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Announcements
Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin Now OnlineThe new Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin is available for viewing on the FAA website. This issue is especially newsworthy because Federal Air Surgeon Fred Tilton lays out the FAA's goals for converting airmen to the electronic FAA MedXPress by October 1, 2012. On that date, the only way for a pilot to complete an Application for Airman Medical Certificate or Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate (FAA Form 8500-8) will be through the online program. The paper version of the 8500-8 will no longer be available to aviation medical examiners. Please notice when you go online to view the Bulletin that there are archived issues dating back to 2002. You can also find all of the Federal Air Surgeon's previously published editorials. We are also archiving recent medical certification articles that were written by Dr. Warren Silberman. Printed copies of the newsletter will no longer be received because the federal government's budget restrictions resulted in a loss of funding for printing and mailing. January ASM Grand Rounds OfferedUTMB is offering aerospace grand rounds on January 24, 2012, starting at 8 AM CST. Participants are encouraged to use Quicktime. For more information, please see the UTMB Aerospace Medicine Grand Rounds flyer. AsMA members can participate via streaming video using the following: The conference will be available via a LIVE WEB CAST by entering the following URL into the latest version of Quicktime media player: http://129.109.152.33/stream.sdp. The IP for dial in is 129.109.230.7##4108154. It is suggested that locations that dial into the conference test the stream prior to the January 24th date. For technical data, please click here. For UTMB technical assistance, please call 409-747-9037. For technical difficulties, you can also contact IS video conferencing at (409) 772-2906 or for assistance during the broadcast at (409) 747-9008. To access CME credits, attendees may log on to the CME Website at www.utcme.net. Participants will need to set up an account using their email and a password to view/print annual letters of credit. Letters usually go out by the end of January each year. AsMA Foundation Annual Report AvailableThe Aerospace Medical Association's Foundation's Annual Report is now available (pdf, 118 KB). For more information on the Foundation, please visit the Foundation's page. Preliminary FAA Seminar Schedule AvailableThe preliminary schedule for the FAA Seminar to be held in conjunction with AsMA's Annual Meeting is now available on the Meeting page (see link below). This schedule is subject to change. For more information on the schedule, please contact the FAA. Also, registration for the Annual Meeting is available. It will remain open through the meeting, but the deadline for advance registration is April 15, 2012. After that date, the on-site fee will apply. For more information on the meeting, including hotel reservations, airline discount, a map of the local area, and tourist information, please visit the Meeting page. FAA Issues Final Rule on Pilot FatigueU.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Michael Huerta today announced a sweeping final rule that overhauls commercial passenger airline pilot scheduling to ensure pilots have a longer opportunity for rest before they enter the cockpit. The Department of Transportation identified the issue of pilot fatigue as a top priority during a 2009 airline Safety Call to Action following the crash of Colgan Air flight 3407. The FAA launched an aggressive effort to take advantage of the latest research on fatigue to create a new pilot flight, duty and rest proposal, which the agency issued on September 10, 2010. Key components of this final rule for commercial passenger flights include: Varying flight and duty requirements based on what time the pilot’s day begins; Flight duty period; Flight time limits of eight or nine hours; 10-hour minimum rest period; New cumulative flight duty and flight time limits; Fitness for duty; and a Fatigue Risk Management System. For more information, please see the FAA's press release. GWU Offers New Graduate CourseStarting in January 2012, George Washington University will be offering a new aerospace medicine graduate course: EHS 6227: Introduction to Human Health in Aerospace; Dr. Kris Lehnhardt - course director This course is taught through the School of Health Care Sciences (Emergency Health Services) and is designed to introduce aerospace medicine concepts in an interdisciplinary fashion to anyone who is interested in human spaceflight. There will be elements of physiology, medicine, law, policy, engineering, and history incorporated into the course. