Pending medical clearance for antidepressant - no longer using

cataviator

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Good day to all! I’m looking through recent and past threads not seeing anything like my current situation so if anyone has advice it is greatly appreciated. I have been in the hiring process since June 2023, I have my TOL, first class medical, updated pilots license, security clearance and the testing all done. The only thing I don’t have is my medical clearance, I submitted extra documents in July 2024 due to previous use of amitriptyline, an antidepressant used for my migraines, I took the medication in 2016-2018 and again in 2020 for two months. No longer on it and have not been for years. I have reached out several times to HR and the person I sent my additional medical info to about an update and was told I won’t hear back until after the first of the year, 2025. Is there anything I can do or anyone I can talk to about why this is and how to get the process moving again. Thank you in advance.
 
Agree with KP. ATC medical is 2nd class. If you have a 1st class medical you have a 2nd class by default.
ATC medical is similar to second class but not exactly the same. And prior medical doesn’t guarantee ATC medical. OKC can be really weird about this shit
 
Good day to all! I’m looking through recent and past threads not seeing anything like my current situation so if anyone has advice it is greatly appreciated. I have been in the hiring process since June 2023, I have my TOL, first class medical, updated pilots license, security clearance and the testing all done. The only thing I don’t have is my medical clearance, I submitted extra documents in July 2024 due to previous use of amitriptyline, an antidepressant used for my migraines, I took the medication in 2016-2018 and again in 2020 for two months. No longer on it and have not been for years. I have reached out several times to HR and the person I sent my additional medical info to about an update and was told I won’t hear back until after the first of the year, 2025. Is there anything I can do or anyone I can talk to about why this is and how to get the process moving again. Thank you in advance.
Your HR POC is only a paper pusher. They only know what the individual points of contacts tell them. You need to figure out who your medical POC is and get a hold of them.
 
Your HR POC is only a paper pusher. They only know what the individual points of contacts tell them. You need to figure out who your medical POC is and get a hold of them.
I did at one point and they told me after the first of the year, when I asked why and if I could do anything to speed up the process they stopped responding to me.
 
There is nothing you can do to “speed up the process.” There are current controllers that get fucked by the flight surgeon taking forever to process their paperwork. New hires are at the back of a line that will always move at a snail’s pace. Welcome to the FAA.
 
There is nothing you can do to “speed up the process.” There are current controllers that get fucked by the flight surgeon taking forever to process their paperwork. New hires are at the back of a line that will always move at a snail’s pace. Welcome to the FAA.
Gotcha, I just find it strange that the big problem was it being an antidepressant and now they allow certain ones.
 
Agree with KP. ATC medical is 2nd class. If you have a 1st class medical you have a 2nd class by default.
ATC is a modified class 2 which makes it something all its own. So even though you could hold pilot ratings/associated medical certificates and coincidentally apply to be a controller, a current class 1 or 2 does not automatically guarantee you medical clearance to be a 2152. This was broadly explained to me by an AME examiner that denied someone aspiring to quit the airlines, if you can believe that.

Once hired and cleared, you can however opt to be examined for both your modified ATC 2 as well as anything other medical class you need to maintain CURRENT pilot ratings with agency dime on your check ups. Know someone over 40 who does it every year. Management will say it’s on you to contact the AME and request examination for both in the same visit once you’re initially scheduled and before you fill out MedXpress.
 
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ATC is a modified class 2 which makes it something all its own. So even though you could hold pilot ratings/associated medical certificates and coincidentally apply to be a controller, a current class 1 or 2 does not automatically guarantee you medical clearance to be a 2152. This was broadly explained to me by an AME examiner that denied someone aspiring to quit the airlines, if you can believe that.

Once hired and cleared, you can however opt to be examined for both your modified ATC 2 as well as anything other medical class you need to maintain CURRENT pilot ratings with agency dime on your check ups. Know someone over 40 who does it every year. Management will say it’s on you to contact the AME and request examination for both in the same visit once you’re initially scheduled and before you fill out MedXpress.
ATC medical and class 2 flight medical are parallel, but distinct and totally separate processes is how it was described to me. It’s not supposed to make sense. Welcome to the faa
 
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