# Air Force Aerospace Medical Service?



## NorCal

Does anyone here have the skinny on the US Air Force's Aerospace Medical Service? It appears like a jack-of-all- trades/ master of none career field. What type of certifications, if any, do you receive that translate over to the civilian world? I was looking into Aeromedical Evacuation, but it appears that is a specialty reserved for those with several years of experience within the Aerospace Medical Service . . .


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## mycrofft

My knowledge is aged but probably still partly true.

Aerospace Medicine is the body of practice centered around the health and operability and safety of humans in the flight environment. That makes it a catchall, but they turn their noses up at us groundlings.

Despite what they tell you at the recruiters, actually little of what you do in the mil transfers over to civilian credits. It does give you a grounding in the subjects, and that is what appears well in your resume. If any schools are offered, you take them and excel. If they offer to send you to or pay for a civilian school, jump on it. STart corresponding with civilian employers (and schools) early to see who values the mil experience and what they really want in the way of classes/prereqs, than start taking them off-duty.

The majority of what they (used to ) do is run clinics, give shots, and do flight physicals for aviators and other air crew members. A small selection of them used to actually do aeromedical transport. A smaller bunch did barometric medicine (pressure chambers).


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## NorCal

I'm looking for a reserve opportunity in the Air Force that will get me my EMT-B and compliment my ultimate goal ob eventually obtaining my EMT-P and going into flight medic. I'm already prior service and I finished my bachelors degree last year. If I was a few years younger, I'd enlist as a PJ or go after a commission. Unfortunately, I'm a little to old for that now. I'm essentially trying to learn from my past military experience as an MP/ Firearms Instructor; it was fun, but it doesn't translate into anything on the civilian side of the house.


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## BedpanCommando

I was an Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman for almost 23 years.  (4 on flight status as an Aeromedical Evac Tech.)  I retired a year ago.  Some of what Mycrofft said was true.  Very little of the training translates directly into a civilian job.  That being said it does help.  You will get your EMT-B.  (Or whatever there calling it now.) That is a requirement to be in the career field.  

If you are looking into an Aeromedical Evacuation slot in the reserves you will first go to the 4N0X1 basic course at Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio.  Then to the Aeromedical Evacuation Course at Wright Patterson AFB, OH.  If you don’t get an AE slot don't worry a regular 4N does a lot of things in the hospital.  From work on the many in patient wards to running most of the clinics like Family Practice, Emergency Dept, Pediatrics, OB/GYN, Internal Med, and of course the dreaded Flight Medicine. (Those are the ones Mycrofft must have met with the whole nose thing)  99% of 4Ns never put on a flight suit or are ever on flight status.

As for being a Jack of all trades, Yes I have used those very same words to describe what a 4N does.  But a master of some may be more appropriate.

Good Luck
(Tac Evac Brings em Back)


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## mycrofft

OP, if you are in Central CA, your reserve unit would be at Travis AFB out of Brooks Medical Center. Maybe contact a Reserve recruiter to start (remember, a recruiter is a salesman, don't sign anything), then maybe see if you can wangle a way to talk to a 4N0 if you can to get the dirty version.


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## NorCal

Thanks for the input, I'm having a difficult time with this one . . . I have 6 years of military experience and two degrees under my belt, yet my job prospects are slim. I'm just trying to make the most out of my next move so I'm moving forward instead of backwards. . .


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## kale Poor

yo.. how'd that plan work out? im looking for jobs in the civilian job with my expired military certs while i wait to go to med school... im like, FML


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## NomadicMedic

kale Poor said:


> yo.. how'd that plan work out? im looking for jobs in the civilian job with my expired military certs while i wait to go to med school... im like, FML



 Well, since that post is five years old… And the poster hasn't been back in a while (since June of '13), I don't think you're going to get an answer


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