There’s an updated Annual Health and Medical Record to use for 2020

Every few years, the BSA updates its Annual Health and Medical Record after consulting with health care professionals, Scout executives, council and camp health officers and other experts to ensure it is up-to-date and helpful.

This was one of those years, meaning a new form is available for everyone to use for 2020. Your AHMR is valid through the end of the 12th month after the date it was administered by your medical provider. For example, if you got your physical on Nov. 3, 2019, it’s valid until Nov. 30, 2020.

Next year will be a transition year, so you can use either the old or new form, but everyone in all Scouting programs must use the updated AHMR form starting Jan. 1, 2021. The old form will be obsolete at that date. So, the BSA recommends using the new form on your next physical exam or if you’re a new participant in 2020.

Since at least the 1930s, the BSA has required the use of standardized health and medical information. The last time this form was updated was in 2014. The changes made this year were minor, such as some conditions listed in the health history section.

You can download the new form here. The Annual Health and Medical Record is required for Scouts and adult leaders who want to go on Scouting events, campouts and high-adventure trips. Note that there are different parts to the AHMR:

• Part A is an informed consent, release agreement and authorization that needs to be signed by every participant (or a parent and/or legal guardian for all youth under 18).
• Part B is general information and a health history.
• Part C is your pre-participation physical exam completed by a certified and licensed health care provider.

Which part must be completed?

• For all Scouting events: Part A and B. Give the completed forms to your unit leader. This applies to all participants for all activities, day camps, local tours and weekend camping trips less than 72 hours.
• For events or camps: Part A, B and C. A pre-participation physical is needed for resident, tour, or trek camps or for a Scouting event of more than 72 hours, such as Wood Badge and NYLT. The exam needs to be completed by a certified and licensed physician (M.D. or D.O.), nurse practitioner or physician assistant. If your camp has provided you with any supplemental risk information, or if your plans include attending one of the four national high-adventure bases, share the venue’s risk advisory with your medical provider when you are having your physical exam.
• For high-adventure trips: Part A, B and C. Plus, each of the four national high-adventure bases (Florida Sea Base, Northern Tier, Philmont and the Summit Bechtel Reserve) has provided a supplemental risk advisory that explains in greater detail some of the risks inherent in that program. Please review these as some Scouts or leaders may not be physically or mentally able to handle the trek. Others arrive at a high-adventure base without discussing that base’s risk factors with their health care provider, meaning they have missing info at check-in that can slow down the process.

How do I fill it out?

Please review and complete the AHMR fully and carefully. If you have any questions how to review it, read this BSA Safety Moment or look at these frequently asked questions. Remember, these completed forms must be secure, so they are not to be digitized, scanned, emailed or stored electronically by unit leaders.