Aerospace Medicine
At A Glance
Program Type: Non-hospital/non-clinic
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Accredited: Yes, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
Program Length: 2 years
Required Pre-Requisite Training: Medical School Graduation and PGY-1 completion or completion of residency in another ACGME accredited medical specialty and a minimum of 18 months as a credentialed and practicing USAF Flight Surgeon
Categorical Year in Specialty Required: Yes
Total Approved Complement: 30
Approved per Year (if applicable): 15
Dedicated Research Year Offered: No
Medical Student Rotation Availability: Yes
Additional Degree Concurrent with Training (e.g. MPH): Yes, MPH or approved equivalent degree
Program Description
On Feb. 8,1953, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially recognized Aviation Medicine as a unique subspecialty under the governance of the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM). Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Air Force Residency in Aerospace Medicine became an accredited graduate medical education program on Nov. 15,1954. To this day, the U.S. Air Force Residency in Aerospace Medicine remains the oldest and longest running Aerospace Medicine residency program in the United States and has graduated 1,063 executive level leaders in the discipline as of July 1, 2024. Since 2012, the program has been located at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and is authorized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to train up to 15 residents in the AM-1 year and 15 residents in the AM-2 year, for a total of up to 30 resident physicians per academic year.
The U.S. Air Force Residency in Aerospace Medicine is a didactically rigorous and operationally diverse 24-month training program. All incoming residents must have previously completed a minimum of one-year post-graduate training (internship) and have operational experience as a credentialed flight surgeon (18 months or greater). However, additional experience and prior residency training/board certification in another medical specialty is common and highly encouraged. New physicians matriculating to the program are categorized as AM-1 residents. Second-year physicians are classified as AM-2 residents.
The training program is preceded by a month-long orientation and in-processing phase in the month of June. During this period residents will be issued computers and in-process with numerous entities as required with a permanent change of station. Introductory Aerospace Medicine lectures and rotation specific orientation by core faculty, adjunct faculty, and administrative staff take place each week, as well as introduction to flight operations requirements by the host aviation unit. New residents will also complete an accelerated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) Basic course, including prerequisite online learning, and receive designation as an AME Basic with authorization to perform FAA Second and Third-Class medical exams during applicable follow-on rotations. A series of lectures focused on an Introduction to Civilian Aviation Operations (ICAO) also takes place each week to assist each resident in expanding their aviation experience outside of a military environment. New residents will also undergo a medical examination to receive an FAA civilian Third-Class Medical Certificate required for the flight training portion of the curriculum. On-boarding for physician privileges at the 88th Medical Group will also begin during orientation as well as the first of two in-service examinations described below.
In-service examinations (ISE) assist in monitoring resident educational progress and are part of the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine residency program. Two separate in-service exams are utilized: an aerospace medicine centric exam administered locally, and an American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) Core Exam administered virtually. The aerospace medicine in-service exam is conducted in the month of June and the ACPM Core Exam is delivered in August. Residents will take the aerospace medicine centric exam three times and the ACPM core exam twice during their time in the program prior to graduation. Results of these examinations are provided to AM-1 and AM-2 residents and help monitor fund of knowledge advances during training. It is expected that residents will improve their performance beyond an initial level of competency over the course of the program and demonstrate increasing levels of knowledge and skill leading to board eligibility in Aerospace Medicine. Initia
l rotations during the months of July and August of the AM-1 year are devoted to ACGME required flight training for Aerospace Medicine residents. This phase of training is divided into two contiguous educational footprints. The first (Flying Part A) consists of an initial customized ground school encompassing many of the requirements for FAA Private Pilot certification. Ground school is immediately followed by flight training at the Greene County airport in civilian aircraft under Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 141 requirements. Initial ground and flight training is designed to take an ab-initio flight student with zero pilot experience through first solo, although solo flight is not an ACGME nor USAF residency requirement, but fully supported for those residents who wish to do so. The second phase (Flying Part B) consists of a second customized ground school focusing on instrument and multi-engine aircraft operations. Following this second ground school, residents proceed to ground based flight simulator training and then advance to in-flight instrument/multi-engine aircraft instruction. Both Flying Part A and Flying Part B training is conducted under FAR Part 141 which encompasses more rigorous FAA certification requirements and sets standards for a structured training program, syllabus, and curricula.
