nervous mother here!

marybeth23

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My DS is applying to ROTC, and he has brought to my attention that there will be a very in-depth medical exam called DODmerb.

He does not have any diagnosed medical issues that would result in him getting Disqualified, but at the examination, would they/could they find an issue with him and DQ him for good? What is the exam like?


All he wants to do is serve and sees himself nowhere else!

For those who have had experience in DODmerb, I would appreciate any advice and experience.
 
It's thorough but it's not that in depth an exam. It is possible they find something that will DQ him. In that case ROTC will automatically request a waiver which may or may not be granted. Don't worry. There's nothing you can do anyway and you don't even know if there is anything to worry about. If he doesn't have diagnosed medical issues I expect he'll be fine.
 
Kinnem,

What are some of the things many people get DQed for at the exam?

http://www.nrotc.navy.mil/pdfs/DoDI 6130.03.pdf

I can’t lay hands on the most recent version of this, but it’s a start to give you a feel for the depth of the physical standards. The DOD DQs are the same for all services (I’m pretty sure); the WAIVER policy differs by Service, ROTC amd SA, because missions, gear and other factors are different.

Next time I see the current one posted, I’m going to ensure I save it.

Use this version simply to get familiar; I don’t think it is the most current.
 
I have commented on other threads about my DS’s experience, but I’m happy to summarize... DS was misdiagnosed for an eye condition that he never had. He’s always had perfect vision, so naturally, it was quite alarming. It sent him spiraling into DQ. Luckily, he acted quickly (our entire family was almost sick with stress over this), and he was able to be seen promptly by an excellent ophthalmologist, who conducted an extremely thorough exam. After weeks of waiting, he was cleared. At his med exam, the physician tried to diagnose him with a minor foot problem. Again, no problem existed. My advice is that during the exam, your DS is highly attentive to what is being asked. Also, in my opinion, it’s not a bad idea to have a parent present during the exams who is familiar with the medical history.

Please don’t worry about this med process. It’s a great thing though to be equipped with some knowledge, which you are doing! Best wishes. :)
 
Good luck, Dodmerb is an extremely nerve wracking experience! The day my DS got his medically qualified letter was such an exciting and relieving day, and he didnt even really have a rough time ( as compared to a lot) ..just one remedial requiring a specialist visit. The exam is actually not all that in-depth and if he's had regular medical check-ups his whole life its unlikely they will find something new, although possible. The more likely pitfall is in the medical history form which asks if "has or has ever had" to about 80 different questions. Be totally honest but don's self-diagnose anything not officially diagnosed or in his medical records.
 
Thanks everyone! I appreciate your advice.

Can someone kind of explain what sort of things the docs will be testing and how they will be testing it?

Thanks
 
Two appointments, vision and medical. Im no expert in vision things but they checked visual acuity, color blindness, depth perception etc. At the medical appointment there was a hearing test, heigh weight, blood pressure then your basic physical stuff. The doc asked his own questions and clarifications of things DS had answered yes to on the history form, listened to is heart, hernia check, etc. Pretty quick like a basic physical/well check up.
 
Truly be careful about your DS listing "self diagnosed" stuff. If a doctor didn't write in his records that you have X, then you didn't have X. More people get into difficulties because they said they had something that they actually never had.

You're past this particular point, but as an example I know of a kid who got a misdemeanor ticket for MJ possession. Just a ticket. He wanted to answer 'yes' to the ' have you ever been arrested'question'. Wrong answer. Sometimes I think late adolescents don't understand the real meaning of words. It's like a "it depends on what the meaning of is, is" moment.
 
My DS is applying to ROTC, and he has brought to my attention that there will be a very in-depth medical exam called DODmerb.

He does not have any diagnosed medical issues that would result in him getting Disqualified, but at the examination, would they/could they find an issue with him and DQ him for good? What is the exam like?


All he wants to do is serve and sees himself nowhere else!

For those who have had experience in DODmerb, I would appreciate any advice and experience.
  1. The exam itself is very straightforward - a simple physical exam and an eye exam. At one time the exam was extremely thorough - I think mine took a whole day and included EKG, blood/urine tests, dental, vision etc. Now they rely primarily on the survey.
  2. If he has had regular check ups with physician, eye doctor and dentist there should be no surprises. Occasionally candidates find out they don't meet military vision or other standards that may not be caught in regular exams.
  3. The biggest hassle is the remedials. When you report a previous injury or medical condition, dodmerb will require follow-up. For example, a candidate had a minor fracture of a finger when he was 10 years old. Dodmerb required copies of x-rays and doctor's statement that injury completely healed.
  4. In the survey report all injuries and illness requested only if diagnosed by a medical professional - do not hide anything, but do not offer information that is self diagnosed. As stated above, DO NOT report anything that is not in the medical file. If a medical professional has not made a diagnosis, it does not exist.
 
