The MCA Medical

[D-Triv]

Just want to get a feel for what's involved in the medical exam; what stuff gets checked, what you thought about it etc etc.

Also, does BMI get checked in the medical and is there a minimum/maximum BMI index (I'm a wiry bugger so mine may be a bit low )

Thanks!

[Ash]

Re: The MCA Medical

look at the mca website. Theres a load of pdf documents about medical stuff.

[GuinnessMan]

Re: The MCA Medical

Think rubber gloves and bending over......

Just kidding.

Nah, Vision check, BMI, Lung Capacity, Hernia check, Diabetes check and a run through of your previous medical history if there is any.

Nowt to it.

[D-Triv]

Re: The MCA Medical

Thanks, just had a read through and it only states the maximum BMI (30) not the minimum. Mine is 17.6 so I don't know if that's too low.

With the vision check, the Ishihara test, if you get one plate wrong is that an instant failure or does it take say more than 3 plates wrong to produce a fail?

[CharlieDelta]

Re: The MCA Medical

Your BMI is unlikely to be a problem, to be perfectly honest. As long as you're healthy - that's all they're looking for.

Have you had problems with the Ishihara plates in the past? Might be worth having a look at the free plates at http://colorvisiontesting.com/ishihara.htm and see if you have any problems.

[D-Triv]

Re: The MCA Medical

Thanks Charlie. Just been onto the website and I could identify all those plates. Just wondering how strict they are on the results.

[D-Triv]

Re: The MCA Medical

I've also just tried the Farnsworth test online and got the all clear, but obviously only a real life test will give true results.

[Just Ben]

Re: The MCA Medical

I was really worried about the medical, i had no idea what to expect. It's pretty straightforward stuff though as long as your healthy.

There were a few scary moments though.
First off the urine sample: i thought i'd stock up on water before i went, just so i would be able to go when i got there. Anyway it turns out that the clinic was further away than i thought and i felt like i was gonna burst. Got there in time though =]

The second was the ishihara test: I always thought colour blindness was a bar from entry into the MN but from what i have read on here there are exceptions. Anyway at the time of my medical i didn't know this. So i'm doing the test and it's going fine and then BAM he shows me a plate and i can't see anything it's just circles no patterns no numbers... I told him and he said 'good that one has nothing on it' PHEW

And finally but by no means least i had to lay on the bed thing so he could check my heart beat and poke my stomache and then he said 'ok, now undo your trousers' But he just felt around my waist/belt line and made cough.

[D-Triv]

Re: The MCA Medical

The second was the ishihara test: I always thought colour blindness was a bar from entry into the MN but from what i have read on here there are exceptions. Anyway at the time of my medical i didn't know this. So i'm doing the test and it's going fine and then BAM he shows me a plate and i can't see anything it's just circles no patterns no numbers... I told him and he said 'good that one has nothing on it' PHEW

Yeah, I read in the PDF that if you fail the Ishihara test for Deck Officer than you can take a lantern test afterwards to confirm your colour deficiency. I think it was different for Engineers/ETOs where if you failed it you could take the D15 and City University tests.

I'm a little concerned about the Ishihara as some people have been known to fail the test even though other tests (such as the lantern test) show that they are colour normal.

[Just Ben]

Re: The MCA Medical

I wouldn't worry too much if i was you, you said you could identify the ones online with no problems. (do they have the ones where you have to trace the path?)

I know they say that doing it online is no substitue for a real test but i don't know, surely if you can tell pick out the numbers on a screen you can do it on paper.

[D-Triv]

Re: The MCA Medical

(do they have the ones where you have to trace the path?)

http://www.city.ac.uk/avrc/colourtest.html

I think that's the test, I had no problems in following the square with my finger on the screen, only problem was when my dad found my finger marks all over his screen

[Just Ben]

Re: The MCA Medical

Lol.

Haven't seen those before... The ones i meant were like the number ones but instead of numbers it was like a snake from one side to the other curving all over the place.

[Martyboy]

Re: The MCA Medical

Your BMI shouldn't be an issue.......... I got issued an ENG1 and my BMI is Sky High. What the doc's typically do is issue it for a year instead of two years, and write in the comments, something to the tune of " must loose xxx kg's by next medical!"

But meh.

[btiratsoo]

Re: The MCA Medical

ENG1 is nothing to fear. Had a couple now and it nothing to worry about. My last one, the Doc said that the MCA are begining to warn people about their size....i'm 6ft and 16 stone, but not fat. Silly red tape crap, to quote the Doc.

As long as you are healthy there shouldn't be any dramas. As said above, previous medical history plays a part in it but its just a cursory glance.

[GuinnessMan]

Re: The MCA Medical

They only check your previous history to make sure that you have nothing wrong with you. I heard of one lad in my college in the deck department who hid some serious medical condition from the doctor and then wound up having to be Casevac'd off the vessel he was on when it flared up.

For Engineers themselves there isn't really an issue when it comes to colour blindness as your not watching out for lights and different things. The only thing that would cause a problem (engine side) was if your a Sparky and have to do electrical work as "you might not be able to tell what colour the wires are".