OASC Bulletin 5
During this submission we would like to briefly cover the medical process as conducted here at OASC.
The RAF Medical Board at the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre takes place over day 2 and 3 of the selection process. Its aim is to ensure that candidates are fit for both initial officer training and a full career as aircrew (if applicable). To this end, a rigorous and in-depth medical is performed on each candidate.
The assessment starts in the afternoon of day two of the selection process with anthropometry. The anthrometric assessment is undertaken to make sure that the candidate is neither too large nor to small for the aircraft currently on the RAF inventory. Due to the fact that potential aircrew are not selected to type at this stage, generic anthropometry measurement standards are used. Also performed during the end of day two are the hearing and eye tests. The in-depth eye test assesses near and distant vision, astigmatism, visual field and cornea mapping, colour vision testing, intraocular pressure testing, eye muscle balance testing, slit lamp assessment and stereoscopic vision testing. If the candidate has taken Roaccutane, a treatment for acne, he will also be referred for night vision testing as Roaccutane can adversely affect this.
The morning of day three of the selection process starts with a fasting blood test which, among other things, assesses liver, kidney and thyroid function, fasting blood cholesterol and fasting blood sugar levels. The candidate will also have an electrocardiogram (ECG) heart tracing and a thorough physical examination. The last stage of the medical process is the Medical Review in which the President of the Medical Board goes through the candidate’s medical history and examination with him and reaches a decision regarding his fitness for commissioning and aircrew duties(as applicable). In addition to all of the above, the candidate is given a form for his GP to complete and return called the Medical Attendance Report (MAR).
There are 3 possible outcomes of the medical boarding process:
a. Fit pending ECG, blood and MAR results. The ECG traces go away to be reported on by a RAF consultant physician and the blood results take a couple of days to come back from the laboratory. A final decision regarding fitness is not made until these 3 elements are received.
b. Temporarily unfit. The most common reason for this outcome is the need for a specialist opinion or the need to lose some weight; the maximum BMI allowable is 28 and the maximum weight 94 Kg. BMI can be calculated using the following formula:
BMI = Weight (KGs) ÷ Height (metres) 2
c. Permanently unfit. This is usually due to a history of a medical condition that prevents any further progress through the selection process.
We have deliberately not included any of the medical standards in this bulletin. This is due to the fact that the details are meaningless unless they are measured using the correct medical equipment by appropriately trained technicians and that the results are interpreted by a qualified military physician. Further information regarding health and fitness can be found at: http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/canijoin/health.cfm
Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only.
Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at RAF Careers home - jobs, recruitment and career opportunities in the RAF - RAF Careers
Last edited by OASC; 16th Mar 2010 at 17:39.