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-   -   Neuropsychological Evaluation (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/pilot-health/124336-neuropsychological-evaluation.html)

rickair7777 10-12-2019 01:47 PM


Originally Posted by Fifi (Post 2902116)
I got referred by my airline for a single fatigue call months ago....(which I question the legality of).......was sent to a local psychiatrist for a fitness for duty evaluation (not an AME btw)........6 weeks ago........it was zero testing, a 4 hour interview about my whole life, career, family, the fatigue event (which this guy didn’t seem to grasp at all)........so there.......100% discretions of airline who you get referred to....or however your CBA reads about fitness for duty....

Sounds like pilot pushing to me. ASAP that crap, and write your Congress critter.

Xdashdriver 10-13-2019 03:17 AM


Originally Posted by Excargodog (Post 2894116)
He isn’t talking about an FAA neurocognitive evaluation, he’s talking about a neuropsychological fitness for duty exam.

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mental...al-evaluations

Turns out he was talking about a FAA neuropsych eval like I linked to.

Excargodog 10-13-2019 08:08 AM


Originally Posted by Xdashdriver (Post 2903445)
Turns out he was talking about a FAA neuropsych eval like I linked to.

Do you have a difficult time admitting when you are wrong? FAA exams do not “go right to the company.” That would be a violation of federal law.

This was a company directed occupational fitness for duty exam. That there should be some overlapping in the testing between what the FAA would request on a neuropsychological exam and what the company would mandate certainly isn’t surprising.

But all the more reason why the content of the exam, the decision mechanism for who could perform it, and the confidentiality of the medical information produced should all be negotiated in the contract.

AirBear 10-15-2019 08:56 PM

Dang, my memory sucks, always has. I'd flunk that test bigtime most likely. I'd never make it on the old "Match Game". But I flew recreationally from 17-23 and professionally from age 24 to 60 with no issues. Now my wife is convinced I have ADD, but I think what I have is SADD (Selective Attention Deficit Disorder) :p

tomgoodman 10-16-2019 07:58 AM


Originally Posted by AirBear (Post 2906000)
Dang, my memory sucks, always has. I'd flunk that test bigtime most likely. I'd never make it on the old "Match Game". But I flew recreationally from 17-23 and professionally from age 24 to 60 with no issues. Now my wife is convinced I have ADD, but I think what I have is SADD (Selective Attention Deficit Disorder) :p

Memory is overrated. Nothing happens twice in exactly the same way, so you might as well start each day with a blank slate. :D

psychflight 10-16-2019 09:01 AM

Neuropsychological evaluation
 
Hi, i am one of the neuropsychologist who perform the exams. I know pilots like to prepare for EVERYTHING but you really can not, nor do you need to prepare for one of these examination. I tell people it is like studying for a urine test, if everything is OK, it will just work and if not there is not much you can do to fix it before the exam. Best advice is get a good nights sleep and try to not be overly anxious. If you can, spend some time talking to the doctor about the evaluation so you will know what to expect. The exam is really just testing everything your brain does, which is why it takes so long.

AKpilotdude 10-16-2019 05:31 PM

I would have been much less anxious if I could have read a report like I posted beforehand. And yes, there’s not much prep that can be done other than what I said, i.e. the number string recall, math in your head and some Luminosity games-some of which were very similar to what I endured.

I guess the test administrators don’t want prep done so as not to skew the results....but being anxious about losing you’re career and livelihood can skew it as well.


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deftone 10-23-2019 08:00 PM

Is it legal to be given company mandated medical testing and then not to be given the results?

Excargodog 10-23-2019 08:30 PM


Originally Posted by deftone (Post 2911568)
Is it legal to be given company mandated medical testing and then not to be given the results?

If it’s a fitness for duty exam, it generally is. It depends on the law in your state. Generally the employer does not get the results of the testing, merely the opinion of the examiner that the examiner is either fit for duty, fit for duty with restrictions, or unfit for duty. Some states require the examinee be given access to the actual testing results by the examiner, most do not but only require the examiner get the same limited information (fit/fit with restrictions/unfit) the employer gets. Some don’t even require the examinee to get that, and unless you legally challenge and depose the examiner you may never get access.

Even if you do get access, unless the ‘expert witness’ changes their opinion all you can really do is have another ‘expert witness’ either review the testing or redo the testing since even you disagreeing with the test results or opinion will have no legal weight.

Which is why the union contract ought to negotiate a mechanism to insure that fitness for duty exams are done by a mutually agreed upon disinterested expert and that provision is made for a second opinion in the event of disputes. Unfortunately too few pilot unions pay any attention to this essentially granting carte blanche to the HR types to use providers and procedures favorable to them.

This will give you an idea of the FFD process:

https://www.theiacp.org/sites/defaul...aluation_0.pdf

rickair7777 10-24-2019 06:56 AM


Originally Posted by Excargodog (Post 2911581)
If it’s a fitness for duty exam, it generally is. It depends on the law in your state. Generally the employer does not get the results of the testing, merely the opinion of the examiner that the examiner is either fit for duty, fit for duty with restrictions, or unfit for duty. Some states require the examinee be given access to the actual testing results by the examiner, most do not but only require the examiner get the same limited information (fit/fit with restrictions/unfit) the employer gets. Some don’t even require the examinee to get that, and unless you legally challenge and depose the examiner you may never get access.

Even if you do get access, unless the ‘expert witness’ changes their opinion all you can really do is have another ‘expert witness’ either review the testing or redo the testing since even you disagreeing with the test results or opinion will have no legal weight.

Which is why the union contract ought to negotiate a mechanism to insure that fitness for duty exams are done by a mutually agreed upon disinterested expert and that provision is made for a second opinion in the event of disputes. Unfortunately too few pilot unions pay any attention to this essentially granting carte blanche to the HR types to use providers and procedures favorable to them.

This will give you an idea of the FFD process:

https://www.theiacp.org/sites/defaul...aluation_0.pdf

As a union member, I don't think I want to spend negotiating capital trying to protect job applicants, in fact it might be in my best interest if the company is as selective as the law (and the market) permits. Anything relevant to someone on property is different of course.


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