Medical Qualification Exam

cmilli97

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Jul 11, 2015
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Here's my first question to you all. I'm almost finished with all the components of my USNA application. What I have left is basically just the CFA and the Medical Qualification Exam. I would appreciate any help I could receive on the process of completing the latter.

First of all, I tried to conduct research on the exam (what it consists of, who administers it, how to schedule it, etc.), but could find nothing solid. I ended up on the DoDMETS site, and contacted Concorde, who holds the current contract for the exams (from what I've read). The rep said my information was not in the database; attempting to log onto the DoDMERB site displays the same. I cannot even create an account at this website.

I've read in several places the DoD will contact you, and tell you where to take the exam and when. Anyway, how do I even get this process started? Can I schedule an appointment, or do I have to wait?

Thanks in advance.
 
You will have to wait until USNA contacts DoDMERB. You will be notified via letter or on the portal when your info has been passed along. Instructions for logging on, appointments, medical history, etc will be passed along. Focus on your CFA and Nom paperwork until then. You can begin to gather past medical info if you have any old injuries, asthma or other conditions that would be reportable to DoDMERB.
 
Thanks for the reply! So, if I'm trying to get the entire application done by August 30, I really can't do anything about this component?
 
Not really. You are at the mercy of when USNA contacts them and then when it gets scheduled. The exam itself is probably shorter than the paperwork. Depends on your health history if remedials or waivers will be needed.
 
The Admissions Board does not need your medical to be completed to make a determination on your scholastic qualification. If you haven't heard anything by August, I would follow up with your admissions counselor.
 
Hi everyone,

I'm a rising sophomore interested in attending USNA, USCGA, USMMA, and the Air Force Academy so I can serve my country in the armed forces and experience military leadership. However, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease- an autoimmune condition that attacks the digestive tract when the protein gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley enters my digestive system- in 2008. After contacting all of these academies, I keep receiving a vague, but relative to the information the admissions office can give prospective cadets and midshipmen, a generous bit of information. The one from the Naval Academy is almost identical to the other responses:

Thank you for your interest in the U.S. Naval Academy. Unfortunately, celiac disease is a condition for which we may not recommend a medical waiver. All military academies have different policies for various medical illnesses. You may contact one of them to see if they will be able to waive celiac disease.

As I've said, I made contact with the other academies and, respectfully, they told me the same thing. More research into their medical waiver policies have brought me just another glimmer of hope: that if I was competitive for an appointment, a waiver would automatically be considered. I would be willing to cope with a gluten-free diet so I could serve America and its citizens if I was only allowed in.

Can someone help me? How competitive must I be for a waiver for my disease to be considered? How could I make myself more competitive for one? Would an ROTC program yield better probability? Thank you so much.
 
I'm not going to specifically comment on your case, but you should call and talk to the medical representative at each SA.

Regardless of how competitive one is, if a candidate is medically disqualified, they still have to obtain a waiver. If the medical condition is not waiverable, then the candidate will be medically disqualified and cannot compete for an appointment.

It sounds in the reply that the condition is not waiverable, however, as stated above, I would call and confirm.
 
Just received the DoDMETS applicant instructions in the mail today. Thanks for the help.
 
Hi everyone,

I'm a rising sophomore interested in attending USNA, USCGA, USMMA, and the Air Force Academy so I can serve my country in the armed forces and experience military leadership. However, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease- an autoimmune condition that attacks the digestive tract when the protein gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley enters my digestive system- in 2008. After contacting all of these academies, I keep receiving a vague, but relative to the information the admissions office can give prospective cadets and midshipmen, a generous bit of information. The one from the Naval Academy is almost identical to the other responses:

Thank you for your interest in the U.S. Naval Academy. Unfortunately, celiac disease is a condition for which we may not recommend a medical waiver. All military academies have different policies for various medical illnesses. You may contact one of them to see if they will be able to waive celiac disease.

As I've said, I made contact with the other academies and, respectfully, they told me the same thing. More research into their medical waiver policies have brought me just another glimmer of hope: that if I was competitive for an appointment, a waiver would automatically be considered. I would be willing to cope with a gluten-free diet so I could serve America and its citizens if I was only allowed in.

Can someone help me? How competitive must I be for a waiver for my disease to be considered? How could I make myself more competitive for one? Would an ROTC program yield better probability? Thank you so much.

bandathlete,

DoDMERB issues the Q or DQ. Some conditions are not waiverable. I think you need to contact DoDMERB first and see what they have to say. If its not waiverable, then a SA can't even determine if they want to waive it or not. I am not sure on Celiac being non-waiverable, but I tend to think it is not. I am not an authority by any means, so do your research. The few friends I have that either had Celiacs or Crohns's while I was in the military were either denied re-enlistment or were found non-commissionable while we were at USNA. They were all diagnosed while we were on Active Duty or while Mids, not prior. I understand the diet restrictions, triggers, etc as my mom suffers from this. USNA's goal is to commission unrestricted line officers fit for duty. I know for many, stress and changes in diets (obviously you know your triggers, not us) often times can cause issues and make things worse. Your diet can change while deployed often and the stress can often be extremely high. Sometimes you don't really have a choice in what to eat, so the diet is hard or impossible to maintain. What happens if you are in the middle of Ops of any kind and have issues? Not trying to be debbie downer or dash your dreams, but just trying to point why DoDMERB might find this being to be an unwaiverable DQ. All you can do is ask. If you don't get a clear answer, keep pushing for one, apply and see where the cards fall. I would highly recommend you look at a good Plan B also. Good luck.
 
@cmilli97
Did they receive your teacher and counselor recommendations [shown as received in the web site] before you got the medical exam letter?
 
@cmilli97
Did they receive your teacher and counselor recommendations [shown as received in the web site] before you got the medical exam letter?

They only received one. Also, at the time I received the letter, only four of the documents were completed (I was waiting for my teachers and guidance office to submit their documents). This contradicts what I've read that DoDMERB is only contacted when ≥5 have been completed.
 
I think this was the first mailing. My Ds had 5+ docs in several weeks ago and just got his DoDMERB packet yesterday. Hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait.
 
The metric is 50% of the application needs to be completed before a candidate name is sent to DoDMERB.
 
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