Common questions

What is a flight surgeon in the Army?

What is a flight surgeon in the Army?

Flight surgeons provide aviation and general medical services for Army aviation personnel. Flight surgeons also serve as career specialists in aviation/aerospace medicine, in areas of aircrew standards, aero medical education and training, aero medical research, and aero medical administration and consultation.

What is a flight physical for Army?

Pass Physical Exam This is a comprehensive physical exam to ensure that you are physically able to fly and perform your duties. The results are subject to review and approval by Army flight surgeons.

How do you become a flight surgeon in the Army?

To be awarded the Army Basic Flight Surgeon Badge, a service member must be a commissioned officer who is either a physician, Physician Assistant, or ANP (the latter two as of 2011 per Army Regulation 600-8-22) and successfully complete the Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course (AFSPC) at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Does the army have flight surgeons?

In the United States Department of Defense, the Army, Navy, and Air Force all train and utilize flight surgeons. In addition to serving as primary care for military members on special duty status and their families, the U.S. Department of Defense uses flight surgeons for a variety of other tasks.

Is a flight surgeon a doctor?

A flight surgeon is a doctor who works with members of the military and astronauts in space. Each aircraft or space shuttle mission has a dedicated flight surgeon who treats pilots and crew members. The title “flight surgeon” is a bit confusing, because most of these doctors are not pilots, nor do they perform surgery.

How long is Army flight surgeon school?

six weeks
The Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course (AFSPC) is six weeks in duration and meets three times during the year. The course is broken into four modules: Aviation and Aviation Survival, Flight Physiology, Aviation Medicine Programs, and Aviation Operations and Mishaps.

Is there a doctor on every flight?

The law applies in North America and on U.S. carriers, wherever they fly. The decision to divert a plane is never made by the doctor who volunteered to help. Only the pilot can make that determination, typically in consultation with the medical professionals on the ground.

What exactly is an army flight medic?

Army flight medics are part of medevac (medical evacuation) operations . These operations use helicopters as air ambulances, transporting injured soldiers to medical centers where they can get further treatment.

How do you become a flight medic for the Army?

Flight medics learn their skills at the U.S. Army School of Aviation Medicine in Fort Rucker, Ala., although in wartime, it’s not uncommon for a combat medic to learn flight medic skills through on-the-job training [source: Bearl ]. To become a flight medic, a soldier must go through four weeks of training, which is broken down into two phases:

How long is flight medic training?

To become a flight medic, a soldier must go through four weeks of training, which is broken down into two phases: Distributed Learning: This is a Web-based training module that involves 33 hours of training in aeromedicine and aviation. Knowledge and Skills: This three-week phase covers various aspects…

What is flight medicine?

Aviation medicine, also called flight medicine or aerospace medicine, is a preventive or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or astronauts. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircrews are particularly susceptible, applies medical knowledge to…