Navy
AVIATION
Subspecialty

Officer Subspecialty

15A0

Aviation Medicine

An officer subspecialty earned alongside a primary designator, marking advanced education or experience in this field.

Description

Aviation Medicine officers apply medical expertise to the health, performance, and readiness of aircrew and aviation personnel. Their work combines clinical care with aviation occupational health, flight fitness evaluation, and operational risk management.

Core Skills

  • aviation medical readiness
  • aircrew fitness assessment
  • occupational medicine
  • aerospace physiology
  • aviation mishap prevention
  • environmental health risk management
  • clinical patient care
  • medical standards interpretation
  • operational health advising

Common Certifications

  • Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Medical Examiner Authorization
  • Medical Doctor License
  • Board Certification in Aerospace Medicine
  • Board Certification in Occupational Medicine
  • Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Certified Medical Review Officer (MRO)

Civilian Career Paths

  • EMERGENCY MEDICINE
  • PUBLIC HEALTH
  • COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Training & Development

Getting Started

  • Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
  • United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or COMLEX-USA
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)

Career Growth

  • Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Medical Examiner Authorization
  • Board Certification in Aerospace Medicine
  • Board Certification in Occupational Medicine
  • Certified Medical Review Officer (MRO)

Data sourced from official Navy publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.