What is a seafarers medical certificate?

[MariaW]

I came across this phrase on a job listing for a foreign flagged ship "

Do you hold a current and valid seafarers medical certificate?" What is this, and what can a U.S. mariner do if someone ever asks for it?

[Flyer69]

I came across this phrase on a job listing for a foreign flagged ship "Do you hold a current and valid seafarers medical certificate?" What is this, and what can a U.S. mariner do if someone ever asks for it?

Google ENG1

[jdcavo]

Under STCW 2010, it is a separate document issued by the flag state certifying medical fitness. The Coast Guard has proposed regulations to implement this and issue a medical certificate. Until the U.S. adopts such refgulatioons, your MMC is your medical fitness certificate.

Currently, for the U.S., the MMC is the medical certificate as the determinatio9n of medical fitness is made by the Coast Guard. In other countries, notably the UK, it is a certificater issued by an authorized physician attesting to the medical fitness of the mariner.

[seadog!]

Last time I looked into it there where only 2 providers in the US.
One in Newport, RI and another in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
They aren't cheap.

[MariaW]

JDCavo, So, if someone asks if I have a seafarer's medical certificate, would answering "yes" be correct if I have the MMC from the USCG?

[c.captain]

JDCavo, So, if someone asks if I have a seafarer's medical certificate, would answering "yes" be correct if I have the MMC from the USCG?

I have some experience with this subject and European companies need the ENG1 medical certificate and will not accept the USCG explanation that the US MMC is proof of medical fitness. There is an earlier thread started by me on this and some provided a list of physicians in the US who can provide an ENG1 but I believe that with the correct forms any licensed physician can do it. They just need to know what is required

I ended up getting mine done while is was working in Singapore and it was not very strenuous to pass. Pretty much the basics only required.

Hope this helps & good luck in your search. Let us know if you get the job.

[Steamer]

The flag state maritime authority determines which medical certificate they will accept. Their website will tell which ones they are happy with, or not.

Some companies ask for an ENG1 because they just don't know about others and take the simple way out of having to look it up.



http://tinyurl.com/cfwygee

[captamericas]

Most Flag States will accept a copy of their approved physical form

[c.captain]

Most Flag States will accept a copy of their approved physical form

but the poster wanted to know about the ENG1 for an employer/recruiter requirement

[jdcavo]

JDCavo, So, if someone asks if I have a seafarer's medical certificate, would answering "yes" be correct if I have the MMC from the USCG?

No, you have evidence of medical fitness issued by awhite list country. But it's not the medical certificate the employer wants and/or is used to seeing. What evidence of medical fitness is acceptable is up to the flag of the vessel. Also, the employer may have a number of reasons for wanting the separate certificate, either because of familiarity wit it and/or ignorance of other countries' documents, or experience in what flag state contol authorities will accept.

[c.captain]

I think it is important to remember that in the end the employers set requirements that must be satisfied before they will accept a candidate. I might be 100% A-Ok with the USCG and a vessel's flag state even to be a master but if some company wants me to have an ugly purple and pink certificate that I might not already have, before they'll hire me I will have to get it if I want the job. I have found this to be the case not only with European companies but also plently of US ones as well.

This is what being a certified DPO is really in the end.