Aerospace Medicine?

[Trevorphilips]

Not sure if the forum is correct but it has been difficult to get good information on this (hopefully from someone who has done an aerospace residency).

I know the job description. I know what the residency entails but what is the career lifestyle?

Was it difficult to re-adjust to do a "2nd" residency?

Where do you work mostly? How hard is it get a job with NASA? If you don't are stuck working for another government organization like the FAA? Is working for them not that bad? How are you compensated...salaried, work for an organization, private practice...? What is the daily grind?

If you did say an EM residency first do you still have time to practice your orginal residency or is that lost as you immerse yourself in aerospace medicine?

Is it competative to get an aerospace medicine residency slot?

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[Trevorphilips]

Sorry, it has been about 2 weeks. Anyone have any insights in any direction, second hand knowledge, ever worked with an aerospace doctor, or a doctor that worked with NASA, or even done a second residency that wasn't aerospace medicine? Thanks

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sorry - don't know the answer. Maybe the guys in the military forum might have greater interest and knowledge?

 

[MDWoochie]

I am a flight surgeon currently. I know a little about the residency in Aerospace Med. In the Navy you have to do a regular residency first, and then apply to Residency in Aerospace. It is a 3 year program. A year is spent doing an MPH (which is paid for), other time is spent doing research, and I know about 6 months are spent going thru flight surgery school (which entail some flight training, training in aviation medicine and all that entails- inclusing preflight indoctrination : Think officer and gentlemen- chamber and dunker). As far as life afterwards, I think you could work for NASA, although most medical folks for them are flight surgeons. I think you do a lot of research type stuff, and can work in positions in authority, like heading flight surgeon training, etc, although I'm sure it's much broader than just that. If the lifestyle is anything like being a flight surgeon, and I'm pretty sure it is, it's good. It's a very cush job, 40 hour weeks mostly.

If you go Army route, I know that they don't require a first residency. I really don't even know if there are aerospace residencies outside the military. If your really interested PM me, I'm sure I could give you some contact info, at least from the Navy side.

 

[superdood]

i can say something about competitiveness. there is one aerospace residency location at utmb and they offer anywhere between 1-4 spots yearly. there are typically 4-5 interviews for the job, but that doesn't mean everyone gets the residency. from what i heard, the interviewees have either military experience or aerospace research experience with nasa.

goodluck

 

[NRAI2001]

I am a flight surgeon currently. I know a little about the residency in Aerospace Med. In the Navy you have to do a regular residency first, and then apply to Residency in Aerospace. It is a 3 year program. A year is spent doing an MPH (which is paid for), other time is spent doing research, and I know about 6 months are spent going thru flight surgery school (which entail some flight training, training in aviation medicine and all that entails- inclusing preflight indoctrination : Think officer and gentlemen- chamber and dunker). As far as life afterwards, I think you could work for NASA, although most medical folks for them are flight surgeons. I think you do a lot of research type stuff, and can work in positions in authority, like heading flight surgeon training, etc, although I'm sure it's much broader than just that. If the lifestyle is anything like being a flight surgeon, and I'm pretty sure it is, it's good. It's a very cush job, 40 hour weeks mostly.

If you go Army route, I know that they don't require a first residency. I really don't even know if there are aerospace residencies outside the military. If your really interested PM me, I'm sure I could give you some contact info, at least from the Navy side.

What is a flight surgeon? Is it someone who does surgeries, ER stuff...etc in a helicopter or plan (like on wounded soilders...etc)?

 

[Winged Scapula]

What is a flight surgeon? Is it someone who does surgeries, ER stuff...etc in a helicopter or plan (like on wounded soilders...etc)?

The term "flight surgeon" comes from when all military officers with medical training were known as surgeons. Most are actually internists who treat military personnel, do the physicals, etc. Few are actually surgery trained as I understand it. And most of it is done on the ground, rather than mid-air!

 

[MDWoochie]

The term "flight surgeon" comes from when all military officers with medical training were known as surgeons. Most are actually internists who treat military personnel, do the physicals, etc. Few are actually surgery trained as I understand it. And most of it is done on the ground, rather than mid-air!

Flight surgery in the navy basically consists of being assigned to a flying squadron ( self contained unit with all pilot, and enlisted personnel that work on aircraft). You spend about 50% of you time seeing clinic and the other 50% integrating with the squadron. The 50% where you are with the squadron is not well defined time, but basically consists of flying, giving med lectures and walking around and trolling for medical curbsides. You function basically as a general practitioner. Usually you do a tour which is about 2 years length and will be deployed 6-12 months of that time.

I know that flight surgeons in the airforce do not get the flight training we get, and they do not have flight hour requirements. Navy flight surgeons are supposed to get at least 4 hours a month, which equals 2 flights with their squadron. And in the Navy you should expect to go on ships, be stationed near the water (not the case in the air force). I never went on any ships though.

 

[Mumpu]

Flight surgery is how recruiters tempt impressionable young doctors. I looked into it as a med student and it didn't seem particularly worth it -- 99% boring primary care clinic, 1% flying (too little interesting stuff to make dealing with clinics worthwhile for me, unfortunately, plus I got a strong "run far away" message from a number of people currently in the Air Force).

 

[lowbudget]

The aerospace residency is a hidden gem at UTMB. There was this girl in my class who designed and built rockets at MIT, flew planes all through med school who is doing the program now. She was awesome. I remembered during school she was doing a lot of work with NASA. At UTMB, you can do Aerospace which is like the Preventive Med, Occ Med residencies or you can do a combined Aerospace/IM.

I think they're reworking their website but:
http://www.utmb.edu/pmr/ASM.IM.htm

There's a med student elective:
http://ar.utmb.edu/04-05review/bdisplay.asp?rec=223
http://www.utmb.edu/pmr/ASM_ShortCourse_2006/IASM%20subjects w-Patch 06.pdf
http://www.utmb.edu/pmr/ASM_ShortCourse_2006/IASM COURSE DESCRIPTION 2006.pdf

Good luck.

 

[nomoderation]

I did a search and picked this thread up. I am a third year interested in aerospace medicine. I have no practical exposure. I have talked to several military flight surgeons. I understand the training required and the residency itself but what is the day to day like? I am especially interested in the military and then NASA afterwards.

How much time is spent doing physicals on healthy people and their families vs operational stuff (sure flight time but the bouyancy lab, manning the console at NASA, research, etc...)?

What does the day in day out actually consist of?

What are the opportunities, day in/day out and pay like in the civilian sector (FAA, airlines, etc...)?

Thank you.

 

[howelljolly]

Flight surgery is how recruiters tempt impressionable young doctors. I looked into it as a med student and it didn't seem particularly worth it -- 99% boring primary care clinic, 1% flying (too little interesting stuff to make dealing with clinics worthwhile for me, unfortunately, plus I got a strong "run far away" message from a number of people currently in the Air Force).

The term "flight surgeon" comes from when all military officers with medical training were known as surgeons. Most are actually internists who treat military personnel, do the physicals, etc. Few are actually surgery trained as I understand it. And most of it is done on the ground, rather than mid-air!

I'd do the residency just so I could be called a flight surgeon.

 

[DrJosephKim]

I know of a few people who have pursued aerospace medicine, but at the end of the day they had difficulty obtaining jobs after they completed their training.