virginia to allow chiropractors to qualify for fmcsa dot exams!

"Virginia DCs Regain Ability to Conduct CDL Physical Exams"Monday, May 1, 2017  
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 17, 2017
Virginia DCs Regain Ability to Conduct CDL Physical Exams
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Afton, VA – The Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association (Unified VCA) is pleased to report that the organization’s HB 1688 was passed and signed into law by Governor MacAuliffe on February 24, 2017.  It becomes effective July 1, 2017.
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The legislation is an important affirmation that Virginia DCs have training consistent with the demands of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/NRPublicUI/home.seam).
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The Unified VCA would like to give special thanks to Michael Megehee, DC,  President of TeamCME and the National Network of DOT Medical Examiners, and Craig Little, DC, President of the Council of Chiropractic Education. The doctors travelled to Virginia in June of last year to provide vital testimony to the Virginia Board of Health Professions in support of the bill. For the full list of actions through the legislative session on this issue, go to http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+sum+HB1688.
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As Unified VCA president Dr. David Dolberg observes, “Virginia Chiropractors can now take advantage of this great opportunity to train and become certified for listing on the national registry. This is a unique opportunity for our profession to provide a vital service to our respective communities while at the same time strengthening our practices.”
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Before offering these CDL physical exams, a doctor must take a special course, pass a DOT test, and be registered as a “Certified Medical Examiner” (CME).  To take the exam to be a CME, doctors need a registration number from the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration/ National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (FMCSA/NRCME). Dr. David Brown, Executive Director of the Virginia Department of Health Professions, has forwarded the necessary documentation to the FMCSA/NRCME so that it can assign these registration numbers to DCs.
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For more information, contact Dr. Joe Foley, Unified VCA Legislative Committee Chair, at [email protected] or Ms. Julie K. Connolly, Unified VCA Executive Director, phone 540-932-3100, email [email protected].