Mayo Clinic Clear Approach Mayo Clinic Aerospace Medicine

The Aerospace Medical Association (ASMA) is the largest gathering of aviation and aerospace experts in the country with its recent annual meeting concluding in Chicago this week.  We discuss some of the highlights and then review recent FAA updates regarding use of certain medications for weight loss.

Asthma is a common condition in the general population and is often worse during allergy seasons in the spring and fall. Is being diagnosed with asthma a significant barrier to obtaining a medical certificate?  We discuss stages of asthma severity and how FAA medical certification may be affected.

Atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent treated heart arrhythmia. We meet with a cardiology expert to discuss assessment, treatment, and new trends in taking care of the condition -- and then review your pathway to aeromedical certification.

The thyroid is often considered the "black box" gland -- not only to patients and pilots, but also to their providers.  In this episode, an expert in thyroid disease helps navigate common thyroid conditions, and we discuss the resulting aeromedical implications.  Can a pilot still get a medical with thyroid problems, and, if so, what limitations will there be on the certificate?

On this episode we review current events --  from three new antidepressant medications announced by the FAA as allowable for aeromedical certification to a recent report released by the Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) regarding advances in mental health disclosure and certification.

Diabetes is a condition that not only can affect your health, but also your FAA aeromedical certification.  On this episode we interview an expert in diabetes who is also a pilot to learn more about detection, treatment, and ultimately, how to preserve your medical certificate.