How to Prepare for Your FAA Medical Exam | MedXPress Checklist
Skip to content
Prepare

Everything to do before your appointment.

All pilots must complete FAA MedXPress before an aviation medical exam. Arriving prepared is the difference between a short visit and a return trip.

MedXPress, step by step

FAA Form 8500-8 is filed online through the FAA, not in our office. Open FAA MedXPress (opens in new tab).

01
Create your account

Register on the FAA MedXPress site if you do not already have an account.

02
Complete FAA Form 8500-8

Answer the health history questions carefully and accurately.

03
Submit and save your confirmation number

You will receive a confirmation number after submitting.

04
Bring the confirmation number to your exam

Dr. Edmondson uses it to retrieve your application. Without it, the exam cannot proceed.

Recommended reading

Know Before You Go

Dr. Edmondson strongly recommends pilots review this FAA resource. It is excellent preparation for a first exam, and for any pilot with a new or ongoing medical condition getting ready for their visit.

Published by the FAA as part of the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners. PDF, opens in a new tab.

What to bring

What the exam covers

Vision including distant, near, and color vision. Hearing. Blood pressure and pulse. Urinalysis. A general physical examination of the systems the FAA specifies, and a review of the history you submitted.

First Class applicants also require an electrocardiogram at the first exam after age 35 and annually from age 40. Our FAA-approved EKG is performed on site during the same appointment.

Before your visit

Can I eat before the exam?+

Yes. There is no fasting requirement.

What if my blood pressure runs high in a medical office?+

Tell Dr. Edmondson. It is a common situation and there are appropriate ways to handle it within the FAA standards.

What if I filed MedXPress weeks ago?+

A submitted application remains available to your examiner for a limited period. If it has been a long time, check that it is still active before your appointment.

Official FAA resources

Straight from the source

Certification rules change. These are the FAA's own pages, which are always current. Bring questions about any of them to your appointment.

FAA MedXPress

File FAA Form 8500-8 before your exam and receive your confirmation number.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
AME Guide: Know Before You Go

The FAA\u2019s own primer on what to expect during an aviation medical examination.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
Over-the-counter medications

Which common medications are acceptable, and the wait times that apply before flight.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
Medical Examination Bill of Rights

What you are entitled to as an applicant during an FAA medical examination.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
Top medical conditions by age group

The conditions the FAA most often sees in each age bracket, and how they are handled.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
Pilot mental fitness

The FAA\u2019s current guidance and resources on mental health and certification.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
BasicMed

The alternative to a Third Class medical for qualifying private operations.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
Find an AME

The FAA\u2019s examiner locator, if you are searching outside West Michigan.

faa.gov ↗
(opens in new tab)
Lake Powell winding through the red rock canyons of Glen Canyon, seen from cruise altitude
Worth the trip

An hour of preparation is worth the view from up there.