DOT Physicals
Depending on your job, you may be required to obtain a DOT Physical following strict guidelines mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), ensuring that commercial drivers and other safety-sensitive employees are in good health to work safely.
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.
- Find more information here.
The DOT exam will cover:
- Vision
- Hearing
- Blood Pressure/Heart Rate
- Urinalysis (to test for signs of an underlying condition such as diabetes)
- General physical exam (eyes, ears, heart, lungs, chest, extremities, reflexes, etc.)
Upon completion of a passing DOT physical, drivers will leave with the necessary forms to turn into their employer and/or state drivers license department.
