CAT I Medical

So my Catergory 1 medical expires by the end of April and so today I have scheduled an appointment with the Aviation Medical Examiner that our school recommends.
It is only my third time of getting my medical, second time getting it renewed, but the excitement along with the fear is always there. It's like going to a doctor and he's about to tell you if your days are numbered, in this case if your flying days are numbered.

The reason why our school makes us go get a CAT I medical all the time, even though Private Pilots can fly with only CAT 3, is ...I think...because we are considered a Commercial Operator. I believe it's part of the deal that Transport Canada had made with the school to make it an Integrated ATPL program. With that said, there are approximately 30 people in each class year for this program, but for my year and the year below (for now) we total 140. So a brief arithmetic estimation, if everyone in my program went to this AME every year, he would be earning $20k a year just from the students in our program. I could imagine that a lot more people go to him for a Medical and other issues.

Anyway, the students and some staff at school have kinda made a small joke about all of this and how this AME would give a medical as long as you have $100.

"He takes his stethoscope to listen to your lungs only to hear $100, $100..."
"Checks your blood pressure, and of course it's going to be $100 mmHg"
or the classic "Shouldn't take long, I have my $100 ready..."

Anyways, I'm sure he does a great job and it's all fun joking around about it..
However, the joking around stops when that day comes where $100 still can't give you a valid Medical...I hope that's infinitely far away from now for me.

In other news, one of our Bonanzas are coming back on line. Should be fun to see people fight for it.