DOT Physical Specialist

What is a DOT physical?

If the DOT classifies your job as safety-sensitive, meaning it can have an impact on your own safety as well as the safety of the general public, you’re required to undergo routine physicals to maintain compliance and continue working.

A DOT physical follows strict guidelines set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to help ensure that CDL and other safety-sensitive drivers are healthy enough to perform their job safely.

What does the DOT physical cover?

The DOT physical is thorough and specific, covering everything from your medical history to about a dozen different aspects of your current physical health.

Before you meet with Dr. Streeter, you’ll be required to fill out the first part of the DOT physical form, which asks specific questions about your health history. There, you’ll indicate whether you have ever had a history of a wide range of problems, including brain injury, dizziness, heart disease, stroke, or chronic pain.

During your physical exam, Dr. Street assesses the following:

Blood pressure

You’ll be checked for high blood pressure as well as an abnormal pulse.

Vision

In addition to checking your eyes for cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, Dr. Streeter evaluates your visual acuity.

Drivers are required to have at least 20/40 acuity in each eye with or without correction. They’re also required to have at least 70-inch peripheral vision in the horizontal meridian in each eye.

Hearing

After visually inspecting your ears for scarring or a perforatedear drum, Dr. Streeter performs a hearing test. You must be able to hear a forced whisper at a distance of five feet or less, with or without a hearing aid. This standard equates to an average hearing loss of less than 40 decibels.

Urinalysis

The required urinalysis helps uncover whether you have any undiagnosed medical conditions like diabetes. 

General physical

Dr. Streeter also checks for:

• Heart murmurs
• Abnormal breathing
• Impaired respiratory function
• Muscle weakness
• Limb impairment
• Hernias
• Limited range of motion
• Impaired equilibrium
• Impaired coordination

What should I bring to my DOT physical?

Before arriving at Dr. Streeter’s office, you should bring a complete list of your medication, including dosage, as well as the name, address, and phone number of your primary care physician. If you’d like to save time, you can also fill out the medical history portion of the questionnaire before your appointment.

To make sure the exam process is as efficient as possible, drivers with certain medical issues should bring in any supporting documents or items. For example, drivers with vision problems should bring their eyeglasses or corrective lenses, while hearing-impaired drivers should bring their hearing aids.

If you’re diabetic, you’ll need to bring your blood sugar logs and your most recent lab results from your hemoglobin A1C test. If you have a diagnosed heart problem, you should bring a letter from your cardiologist that outlines your medical history and current medications, and indicates that it’s safe for you to work.