I am a chiropractor and I perform physical examinations every day.

I am also a member of the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners and so I perform commercial driver physical exams so I can complete Medical Examination Report forms (form MCSA-5875) and Medical Examiner’s Certificate forms (MCSA-5876) to allow a driver to get or maintain a commercial driving license or endorsement.

I keep getting questions about whether I can do a sports physical or an FAA Pilot physical exam or if I can complete a Physicians Health Report for a non-commercial driver because the DMV requires it. The answer is generally no, for varying reasons:

The FAA does not allow chiropractors to perform physical exams at this time.

Non-commercial driver physicals do not need to be performed by an NRCME examiner and are supposed to be performed by a primary care physician who has an established doctor-patient relationship with the driver or who is accepting the driver for such a relationship going forward.

Similarly, qualification to perform a physical sport should also be determined by a primary care doctor. I will do this for an established patient, but I generally do not offer this as a service to the general public.