Society of US Army Flight Surgeons

06/14/2019

05/01/2017

Aerospace Medical Association 88tg Annual Scientific Meeting April 30-May 4

03/25/2017

Just about a month until Aerospace Medicine Association's Annual Scientific Assembly in Denver, Colorado. Who's attending? Reminder Army luncheon Monday--buy ticket in advance!

01/16/2017

Officials from the U.S. Army School of Aviation Medicine paid a visit to Southern Bone & Joint Specialists in Dothan Jan. 9 to issue a big thanks to their civilian partners for the role they play in helping to train the Army's medical professionals.

09/04/2015

Have been tardy on this post but for all those out there, the Society is working to reestablish its webpage and membership. So when have a chance go to http://www.sousafs.com and register to help us update member records and contact info.

If you have paid your lifemember dues. So state. Honor system.

If you paid your initial member dues when came through the flight surgeon course, so state as well. The initial active member status reverts to associate status after a year. To get back to being a voting active member, simply catch up on paying dues. If the web link to do so is not active, simply mail to:

Society of US Army Flight Surgeons
ATTN: Treasurer
301 Daphne Drive
Enterprise, AL 36330-7863

Annual dues are $50/year with a cap of an aggregate up to $300 for lifemember status. So if paid the initial year at the course, balance remaining for lifemember status is $250. Honor code applies. And remember, the Society is a 501(c)(3) organization.

If never joined as a member, now is the easy time to do so. Register and send dues as above.

The Society has taken a hit in activity with the recent years but is starting the regain and rebuild with new officers, new leadership, the move of the Army Aerospace and Occupational Medicine residencies from Pensacola to Fort Rucker. The Operational Aeromedical Problems Course is beefing up with a rich program for 2016. Along with this, the Army Aviation Medicine Association chapter of the Aerospace Medicine Association ramping up its involvement in the bigger organization.

New swag gear is in design phases and will be coming to the website soon. Polos. T-shirts. Mugs. Decals. Three quarter type jackets and more in plans. Input desired and send queries or requests.

Come and join if not already.

http://www.sousafs.com

05/06/2015

From the President of the Army Aviation Medicine Association...

Dear Army Flight Surgeon colleagues:

As the President of the US Army Aviation Medical Association, your constituent organization within the Aerospace Medical Association, it is my great pleasure to invite you to the upcoming 86th Annual Scientific Meeting of the AsMA, May 10 - 14, 2015 at the Walt Disney Dolphin Hotel, Lake Buena Vista, FL.

Those of you serving under the current MEDCOM umbrella will have heard from COL Sauer that approval has just been received for attendance at the AsMA meeting, so registrations may proceed forthwith. As is the recent custom, there are lots of rules and guidelines to follow, and I refer you to COL Sauer for questions regarding those details. But the good news is that travel has been approved!

I thought I would provide a few news items ahead of the meeting in Orlando, since time is always limited at our annual luncheon. We have had a few developments over the past year that are worth noting, and there are a few things for you to think about between now and the AsMA meeting.

1. First, be sure to attend our annual Army luncheon on 11 May. I note that AsMA is taking pains to emphasize that tickets must be purchased in advance, so please be sure to buy a ticket when you register in advance. Tickets are ridiculously expensive, I agree, and if you decide to bring your lunch, feel free to sit along the sides and just attend our meeting without buying the lunch. We'll be electing a new Secretary/Treasurer this year, so be thinking about possible nominees!

2. Our AsMA president, Dr. Scarpa, has been very active in proposing improvements to AsMA's organization and operation, and I'll ask Dr. Bernstein or Dr. Woodson, who have been very helpful in providing a stable presence at AsMA Council meetings, to give a summary of recent Council activities over the past year.

3. For the past 19 years, the AAvMA has presented the Joseph Haley Writing Award to the best paper published in the area of rotary wing aviation medicine. I've attached a chronology of our Haley Award winners over the years. This is a significant accomplishment and the AAvMA is making its mark on aviation medicin through this award. The Haley Award Committee is busy, as we speak, reviewing papers from 2014 to determine the 20th winner of the Haley Award, which will be announced in Orlando.

4. A few months ago, I was approached by Jeff Sventek, the Executive Director of AsMA, to see if the AAvMA would be interested in taking over the sponsorship of one of AsMA's awards--the Theodore Lyster Award. I consulted briefly with senior members of AAvMA--a response was needed urgently--and made the executive decision to accept the offer. So we are now the sponsors of the AsMA Theodore Lyster Award! There are a few considerations, pro and con, that we'll discuss at our lunch meeting. I think it's a great thing.