Upon completion of flight training residents will transition to the Principles of Aviation and Space Medicine (PASM) rotation. This primarily didactic experience is hosted at USAFSAM in the AM-1 classroom. Guest lectures from military, government, and civilian stakeholders are delivered to residents and represent an opportunity that provides unparalleled access to subject matter experts and highest-level leadership in the aerospace medicine community.
During late August AM-1 residents begin taking classes to receive a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. The MPH degree and Certificate in Aerospace Medicine are completed during the two years of training (AM-1/2) and coincide with required clinical and non-clinical rotations. Accomplishing this level of graduate study in conjunction with required clinical/non-clinical rotations requires a high level of dedication and commitment by each resident. During each semester of coursework “MPH Focus Periods” are provided to allow residents to study for mid-term/final exams and complete required coursework deliverables without rotation obligations.
AM-1 residents, per ACGME requirements must complete a minimum of 16 weeks of clinical rotations during their first year of training. The USAF residency program adheres to this requirement through patient-centered clinical rotations in the Flight and Operational Medicine Clinic (FOMC), Medical Flight Screening (MFS) at WPAFB, Clinical Aerospace Medicine (CASM) at Tinker AFB, and other local and away rotation opportunities. Additional non-clinical first year rotations include Military Tropical Medicine (MTM), Research and Reading, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC), Biomechanics Seminar, Biodynamics Research Corporation (BRC), Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) Annual Scientific Meeting, and Introduction to Space (ITS 101) rotations. Additional scholarly activity in the AM-1 year includes an update to the USAF Waiver Guide and a Grand Rounds case presentation each year during the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) Annual Scientific Meeting.
Mission, Vision and Aims
Mission
The U.S. Air Force Residency in Aerospace Medicine prepares physicians to serve as clinically competent and operationally relevant leaders that advocate for and advance the science and practice of Aerospace and Preventive Medicine.
Vision
Globally recognized experts in Aerospace Medicine.
Aims
To consistently surpass training requirements as set forth by the ACGME and provide highest level world-class clinical, didactic, and operationally relevant education in Aerospace Medicine.
Curriculum and Schedules
U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine residents attend weekly program didactic sessions that provide both an overview and granular level review of Aerospace Medicine topics that parallel content as required by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Additional sessions are provided during the year through numerous rotation blocks and required courses including, but not limited to:
- CITI Training Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Basic
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) IS-66 Preparing the Nation for Space Weather Events/IS- 100 C Introduction to Incident Command System/IS-120 C, An Introduction to Exercises/IS- 200 C Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response/IS-240 C, Leadership and Influence/IS-700 B An Introduction to the National Incident Management System/IS-800 D National Response Framework
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) Basic, Flight Training Part A and Part B, Principles of Aviation and Space Medicine (PASM), Medical Flight Screening (MFS)
- Flight and Operational Medicine Clinic (FOMC),
- MPH class sessions
- Military Tropical Medicine (MTM) formal course
- Occupational Medicine Symposium
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- Biomechanics Symposium
- Biodynamics Research Corporation
- Aerospace Medical Association Annual Scientific Meeting
- National Security Space Institute (NSSI) Introduction to Space 101
- NASA APPEL Knowledge Services Foundations of Aerospace at NASA
- Occupational Medicine San Antonio
- USAFSAM Aeromedical Consult Service (ACS)
- Teaching Aerospace Medicine to Flight Surgeons in Training
- Personnel Reliability Assurance Program (PRAP)
- Aerospace and Operational Medicine Executive Development (AOMED)
- Advanced Clinical Concepts in Aeromedical Evacuation (ACCAE)
- Aircraft Mishap Investigation and Prevention (AMIP)
- Clinical Aerospace Medicine (CASM)
- Travel Medicine, Dermatology, and Epidemiology Consult Service rotation blocks.
- Additional didactics are provided during the residency for Aerospace Medicine Board Review and throughout training when subject matter experts are available.
- Monthly Aerospace Medicine Journal Clubs are held in the morning-1 classroom and opportunities to virtually attend Journal Clubs from other military and civilian residency programs are available
- Grand Rounds Case presentations are held on a quarterly basis and opportunities to attend local military and civilian equivalent sessions are supported.
