Aerospace & Occupational Medicine
Program Type: Non-MTF based but associated with Lyster Army Health Clinic
Location: Fort Novosel, Alabama
Accredited: Yes, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
Program Length: 3 years
Required Pre-Requisite Training: Successful completion of PGY-1 and Step/Level 1, 2, and 3
Categorical Year in Specialty Required: Yes
Total Approved Complement: 20
Dedicated research year offered: No
Medical Student Rotation availability: Yes
Additional degree concurrent with training (e.g. MPH): Yes
Program Phone Number: 334-255-7680
Program Email: medcoesaamgme@army.mil
Program Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mission, Vision and Aims
Mission
Graduate physicians capable of providing primary and consultative health care while leading and conducting advanced, systems-based aerospace medicine programs for military and civilian personnel focused on integration, sustainment, and protection of the Warfighter in the full spectrum of operational and training environments.
Vision
To produce a professionally developed and modernized aeromedical force focused on serving as the foundation on which Army Aviation Medicine is built, sustained, and transformed to enable the Combatant Commander to compete and win in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO).
Aims
To provide quality clinical and didactic training that incorporates the six ACGME competencies (professionalism, patient care and procedural skills, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, and systems-based practice) and Aerospace/Occupational Medicine milestones to ensure that the resident physicians can, upon graduation, administer quality care, ensure patient safety, provide medical leadership, and medically advise their command within military community to safeguard a healthy fighting force to win the Nation's wars.
Curriculum and Schedules
Residents attend mandatory academics that focus on medical topics relevant to general and operational medicine. Residents will present often during the academic year on a variety of subjects regarding aerospace and occupational medicine. They will also participate in quarterly journal clubs.
The academic year consists of 48 weeks with the difference being vacation, holidays, and military training.
Rotation | Location |
---|---|
Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Aviation Medicine: Clinical-Aerospace/Occupational Medicine | Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
ENT: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Orthopedics: Clinical | Local area clinic & Martin Army Community Hospital |
Audiology: Clinical | Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort. Novosel, Alabama |
Optometry: Clinical | Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Women's Health: Clinical | Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Physical & Occupational Therapy: Clinical | Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Behavioral Health: Clinical |
Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Cardiology: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Urgent Care/Occupational Medicine: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Integration Disability Evaluation System (IDES): Clinical | Martin Army Community Hospital |
Internal Medicine: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Emergency Medicine: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Aeromedical Physical Qualification: Clinical | AAMA |
Joint Enroute Critical Care Course (JECC) | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Federal Aviation Administration Course | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Space Medicine Course | Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas |
Aerospace Medicine Association Annual Conference | Various locations |
MEDEVAC Doctrine Course | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Army Space Cadre Basic Course | Various locations |
Civil Aeromedical Institute Course | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
Military Tropical Medicine or Global Medicine | Virtual or various locations |
Aviation Safety Officer Course | U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Operational Aeromedicine Problems Course | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties Course | Fort Detrick & Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland |
Flight, Academics, Instruction and Research (FAIR): Aviation training, hypobaric chamber | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Flight, Academics & Research (FAR): MPH Coursework/finals | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
The academic year consists of 48 weeks with the difference being vacation time, holidays, and military training. You will enter the Occupational Medicine year in advanced standing after your Aerospace Medicine residency is complete, because you will have already graduated from the Aerospace Medicine residency program and completed an MPH.
Rotation or Course | Location |
---|---|
Cardiology: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Internal Medicine: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Orthopedics: Clinical | Local area clinic and Martin Army Community Hospital |
Otolaryngology: Clinical | Local area clinic |
Behavioral Health: Clinical | Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort. Novosel, Alabama |
Occupational Medicine/Urgent Care | Local area clinic |
Axiom Space | Houston, Texas |
Army Aviation Safety Officer Course | Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties | Fort Detrick, Maryland and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland |
Department of Transportation Medical Examiner Course | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Dear Occupational Health Clinic: Clinical | Anniston Army Depot |
NASA Kennedy Space Center Occupational Health Clinic: Clinical | Merritt Island, Florida |
Virgin Galactic | Las Cruces, New Mexico |
Brigade Healthcare Provider Course | Fort Sam Houston, Teas |
Occupational Health and Safety Administration | Mobile, Alabama |
Preventive Medicine Senior Leaders Course | Fort Sam Houston, Texas |
Fundamentals of Occupational Medicine Course | Fort Sam Houston, Texas |
Flight, Academics, Instruction, and Research: Aviation Training, Hypobaric Chamber | Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
Worker's Fitness and Disability Integration | Various locations |
American Occupational Health Conference | Various locations |
7th Special Forces Group: Clinical | Eglin Air Force Base, Florida |
Air Medical Evacuation Detachment | Cairns Army Airfield, Fort Novosel, Alabama |
- U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
- Pikes Peak, Colorado
- U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Lab, Ft. Novosel, Alabama
- Aviation Resource Management Survey (various locations)
Residents will occasionally be on call to evaluate potential cases of Decompression Sickness (DCS) from the hypobaric chamber as well as for the installation Flight Surgeon on Call (i.e. aviation mishaps in the local area). Residents will participate in the MEDEVAC of these probable DCS patients to a hyperbaric chamber.