5. I also wanted to put in a plug for the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine (IAASM), a smaller parallel organization to AsMA that holds its meetings around the world in the Fall. This year's meeting is in Oxford, UK, and abstracts are now being accepted at www.icasm20025.org . Several AAvMA members are actively involved in the Academy--Dr. Pettyjohn is a big wheel (!), Dr. Smyrski, Dr. Weien--and I'm the current Chair of the Scientific Committee. This year's meeting promises to be an excellent one! In 2015, the Congress will be in New Delhi, and in 2016 we'll be in Rome, Italy.

6. Finally, we are a small but vital part of the AsMA organization. The way we make our mark, and show our excellence, is by volunteering to do good work for AsMA. It's all about volunteering and working for the good of the specialty and the organization. I want an Army presence on all the major AsMA committees--not because it's a contest, but because it's the right thing for the AAvMA to do -- supporting the parent AsMA team. And that's the route to AsMA Fellowship, a mark of career excellence in our specialty.

See you in Orlando!

John Crowley
AAvMA President
RAM '88

12/20/2014

Recent photo of US Army School of Aviation Medicine - Navy Medical Operational Training Center Combined Aerospace and Occupational Medicine Residents in the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute RAM Conference Room. Currently, 36 RAMs training in Pensacola including 16 Army, 19 Navy and 2 Canadian Armed Forces officers. Getting crowded...a good thing.

11/29/2014

- Army Aerospace Medicine Graduate Medical Education Update -

Under the authority of AR 40-3 Medical Services Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Care Paragraph 3-2 Responsibilities i. The Dean, U.S. Army School of AVMED, will— i. (1) Oversee all aspects of AMEDD and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command aeromedical education and training, including developing advanced aviation medicine qualification training and conducting the Army aerospace medicine residency and the annual professional short course (Combined Operational Aeromedical Problems Course).

The US Army School of Aviation Medicine (USASAM) Graduate Medical Education Mission is to conduct advanced aviation medicine qualification training through specific graduate medical educational programs that train and graduate military physicians who; (1) possess the competencies to integrate, sustain, and protect the Warfighter in the full spectrum of operational health care; (2) are focused on the occupational and environmental health care challenges associated with combat systems and the battlefield; and (3) are capable of developing and managing the full spectrum of occupational health programs for military and civilian personnel.

The United States Army is in the process of transitioning Army Aerospace Medicine Graduate Medical Education (GME) from the Navy Medicine Operational Training Center, Pensacola, FL to the USASAM at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The transition plan was published in the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Residency and Fellowship Training Opportunities (School Year 2014) message after approval of the Graduate Medical Education Division, Office of the Surgeon General, DHHQ, (DASG-PSZ-M).

The US Army Aviation Center of Excellence, US Army Aeromedical Center and Fort Rucker makes up the largest geographic concentration of aircraft, Aviators, aviation crew members and aerospace workers in the world. Additionally, Fort Rucker is robustly organized and equipped to provide Army Aerospace Residents with world-class educational opportunities that cannot be duplicated at other facilities and locations.

Effective for the 2014 Joint Graduate Medical Selection Board and matriculation of residents on 1 July 2015, Army Aerospace Medicine GME will occur at Fort Rucker. Resident cohorts currently matriculated to the Pensacola based programs will remain in Pensacola to the completion of their education. The latest Pensacola cohorts will complete their eduction in the Summer of 2017.

For 1 July 2015 and forward, Army Aerospace Medicine GME consists combined training in the US Army School of Aviation Medicine Program (Occupational Medicine), the US Army School of Aviation Medicine Program (Aerospace Medicine), and the University of West Florida Master of Public Health Degree Program.

Army Aerospace Medicine GME at Fort Rucker is conducted over 36 months. To matriculate, residents must match at the JSGMESB and have completed at least a 12-month internship. The combined training is designed and completed to meet and exceed all the published requirements and competencies from ACGME’s Requirements in Preventive Medicine Programs, the Council on Education for Public Health, the US Army’s Graduate Medical Education regulations along with the Army Aerospace Medicine community operational expectations.