- Monthly FAA virtual AME Grand Rounds sessions are available, and residents are required to attend a set number per academic year.
| 1st year Master Public Health and Aerospace Medicine Year | Year 2 Aerospace Medicine Year |
|---|---|
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Elective rotations may be completed in the following specialties/locations:
- Dental Clinic
- Emergency Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- General Surgery
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Ophthalmology
- Occupational Medicine
- ENT
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- OB/GYN
- Family Medicine
- Commercial Space Flight Companies
- NASA Clerkship
- 1AF/Det 3 Patrick Space Force Base
- Federal Aviation Administration
- United States Transportation Command Patient Movement
Additional elective rotation opportunities may be available upon resident request and availability.
There are no scheduled “on-call” responsibilities assigned to Aerospace Medicine residents during the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine Residency Program.
- Medical Flight Screening (MFS)
- Flight and Operational Medicine Clinic (FOMC)
- Military Tropical Medicine (MTM) formal course
- Occupational Medicine Symposium
- Occupational Medicine and Medical Standards San Antonio
- USAFSAM Aeromedical Consult Service (ACS)
- Teaching Aerospace Medicine to Flight Surgeons in Training
- Personnel Reliability Assurance Program (PRAP)
- Aerospace and Operational Medicine Executive Development (AOMED)
- Advanced Clinical Concepts in Aeromedical Evacuation (ACCAE)
- Aircraft Mishap Investigation and Prevention (AMIP)
- Clinical Aerospace Medicine (CASM)
- CITI Training Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Basic,
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) IS-66 Preparing the Nation for Space Weather Events/IS- 100 C Introduction to Incident Command System/IS-120 C, An Introduction to Exercises/IS- 200 C Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response/IS-240 C, Leadership and Influence/IS-700 B An Introduction to the National Incident Management System/IS-800 D National Response Framework
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) Basic
- Master of Public Health (MPH) class sessions
- Military Tropical Medicine (MTM)
- Occupational Medicine Symposium
- National Security Space Institute (NSSI) Introduction to Space 101
- NASA APPEL Knowledge Services Foundations of Aerospace at NASA
- Personnel Reliability Assurance Program (PRAP)
- Aerospace and Operational Medicine Executive Development (AOMED)
- Advanced Clinical Concepts in Aeromedical Evacuation (ACCAE)
- Aircraft Mishap Investigation and Prevention (AMIP)
Residents utilize aircraft simulators as part of their flight training and centrifuge curriculum. Additional simulation is employed for routine certifications (Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support, Advanced Trauma Life Support) and during formal courses such as Advanced Clinical Concepts in Aeromedical Evacuation (ACCAE)
The leadership curriculum of the Aerospace Medicine residency program includes personalized presentations/small group discussions with strategic leaders and subject matter experts within the U.S. Air Force, sister services, government agencies, and the civilian sector. Required rotations at the Major Commands (MAJCOM) level, participation in Wing executive committees, completion of the Aerospace and Operational Medicine Executive Development (AOMED) formal course and rank-appropriate Professional Military Education provide broad-based leadership education to residents.
Scholarly and Professional Development Opportunities
The U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine residency program recognizes that its graduates will practice in a variety of roles, including, but not limited to leadership, clinical, scientific, and educational assignments.
The residency program promotes and supports resident scholarship that reflects its mission, the needs of the community it serves, and areas of practice residents will serve in after graduation. Scholarly activity is performed in both the Aerospace Medicine-1 and Aerospace Medicine-2 years of training, and includes Master Public Health (MPH) course work, Journal Club presentations, Grand Rounds presentations at international meetings, U.S. Air Force Waiver Guide updates, submission of article(s) to peer reviewed journals, teaching aerospace medicine, and other research projects within the School of Aerospace Medicine. Although a dedicated research year is not available, residents may participate/contribute to ongoing research endeavors as time and rotation schedules allow.
Aerospace Medicine residents are directly involved in Quality Improvement initiatives that are ongoing throughout the academic year. Constructive program critique and suggestions for improvement are formally scheduled on a monthly basis, however, program leadership maintains an open-door policy and suggestions for program improvement may be presented at any time. Additional opportunities for Quality Improvement Projects in clinical, educational, and administrative aspects of healthcare are available to interested residents.
Aerospace Medicine residents are required to complete rank appropriate Professional Military Education (PME) during training to support promotion opportunities and career development. Residents are also encouraged to apply for Certified Physician Executive scholarships and attend formal military leadership courses as their rotation schedule allows.
