Advertise on podcast: Mayo Clinic Clear Approach

Rating

★★★★★

4.8

from

15 reviews

Description

Mayo Clinic Clear Approach tackles medical topics important to commercial aviators, recreational pilots, or just folks interested in things that fly. Current topics from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and aviation trends are explored in a serious but sometimes humorous way. Mayo Clinic Clear Approach focuses on a perspective from "the other side of the gurney." Let us navigate the storms of aeromedical certification, medical issues that may affect pilots, and share experiences with and from other pilots to break through life's sometimes stormy clouds and focus in on a clear approach.

Unlock Mayo Clinic Clear Approach podcast Email contact info,
Listeners & Audience details

Email contact information

Direct podcast contact details

Listeners

Audience numbers & engagement insights

Audience details

Podcast Insights

Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from Mayo Clinic Clear Approach podcast

Maybe Not Too Spicy: FAA Medical Updates for Acid Reflux to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

2026/04/17

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we review the latest FAA updates on a variety of conditions including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), retinal dystrophies, and the CACI qualification for polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Go With the Flow: Updates on drones and clots

2026/03/27

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we discuss the amazing advancements in the world of drone technology -- the fastest growing sector in the aviation space. In addition, we review thromboembolic disease, the medical term for clots either in the lung or in an extremity that can be life-threatening, and potentially jeopardize your medical certificate. What is required for Special Issuance Authorization? Is there a stand down time? What do I need to report at my next flight physical if I encounter a pulmonary embolism or a deep venous thrombosis?

Restructuring for the Future and Updating GI Conditions

2026/03/13

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we return from a mid-winter hiatus back to the studio with a new practice location as part of a Mayo Clinic rebuild of the entire downtown campus. Plus, restructuring at the FAA, and a review of current updates regarding liver disease, including steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, esophageal varices, and liver transplantation.

Holiday Happiness in the "Land of Misfit Toys"

2025/12/19

Send us Fan Mail Many pilots who have visited the Mayo Clinic Section of Transportation Medicine had early Christmas presents this year when they received their medical certificates. On this episode, we review some of those cases and update listeners on the newest FAA aeromedical certification changes released this month.

Discover a "Secret Resource" to Speed Up Your Aeromedical Certification

2025/11/21

Send us Fan Mail As the holiday season approaches, one gift to pilots is the AME Guide available from the FAA on line as an insider resource to aviators preparing for their flight physicals. Think of preparation for a flight physical as a pre-flight inspection of yourself. Medical conditions never seem to strike at convenient times, so having an online, free, and accessible guide to understanding what tests and materials might be required by your AME is a true gift in the process of navigating FAA medical certification.

Seeing Through Glaucoma

2025/11/14

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we review glaucoma, one of the most common causes of visual acuity loss in older adults and gradually affects visual field of pilots if not detected early. That early detection is a key factor in preventing its effects. What about aeromedical certification implications? Is there CACI criteria available for glaucoma? Is a pilot able to hold a medical certificate with this condition?

Certification After Sudden Cardiac Death Episodes or with Brugada Pattern on ECG

2025/11/07

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we access a world expert on complex cardiac arrhythmias that can result in sudden cardiac death. Can a pilot resuscitated on the flight deck or in the field actually get back to flight duty? What trends are being seen in the FAA cardiology panel when it comes to consideration of these conditions? Why is it important to perform detailed research and provide data to the FAA to help shape future aeromedical decision making?

Wheeze Bad -- A Short Primer on Certification with Respiratory Issues

2025/10/31

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we interview Dr. Wigdan Farah, a pulmonologist in Mayo Clinic's Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine to discuss several respiratory conditions seen commonly in pilots seeking medical certification -- then review aeromedical implications and requirements.

Legal Beagles - Aeromedical Certification from the Perspective of an Aviation Attorney

2025/10/17

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we ask a few questions of an aviation attorney as it pertains to aeromedical certification. How worried do pilots need to be about falsification on on a medical application -- intended or unintended? What is the liability for using BasicMed as an alternative to aeromedical certification? What are the most common cases for which pilots contact an aviation attorney?

Government shutdown? What now? Let's talk Skin Cancer

2025/10/03

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we review any potential changes in flight physical reviews on the basis of the government shutdown. In addition, with the outstanding weather this fall in the upper Midwest, we review ultraviolet radiation effects as it pertains to skin cancer and how that can affect aeromedical certification.

FAA Updates from the Civil Aviation Medical Association meeting and AME Grand Rounds

2025/09/26

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we discuss items learned at the Civil Aviation Medical Association meeting (CAMA) in Spokane, Washington along with a few updates from the FAA communicated on the recent AME Grand Rounds held virtually this past week.

Will Low Platelet Counts Prevent Issuing a Medical Certificate?

2025/09/05

Send us Fan Mail A certain portion of pilots develop low platelet counts, otherwise known as thrombocytopenia. On this episode, we look at how platelets work in the body, what happens if there are not enough platelets, and why the FAA even cares. Having a good plan in place with your AME to deal with this condition is important when considering aeromedical certification.

Atrial Fibrillation: A Fluttering Heart and Aeromedical Implications

2025/08/29

Send us Fan Mail Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common forms of heart arrhythmia that require Special Issuance Authorization from the FAA. On this episode, we review what testing is required and how difficult the challenge is to obtain a medical waiver for the condition.

Head Trauma and the Pilot: Boo boo on the Noggin' to Skull Fractures and Brain Bleeds

2025/08/22

Send us Fan Mail Falls, crashes, and other events resulting in head trauma are never planned but can have significant consequences for a pilot's ability to maintain a medical certificate. On this episode, we review the various levels of severity of head trauma as defined by the FAA and navigate direct paths to aeromedical certification.

Searching for the "Cog" in the Wheels of the Mind: Neuropsychology Testing in Pilots

2025/08/08

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we visit with an FAA-trained neuropsychologist -- an expert in the field of testing cognitive ability -- often required as part of medical certification in pilots with conditions such as depression, ADHD, prior drug or alcohol disorders, and past head trauma. We ask what to do, and what not to do as part of these testing sessions, often cloaked in anonymity.