Dive Medicals

Certified Divers

If you are a certified diver on OceanQuest or ReefQuest, you will be asked to fill out and sign an Advice to Divers.

Medical Standards differ from country to country, certain medication / medical conditions may preclude you from diving in Australia.

If you answer Yes to any of the questions below, further medical clearance may be required. (This must be organised at least the day before your trip start date). In some circumstances you may be able to dive, with a certified professional (Dive Guide), at an additional cost.

Sample Medical Questionnaire For Certified Divers

Are you currently suffering from any illness or injury?
Yes / No. If ‘yes’ please specify: ____________________________________________________________
Are you currently taking any prescription medication (excluding oral contraceptives)
Yes / No. If ‘yes’ please specify: ____________________________________________________________
Since your last dive medical have you suffered from any conditions that may affect your fitness to dive?
Yes / No. If ‘yes’ please specify: _________________________________________________________

Please view the Advice to divers by clicking the link below:

Advice to Divers (101KB)

If you are doing an Open Water Course (Learn to dive):

All dive medicals from overseas will NOT be accepted unless they state they are to Australian Standard AS4005.1

Generally most students pass the Medical Examination without any difficulty. There are however, some CONTRA -INDICATIONS for scuba diving. If you have ever suffered from any of the following conditions, you are unlikely to pass the medical examination here:

PNEUMOTHORAX
EPILEPSY
HEART SURGERY
DIABETES REQUIRING INSULIN
ASTHMA
Or if you are currently PREGNANT

This medical examination must be conducted along the guidelines of Australian Standard AS4005.1. If you or your doctor require a copy of this standard, please click here.

Click here to visit the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society

All PDF information sheets are Adobe Acrobat format.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader you can download it for free from Adobe.

www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

If you are doing an introductory dive or doing any
Continuing Education (E.g. Advanced course):

You will be asked to fill out a medical statement similar to the one below. If you answer YES to any of the conditions below, further medical clearance may be required.
If you answer NO to all questions AND your medical condition has not changed since your medical for your Open Water Course, no further medical will be required.

Click here to see the full form for anyone doing a PADI Advanced or PADI Rescue course (opens in new window):
(276kb) PDF
All PDF information sheets are Adobe Acrobat format.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader you can download it for free from Adobe.

www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Medical History

I, _________________________ of the aforementioned address do hereby formally declare that I am not and have never been subject to any of the following:

Asthma or wheezing
Brain, spinal cord injury
Nervous disorder
Chest Surgery Chronic Bronchitis or persistent chest complaint
Chronic Sinus condition Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
Diabetes Mellitus (sugar diabetes) Ear Surgery
Epilepsy Fainting, seizures or blackouts
Heart disease of any kind Recurrent ear problems when flying
Tuberculosis or other long-term lung disease

I further declare that I am not currently subject to any of the following:

Breathlessness Chronic ear discharge or infection
High blood pressure Other illness or operation within the last month
Perforated eardrum

I further declare that I am not currently taking any prescribed medicine or drug (excluding oral contraceptives)
I further declare that I have not ingested alcohol within eight hours prior to diving.
I further declare that I am not currently pregnant. I understand that concealment of any condition incompatible with safe diving might put my life or health at risk. I understand that I should not go to altitude (fly) within 12 hours of completing a single dive or 18 hours of multiple dives (where possible, wait 24 hours).

Introductory Diving

If you are doing an introductory dive on OceanQuest or ReefQuest, you will be asked to fill out and sign the following form:

Introductory Diver Form (275KB)
If you answer YES to any questions further medical clearance may be required. This must be arranged prior to day of departure.

If you have a medical question, please feel free to email Cairns 24 Hour Medical Centre or visit their website.

If you are doing a professional course (Divemaster or above):

A valid diving medical to Australian standard AS 4005.1, no less than 12 months old (Australian standard AS2229 if you plan to work in Australia)

If you have a medical question, please feel free to email Cairns 24 Hour Medical Centre or visit their website.

Help in finding a Diving Doctor

In Australia

If you would like to find a doctor in Australia or around the world, just visit www.spums.org.au.

If you would like to find a doctor in the Cairns area, please visit www.divemedicals.com.au.

In the United Kingdom

IF YOU LIVE IN THE UK, A MEDICAL TO AUSTRALIAN STANDARD
AS4005.1 CAN BE ORGANISED THROUGH THIS WEBSITE:

e-med.co.uk
e-med.co.uk/diving_medicals.html
This is the website for the Australian Medicals, if you enter the site and click on the tab at the top for 'dive medicals', then scroll down and you will see a list of different medicals offered including the Australian Standard AS4005.1 @ £80. They perform all the medicals at The Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, London, directions are also on the website.

If you have a medical question, please feel free to email Cairns 24 Hour Medical Centre or visit their website.

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