increasingly PPRUNE should be known by another name, more consistent with the point of view of the european and UK pilot.
By the way, in the USA the same physician who takes your blood pressure also checks your vision for the FAA required medical certificate.
he also takes an EKG ( ecg to some)
checks your ears
has you hop up and down on one leg
and all that jazz.
And we have to pay for it ourselves at my major airline. For a first class (captain requires) the cost can range up to 130 US dollars every 6 months. It takes less than half an hour assuming you have had some water to drink prior to arrival. ;-)