• An applicant for admission to the Academy must be in good medical condition and must meet the requirements for an appointment as a Midshipman Strategic Sealift Officer, U.S. Navy Reserve.

• The Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB) is responsible for determining the medical qualification of Academy applicants. Medical examinations are conducted by a service academy examining facility designated by DoDMERB.

• To be considered for the DoDMERB medical exam, the Office of Admissions must receive your high school transcript (through 11th grade), official SAT/ACT scores, AND a passing Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA). It is the applicant's responsibility to pursue medical processing in a timely manner to its conclusion. It can take several weeks to schedule your initial medical evaluation and several more weeks to determine medical qualification.

• Applicants can visit the DoDMERB website at https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil/FAQs.aspx to obtain additional information.

• Failing to disclose pre-existing medical conditions of which you were aware that are discovered after reporting to the USMMA may result in medical separation and you may be ineligible for readmission.

Height and Weight

• All applicants must meet the Navy body composition standards in accordance with the OPNAV Instruction 6110.1J, Physical Readiness Program.  Please see Table 1 in the Navy Body Composition Assessment (BCA) guide for maximum limits.

• The maximum body fat percentages are 22 percent for men and 33 percent for women. A body fat percentage is not required for applicants whose weight falls within the parameters set forth in Table 1 in the Navy Body Composition Assessment (BCA) guide. For those applicants whose weight exceeds the maximum for their height, a body fat measurement will subsequently be taken using the circumference (tape measure) method. Applicants who do not meet the established medical requirements for admission at the time of their medical examination may still be considered for and offered a conditional appointment. Appointed candidates are expected to report for the Academy's Indoctrination Program meeting the height-weight standards.

Medical Waivers

• For applicants with a disqualifying medical condition: A medical waiver will be automatically requested for applicants that are competitive for an appointment to the Academy. You will be notified directly by DoDMERB if there are any additional requirements, tests, or evaluations required.

• The following is a list of medical considerations. It is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive list of all disqualifying conditions:

Vision

An applicant must have minimum uncorrected visual acuity of 20/400 in each eye, correctable to 20/20 in each eye. The refractive error to correct the vision to 20/20 must not be greater than plus or minus 6.0 diopters in any meridian; there cannot be more than 3.00 diopters of astigmatism present; and the maximum difference in power between the eyes may not exceed 3.50 diopters. The applicant must satisfactorily pass the pseudoisochromatic plate test (PIP). Any applicant who has been diagnosed with substandard color vision is not eligible for further consideration. Upon reporting to the Academy, all appointed Plebe Candidates are subject to an eye examination. Those who fail to meet the Academy's visual requirements at that time will be disenrolled.

Hearing

Auditory acuity of all applicants is determined by an audiometer. The standards for hearing, to which the Academy ascribes, are determined by the U.S. Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board.

Heart and Vascular System

An electrocardiogram is required of all applicants. The following conditions may be causes for rejection and require complete medical evaluation: all organic valvular diseases of the heart, including those improved by surgery; EKG evidence of variations from normal heartbeat; hypertension evidenced by a predominant blood pressure reading of 140mm or more systolic, or 90mm or more diastolic. The following are causes for rejection: varicose veins, if severe or symptomatic; a heart rate greater than 100 on repeated examination; a substantiated history of rheumatic fever within the previous two years; recurrent attacks of rheumatic fever or evidence of residual cardiac damage; a history of recurring rapid heartbeat within the preceding five years (paroxysmal tachycardia).

Nares

Septal deviation, hypertrophic rhinitis, or other conditions which result in 50 percent or more obstruction of either airway, or which interfere with the drainage of sinus on either side, are causes of rejection.

Skin

Chronic skin diseases such as severe acne or eczema or unsightly congenital markings are cause for disqualification. Pilondial sinus, if evidenced by the presence of mass or discharging sinus, is cause for rejection. Pilondial cyst surgery within the past year is disqualifying.

Genitourinary System

Persistent or recurrent albuminuria of any type or the persistence of casts in the urine will be cause for rejection, even though the etiology cannot be determined. Other causes for rejection include marked phimosis, epispadias, or pronounced hypospadias; atrophy, deformity, or maldevelopment of both testicles; an undescended testicle of any degree. Bed-wetting past age 12 is disqualifying.

Neurological Examination

A history of motion sickness (e.g., air, sea, swing, train or carnival ride) should be thoroughly investigated. A history of head injury in the past five years resulting in unconsciousness must be completely evaluated and an electroencephalogram is required. Evidence of degenerative disorders and such conditions as established migraine is cause for rejection.

Asthma

Asthma, recurrent asthmatic bronchitis or exercise-induced bronchospasms, by diagnosis or history, is cause for rejection. Abdominal Wall Examination Hernia of any type is disqualifying until corrected; history of operation for hernia within the past 60 days is disqualifying. Other abnormal diseases and conditions which are not acceptable include stomach or small bowel ulcer or a history of one; acute or chronic gall bladder disease; removal of spleen for reason other than trauma.

Miscellaneous Medical Disqualifications

Other medical reasons for disqualification include Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD); acute communicable diseases; anemia; abnormal bleeding states; learning disabilities; diabetes mellitus or a history of diabetes in both parents; persistent sugar in urine regardless of cause; ununited fractures; a history of surgery to a major joint within the past six months; knee ligament surgery or a history of derangement of a knee joint not corrected by surgery, or evidence of instability subsequent to surgery; total loss of either thumb; tuberculosis active in the past five years; hay fever, if severe, or a record of hyposensitization therapy for severe hay fever during one year prior to examination; nasal polyps; personality disorders; symptomatic immaturity disorders such as stammering or stuttering; arthritis; and herniated nucleus pulposus or a history of operation for this condition. These conditions represent the most common causes of medical disqualification.

Note: Women applicants must also have a pelvic examination and a Pap test, if they are age 22 or older.

All applicants must be medically and physically qualified on the “UNRESTRICTED LINE” level for entry.

Dental Standards

An applicant must have a minimum of 16 natural permanent teeth, of which a minimum of eight must be in each arch. All missing teeth causing unsightly spaces or significantly reducing masticatory or incisal efficiency must be replaced by well-designed bridges or partial dentures which are in good condition. All required dental treatment must be completed prior to final medical qualification.

Disqualifying defects are:

• lack of satisfactory incisal or masticatory function;
• less than a minimum of eight natural permanent teeth in each arch;
• edentulous spaces which are unsightly or which significantly reduce masticatory function;
• carious teeth, including minor carious areas extending into dentin;
• infectious or chronic diseases of the soft tissue of the oral cavity;
• marked malocclusion resulting in severe dentofacial deformity;
• unsatisfactory restoration, bridges, or dentures;
• severe or extensive apical or periodontal infection.