FMCSA to void over 15,000 driver med cards and remove non-compliant medical examiners from National Registry

On April 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has proposed the removal of two Houston-area medical examiners from the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) for failure to properly perform physical qualification exams required for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. This move, which impacts over 15,000 drivers, underscores the agency’s commitment to ensuring only qualified professionals participate in the medical certification process. But it also highlights a broader compliance concern for fleets and drivers alike.

In announcing the proposed removal of the two examiners, FMCSA’s Chief Counsel Jesse Elison emphasized the agency’s focus on safety and integrity.

“Removing non-compliant medical examiners from the National Registry is a necessary step to maintain the integrity of the medical certification process and ensure that only qualified, properly trained professionals are certifying the physical qualifications of commercial motor vehicle drivers.”

In this article, we’ll break down what led to the FMCSA’s decision, what it means for motor carriers and CDL holders, and how this event fits into the broader context of the DOT medical exam process.

Summary of the FMCSA’s Announcement

In a notice posted to its website, the USDOT issued a Notice of Proposed Removal for two medical examiners—Dr. Jenny Le and Dr. Dustin Mai—who were found to have improperly certified tens of thousands of CDL holders over a two-year period. The agency alleges that these examiners failed to apply required medical standards when evaluating drivers and issued medical certificates without meeting federal guidelines.

Following a joint investigation involving the USDOT Office of Inspector General (OIG), the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FMCSA took the drastic step of voiding over 15,000 unexpired Medical Examiner’s Certificates (MECs) issued by these providers between March 2023 and March 2025. Drivers affected by this action are required to obtain a new MEC by May 10, 2025, or risk having their CDL downgraded.

This action is notable not just for its scale but for what it says about FMCSA’s renewed emphasis on certification integrity in the wake of recent regulatory changes to the medical exam process.

📄 You can read the official FMCSA release here: FMCSA Notice on Non-Compliant Medical Examiners

What Is the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners?

To understand the significance of FMCSA’s action, it’s helpful to first understand the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME). This program was launched in 2014 as a way to ensure that healthcare professionals performing DOT physicals are properly trained, tested, and authorized to evaluate commercial drivers.

Under FMCSA regulations, Regulated drivers of CMVs must be medically certified as physically qualified to drive. This determination must be made by a medical examiner who is:

A licensed healthcare professional (e.g., MD, DO, NP, PA, DC)
Listed on the NRCME
Trained on FMCSA physical qualification standards
Certified through a national examination process

Once certified, examiners are given a unique registry number and are expected to follow strict guidelines when conducting DOT physicals, including documenting detailed exam results, performing required tests (vision, hearing, blood pressure, etc.), and accurately assessing disqualifying medical conditions.

The NRCME was created in response to long-standing concerns about inconsistent medical certification practices and fraudulent or negligent activity. By centralizing oversight, FMCSA aimed to create a transparent and uniform process. However, enforcement has often lagged—something this recent removal effort seems designed to correct.

Why Were These Medical Examiners Targeted?

According to FMCSA’s statement, Dr. Le and Dr. Mai came under scrutiny after the agency identified an unusually high volume of completed medical exams, raising suspicions that the providers were not conducting evaluations in accordance with federal standards.

That triggered a multi-agency investigation, involving the USDOT OIG, FBI, and DHS, which reportedly uncovered evidence that the examiners were failing to adequately evaluate drivers. FMCSA determined that certificates issued by these providers could not be trusted and therefore voided all unexpired certificates retroactively.

In total, 15,225 drivers are affected by the action.

To be clear, this does not mean these drivers are automatically disqualified or unsafe to operate. Rather, FMCSA is requiring them to obtain new MECs from compliant, certified examiners by May 10, 2025. If they fail to do so, their respective state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) will initiate downgrade procedures for their CDLs.

What Should Affected Drivers and Carriers Do?

FMCSA has made clear that the responsibility now lies with drivers to:

Check if they received a MEC from Dr. Le or Dr. Mai between March 2023 and March 2025.
If so, schedule a new DOT physical with a certified examiner from the NRCME.
Submit the new MEC to their SDLA by May 10, 2025.

Motor carriers employing affected drivers should proactively assist in this process to avoid disruptions to operations. Employers are encouraged to:

Audit driver qualification files for MECs issued by the two examiners.
Schedule replacement exams quickly, especially considering the short compliance window.
Monitor state license status to ensure CDLs are not downgraded due to inaction.

For access to the full list of certified medical examiners, visit FMCSA’s National Registry Search Tool.

How Does This Tie Into the Broader Medical Certification Landscape?

This move by FMCSA comes just months before a major regulatory change takes effect in the medical certification program. On June 23, 2025, the final implementation phase of FMCSA’s Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration Rule goes live. This rule strengthens the data reporting and integration requirements between the NRCME, SDLAs, and FMCSA’s internal systems.

We recently published an in-depth article on these changes here: Major Changes Coming to the DOT Medical Exam Process (Trucksafe.com )

Among the key updates:

Medical examiners will be required to electronically transmit exam results to FMCSA within 24 hours.
FMCSA will then relay that data to SDLAs for automated CDL certification updates.
Drivers will no longer be responsible for physically submitting MECs to their SDLA in most cases.
More stringent requirements will apply to examiner recordkeeping and exam documentation.

This integration is intended to close longstanding loopholes and reduce fraud, but it also increases the compliance burden on medical examiners—and raises the stakes for doing things by the book.

About Trucksafe Consulting, LLC: Trucksafe Consulting is a full-service DOT regulatory compliance consulting and training service. We help carriers develop, implement, and improve their safety programs, through personalized services, industry-leading training, and a library of educational content. Trucksafe also hosts a livestream podcast on its various social media channels called Trucksafe LIVE! to discuss hot-button issues impacting highway transportation. Trucksafe is owned and operated by Brandon Wiseman and Jerad Childress, transportation attorneys who've assisted some of the nation’s leading fleets to develop and maintain cutting-edge safety programs. You can learn more about Trucksafe online at www.trucksafe.com and by following Trucksafe on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Or subscribe to Trucksafe's newsletter for the latest highway transportation news & analysis. Also, be sure to check out eRegs, the first app-based digital version of the federal safety regulations aimed at helping carriers and drivers better understand and comply with the regulations.