialist in respiratory disease (UK CAA Asthma guidance and Guidance for Respiratory Reports).

Close Lung function test (spirometry)

Haemoglobin blood test

This is a finger prick blood test which measures the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. A low haemoglobin is called anaemia and will need further investigation.

Close Haemoglobin blood test

Lipids/Cholesterol

A finger prick blood test which is used in part to determine your risk of future heart and blood vessel disease.

Close Lipids/Cholesterol

Urine test

You will be asked to provide a sample of urine, so remember to attend for examination with a full bladder. This tests for sugar (diabetes), protein or blood in the urine.

Close Urine test

New medical records system now available

Please see the guidance on the new medical records system (Cellma).