My DS is applying to ROTC, and he has brought to my attention that there will be a very in-depth medical exam called DODmerb.

He does not have any diagnosed medical issues that would result in him getting Disqualified, but at the examination, would they/could they find an issue with him and DQ him for good? What is the exam like?


All he wants to do is serve and sees himself nowhere else!

For those who have had experience in DODmerb, I would appreciate any advice and experience.
  1. The exam itself is very straightforward - a simple physical exam and an eye exam. At one time the exam was extremely thorough - I think mine took a whole day and included EKG, blood/urine tests, dental, vision etc. Now they rely primarily on the survey.
  2. If he has had regular check ups with physician, eye doctor and dentist there should be no surprises. Occasionally candidates find out they don't meet military vision or other standards that may not be caught in regular exams.
  3. The biggest hassle is the remedials. When you report a previous injury or medical condition, dodmerb will require follow-up. For example, a candidate had a minor fracture of a finger when he was 10 years old. Dodmerb required copies of x-rays and doctor's statement that injury completely healed.
  4. In the survey report all injuries and illness requested only if diagnosed by a medical professional - do not hide anything, but do not offer information that is self diagnosed. As stated above, DO NOT report anything that is not in the medical file. If a medical professional has not made a diagnosis, it does not exist.


I'm glad they got rid of the urinalysis as a screening tool for urinary system pathology. I have a colleague who did a study on something on the order of 5,000 DODMERB urine tests and only 3-4 came back truly positive for renal problems. Only 3-4 out of several hundred positive results yielded a true diagnosis. Lots of money wasted. Lots of needless anxiety from parents and applicants. Lots of going down rabbit holes chasing a false positive to come up with nothing. When my DD gets her DODMERB exam later this summer/fall and the DODMERB physician tries to get a urine test, then she's refusing unless they show a document that says it's a requirement.
 
When my DS went last Winter the doctor actually made the comment: "we used to have to do a urine test at these but they told us not to do it anymore" . Glad we didnt have to deal with the chance of false positives! He had abstained from exercise for a few days leading up to it just in case.
 
Yup - DS '21 was the last year of the urine screen and sure enough got flagged for a false positive glucose result.
Lot of needless hassle and anxiety around Xmas holidays getting remedial retest and resolved.
 
I had to go with my DS when he had his DoDMERB physical.
Seemed silly to me, at the time. Our doctor doesn't do that.
I guess in this litigious world, they have to protect themselves when they deal with kids younger than 18.
 
Most important is not to self diagnose. If a doctor didnt say it or write it down on offical records there is no reason to give an opinon about a medical condition.
 
MB -- here is a link to the DoDMERB form your DS will need to fill out prior to the exam. I agree with jl123. If a medical professional has not made a diagnosis and/or it is not in the medical record it does not exist.

http://www.tamug.edu/corps/images/NROTCPHYSICAL.pdf

Best wishes to you and your DS and thank you for raising a DS that is willing to serve.

This is something I wish I knew before my DD filled in the form. While she was prescribed an inhaler in middle school that she used a few times then never again, this was done as a preventative measure and she was never diagnosed with asthma by a physician. However, out of an abundance of caution (and honesty) she recorded asthma when she filled out the form. Of course a red flag was raised and she was DQ'd and after a lot of waiting, remedials, additional testing, we are finally seeing the light at the end of the DODMERB/Waiver tunnel and it looks like it is all going to end favorably but it would have been better had she not included it on the form. In fairness to her, I don't think she was aware that she wasn't diagnosed with asthma but if you are unsure about anything, do a detailed check of your medical records and/or consult with your physician as it can potentially save you a lot of effort and uncertainty.
 
Something to think about... my DS Dr exam was pretty easy Straightforward in & out. He was his glitch. He came straight from work wearing steel-toed work boots, pants & a sweatshirt. Have your DS Insist on taking as much clothing off as possible before he is weighed. The Doc told him keep everything on its fine, we just need your weight. He was 2 lbs over and it put him into a remedial. Seriously had at least the boots and the sweatshirt been off he would have been under
 
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