Dept 33 Aerospace Medicine Residency
U.S. Naval Residency in Aerospace Medicine
The U.S. Naval Residency in Aerospace Medicine prepares medical officers for board certification and a rewarding medical career. The practice of Aerospace Medicine focuses on preventive medicine: the study of disease processes in defined communities or population groups and the stimulation of practices with respect to these communities that advance health and prevent disease and injury. Upon completion of the residency, Aerospace Medicine specialists are expected to be team leaders in aerospace and preventive medicine practice.
The Aerospace Medicine Specialist
Aerospace Medicine (AM) practice is based on human factors, population management, and risk identification and control in the aviation industry. AM specialists guide aeromedical teams and analyze and direct health service support in challenging environments. Military AM specialists become recognized as leaders in operational medicine.
There are over 48 billets for this specialty in the Navy and the Marine Corps. These include carrier and shore assignments, administration, teaching, preventive medicine and occupational medicine positions. Many billets offer the opportunity to lead other Navy Flight Surgeons, a group renowned for camaraderie with their aviators and contributions to accomplishment of the Navy's missions. There are over 25 specialty billets in the Army. These include aviation brigade surgeon, regional flight surgeon, academics, research, safety, and physical standards. The brigade flight surgeons supervise over 46 battalion flight surgeons and find this duty to be extremely satisfying.
After military service, civilian opportunities are available in the aerospace industry, preventive medicine, and occupational medicine; public health positions at city, county, state or federal levels; in executive medicine; and in universities and for-profit or volunteer health organizations.
Prerequisites
- Graduation from a US accredited medical school
- Commissioned in the US military, or eligibility for such a commission
- Satisfactory or prospective completion of a clinical residency (for USN)
- Qualified as a Flight Surgeon (for USA)
Residency Curriculum
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residency consists of three years of graduate medical education (GME) - an internship year, an academic year, and a practicum year.
The internship year (PGY-1) focuses on enhancing clinical skills. During the internship year, residents are encouraged to complete rotations in ophthalmology, otolaryngology, psychiatry, obstetrics-gynecology, emergency medicine and primary care, with particular emphasis on neurology and cardiology.
The academic year (PGY-2) requirement is fulfilled by a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from a university School of Public Health. The MPH studies emphasize core knowledge and skills in the practice of all preventive medicine disciplines. Residents who do not have the MPH are directed to specific university programs.
The practicum year (PGY 3) is conducted at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute in Pensacola, Florida and at affiliated institutions. The practicum year emphasizes the specialized knowledge and skills in the practice of aerospace medicine.
The Navy Experience
The practicum year emphasizes the practical application of population tools and preventive medicine principles in "Joint" aeromedical settings. The resident is expected to demonstrate written and oral skill in elucidating issues relevant to preventive or aerospace medicine. This is intertwined with didactic courses that introduce the resident to the particular perspectives of aerospace medicine. It is a busy, intense year of learning, writing, and traveling. A basic flight-training syllabus is included for residents without a previous aviation officer designation. A typical year may include the following modules:
- Piloting fixed and rotary wing aircraft; Aviation safety; Accident investigation; Air medical evacuation; Travel medicine or global medicine; Hyperbaric medicine; Space Medicine; FAA AME course; Aerospace clinical specialties; Physical examinations & qualifications; Aerospace medicine clinic; Aerospace medicine research; Senior Medical Officer Development; Aerospace Medical Association Conference; Combined Aeromedical Problems Course.
- The Graduate Medicine Education Selection Board for Aerospace Medicine meets in early December. Naval medical officers should apply as early as possible using information and application forms as published in BUMED NOTICE 1524 at http://www.navmedmpte.med.navy.mil/gme/instructions1.cfm for the current year.
- Navy applicants must have completed training in a clinical specialty. Although prior designation is not required, applicants with prior designation as Naval Flight Surgeons are preferred. Applicants must meet physical qualification standards for Naval Flight Surgeons.
- Applicants with successful tours as medical specialists and as Naval Flight Surgeons are also preferred. Upon selection, trainees without prior designation will complete the primary Naval Flight Surgeon course (leading to designation) prior to commencing the practicum year (PGY-3). Selected trainees with a MPH will complete the practicum year (PGY-3) and the primary Navy Flight Surgeon course (if required).
