AME Professional Standards & Competencies 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An airman discloses a psychiatric hospitalization that occurred 15 years ago. How should the AME proceed?
- Ignore it since it occurred more than 10 years ago
- Obtain complete records and evaluate current status before making a certification decision (Correct answer)
- Automatically defer the application
- Issue a third-class certificate only
Correct answer: Obtain complete records and evaluate current status before making a certification decision
Regardless of when a psychiatric event occurred, the AME must obtain full records and assess the airman's current psychiatric status before certifying.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the AME's ethical duty when an airman asks the AME not to report a disqualifying finding?
- Honor the request to maintain the physician-patient relationship
- Decline to report but advise the airman to self-ground
- Deny the certificate and report the finding per FAA regulations (Correct answer)
- Postpone the examination and allow the airman time to seek treatment
Correct answer: Deny the certificate and report the finding per FAA regulations
AMEs have a regulatory obligation that supersedes individual requests; they must deny the certificate and document disqualifying findings as required by the FAA.
Question 3: What is the role of the Regional Flight Surgeon (RFS) in relation to AMEs?
- To issue all first-class medical certificates directly
- To provide oversight, guidance, and support to AMEs in their region (Correct answer)
- To conduct all special issuance examinations
- To handle billing disputes between AMEs and airmen
Correct answer: To provide oversight, guidance, and support to AMEs in their region
The Regional Flight Surgeon provides administrative oversight and professional guidance to AMEs within the assigned geographic region.
Question 4: A Senior AME differs from a regular AME primarily in the ability to:
- Issue first-class medical certificates (Correct answer)
- Conduct psychiatric evaluations independently
- Prescribe medications to airmen
- Waive vision standards for commercial pilots
Correct answer: Issue first-class medical certificates
Senior AMEs are authorized to issue first-class medical certificates, whereas regular AMEs are limited to second- and third-class certificates.
Question 5: When completing FAA Form 8500-8 electronically via MedXPress, what is the AME's responsibility regarding the data entered by the airman?
- Accept all entries as accurate without review
- Verify the information with the airman and correct any discrepancies during the examination (Correct answer)
- Submit the form immediately after the airman completes it online
- Return the form to the airman for correction before the examination begins
Correct answer: Verify the information with the airman and correct any discrepancies during the examination
The AME must review all MedXPress entries with the airman during the exam, clarify any discrepancies, and ensure the final submission accurately reflects the airman's medical history.
Question 6: If an airman refuses to provide consent for the AME to review prior medical records, the AME should:
- Issue the certificate based only on available information
- Defer certification until the necessary records are reviewed (Correct answer)
- Contact the FAA to compel the records release
- Accept the refusal and complete the examination without records
Correct answer: Defer certification until the necessary records are reviewed
Without access to necessary medical records, the AME cannot make an informed certification decision and should defer the application.
Question 7: Under what circumstance may an AME issue a medical certificate even if the airman has a condition listed in 14 CFR Part 67 as disqualifying?
- Never — disqualifying conditions always prevent certification
- When the AME has 10+ years of experience and documents the judgment
- When the FAA has granted a special issuance authorization for that condition (Correct answer)
- When the airman holds a valid foreign medical certificate
Correct answer: When the FAA has granted a special issuance authorization for that condition
A special issuance authorization (SODA) granted by the FAA permits an AME to issue a certificate to an airman with an otherwise disqualifying condition.
AME Professional Standards & Competencies 3
An airman discloses a psychiatric hospitalization that occurred 15 years ago.
How should the AME proceed?