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3 Answers

Medical Question

Asked by: 5507 views FAA Regulations, Student Pilot

Hello everyone, I have a quick question.  I have been training for a few weeks now and my instructor said I was getting close to solo, that I needed to go get my medical/student pilot certificate.  When I went to the doctor, I told him that I was prescribed Adderall and he said that I could not get a medical until the doctor called him and said I was off of it and then I had to wait 90 days.  I am very close to solo and don't want to wait 90+ days to get the medical, is there any way around this?  Possibly getting prescribed another medication or anything else?  Any and all help is very important and very much appreciated.

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3 Answers



  1. John D. Collins on Nov 17, 2011

    Sorry, but from the AOPA website, you will have to be off your medication for 90 days and have an evaluation:
    Because of the potential for significant underlying psychiatric or psychological problems and the side effects of medications, the FAA does not currently allow medical certification for a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD requiring the use of medication.
    For medical certification consideration, you will need to have discontinued all psychoactive medications for at least the preceding 90 days.  After being off the medications for 90 days, a neuropsychological evaluation should be conducted.  The neuropsychological evaluation must also include the following three tests:

    Trail Making Test
    Wisconsin Card Sorting Test
    Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT)

    If the airman is an adult who has been prescribed one of the stimulant-type drugs for ADD, but has not been diagnosed with the disorder, the medications will have to be discontinued for three days before undergoing the neuropsychological evaluation noted above.

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  2. Dave on Nov 17, 2011

    There are AMEs that specialize in tough cases like this, one of which frequents the medical forums on the AOPA forums and Pilot’s of America.

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  3. Heather McNevin on Jan 10, 2012

    I’d also recommend contacting the Aviation Medicine Advisory Service.  They are a group of former flight surgeons that assist pilots with their medical issues.  It isnt free, but I’d highly recommend contacting them.  They helped me get my medical back.

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