- BUMED NOTICE 1524 for the current year, published in the summer of each year, outlines the application process and is available on the Web at the Navy Medicine, Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Command (NM MPT&E) site at the Medical Service Corps Program (MSC IPP). A personal interview with the residency director at NOMI is required for all prospective residents. Current residents are available to discuss any questions about the program. Prospective applicants may also access information and residents on the Web at the Aerospacemed.org web site.
The Army Experience
The US Army Aerospace Medicine Residency Program is a program within a program. The US Army relies on the Naval Operational Medicine Institute's Aerospace Medicine Residency Program to administer the required training. The training is focused on the ACGME Core Competencies in Aerospace Medicine in the PGY-3 curriculum and clinical experience commensurate with a solo practice physician in the PGY-4 curriculum.
The clinical year (PGY-1) must include 6 months of direct patient care at any ACGME approved institution. There is an "Aerospace Medicine Internship" at Dwight David Eisenhower AMC (DDEAMC) in Augusta, GA. This internship has opportunities for aviation medicine oriented rotations. The intern from DDEAMC typically continues with the AM residency without a utilization tour as a basic level flight surgeon. See http://www.mods.army.mil/medicaleducation/ for details on FYGME.
The academic year (PGY-2) is fully funded at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas. The resident receives full active duty pay and allowances while completing the Master of Public Health degree. Degree requirements must be completed in a one-year period. The UTMB MPH program has an aerospace medicine emphasis track and ensures we produce the best aerospace medicine specialist possible.
The practicum year (PGY-3) is described in the Navy Experience above.
The advanced clinical year (PGY-4) prepares the resident for the special needs of Army operational medicine. The resident receives OTSG GME directed additional training in specialty clinical rotations to include outpatient family practice experience, emergency medicine, trauma, cardiology, orthopedics, and others. When the schedule and budget permits, the resident also may receive Joint operational training by attending select DoD, FAA, or NASA courses.
Active duty Army Medical Corps applicants should already be designated Flight Surgeons with operational experience and should apply through the Joint Service Graduate Medical Education selection process. Applications are usually submitted by mid-September and are reviewed in late November/early December of each year for the following summer's starting MPH class. See http://www.mods.army.mil/medicaleducation/ for details. Once accepted into the Naval Aerospace Medicine Residency Program, the applicant must also apply to UTMB Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health. See http://www.utmb.edu/pmr and click on the Masters of Public Health button for details. The application actually goes through the UTMB Graduate School of Biomedical Science. To apply online, see https://www2.utmb.edu/utmbapp/app_options.htm for details. There is insufficient time to apply to the MPH program after GME selection (December) so applicants should apply for the MPH program when applying to the RAM program.
Board Certification
Graduates of the program will sit for the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) certification exam. The board examination is offered in the fall following PGY-3 completion. For more information, visit the ABPM web site http://www.abprevmed.org/index.cfm.
International Students
Applicants from other countries interested in this course must apply for the training through their military service and the Security Assistance Officer at the U.S. Embassy. A prospective student must be sponsored by their country’s military or work for the country’s federal government. He or she must also meet proficiency requirements in the English language and attend specialized English training. For further information, please call (850) 452-2292 or email: james.seale@med.navy.mil
Contact Info
CAPT Erikson
Director, Residency in Aerospace Medicine
Naval Aerospace Medical Institute
Code 33
340 Hulse Road
Pensacola, FL 32508-1092
Email: ramdir-nomi@med.navy.mil
(850) 452-8125, DSN 922-8125
FAX: (850) 452-5194
COL Albano
Associate Director, Navy, Residency in Aerospace Medicine
Email: ramadarmy-nomi@med.navy.mil
(850) 452-3872, DSN 922-3872
CDR Acromite
Associate Director, Navy, Residency in Aerospace Medicine
Email: ramadnavy-nomi@med.navy.mil
(850) 452-2257, ext 1076, DSN 922-2257 ext 1076
Ms. Carrie Moore
GME Coordinator
(850) 452-3154, DSN 922-3154
Email: ramcoord-nomi@med.navy.mil