Practitioners in the field are trained to work in a variety of settings managing health care organizations, conducting research or providing health services for a variety of governmental, private, and voluntary health agencies. Practitioners are also involved with the principles for the provision, payment, and regulation of health care services.
Aerospace medicine is one of three specialty area within the field of preventive medicine.
Specialists in aerospace medicine provide health care to diverse populations including crewmembers exposed to high performance flight environments, support crewmembers exposed to a variety of environmental health concerns, and dependent family members needing comprehensive primary care. Health issues range from ambulatory care similar to a busy family medicine practice to the specific needs of flight and support crewmembers in hazardous environments. An understanding of toxicology and infectious disease is key to practicing in the aerospace medicine field, as well as a thorough understanding of human physiology, basic physics, and engineering principles. The practitioner in aerospace medicine is expected to maintain the health of flight and support crewmembers through a variety of preventive, clinical and workplace safety and environmental programs. Crewmembers are exposed to hazardous environments that include low pressure, reduced oxygen partial pressure, excess ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, accelerative forces, and physiological changes induced from prolonged exposure to microgravity environments.