ROCHESTER, Minn. — Now available to general aviation pilots is the new online Mayo Clinic BasicMed Course, a free program for pilots pursuing medical qualification through FAA BasicMed.
“We’re pleased to be able to provide this new option for pilots,” said Clayton Cowl, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic BasicMed Course and chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine. “This course has been a culmination of efforts of many colleagues at Mayo dedicated to aviation safety. A wide range of medical experts across the organization, as well as with input from experts with civil aviation medical associations across the country, have contributed medical knowledge to help pilots recognize medical risks in an effort to keep them, and the passengers who they fly, safe.”
The online medical course is one part of the required steps for pilots seeking aeromedical qualification through the new FAA program. A pilot must first obtain a physical examination from a state-licensed physician, who must attest that the pilot is physically and mentally fit to fly.
In addition to the conversations a pilot may have with his or her physician in the physical exam, Mayo Clinic’s online course is a resource for pilots to learn and recognize the signs of certain health conditions that may affect his or her ability to fly, according to clinic officials.
The course is separated into six modules, including conducting medical self-assessments, warning signs of serious medical conditions, mitigating medical risks, awareness of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, the importance of regular medical examinations, and details regarding requirements on pilots if a medical deficiency exists.
The course, which takes approximately 90 minutes to complete, is followed by an online examination. It is accessible at BasicMed.Mayo.edu. The link is also on the FAA’s BasicMed website.
Pilots must undergo the physical exam prior to taking the course and must submit evidence of the passed physical exam online prior to beginning the online course.
Once the course is completed and a passing quiz score achieved, pilots can print a certificate that they will retain in their logbooks. Certification information is transmitted to the FAA to confirm participation.
Wonder how different (if at all) the Mayo course is from the AOPA course
My friend, the Area AOPA REP, said the Mayo online course is considerably longer.
Is the Mayo Clinic doing BasicMed physicals?
I believe the Mayo Clinic has it backwards. Isn’t the pilot required to take the online course BEFORE seeing the doctor for the physical examination?
No, they have it in the correct order.