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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 Emailmedcoesaamgme@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 

Hours of Operation:

Monday–Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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