The Army Aerospace Medicine Experience Overview:

Curriculum (Didactic Courses):
Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course
Army Space Cadre Basic Course
Army Aviation Safety Officer Course
Army Aviation Life Support Equipment Course
Advanced Clinical Concepts in Aeromedical Evacuation
Advanced Trauma Life Support Course
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Course
Aeromedical Officer Flight Training Course
Brigade or Division Surgeons Course
Fundamentals of Occupational Medicine Course
Joint Enroute Casualty Care Course
Medical Evacuation Doctrine Course
Medical Effects of Ionizing Radiation Course
Medical Management of Chemical and Biological
Casualties
Toxic Chemical Training Course for Medical
Support Personnel
Global Medicine Course or Tropical Medicine Course
Preventive Medicine Senior Leaders Course

MPH Degree Map (42 semester credits):
HSA 5115 Public Health Care Policy and Administration
PHC 5410 Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health
PHC 6000 Epidemiology for Public Health Professionals
PHC 6300 Survey of Environmental Problems
PHC 6946 Internship in Public Health
PHC 5992 Biostatistics for Public Health
HSC 5185 Public Health Preparedness
PHC 6015 Epidemiological Study Design and Statistical Methods
PHC 5355 Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health
PHC 5351 Occupational Safety in the Health Care Environment
PHC 6990 Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene
PHC 6384 Aerospace & Occupational Toxicology
PHC 6360 Accident investigation/risk management and mitigation

Aerospace Medicine Clinical Rotations (months):
Aviation Medicine x 9
Optometry
Audiology
US Army Aeromedical Activity
Behavioral Health
Medical Evaluation Boards
Occupational & Physical Therapy

Occupational Medicine Clinical Rotations (months):
Cardiology
Pulmonology
Dermatology
Orthopedics (or Sports Medicine or Rehabilitative Medicine) x 3
Military Occupational Psychiatry
Reproductive Medicine (Urology or OB-GYN)
Occupational Health Clinic-Anniston Army Depot
Occupational Health Clinic-Bell Helicopter Textron
Occupational Health Clinic-7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Occupational Health Clinic- Lyster Army Health Clinic

Residents will also actively and routinely teach and instruct in the USASAM course including the Army Flight Surgeon Course, Aeromedical Psychology Course, Flight Paramedic Course, Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, and Joint Enroute Care Course.

The USASAM Aerospace Medicine GME curriculum emphasizes the practical application of population tools and preventive medicine principles in joint aeromedical settings. There is a strong educational emphasis on providing quality health care in austere and extreme environments. Residents study of disease processes in individuals crewmembers, defined communities, and population groups to advance and advocate health while preventing disease and injury in our aviation forces.

Recognizing that the practice of military aviation medicine is unique and more physiologically demanding, the USASAM programs significantly expand direct patient care experiences well above the accreditation requirement for preventive medicine residencies. The program builds upon specialty training provided in each year and culminates in the application of these competencies to the aviation patient and the aerospace environment.

Since 2009, all Army Aerospace Medicine Specialists graduating from Aerospace Medicine GME meet Human Resources Command's Brigade Surgeon Initiative requirements before graduation. This allows for direct assignment to a Brigade without delay or TDY enroute. Also, because of their residency training in Aerospace & Occupational Medicine, RAM graduates are particularly suited to Combat Aviation Brigade assignments. By combining the training experience with dual matriculation in both the OM and AM program residents are able to graduate and receive board eligibility in both specialties in 36 months versus the otherwise required 48 months.

Since 1959, the Army has relied on our sister services to provide Aerospace Medicine GME. In July 2015, USASAM will host an inaugural event commenting the return of Army Medical Corps Officers to Aerospace Medicine Graduate Medical Education conducted by the Army. You are all invited. Detailed information about the inauguration to follow.

08/23/2014

Below are the rough draft notes from the Aerospace Association Meeting in May 2014. Read and ponder...

After finishing up last the 85th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medicine Association in San Diego, outlined below are notes for members of our groups—the U.S. Army Aviation Medicine Association (USAAvMA) and Society of U.S. Army Flight Surgeons (SOUSAFS).

Below are a few thoughts for information, discussion, deliberation and/or decision-making going forward. Trying to get these minutes out before the usual peak of energy from being at the meeting falls back to the 10-month hibernation that usually follows.

Next year’s meeting will be at Orlando (Disney) Swan and Dolphin resort, May 10-14, at government rate for all—so I hope all will be able to make it. The following year will be in Atlantic City at the end of April, the first time NOT on Mother’s Day weekend. Rooms will be at a discounted rate of $92/night reportedly.

