17th – 29th June 2008
Pre-requisites
This course is open to all Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences
students who have completed Part 1 of their degree. Students wishing to do this course must
first:
- Obtain medical clearance to dive from the University Health Centre
- Pass a test of swimming competence
- Complete a Liability Waiver
Medical Clearance
SCUBA diving makes considerable demands on your physical and emotional
condition. SCUBA diving in the presence of certain medical conditions may pose grave risks
not only for yourself, but to anyone coming to your aid if you get into difficulty in the
water. Therefore, it is prudent to meet certain medical and physical requirements before
beginning a SCUBA diving or training program. Verification of physical fitness for SCUBA
diving must be on file with the UWI (Mona) Diving Officer (Mr Peter Gayle) BEFORE you can
SCUBA dive in UWI programs. The UWI Health Center conducts medical examinations for UWI
SCUBA divers. All aspects of evaluation and testing are conducted under the supervision of
the Medical Director. Final decisions for medical clearance are made by the UWI Medical
Director or designee. There are fees for the physical and all laboratory tests, even if you
are determined to be unfit to dive. The following list summarizes the requirements for SCUBA
clearance for first time divers under the age of 40:
- Medical history
- Complete physical exam (emphasis on neurological and otological components)
- Chest X-ray
- Spirometry
- Audiogram
- CBC, Chem profile
- Urinalysis
- Any further tests deemed necessary by the clinician.
Once clearance is granted, the signed SCUBA Diving Medical Evaluation Form (part 5) must be taken the scuba instructor prior to the start of SCUBA training (i.e. at the time of the Swim Test).
To download the SCUBA Diving Medical Form and for more instructions on the process of completing the diving medical, click on the link below.
Swim Test
Students shall successfully perform the following tests, or equivalent, in the presence
of the Chief Instructor, or an examiner approved by the Chief Instructor:
- Swim underwater without swim aids for a distance of 25 meters without surfacing.
- Swim 400 meters in less than 12 minutes without swim aids.
- Tread water for 10 minutes, or 2 minutes without the use of hands, without swim aids.
- Recover a weight from 2.5 metres of water.
The swim test will be held at the University Swimming Pool on Thursday, May 29, 2008, starting at 2pm.
Liability Waiver
Click the link below to download a copy of the Liability Waiver.