Civilian medical qualification determinations

Much like their counterparts in private industry, federal medical officers, particularly preventive and occupational medicine physicians, must ensure a workforce fit to perform their duties. Meeting this objective often requires balancing competing interests between employers and employees. The medical examination is the method for protecting the government's interests in identifying federal civilian applicants and workers who are medically unqualified to perform their duties while also preventing discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. Scant published guidance on performing authorized medical examinations and analyzing the resultant information is available for federal medical officers. This is needed to foster an equitable, compliant decision for both federal employers and employees. Using the Department of Defense as an example, this article provides a legal road map for the practitioner by defining medical standards and physical requirements, discussing medical examinations, and examining disability determinations.