Private and recreational pilots across the country can now access the new online Mayo Clinic BasicMed Course, a free education program for pilots pursuing medical qualification through FAA BasicMed. This alternative to traditional aeromedical certification, which was announced in May, is administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Mayo is one of two organizations in the nation to offer a course necessary to obtain this alternative medical qualification.
“We’re pleased to be able to provide this new option for pilots,” says 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.
The course is separated into six topical modules outlined in the legislation that led to the creation of the alternative qualification pathway. These areas include 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 will 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, the pilots can print a certificate that they will retain in their logbooks. Certification information is transmitted to the FAA to confirm participation.
Direct questions regarding Mayo Clinic’s course or FAA BasicMed requirements to: basicmed@mayo.edu.
