Table of Contents
- 1 What does a flight surgeon do in the Air Force?
- 2 Do Air Force surgeons get deployed?
- 3 How long does it take to become a flight surgeon?
- 4 Where do Air Force surgeons get stationed?
- 5 Do flight surgeons attend medical school?
- 6 Do flight surgeons fly planes?
- 7 What are the perks of being a flight surgeon?
- 8 Do you need an aeromedical waiver for an Air Force flight surgeon?
What does a flight surgeon do in the Air Force?
A flight surgeon’s duties include: Diagnosing and treating illness or disorders specific to aerospace environments. Working with crew members to support and maintain their physical and mental health while in the air. Treating patients with both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) illnesses.
Do Air Force surgeons get deployed?
In an era when clashing armies have given way to drone strikes and targeted special-forces operations, surgeons may be deployed in remote forward units for months and perform only a handful of operations. During most of the deployments, surgeons stand by, waiting for casualties that, fortunately, are rare.
What rank is a flight surgeon in the Air Force?
Qualified physicians are offered a direct commission into the Air Force, entering the service at the rank of captain (pay grade O-3). Experienced physicians less than 48 years of age may be commissioned at a higher rank, depending on their expertise and the needs of the service.
Can flight surgeons become pilots?
The Pilot-Physician The U.S. Armed forces have derived such value from flight surgeons taking flight that they have created highly specialized programs that allow selected individuals to become dual qualified as military pilots and doctors.
How long does it take to become a flight surgeon?
To become a flight surgeon, you must first endure a long road of preparative training and obtain a medical doctorate (MD) or a doctorate of osteopathic medicine (DO). This normally takes about six to eight years of college coursework and hospital residency.
Where do Air Force surgeons get stationed?
Air Force physicians can be stationed at military clinics and hospitals all over the world and deploy in support of military operations. In addition, they also participate in a variety of humanitarian missions and specialized medical training all over the globe.
Where do Air Force surgeons work?
David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base, California, is one of the five Air Force active duty training sites for general surgery residency.
Does the Air Force have flight medics?
To keep Airmen in the flight, the Air Force’s core capabilities are aeromedical evacuation, battlefield medicine, and aerospace medicine. “Air Force medics not only deliver deployed medicine in the back of a plane and downrange, they also support Airmen who fight from U.S. bases,” said Brig. Gen.
Do flight surgeons attend medical school?
A medical doctorate degree is required to become a flight surgeon. Each branch of service utilizes its flight surgeons in slightly different ways, so the schooling is different for each. The U.S. Army’s flight surgeons are focused on that branch’s helicopter pilots as well as their crews and families.
Do flight surgeons fly planes?
They neither fly planes, nor are they surgeons. They are primary care physicians for military pilots, and they certify whether or not a pilot is medically fit to fly.
What is a flight surgeon in the military?
A flight surgeon is a family-practice doctor for a specific population of air force members, such as pilots, loadmasters, flight engineers, missile operators, space operators, drone pilots, air-traffic controllers, or anybody involved in the day-to-day operations in the air force.
Where do Flight Surgeons go to school?
Flight surgeon training varies depending on the branch of military service: In the U.S. Air Force, most flight surgeons receive initial training at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
What are the perks of being a flight surgeon?
One of the little perks of being a flight surgeon: being called ‘sir’ all day long. Click To Tweet Look into the military for a possible job or career to pay for medical school. Be flexible, and be willing to have a bit of adventure. Be willing to give up a little bit of control of your life.
Do you need an aeromedical waiver for an Air Force flight surgeon?
This document NEEDS to be readily available to ALL USAF flight surgeons. Aeromedical Waiver Guide: There are a variety of medical standards that apply onto those on special operational status. When the flyer, controller, or other special duty position does not meet a specific medical standard, they require an aeromedical waiver.