What Does a Flight Surgeon Do?

A flight surgeon is an individual typically employed by various military services whose primary duty is ensuring that members of flight squadrons are healthy and able to operate machinery. They are generally required to have a medical degree and usually receive additional training from military services. Military hospitals usually employ a flight surgeon to perform specific tests and evaluations on aviation personnel. Although a flight surgeon is not required to be a licensed pilot, many of them choose to train as pilots in addition to their medical training. The first priority of this profession is to practice preventative medicine to avoid aviation mishaps.

Flight surgeons perform physical and mental examinations in an effort to identify problems that might increase aviation errors. To prevent accidents caused by illness, stress, or other determinants, a flight surgeon must examine and assess all aviation personnel in his or her sector. Aside from working closely with individual patients, those in this profession also advise the crew on preventative measures that they can take to ensure a safe work environment. Intensive training to prepare employees for this position may take several years and most positions require that he or she works with senior flight surgeons for at least two years.

Although the title of this profession implies that surgery is a major component of the job, this is not typically the case. Most flight surgeons are trained to perform various surgeries but rarely do. Their duties are usually divided between clinical work, including tending to the families of aviators, making sick-calls, and providing primary care to the flying community, and squadron care. The squadron care of the unit usually entails that the flight surgeon accompanies crew members on flights in order to observe their work environment and suggest improvements necessary for flight safety.

Medical training is usually obtained at a medical university but additional training is generally provided by the employer. This training may include three intensive phases including the fundamentals of flight, flight training, and academic training, covering topics such as aviation medicine, aerospace psychiatry, and operational medicine. In addition to clinical based duties, a flight surgeon is usually required to have several other attributes including good physical health, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work well with a team. This is generally a high paid profession and schooling, training, and other career preparations may take at least 10 years to complete.