The Aerospace Medicine programme aims to provide specialist training for medical graduates in the discipline from its research orientated basic science to its operational and clinical application. The course is therefore appropriate for Flight Medical Officers (Flight Surgeons), specialists in aviation and space medicine and for clinicians from other disciplines with a role to fulfil in aerospace medicine. It is not the aim of the course to train individuals in clinical medicine but rather to use the knowledge and experience students already have from their medical practice to allow them to understand its specialist application in aviation and space medicine.
The Aerospace Medicine course is a unique study pathway that provides physicians with comprehensive theoretical and practical instruction in advanced aviation physiology, psychology, pathology, clinical and operational aviation medicine.
Course Aims
- A detailed working knowledge of the scientific basis of aerospace medicine
- The ability to understand and describe the medical and physiological effects of flight in health.
- Develop the capacity to understand the interaction of the aerospace environments with the clinical status of the occupants of airborne craft as well as comprehend the hazards to flight safety that may arise from medical factors in air traffic controllers.
- Develop the skills to investigate an aeromedical issue such as would allow them to make appropriate written or oral arguments regarding the aeromedical disposal of individuals in health and disease.
- An ability to communicate their ideas effectively and confidently
- (For MSc only) have developed the skills associated with conducting a supervised project in aerospace medicine including its written and oral presentation.
Careers
Career opportunities in aviation medicine are varied. Many undertaking specialist training have already been employed specifically for the role and are sponsored to undertake these courses. However, others use such training to better equip themselves for potential employment. Areas of possible careers include with airlines, aviation regulators, air traffic services, military aviation and space agencies as well as in academic or commercial research organisations.