FMCSA Medical Examiners Must Now Recertify Every 10 Years
On Jan. 11, 2023, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a notice of implementation of medical examiner refresher training and recertification every 10 years. The regulation is required for all eligible medical examiners certified and listed on the FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry). The regulation goes into effect Jan. 11, 2023.
Medical examiners should review the new regulation and contact a private sector training organization directly to schedule and complete the 10-year refresher training.
Recertification Schedule
In 2018, under the National Registry improvements, medical examiners were required by regulation to take a refresher training after five years. In 2022, the FMCSA notified all eligible medical examiners past due or currently due for training to complete the five-year training by Dec. 31, 2022. Now, the FMCSA is proceeding with the 10-year training and testing.
Recertification Requirements
The required 10-year refresher training must be delivered by private sector training organizations, and the recertification test must be provided by FMCSA-approved testing organizations. Medical examiners will be able to upload proof of completion of the 10-year training to their National Registry accounts and be eligible to take the 10-year recertification test starting Jan. 1, 2023, after uploading proof of training completion.
To ensure that all medical examiners have a full year to complete the required 10-year refresher training and pass the recertification test, medical examiners whose National Registry certification expires in 2023 (affected medical examiners) will have until Dec. 31, 2023, to complete the 10-year refresher training and pass the recertification test. The FMCSA will not take action against affected medical examiners, provided they complete the training and pass the recertification test as specified in the regulation.
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