Categories: Urgent Care

Getting a DOT Physical at an Urgent Care Center

Considering going to an urgent care clinic to get your DOT physical? Good idea. Urgent care centers can offer this type of physical to those in need quickly, as same-day and walk-in appointments are both an option.

About DOT physicals

Wondering whether you can go to an urgent care center in order to undergo a DOT physical? Yes, you can. DOT physicals are necessary for those who want to be a certified Department of Transportation driver, which needs to be performed about every two years in order to ensure that a driver is qualified to operate a large vehicle. This not only ensures the safety of the driver but also everybody else who is driving on the road.

A DOT physical examination must be conducted by a licensed medical examiner listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration National Registry. This means those who are in need of a DOT physical can choose to have one performed at an urgent care center that has one of these licensed medical examiners.

What to expect during a DOT physical at an urgent care clinic

The below information helps explain what someone can expect when going to an urgent care clinic in order to undergo a DOT physical.

Medical history

In order for a licensed medical examiner to understand a driver's medical history, they need to bring certain things with them to their appointment. Examples of what drivers must bring include a list of all medications they are currently taking, any glasses or contacts they wear, as well as any necessary notes from doctors. Doctor notes are necessary for drivers who are under a doctor’s care for certain types of health issues, including diabetes and sleep apnea.

Physical examination

Drivers need to undergo a thorough physical examination in order for a licensed medical examiner to ensure they are in good health. Examiners will first look at a driver's appearance in order to determine if they are living with certain medical conditions, like obesity. They will then examine other parts of their body to understand their current health status. This includes checking the lungs, the skin, the neurological system, blood pressure, and the state of their mental health.

Vision test

It is necessary for drivers to undergo a vision test in order to ensure that they meet the standards required to be approved as a DOT driver. Every driver must have at least 20/40 vision acuity in each of their eyes and it does not matter if this requirement is met when wearing glasses or contacts. It is also necessary for drivers to have at least a 70-degree field of vision in the horizontal meridian in each eye, which refers to how much visibility each eye's line of sight includes.

Hearing test

Drivers also need to undergo a hearing test. There are different types of hearing tests, with a whisper test and an audiometry test being two of the more commonly used tests. Audiometry tests tend to be more popular because this type of test is able to measure the ability for a driver to hear sounds at different frequencies, which is not only important when driving, it can determine whether or not a driver is experiencing any level of a loss of hearing.

The bottom line

Now that the above information has been read, it is understood that those who are in need of a DOT physical can get one performed at an urgent care center. It is also understood what one can expect when undergoing this type of physical, allowing them to be fully prepared once it is time for them to go to their appointment.

Get more information about urgent care at https://millenniummedicalcare.com.

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