FMCSA Says 30,000 Medical Examiners Added to National Registry

The FMCSA last week announced that to date, 30,000 certified medical examiners have been added to the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.

According to a statement from the FMCSA, since the new certified medical examiner rule went into effect a month ago, 8,000 more practitioners have been added to the Registry, and an additional 22,500 practitioners have started the process of gaining certification.

The FMCSA has created on online database of all certified medical examiners.  The site features a map that helps you located certified examiners in your area.  In addition, the site offers detailed information for examiners and for drivers.

Prior to this rule, there was no required training program for medical examiners who conducted physical exams on CDL holders. “The former rules required that any medical professional licensed by his or her State to conduct physical examinations could conduct driver medical certification exams. No specific knowledge of the Agency’s physical qualification standards was required or verified by testing,” the FMCSA states.

The FMCSA feels that some of the medical professionals who were conducting the physical exams might have been unfamiliar with the FMCSA’s physical qualification standards.

“These professionals may also be unaware of the mental and physical rigors that accompany the occupation of CMV driver, and how various medical conditions (and the therapies used to treat them) can affect the ability of drivers to safely operate CMVs,” the FMCSA states.