dfx
Contributor
So I've taken my first OWD course many years ago in Austria. Part of the requirements for starting the course was to get a medical examination from a doctor, certifying that you were fit to dive. That was required before you even enrolled in the course, and you were required to get re-examined every two years (or maybe it even was every year). If you failed the examination for whatever reason, you weren't allowed to dive. This was required for every diver and I believe these requirements still exist today. You were expected to have the medical statement with you when you were going diving.
Now being based in Canada, I haven't seen anything like this anywhere else. Everyone has the usual waivers and medical forms that you complete yourself, but nobody ever required a medical examination from a doctor unless you admitted to having some condition that might warrant it.
Now I'm wondering, is this an Austrian specialty? Or do other countries (Germany?) have similar requirements? How do the common European dive vacation destinations (Egypt...) handle this stuff?
Now being based in Canada, I haven't seen anything like this anywhere else. Everyone has the usual waivers and medical forms that you complete yourself, but nobody ever required a medical examination from a doctor unless you admitted to having some condition that might warrant it.
Now I'm wondering, is this an Austrian specialty? Or do other countries (Germany?) have similar requirements? How do the common European dive vacation destinations (Egypt...) handle this stuff?