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BasicMed question

erich weaver

Well Known Member
It?s been two years since my last medical so I need to renew and I want to go the BasicMed route and use my regular doc. Ive reviewed the AOPA guidance but am unclear on one thing. Since I got an FAA medical certificate two years go through an AME, can I simply do the online medical education course and be good for another two years, or do I have to go to my regular doc for an evaluation? The AOPA guidance seems to indicate the doc visit is only required every four years, but step 2 in their suggested 5 step process says to go to the doc for an evaluation.

Thanks

Erich
 
See the doc

As I understand it, basic med starts with the basic med signoff from a licensed physician, not the date of (or the paperwork from) the now 2 year old Third Class physical.
The 2 year "refresher" comes 2 years into your 4 year basic med period.
 
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I have the basic med now. I had the exact same question. It was explained to me the same as Mikes answer above. It does not extend/convert your AME 3rd class another two years. The basic med 4 year period starts with the basic med sign off from your MD. Just have to remember to take the required online refresher course in two years.
 
You need a sign off from your doc AND the on-line course now. Then repeat the on-line course in two years; repeat both four years from now.
 
Do you take the online course before or after the doc sign off?

I think the intent is to take it after, but I can tell you from experience that you can take it before, but you can't print your certificate until after your exam because you need your Doc's state medical license number to complete the process. The system will save your test results and you and complete the application once you have the Doc's info. Also it won't let you put in an exam date that's in the future -- it has to be the current date or in the past, hence my belief the intent is after the exam.
 
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Do you take the online course before or after the doc sign off?

Before.

As I recall, the form for the MD to sign is only printed after you successfully do the online course.

There is an instruction/education packet you can print off that is directed at the MD, about 3 pages or so that answers questions about the program from the MD's point of view--------you might want to print it and take it along. https://www.aopa.org/advocacy/pilots/medical/fit-to-fly-physician-guide
 
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Before.

As I recall, the form for the MD to sign is only printed after you successfully do the online course.

There is an instruction/education packet you can print off that is directed at the MD, about 7 pages or so that answers questions about the program from the MD's point of view--------you might want to print it and take it along.

That is incorrect. The exam checklist is separate and available for download any time--IOW you don't need to take the course to get the forms. There is no benefit to taking the course before the exam since you can't complete the BasicMed process until you have taken the exam and have your Doc's medical license info. I just did mine 2 weeks ago.
 
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dont take online course first

I did the online course first and then at the very end it asks for your doctor info, Docs license number etc, and date of exam. Because I hadn't done the exam yet I was blocked from completing this portion. Reaccomplished the online stuff after the exam and everything worked as advertised
 
OOPS------Todd, you are right-----my bad.

I did mine last summer, and forgot the correct order.

Hardest part of the whole ball of mud was convincing the doc he could do it.
 
Hardest part of the whole ball of mud was convincing the doc he could do it.

Me too! I even dropped off the checklist and AOPA's Physician's Guide a week earlier so she could it read over. Well she didn't so I had to spend a good portion of the exam (which went really quick nevertheless) explaining the program to her. The Clinic Commander (I'm a USAF retiree so get seen at a Military Clinic) had already approved the Clinic Docs doing BasicMed, but I still had to explain everything. But as she was my regular doc, the exam was no cost to me so it was worth it. That and as I'm now on CPAP I didn't have to bother with an SI.
 
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