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: 1) Outline the effects of spaceflight on human physiology and the medical issues that may arise during space travel; 2) Compare and contrast daily life on Earth with living and working in space; 3) Critically analyze the impact of both long duration and long distance spaceflight on human health; 4) Evaluate the medical requirements for commercial space endeavours; and 5) Analyze the increasingly interdisciplinary and international nature of human spaceflight. For further information, please email klehnhardt@mfa.gwu.edu. Flying Physicians Association ApprovedThe Flying Physicians Association (FPA) application for Affiliated Organization status was unanimously approved by the Aerospace Medical Association Council during their November 16, 2011, meeting in Alexandria, VA. The FPA was established in 1955 with the primary purpose of promoting safety, education, research, and human interest projects relating to aviation. FPA members are physicians that also hold a valid pilot's license or otherwise demonstrate a commitment to aviation medicine. The FPA currently has 292 members and offers their membership: 1) tax-deductible flying meetings; 2) Category 1 CME credits; 3) Top aviation/medical speakers and articles; 4) Excellent meeting sites for local, regional, and national meetings; 5) Tours for skiing, scuba diving, and fishing; 6) a Directory of Physician Pilots; and 7) a great family of friends all supporting the FPA's mission of Education - Charity - Fraternity. AsMA is pleased to have the Flying Physicians Association as an Affiliated Organization. Together, we can work toward our common goals of applying and advancing scientific knowledge to promote the health, safety, and performance of those involved in aerospace and related activities. ABPM Seeks Executive DirectorThe American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) is seeking an Executive Director. Primary consideration will be given to applications received in the Board office by January 1, 2012. A brief email notification of intent to apply sent by 12/15/11 is appreciated but not essential. For more information, please click here (pdf; 29 KB). AsMA Fellows ScholarshipThe AsMA Fellows Scholarship ($2,000) is given annually to an AsMA member who is a student in an aerospace medicine residency program, graduate program in aerospace medicine (Masters or Ph.D.), medical certificate or aerospace diploma course, or in a full time education/training program in the allied fields such as nursing, physiology, human factors, psychology, ergonomics, engineering, etc. Selection criteria include delivering a slide or poster presentation as a first author at an AsMA Annual Scientific Meeting and then publish a manuscript as first author in the Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine journal that is based on the same topic and/or material covered in the slide or poster presentation delivered at the AsMA meeting. All AsMA members whose abstracts are accepted for presentation at the next AsMA meeting will receive detailed information on eligibility criteria and the application process (including an application form). For detailed information about this scholarship please click here. AsMA Foundation Donor DriveThe AsMA Foundation was created in 2007 to enhance the Association and aerospace medicine through financial support of educational and scientific programs, scholarships, grants for research, and additional support activities in partnership with AsMA members and the Association's affiliate and constituent organizations. The Foundation particularly aims to help those who are early in their careers. Please consider continuing your support or joining the growing list of Foundation partners during the annual fund drive by filling out the Donation Letter and mailing it in with your donation. Thank you. Scholarships AvailableAsMA and related organizations offer a variety of scholarships. The list with full descriptions and links to the applications can be found on the list of scholarships available (pdf document). The following scholarships are available to students: The Jeffrey R. Davis, M.D., Aerospace Medicine Endowed Scholarship, which awards $500 with a deadline of January 31; The Stanly R. Mohler, M.D., Aerospace Medicine Endowed Scholarship, which offers a $1000 travel stipend and has a deadline of March 31; the Aerospace Medical Students and Residents Organization (AMSRO) Scholarship, which awards a $1000 travel stipend and has a deadline of February 14; The Space Medicine Association (SMA) Jeffrey R. Davis Scholarship, which offers $500 and has a deadline of March 1; The Space Medicine Association (SMA) Wyle Scholarship in honor of Robert Ellis, which awards $500 and has a deadline of March 31; and The International Association of Military Flight Surgeon Pilots (IAMFSP) Scholarship, which offers $500 and has a deadline of February 28. There is also The International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine (IAASM) scholarship, with an award of $15,000 U.S. and a deadline of June 30. |
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