If you are going to drive a commercial vehicle, you need to bring this important document, along with your license, while driving. There are no exceptions, so if you haven’t got one, you have to pass this exam before they suspend your license. So don’t wait more and search for “DOT Physical Exam Near Me” to book your appointment. If you are a citizen of Culver City or Orange you can contact Dr. Mina Iskander, he can help you to get your DOT certificate without any hassle.

Why DOT Physical Exam is Important

The Department of Transportation, a federal body that deals with interstate trade, wants a guarantee that all commercial drivers are actually fit to handle rigors of short, long, and interstate distance trucking. They have the right to ensure public safety, and unworthy drivers will definitely be a considerable threat to the public. Can you imagine the chaos that would be caused by a driver who experienced a stroke, episode of diabetes or epileptic, while they driver a vehicle?

This is why it is necessary for all commercial drivers, no matter whatever state or region they belong to, they all need to pass the DOT physical exam, and maintain a good health certificate. If they cannot pass there are no relief conditions, they cannot obtain or save a CDL license in any state. To keep cheating to a minimum, most states have adopted a policy showing a health certificate when obtaining a license. If there is a relief state, such as the addition of hearing aids, or prosthetics that can affect their driving,  there is a waiver committee in action that can allow drivers to obtain their licenses with limited certification.

More About DOT Certification

If you pass all the physical aspects of the DOT exam and get standard health certification, the certificate is valid for two years. If there are medical conditions that will require a follow-up exam, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, you may still get a certificate, but will only be valid for a limited time, usually only three months to six months, maximum.

If there are physical limitations, such as arthritis, chronic back pain,  hearing aids the review committee will decide whether you are fit to drive a commercial vehicle or not. The same thing applies if you are injured in any way, from the ankle dislocated to a broken arm. In a situation like this, the worst that can happen is that your license will be suspended for some time, or you will be issued a short-term restricted certification.

Process of DOT Exam

The first phase of the examination is the recording of your medical history. This will include the last five years of medical history, and the information needed reflects the number of diseases, injuries, or operations that you have during that time. Fake this information can make you prohibited from having a CDL license during your life, they consider it seriously. Also included in the document to be filled is a list of whatever medicine you take regularly, on the command of the doctor or on your own, and your habits about drugs and alcohol.

After this, blood pressure, vision, hearing, and urine test are done. The doctor will record everything, and then make a recommendation to issue a certificate.

Who can conduct DOT Physical Examination?

The government has certified many medical institutions where you can go through this test. There are many DOT physical examination centers in the city where you can do this test and get your commercial vehicle license. Dr. Mina Iskander conducts DOT physical examination tests in Culver City and Orange. If you are looking for a certified DOT Physical Examination Center in these cities then you must contact him.

With these strict guidelines, DOT physical exams sometimes seem overwhelming. To help simplify the process, here is a brief overview* of what your employees should bring to the exam, and what to expect once they get there.

What to Bring to a DOT Physical Exam

Commercial drivers need to bring a complete list of their medications, including the dosage regimen, dosages, and their doctors’ names and addresses. To save time, it’s also recommended that drivers fill out the health history questionnaire before coming to the clinic.

To make sure the exam runs as smoothly as possible, drivers with certain medical issues need to bring the appropriate documents or items. For example:

• Drivers with vision or hearing problems must bring their eyeglasses, contacts, or hearing aids
• Drivers with diabetes must bring the most recent lab results from their Hemoglobin A1C (HgAIC) and their blood sugar logs
• Drivers with heart-related issues must, at minimum, bring a letter from their cardiologist that outlines their medical history and current medications, and indicates that they are safe to work

What the DOT Physical Covers

1. Vision

Drivers are required to have at least 20/40 acuity in each eye with or without correction. They are also required to have at least 70” peripheral in the horizontal meridian, measured in each eye.

2. Hearing

Drivers must be able to perceive what is known as a “forced whisper” at a distance of 5ft or less, with or without a hearing aid. This standard equates to an average hearing loss in the better ear of less than 40 dB.

3. Blood pressure/pulse rate

The medical examiner will check the driver’s blood pressure and pulse to look for high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats.

4. Urinalysis

A urinalysis is required. The test looks for indications of underlying medical conditions such as diabetes.

5. Physical Examination

The physical exam will cover a dozen different categories:

• General appearance
• Eyes (cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, etc.)
• Ears (scarring of the tympanic membrane, perforated eardrums, etc.)
• Mouth and throat (to look for problems breathing or swallowing)
• Heart (murmurs, extra sounds, pacemaker, etc.)
• Lungs and chest, not including breast examination (abnormal breathing, impaired respiratory functions, cyanosis, etc.)
• Abdomen and Viscera (enlarged liver, viscera, muscle weakness)
• Vascular (abnormal pulse, carotid, varicose veins)
• Genito-urinary (hernias)
• Extremities (limb impaired)
• Spine, other musculoskeletal (previous surgery, limitation of motion, tenderness, etc.)
• Neurological (impaired equilibrium, coordination or speech pattern, ataxia, asymmetric deep tendon reflexes)

A DOT physical can only be completed by a medical examiner certified by the FMCSA. It is up to the Medical Examiner to determine if a candidate meets all the requirements, and to mark the report to the best of their knowledge.

DOT Physical Forms

There are several forms associated with DOT physicals. These forms are available online so that drivers and employers can review them before a visit. They include:

Medical Examination Report (MER) Form, MCSA-5875

The MER contains the driver’s information and health history, as well as the findings of the medical examiner during the DOT exam.

Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC), Form MCSA-5876

Certified drivers will receive this certificate after passing a DOT exam.

Insulin-treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment, MCSA-5870

Commercial drivers with insulin-treated diabetes must have this form completed by their treating clinicians no more than 45 days prior to examination by a certified medical examiner (CME). A Medical Examiner’s Certificate can’t be issued to the driver without this form.

For additional information, please visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

As a leading medical provider within the DOT industry, Dr. Mina maintains current, comprehensive knowledge of DOT regulations. We require all our physicians to be FMCSA-certified so our centers will always have someone to complete DOT physical examination.