OWD license without a doctor's certificate?

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JudasFm

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Messages
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Location
Chiba
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Hi all,

My husband recently decided he wanted to try scuba diving (I'm a diver, we both love the sea, so it seemed the next logical step!) We found a dive shop not far from where we live, which was great, and went to the pool classes together, as I haven't dived for a few years (too expensive!) and wanted a refresher before getting back into the sea.

Here's the thing: when I took my OWD, I needed a medical examination and a doctor's certificate before the dive shop would take me. Hubby has done his pool dives and we're set to go to the ocean in a few weeks, yet nothing has been said about a doctor's certificate for him. I checked the PADI handbook and it mentions there that it's required, but still no word from the dive shop, and Hubby was astonished when I mentioned it to him.

My question is this: is a doctor's certificate an actual requirement for OWD? Or is it just something that some shops like you to get on a "just in case" basis? Should we be worried about this dive shop?

Although I have my AOW, it's been a long while since I used it, so I'm very rusty and still inexperienced, so I'd appreciate some opinions from wiser divers than I!
 
Hi all,

My husband recently decided he wanted to try scuba diving (I'm a diver, we both love the sea, so it seemed the next logical step!) We found a dive shop not far from where we live, which was great, and went to the pool classes together, as I haven't dived for a few years (too expensive!) and wanted a refresher before getting back into the sea.

Here's the thing: when I took my OWD, I needed a medical examination and a doctor's certificate before the dive shop would take me. Hubby has done his pool dives and we're set to go to the ocean in a few weeks, yet nothing has been said about a doctor's certificate for him. I checked the PADI handbook and it mentions there that it's required, but still no word from the dive shop, and Hubby was astonished when I mentioned it to him.

My question is this: is a doctor's certificate an actual requirement for OWD? Or is it just something that some shops like you to get on a "just in case" basis? Should we be worried about this dive shop?

Although I have my AOW, it's been a long while since I used it, so I'm very rusty and still inexperienced, so I'd appreciate some opinions from wiser divers than I!

It depends. You will have to fill out a medical form that asks you about conditions that may be problematic when diving. If you can honestly answer no to all questions, no physician sign-off is required. But if you have anything on that list, you'll need to have a physician certify that you're fit to dive.
 
I've never heard of a doctors certificate being required unless one or more of the "I have the following medical condition" boxes were checked on the application.

It would be unwise for a student diver to check any of those boxes unless they were willing to go through the trouble of obtaining a doctors clearance and risk possibly being denied and therefore being unable to dive.
 
Ditto. Although there is the possibility that some parts of the world have stricter requirements, so maybe that is why you needed an exam back when you certified. Alternatively you may have has a "YES" on the Medical Statement, thus requiring the MD sign-off, and forgotten that was the reason.
 
It would be unwise for a student diver to check any of those boxes unless they were willing to go through the trouble of obtaining a doctors clearance and risk possibly being denied and therefore being unable to dive.
Unless, of course, the prospective diver has a condition that is a contraindication to diving. Diving isn't worth dying for.
 
It would be unwise for a student diver to check any of those boxes unless they were willing to go through the trouble of obtaining a doctors clearance and risk possibly being denied and therefore being unable to dive.
I think that might be the worst advice I've seen in here :facepalm:
 
Are you technically in Spain, from a legal point of view? Special rules apply there. While typically you can self certify as fit that might or might not apply. Google, and calling the Dive school, might help.
 
Are you technically in Spain, from a legal point of view? Special rules apply there. While typically you can self certify as fit that might or might not apply. Google, and calling the Dive school, might help.

I used to live in Fuerteventura and that's where I qualified, but I moved to Japan a few years ago and that's where this new dive school is; I just haven't got around to updating my location yet :) If there are special rules, it might well explain my confusion.

It sounds like there's nothing too much for me to worry about though. Thank you so much to everyone who replied :)
 
@JudasFm the standard rule is that a medical certificate is not a requirement for doing an OW certificate unless there are medical conditions that require a yes on the medical declaration.

As with any standard, there are exceptions and AFAIK Spain is one of them.
 
While I am no expert, the class I am taking next month, the instructor offers a group class trip from DC to Grand Cayman to do the checkout dives. He said that regardless of answering NO to all questions on the medical form that you will need a medical waiver signed by a doctor. I don't know if it's because the shop he organizes the trip with requires it, or because it's an actual requirement. Since I have asthma though I went through a bunch of tests and finally got my waiver signed so I'm good to go.
 
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