It’s that time again. You need to renew your medical card so you can keep working, or you need a medical card for the first time. The FMCSA requires all holders of a CDL to have a medical card. We here at JobLab Services are here to help you along in the process. There are a few things that can be done to make this process easy for you, getting you out of the clinic faster, and back on the road.
The first, fill out all of the paperwork fully. It’s a simple step, but with a full picture of your health, we can make the correct decision quicker and easier. If the examiner doesn’t have to probe, they can focus their energy on the correct test and procedures. Don’t worry about something that you think may look bad about your health, a lot of times what you worry about may be insignificant to the determination process.
Bring your health records with you. If you have had recent heart issues, surgery or any other significant event, bring those records with you. The same goes for medications. Ask your primary care doctor to write and sign a letter stating you are fit to work, while on your medication. Most doctors are more than happy to do this for their patients. If you do not do this, we will be glad to ask your doctor for you. If you are using a CPAP machine, bring in your usage logs. When you bring all of this information to us at the beginning, you won’t have to wait for your primary care doctor to send us records, meaning you are able to get your card faster.
For certain health conditions, we require certain documentation. So it is important to schedule an appointment with any specialist (cardiologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, etc) and primary care providers. For things like diabetes, we will need an AIC test that we can do in the office or your primary care doctor can do for you. This test will show how well your blood sugar has been controlled for the past three months. There are also many specialized cardiovascular tests that we need to be done to certify you if you have certain conditions. To learn more about these different test, check this hear or give us a call and we can help you out.
Take your prescribed medications and drink plenty of water. For whatever condition you may have, follow your doctor’s directions and take what you have prescribed. Make sure you drink plenty of water. You will be required to give a urine sample. We will use it see if you are hydrated enough, if there's sugar in your urine, if there is blood in your urine and if there are white blood cells present. This is not a drug test, but the results do give us a picture of your health and help us decide if you pass your exam or not. If you wear glasses, contacts or hearing aids, make sure you are wearing them for your exam.
Lastly, relax. One of the biggest things that will determine if you pass is your blood pressure. Avoid caffeine and tobacco use the day of your exam. Those things can raise your pressure, making it possible for you not to pass.
Here at JobLab Services, we offer a driver friendly exam without the wait, headache or expense. We are here to guide you along, to make sure you are back on the road a fast as possible. We care about you and we care about your job, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call (479) 242-0477.