Participating Sites
- U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio
- 88th Medical Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio
- Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Illinois
- 72nd Medical Group, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
- Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
- Air Force Personnel Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
- 75th Medical Group, Hill AFB, Utah
- Virgin Galactic, Las Cruces, New Mexico
- USAFE-AFAFRICA, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
- PACAF, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
- Det 3, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida
- Greene County Airport, Xenia, Ohio
Applicant Information, Rotation and Interview Opportunities
Aerospace Medicine resident applicant unfunded rotation opportunities may be requested directly from the program. Rotation length is variable from one to four weeks and a minimum of two months’ notice is required. Availability of rotation content is dependent upon faculty availability and current/projected operational tempo. Additional information may be obtained by emailing the program at usafsam.feeg.usafsamfeegram@us.af.mil.
U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine residency applications are submitted through the Medical Operational Data System website (MODS) and must be completed on a military network computer. The application window is typically open from July 1st through August 31st each year. Applicants are encouraged to visit this site for a list of all required documents as this is a critical step in being offered an interview. Complete application packages are reviewed by the program and eligible candidates are offered an opportunity to interview. All interviews are conducted virtually, and no travel is required. For those applicants in Outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS) assignments, the program will work to find a mutually convenient time for the interview. Applicants who are not selected are offered an opportunity to discuss their application and interview results with the Program Director. Feedback is provided and designed to assist the applicant in strengthening their application and they are encouraged to re-apply the following year. Applicants are instructed to review the Air Force Medical Service website for more information.
Program graduates are eligible to take the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) initial certification exam in Aerospace Medicine. Examinations are administered via computer-based testing at Pearson VUE Test Centers across the United States and some international locations. Upon successfully completing this exam, program graduates become board certified in Aerospace Medicine effective January 1st of the following year. The exam is typically offered in October/November each year and consists of 200 multiple-choice questions covering both Core Preventive Medicine and Aerospace Medicine subject material. Specific details regarding certification requirements can be found on the ABPM website.
Teaching Opportunities
Each Aerospace Medicine resident is required to deliver traditional didactic as well as clinic-level education to their fellow residents, program faculty, and various stakeholders as part of their training. Formal presentations and informal educational methodologies are utilized for delivering these requirements and all formal presentations are archived as part of each resident’s training portfolio.
Aerospace Medicine residents who are interested in an academic track after graduation may elect to complete a Teaching Flight Surgeons in Training rotation located at USAFSAM within the Aerospace Medicine Education and Training Division (FEE). This elective rotation typically encompasses one-to-four-week intervals, and may be scheduled on more than one occasion to accommodate the residents training schedule and that of the Division.
Faculty and Mentorship
Core faculty are residency-trained and board-certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) in Aerospace Medicine. Core faculty have additional residency training and board certifications in American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to include, but not limited to:
- Emergency Medicine
- Family Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- General Preventive Medicine
- Occupational Medicine
A broad spectrum of additional training by core faculty includes individuals with Academic Leadership and Teaching certification from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs), FAA Certificated Airline Transport Pilots, FAA Certificated Flight Instructors, FAA Certificated Ground Instructors, FAA Certificated Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilots, and FAA Certificated Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics.
Each Aerospace Medicine resident is assigned a Core-Faculty member as an advisor and mentor. Additionally, Residency Program, Department, Group, Wing, Major Command (MAJCOM), and Headquarters level leadership make themselves available to residents for mentoring and career counseling.
Well-Being
The U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and Residency in Aerospace Medicine Program ensures healthy and safe learning and working environments that promote resident well-being throughout the two-year training program. These efforts begin during resident orientation and continue throughout the two-year curriculum. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Lectures on physician burnout and resilience
- Team-building events
- Monthly leadership/resident well-being lunches
- Open-door policies with the Residency Program Director/Deputy Program Director/Designated Institutional Official
- Access to food while on duty
- Resident lounge
- Lactation facilities
- Sexual Assault and Prevention Response training
- Core Faculty Advisors
- Off-duty social gatherings
- Facilities for physical exercise and recreation
- Attendance for religious services
- 28 days of vacation per year
- Tools available on the Learn at Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) website for resident well-being
Contact Us
Aerospace Medicine Residency Program
Location: Building 840
Monday–Friday
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 937-938-2744
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