The leadership of the Army groups is as follows--

USAAvMA
Pres—Dr. John S. Crowley
Pres-Elect—COL John Smyrski
Sec/Treasurer—Dr. Bernstein

SoUSAFS (elections need to be done in 2015 at OAP)
Pres—COL Brian Smalley
Vice Pres—LTC(P) Justin Woodson
Secretary—LTC Joseph Puskar
Treasurer—Dr. Bernstein

The U.S. Army Aviation Medicine Association is the voting constituent chapter representative within the Aerospace Medicine Association. To maintain voting status, we must maintain our numbers to meet the 2% requirement—at least current dues paying members to make up at least 2% of the total AsMA Membership. We are currently in compliance with that.

The Society of US Army Flight Surgeons is the wider Army Aerospace Society group and encompasses more members from basic flight surgeons to flight medics to flight nurses and to aeromedical physician assistants. Membership to the society is very inexpensive on purpose, but emphasis is being pushed on us in getting more members of our society to be members of the Army Aviation Medicine Association. Currently physician rates are $280 per year, with residents at $165 per year, and technician rates are $130 annually. Your army representation has been pushing and advocating for still lower rates for our flight medics, flight nurses, and paramedical physician assistants. Consider joining the Association, especially as the Aerospace Medical Association Journal is changing its name from Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine to Aerospace Medicine and Human Factors.

One of the main USAAvMA functions is the USAAvMA luncheon on Monday. Twenty-eight people attended the luncheon, which was limited due to the hotel’s 72-hour rules for banquet and catering services. This was not known. Dr. Crowley talked and outlined his vision moving forward with the luncheon serving as a means of gathering for the luncheon with the presentation of the Haley award (excellence in Rotary Wing writing for the past year). Following this is desired to have key updates from the Consultant, the Residency, USAARL, Safety Center, the Society, and from AsMA Council followed by any other updates or comments from our senior guests/members in attendance. Look for a better formal agenda with next year’s luncheon.

Society awards were presented at the luncheon. This was due to the OAP not being held this year, but look for this function to return next January. Society awards will be presented at that time (and will continue to be announced at the USAAvMA luncheon). With the need for more advanced planning, the Society will need to start planning much sooner to meet central funding requirements as well as earlier presentation.

USAAvMA business meeting has been traditionally scheduled from 1200-1600 Tuesday the past few years. Problem as discussed is this is when the AsMA Council business meeting is (1200-1400) and then afternoon lectures begin at 1400. Thus not much is accomplished with little in attendance.

SOLUTION—What was proposed and seemed fitting was to hold our business (social) meeting Tuesday afternoon at 1730 (or 1800) at a local Happy Hour location. This was we can all gather in one place, get information out as well as discuss issues coming as both the Association as well as from the Society. We could even present the Society awards in this venue on Tuesday if we chose not to do at the Luncheon on Monday or if this is just no time on Monday. The leadership (President, President-Elect, Council of Retired Colonels, Council of Colonels and/or Society funds will be utilized to provide appetizers and beverages to help bring attendance.

From the Council meetings, which were held Sunday, Tuesday, and then Thursday, the main issues noted continue to be referencing increasing membership, how to add value to being a member, how AsMA advocates and is relevant towards medicine and society. Such areas include the discussion of doing away with Class III FAA physicals and the issues of fatigue and sleep apnea in commercial aviation. The scientific meetings continue to be top-notch, with excellent speakers and areas, in addition to adding the Tuesday morning grand ballroom session. The Unified Society Wednesday evening social was well attended and a tremendous success. We are continuing to try to maintain Army representation on the Council as well as key committees such as nominating committee, education and become scientific community and membership committee. Our participation is encouraged and well desire.

07/30/2014

COL Russ S. Kotwal, Hero of Military Medicine, Aerospace Medicine & Family Medicine Specialist, USUHS 1996 Retirement.

03/08/2014

APP ALERT: Joint Trauma System III - The JTS CPG app represents an organized and navigable approach to a set of established practice guidelines presented by the Joint Trauma System, which is a component of the U.S. Army’s Institute of Surgical Research. As of April of 2013, there are 37 published guidelines that are evidence based and available on the JTS website. At the behest of multiple medical professionals, I have attempted to place these well-organized and evidence-based guidelines in a format useable on the smart phone and tablet affording use at actual point of care.
Tactical Combat Casualty Care Guidelines and Joint Trauma System Guidelines https://itunes.apple.com/sa/app/joint-trauma-system-iii/id736684990?mt=8

Get Joint Trauma System III on the App Store. See screenshots and ratings, and read customer reviews.