Mayo Clinic Aerospace Medicine

Experienced and Focused Care

Mayo Clinic Clear Approach is staffed by Senior AMEs and a dedicated health care team with credentials and expertise focused on providing pilots crucial and accurate information. Serving thousands of pilots each year, our aviation experts have the experience you would expect from Mayo Clinic. Many of our staff members have civilian and military flight experience and leadership roles in aviation organizations.

Some services don't have AMEs on staff or don't have the ability to do testing. Mayo Clinic is a complete solution.

Confidential Evaluations

Medical conditions are addressed in a confidential, safe environment where pilots' professional accomplishments are respected. Whether a pilot has specific health concerns, questions about a medication or needs advice on FAA correspondence and next steps, Mayo Clinic Clear Approach can get you the information you need to make informed decisions. We are pilot advocates and your health, wellness and safety come first. 

Expertise in Working With the FAA

Mayo Clinic has been home to the nation's first flight examiners, designated by the Civil Aeronautics Board in the 1930s. For more than 80 years, Mayo Clinic flight physicians have participated in research and cared for the needs of pilots. Rely on expert advice from Senior Aviation Medical Examiners that have the longest relationship with the FAA.

Accurate and Rapid Assessments

Accidents and illness happen. We offer personalized recommendations for specific conditions that may impact flying status. When a health crisis affects you or a colleague, Mayo Clinic Clear Approach is just a few clicks away from a solution. If an in-person visit is needed, we will rapidly evaluate the request and coordinate a visit using a multidisciplinary model of care that has been the core of Mayo Clinic quality for more than a century. No other organization can provide advice and testing in a single location. 

Chief pilots and personnel managers have found the Mayo Clinic Clear Approach program useful for their flight crews to access unmatched Mayo Clinic medical advice from anywhere at any time. 

HIMS Support

Pilots with alcohol or substance dependency, or those being treated for depression, anxiety, or a specific psychiatric medical condition may be required by the FAA to have an evaluation, testing, and monitoring by a HIMS (Human Intervention Motivation Study) provider. Mayo Clinic Aerospace Medicine has the most complete, comprehensive and successful HIMS program in the United States. 

Mayo Clinic Clear Approach can answer questions regarding the FAA HIMS Program and how it applies to each situation. Full HIMS support is offered at our Mayo Clinic location in Rochester, MN.

Aerospace Research

Research and innovation have been part of our aerospace medicine culture since the 1930s. Mayo Clinic physiologists and altitude scientists developed several items vital to military pilot safety during World War II. Many inventions — such as the five-bladder G suit, the "M-1 straining maneuver" for fighter pilots and high-altitude bailout bottle — are now industry standards.

About the Mayo Clinic

For more than a century, people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic. Here are some reasons why more than a million people each year choose us for their medical care:

Not for Profit

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all its earnings into improving medical practice, research and education.

Experienced Doctors in Every Specialty

Mayo Clinic doctors cover virtually every specialty and subspecialty. Our clinics treat large numbers of people, giving our doctors extensive experience in treating your condition. We also treat rare conditions treated in few other places.

We Take the Time You Need

Mayo Clinic doctors take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns and provide you with an unhurried consultation.

Satisfied Patients and an Unparalleled Experience

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visit mean health care like they've never experienced.

Innovation and Research

Part of Mayo Clinic's mission is to keep looking for new and better ways of doing things. Mayo Clinic doctors across all specialties are engaged in research. Your doctor or someone on your team is likely involved in research related to your condition. Our patients are frequently among the first to benefit from innovative ideas and the latest research generated by Mayo doctors and researchers.

One-Stop Care

Virtually all medical services you may need — doctor visits, testing, surgery, and hospital care— is available "under one roof" at Mayo Clinic. Scheduling of these services is coordinated in an efficient way, so what might take months in another setting is done in a matter of days at Mayo Clinic. Some people have told us they found this difficult to believe until they came to Mayo Clinic and experienced it firsthand.

Top-Rated Institution

Mayo Clinic shows up at or near the top in a variety of quality measures. U.S. News & World Report annually names Mayo Clinic to its Honor Roll of top hospitals. In many quality measures such as mortality rates and readmission rates, Mayo Clinic exceeds national rates.

Technology

Mayo Clinic has the latest in diagnostic and treatment technology — from the highest resolution imaging devices to robotic surgery. This supports our ability to give you the best answers and the best treatment.

Value Statements

These values, which guide Mayo Clinic's mission to this day, are an expression of the vision and intent of our founders, the original Mayo physicians and the Sisters of Saint Francis.

  • Respect

    Treat everyone in our diverse community, including patients, their families and colleagues, with dignity.

  • Integrity

    Adhere to the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and personal responsibility, worthy of the trust our patients place in us.

  • Compassion

    Provide the best care, treating patients and family members with sensitivity and empathy.

  • Healing

    Inspire hope and nurture the well-being of the whole person, respecting physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

  • Teamwork

    Value the contributions of all, blending the skills of individual staff members in unsurpassed collaboration.

  • Innovation

    Infuse and energize the organization, enhancing the lives of those we serve, through the creative ideas and unique talents of each employee.

  • Excellence

    Deliver the best outcomes and highest quality service through the dedicated effort of every team member.

  • Stewardship

    Sustain and reinvest in our mission and extended communities by wisely managing our human, natural and material resources.