- ASOC – Army Safety Officer Course
- ASCBC – Army Space Cadre Basic Course
- MTM – Military Tropical Medicine Course
- GM – Global Medicine Symposium
- AFSPC – Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course
- JECC – Joint Enroute Critical Care Course
- IDES – Integrated Disability Evaluation System
- AAMA – Aeromedical Physical Qualification
- MEDC – Medical Evacuation Doctrine Course
- Army MEDEVAC rotation
- ASCBC – Army Space Cadre Basic Course
- OAP – Operational Aeromedical Problems Course
- MCBC – Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties Course
- MPH – You must successfully complete the MPH program by the end of the second year of the RAM program
- AFSPC – Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course
- ASOC – Army Safety Officer Course
- ASCBC – Army Space Cadre Basic Course
- MTM – Military Tropical Medicine Course or GM – Global Medicine Symposium
- JECC – Joint Enroute Critical Care Course
- WFDI – Worker’s Fitness Disability and Integration
- MEDC – Medical Evacuation Doctrine Course
- OAP – Operational Aeromedical Problems Course
- MCBC – Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties Course
- CAMI – Civil Aeromedical Institute Course
- FAA – Federal Aviation Administration mini-Aeromedical Examiner course
- SPMC – Space Medicine Course
Residents will utilize simulation for BLS, ALS, PALS, Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course and Joint Enroute Critical Care (JECC) course.
There are multiple opportunities for residents to take on leadership roles within the program. Residents receive Leadership Professional Development throughout the year from numerous local and guest speakers.
Scholarly and Professional Development Opportunities
- Residents are required to complete a capstone research project as part of the Master of Public Health program. The research project will be presented in the spring semester of the second year of the MPH.
- Residents are also required to present a case report at the Aerospace Medicine Association Annual Scientific Meeting during their Aerospace Medicine program and a poster at the American Occupational Health Conference during their Occupational Medicine program.
- The residency shares a close relationship with the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, also located on Fort Novosel. Residents may be able to participate in research activities with a clerkship or long-term collaboration during residency.
All residents are part of the Training Enhancement in Aerospace Medicine (TEAM), encompassing monthly programmatic assessments to track continued programmatic improvement.
- Funding is available for residents to attend at least one professional conference during each residency year such as AsMA and AOHC. Residents present national lectures and research posters at these two national conferences.
- There are multiple opportunities for residents to take on leadership roles within the program.
- Residents receive Leadership Professional Development throughout the year from numerous local and guest speakers.
Participating Sites
- Department of Aviation Medicine, Fort Novosel, Alabama
- Lyster Army Health Clinic, Fort Novosel, Alabama
- University of West Florida (MPH), Pensacola, Florida
- Flowers Hospital, Dothan, Alabama
- U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, Fort Novosel, Alabama
- Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, Dothan, Alabama
- Primecare, Dothan, Alabama
- Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Moore, Georgia
- Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
- Aeromedical Authority, Fort Novosel, Alabama
- Civil Aeromedical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- USAMRIID and USARICD, Ft. Detrick & Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
- Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida
- Anniston Army Depot, Anniston, Alabama
- 7th Special Forces Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
- Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
- Virgin Galactic, Las Cruces, New Mexico
- OSHA, Mobile, Alabama
- Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
Applicant Information, Rotation and Interview Opportunities
Our program offers rotations to fourth-year medical students and transitional year interns. Rotations are typically four weeks long. Rotators will work with our resident medical student coordinator to finalize their rotation schedule.
- Rotation duration is flexible and can be coordinated through the GME coordinator and Program Directors.
- Request should be submitted with two months’ notice prior to the start of clinical duties to ensure adequate planning of a quality educational experience and that all administrative processes are completed before arrival to our site.
- Medical students may request funded rotations (active duty orders) or unfunded rotations (at the expense of the member). Rotation requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to rotation availability.
If you would like to schedule an interview with our program, please contact medcoesaamgme@army.mil.
Residents are board eligible for the Aerospace Medicine Board after successful completion of the second year of the program and completion of the MPH. Residents are board eligible for the Occupational Medicine Board once they graduate from the final year of the program. The American Board of Preventive Medicine website contains helpful information including exam registration, application dates, exam date range, fees, and exam content breakdown.
Park in the Lyster Army Health Clinic front parking lot. Enter the building through the automatic double doors and follow that hallway towards the rear of the building. When that hallway ends, take a right toward the LAHC Command Suite. Make a left before the Command Suite hallway begins (snack bar area) and proceed to the back of the building. You will come across a large sign for DAM. Once you pass that sign, make your next immediate right and enter the hallway door that is marked (SAAM Conference Room). The first office on your right will be that of the GME Coordinator.
Teaching Opportunities
Residents teach their peers at weekly academics and quarterly journal clubs.
Residents instruct during the following courses:
- U.S. Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course
- Initial Entry Rotary-Wing flight students
- Initial Entry Fixed-Wing students
- MEDEVAC Doctrine Course
- Joint En Route Critical Care Course
- Aviation Aeromedical Critical Care Course
- Aeromedical Psychological Course
- Operational Aeromedical Problems Course
Faculty and Mentorship
Core faculty are Aerospace and Occupational Medicine specialists. Some faculty are also boarded in other specialties, such as Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, and Hyperbaric Medicine.
We treat our residents as peers and take ownership and accountability of our roles as medical, career, and life mentors to our residents.
We do not formerly assign mentors. Instead, we host various social activities to integrate residents with RAM graduates, allowing the residents to find a mentor that fits with their personal and professional goals.
Well-Being
At weekly didactics the residents and program leadership have purposeful time for camaraderie and open-ended question and answer sessions to discuss any ongoing concerns that affect wellness and well-being. Questions can be professional or personal in nature. The program hosts occasional potlucks and/or activities (e.g. bowling) to promote connections amongst residents, families, and program leadership.
We work closely with our residents and listen to their concerns and work hard to resolve them.
Contact Us
Aerospace & Occupational Medicine Residency Program
Location: U.S. Army Department of Aviation Medicine, Graduate Medical Education Office
Monday–Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: 334-255-7680
Email: medcoesaamgme@army.mil
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