Medical and Health Standards
Medical and Health Standards tests whether you understand the fitness benchmarks used in officer selection: vision, hearing, dental health, body mass index, skin, cardiovascular and respiratory fitness, and common orthopaedic issues. The aim is to identify conditions that affect service in the field.
Core checks
- Vision: distant and near vision, colour vision, and correction limits; carry current prescriptions and reports.
- Hearing: normal conversational hearing and no active ear infection.
- BMI: broadly 18.5–24.9; extreme underweight or obesity needs review.
- Dental: no untreated caries or acute gum infection.
- Orthopaedic/skin: flat foot, knock knees, varicocele, and chronic skin conditions are assessed for functional impact.
Worked example
A candidate weighs 68 kg and is 1.65 m tall. Calculate BMI and state the implication. BMI = 68 / (1.65 × 1.65) = 68 / 2.7225 = 24.98, marginally above the usual 24.9 upper bound. This may invite medical review but is not automatically disqualifying. The reasoning matters: use weight in kilograms and height in metres squared, and do not round the height before squaring.
Traps
- Hiding a known condition or old injury.
- Self-medicating before the medical examination.
- Ignoring correctable vision or dental problems.
- Assuming BMI alone decides fitness.
Key points
- Carry current optical and medical reports.
- Know the BMI formula and normal range.
- Treat dental and skin issues before reporting.
- Disclose past injuries honestly.
- Understand that medical review is not automatic rejection.