Mission Statement

It is our mission to prepare physicians in the operational aspects of aerospace medicine and space biomedical research and to concern them with protecting the health of populations exposed to unusual or extreme environments, to be knowledgeable about the physical and engineering aspects of the flight environment, and in managing public safety issues from a variety of regulatory agencies.

Program Objectives:

• Train and prepare physicians to become experts with knowledge and experience in space medicine, space biomedical research, aerospace medicine and manned space flight.

• Aviation Medicine Training

• Facilitate the development of a new generation of space medical researchers who have a comprehensive background in clinical aerospace medicine and the operational environment of space.

• Support the development (concept, funding and implementation) of research in space medicine.

• Support the U.S. Space Program by developing operational and research expertise that will facilitate human health and performance for advanced space missions.

Successful candidates will work with national and international experts in space medical disciplines and will receive training in space biomedical research design, aerospace medicine space physiology and biostatistics. In addition to coursework, they will participate in NASA medical operations activities, will continue advanced clinical training in relevant subspecialties (such as hyperbaric medicine), and will develop and complete a capstone project at the end of the first year, at which time, they will earn a Master of Public Health. The residency has been approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education on April 11, 1997.

Requirements for Application:

All applicants must be U.S. Citizens with an M.D. or D.O degree, must have completed at least one-year of post-graduate U.S. clinical training from an ACGME accredited institution; those who have completed a clinical residency from a U.S. ACGME accredited medical specialty are preferred. The applicant must obtain a license to practice medicine in Texas, or be eligible for an institutional permit. They should be in good health generally, and be able to pass a physical examination (NASA and USAF). Applicants are expected to have an interest in space biomedical research, operational space medicine, and academic medicine.  Applicants should be able to meet application requirements for UTMB's Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.  Applicants should prepare for a two-day interview process with the UTMB and NASA-JSC resident selection committee.  There are generally two positions filled per year.