After my psychological assessment, there was still one more important step waiting for me before I could even apply for truck driving school, and that was the medical check.
As soon as I got the psychological assessment done, I contacted my general doctor and arranged an appointment. I remember being genuinely happy about it, because with every step like this, the whole thing was becoming more and more real to me. It was no longer just an idea in my head. Slowly, it was turning into an actual path that I was following.
When I arrived at the appointment, I explained to my doctor what I needed, and she carried out a full medical examination. Blood pressure, blood, urine, all the standard checks that had to be done. On top of that, she also did an extra ECG, just to make sure everything was fine.
In the end, based on all of those results, I was approved to do the work of a professional driver. And honestly, that felt really good. It was another small victory, maybe not a dramatic one from the outside, but for me it mattered, because it was another confirmation that I was moving in the right direction.
It also makes complete sense to me that this is required by law. The state and all the authorities connected to professional drivers know very well that this job is demanding, not only mentally, but physically too. When a person is going to operate a machine that can weigh close to 40 tonnes, health matters. Physical condition matters. Responsibility matters.
That is why I never saw this as some pointless bureaucracy. Quite the opposite. It felt reasonable. If someone wants to become a professional driver, then being medically fit should absolutely be part of the process.
I think this is exactly how big goals are built. Not all at once, and not in one huge dramatic moment, but step by step. That is one of the things I believe in strongly: even a marathon starts with the first step. A person can have a big vision and dream about changing his life, but sooner or later he has to start doing the practical things that move him closer to it.
This medical check was one of those practical things. Just like the psychological tests, it was another requirement that had to be completed before I could officially move forward and start truck driving school.
Both the psychological assessment and the medical check also have limited validity. In my case, they were valid for five years, which meant that for the next five years I had that part sorted, and only later would I need to do it again.
At that moment, though, I was simply happy that everything was in order. Another box was ticked, another important step was behind me, and everything was going according to plan.