How Do You Become an AME After Serving as a QME?
An Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) is jointly selected by the injured worker’s attorney and the defense attorney. Unlike a panel QME, whose name is drawn at random, an AME enjoys near-binding authority: judges rarely overturn an AME opinion. You don’t “apply” to the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) to become an AME; you earn invitations from attorneys who value your neutrality, clarity, and turnaround speed.
Step-by-Step Path from QME to AME
- Build a Strong QME Track Record
• Deliver reports within the 30-day deadline.
• Provide transparent AMA Guides citations and defensible apportionment.
• Respond professionally to supplemental requests and depositions. - Network with Both Bars
• Offer lunch-and-learn webinars or speak at local workers’-comp section meetings.
• Publish short case analyses or impairment “tips” in bar newsletters. - Respond to AME Invitations
• An attorney contacts you to ask if you will act as an AME.
• Confirm that both sides stipulate to your selection and that the dispute scope matches your expertise.
• Provide mutually agreeable exam dates—there is no 60-day statutory limit for AMEs, but timely scheduling is still best practice. - Sign the AME Stipulation
• The attorneys draft a written agreement naming you as the AME and defining issues in dispute.
• Sign and return; keep a copy in your file.
How AME Work Differs from QME Panels
- No strike process: Once both sides stipulate, neither can unilaterally replace you.
- Broader scope: The stipulation can authorize you to evaluate multiple body parts—even outside your QME specialty—if both parties agree you are competent.
- Same fee schedule: Bill ML200, ML400, record-review, and complexity modifiers exactly as you would for a panel QME.
Ethics and Neutrality
Because AME reports carry exceptional weight, even the appearance of bias can be fatal to your reputation. Maintain ex parte vigilance and disclose potential conflicts immediately.
For official FAQs on AME selection and responsibilities, see the DWC’s Agreed Medical Evaluator resource page.