Originally Posted by
rickair7777
Again, I would recommend talking to an aviation medicine consultant BEFORE the AME. Most AME's do it part time, and may not understand all the nuances of complex certification issues (unless they've done one like yours recently). The consultants do this for a living. Also, ultimately, the AME represents the FAA's interests, not yours.
If you or your AME take the wrong approach with the FAA, it can greatly complicate and delay the process. There are even some misteps which can irrevocably career-ending.
Being an aviation medical consultant and an AME are not mutually exclusive. AMEs are like an airline APD....they put on the FAA hat for a specific event. Outside of the FAA medical exam they have no obligation to report anything to the FAA. Provided he sees someone that is familiar with how to handle his case it doesn't matter whether he's an AME or not. I would argue it is better to talk to someone who IS an AME and knows the current FAA protocols etc.