There is evidence that supports the use of neuropsychological testing in assessing physician and pilot fitness. These assessments are necessary to ensure the safety of the public and require an understanding of the occupational requirements of the person being assessed. In this workshop, we will review the fundamental aspects of fitness for duty assessment as applied to two specialties, where error due to cognitive deficit(s) can result in considerable harm.
Dr. Perry will present on the various types of physician assessments and the legal and ethical issues associated with each type. He will also discuss the translation of neuropsychological information into a fitness framework and contrast that to a clinical evaluation. Dr. Elliott will describe the aviation evaluation process and the qualifications required to conduct mental health and neurocognitive evaluations required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Learning Objectives:
After the session, participants will be able to:
List the different types of assessments that apply to physicians.
Identify ways of translating neuropsychological data into a fitness format.
List four mental health conditions that have specific FAA evaluation requirements.
Describe the “Basic Question” that is to be addressed by the examining neuropsychologist.
List the requirements to qualify for the Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) Neuropsychology Eligibility list.