Aviation Psychiatric Evaluations
Dr. Nelsen works with pilots who need or wish to address any past or current mental health issue, including the use of a medications such as antidepressants. Common situations involve anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, ADHD, eating disorders, a history of counseling or a legal issue from the past. The situation may even be based on an error or misdiagnosis. Dr. Nelsen will carefully review your records, meet with you, obtain information from references, and create an official report for submission to the FAA, your AME, or other recipient of your choice. Whenever it is appropriate, her evaluation will offer recommendations to help you achieve and sustain solid mental health so you can focus on flying.
HIMS Evaluations
For over 50 years the FAA and major airlines have partnered in a program called HIMS to help aviators recover from substance abuse and regain their ability to fly. In addition to safeguarding the public by promoting recognition of substance abuse among aviators, HIMS has saved the lives of numerous pilots by removing barriers to care. A HIMS examinations is typically required when an aviator has had a DWI, positive alcohol or drug test, or a medical issue caused by drug or alcohol use. In other cases, the FAA has received information about the aviator’s use of substances from a third party. Dr. Nelsen has worked extensively with aviators who have experienced each of these situations. She has seen many be restored to good health and regain medical certification. Her approach is thorough, objective and fair. She has been HIMS-certified by the FAA for over 10 years. Her evaluations are trusted by the FAA and AMEs and are sought out by aviators who want the most effective help getting back into flying.
Student Pilots
Dr. Nelsen has been helping student pilots of all ages obtain medical certification for over a decade. She knows the process and its challenges, including how easy it is for applicants to get flagged by the FAA for clearance reasons. Whether enrolled in a four-year university aviation program, a fast track commercial school, using the GI Bill for civilian pilot training, or taking private lessons, all students will need a medical certificate – if not now, then soon. Issues commonly addressed include anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, autism, childhood behavioral concerns or adjustment problems during the pandemic. Dr. Nelsen collaborates with pilots, parents, flight schools, AMEs, pediatricians and primary care providers to ensure efficient and effective evaluations tailored to each student pilot’s situation.
Veterans
Veterans face unique challenges when it comes to FAA medical certification, especially if they receive VA disability benefits for mental health conditions or were treated in the military. Whether you are a former military pilot or embarking on your first flight lesson, Dr. Nelsen will assist you by conducting a thorough assessment that anticipates and addresses FAA inquiries, minimizing complications and delays.
Air Traffic Controllers
Dr. Nelsen frequently works with air traffic controllers. She appreciates the unique stresses and demands of the job and its lifestyle, and she is well versed in the medical requirements placed on ATCs by the FAA. She often works with ATCs who are also pilots!
Rural and remote pilots
Dr. Nelsen is licensed in multiple states and works with pilots in some of the most remote and rural locations in the US, including Alaska, Hawaii and Guam. She offers virtual appointments that make it possible for crop dusters, bush pilots, active duty military, rescue pilots, backcountry park staff and others in underserved or difficult-to-reach locations to obtain evaluations without the time and expense of major travel. She provides appointments times that meet the needs of her clients, and loves learning about their jobs and the planes they fly. She is the only HIMS-certified psychiatrist for several states in the Upper Midwest, where pilots benefit from her ready knowledge of local resources.
Past Treatment/Records Reviews
In 2024 the FAA changed its policies, enabling AMEs to issue medical certificates to some pilots with a history of depression or anxiety, without deferring to the FAA. Most AMEs are not psychiatrists by background, and are not necessarily equipped to evaluate a pilot’s mental health on the spot, or make sense of psychiatric records, which often are complicated and create more questions than they answer. Dr. Nelsen provides a record evaluation/consultation service in which she will gladly evaluate and interpret mental health records of all kinds, and all levels of complexity, so that AME’s or other decision-makers who are evaluating pilots will have the information they need.