Editing Flight surgeon (section)

===U.S. Air Force===

In the [[U.S. Air Force]], most flight surgeons receive initial training at the [[United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine|U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM)]] at [[Wright-Patterson AFB]], Ohio.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wpafb.af.mil/afrl/711hpw/usafsam.asp |title=Wright-Patterson Air Force Base - USAFSAM |access-date=2016-03-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128185309/http://www.wpafb.af.mil/afrl/711hpw/usafsam.asp |archive-date=2016-01-28 }}</ref>  The entry curriculum is known as the Aerospace Medicine Primary (AMP) Course, a two-week curriculum that involves aeromedical topics as well as aircrew and survival training.  AMP is a combination of didactic and laboratory experiences designed to prepare USAF medical officers for basic mission qualification to perform duties in support of the objectives of the USAF Aerospace Medicine Program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://learningtolaunching.pbworks.com/w/page/27341268/United+States+Air+Force+School+of+Aerospace+Medicine%E2%80%99s+Aerospace+Medicine+Primary+(AMP)+Course|title=Learning to Launching [licensed for non-commercial use only] / United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine's Aerospace Medicine Primary (AMP) Course|website=learningtolaunching.pbworks.com|access-date=24 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424191305/http://learningtolaunching.pbworks.com/w/page/27341268/United+States+Air+Force+School+of+Aerospace+Medicine%E2%80%99s+Aerospace+Medicine+Primary+(AMP)+Course|archive-date=24 April 2018}}</ref>

Some Air Force Flight Surgeons ultimately move on to the Residency in Aerospace Medicine (RAM), a three-year program involving a Master of Public Health, a year of aerospace medical training, and a year of either occupational or preventive medical training. Graduates of the RAM are eligible to be double-boarded in Aerospace Medicine and either Occupational or Preventive Medicine, and are generally assigned to supervise other flight surgeons or medical units. The RAM also involves Medical Officer Flight Familiarization Training (MOFFT), during which the flight surgeon receives abbreviated ground school and some basic pilot training in the [[T-6 Texan II]]. Consequently, a RAM has some actual piloting experience and some training toward initial qualification, although the aeronautical rating of USAF Pilot is not awarded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ramblings.jetfuelfilms.com/index.htm|title=RAM Ramblings|website=ramblings.jetfuelfilms.com|access-date=24 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232516/http://ramblings.jetfuelfilms.com/index.htm|archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref>

A limited number of USAF Flight Surgeons may also perform duties as Pilot-Physicians (Air Force Specialty Code 48VX). Pilot-Physicians initially begin their USAF service as line officer pilots, later transferring to the USAF medical corps in order to attend medical school.  The purpose of pilot-physicians is to provide "integrated operational and aerospace medicine guidance" in the research, development, testing, and evaluation of Air Force systems and missions to realize the greatest effectiveness and cost savings.
 
Pilot-physicians were previously assigned only to an operational flying squadron in their respective aircraft, with their main assignment as a pilot, but also with clinical duties seeing patients, usually the aviation medicine clinic, depending on the pilot-physician's medical specialty. On 21 April 2011 the USAF Pilot-Physician Program (PPP) was completely revised to make "... the most of the special resources of Air Force officers who are simultaneously qualified both as pilots and flight surgeons...", with a senior pilot-physician selected by the Air Force Surgeon General to be Program Director, and assignment of designated command, staff, research, training, and education billets as well as duty in operational units. A P48VX [[Air Force Specialty Code]] (AFSC) is assigned to those medical officers on aeronautical orders as a pilot-physician and assigned to one of these designated PPP billets. Pilot-Physicians are entitled to conditional flight pay (i.e., Aviation Career Incentive Pay or ACIP), that is, only if assigned to an active flying position and flying a prescribed number of hours monthly.
 
In addition to being a rated pilot and a rated flight surgeon, a pilot-physician must have completed at least three years of operational flying and one year as an operational flight surgeon, with a provision for assigning applicants without flight surgeon operational experience to a base where they would likely become a "first assignment pilot-physician".<ref>AFI 11-405 ''Pilot-Physician Program'', Paragraph 4.1</ref> The revised program allows flight surgeons access to undergraduate pilot training and remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) pilot training (one slot per year); allows participation of flight surgeons with prior experience as USAF [[Combat Systems Officer]]s/Navigators/Electronic Warfare Officers/Weapons Systems Officers, RPA sensor operators, and flight test engineers as navigator-physicians or flight test-physicians; and authorizes pilot-physicians to compete for assignment to the USAF Test Pilot School.<ref>AFI 11-404 Paragraphs 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, and 7.3</ref>
 
Pilot-physicians are defined by four core competencies to achieve program objectives:
(1) Providing expert guidance through the synthesis of operational and medical experience; (2) Conducting research by applying operational insights to studies, basic and applied science, relevant research, development, test & evaluation (RDT&E), and operational test & evaluation (OT&E); (3) Teaching aircrew, senior Air Force leaders, and medical personnel on subjects of particular expertise, and (4) Conducting analysis to provide recommendations for operational systems, environments, and mishaps; and solutions to human performance problems.<ref>AFI 11-402, Paragraph 1.2</ref>
 
Pilot-physicians are eligible for advanced ratings as both flight surgeons and pilots. They may apply toward advanced pilot ratings any USAF pilot years of aviation service, months of operational flying duty, and total flying hours accrued before achieving flight surgeon status. After attaining status as a pilot-physician, all hours flown as a pilot, and months of operational flying duty credit accrued as a pilot, are "dual-credited" toward both advanced pilot and flight surgeon ratings as long as the officer is on aeronautical orders as an active pilot-physician.<ref>AFI 11-402, Paragraph 2.7</ref>

USAF Flight Surgeons hold three different rating levels, Flight Surgeon, Senior Flight Surgeon and Chief Flight Surgeon, contingent upon years of service as a flight surgeon and total flight hours logged.  Air Force Flight Surgeons serve throughout the flying activities of the U.S. Air Force, to include flight surgeons in the Air Reserve Component who serve in the [[Air Force Reserve Command]] (AFRC) and the [[Air National Guard]] (ANG).

* Air Force Flight Surgeon insignia [[File:United States Air Force Flight Surgeon Badge.svg|150px]]