Physician (Aviation Medicine)

Full Job Description

Serves as a Physician (Aviation Medicine) within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Aviation Safety (AVS), Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM), Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AAM-300), Case Review and Appeals Branch (AAM-320).

The Office of Aerospace Medicine develops and manages medical programs in support of Aviation Safety.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Degree: Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or equivalent from a school in the United States or Canada.

This degree must have been accredited by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association (external link); Association of American Medical Colleges (external link); Liaison Committee on Medical Education (external link); Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association (external link), or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education (external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

(copies of transcripts must be uploaded) Degree from Foreign Medical School: A Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree from a foreign medical school must provide education and medical knowledge equivalent to accredited schools in the United States.

Evidence of equivalency to accredited schools in the United States is demonstrated by permanent certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (external link), a fifth pathway certificate for Americans who completed premedical education in the United States and graduate education in a foreign country, or successful completion of the U.S.

Medical Licensing Examination.

Licensure: For all grade levels and positions, applicants must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a Physician from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

(copy of licensure must be uploaded) Note: An agency may waive the licensure requirement for research positions not involving direct patient care.

Graduate Training: Subsequent to obtaining a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, a candidate must have had at least 1 year of supervised experience providing direct service in a clinical setting, i.e., a 1-year internship or the first year of a residency program in a hospital or an institution accredited for such training.

For purposes of this standard, graduate training programs include only those internship, residency, and fellowship programs that are approved by accrediting bodies recognized within the United States or Canada.

Descriptions of such programs are described below.

An internship program involves broadly based clinical practice in which physicians acquire experience in treating a variety of medical problems under supervision (e.g., internal medicine, surgery, general practice, obstetrics-gynecology, and pediatrics).

Such programs are in hospitals or other institutions accredited for internship training by a recognized body of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) (external link).

A residency program involves training in a specialized field of medicine in a hospital or an institution accredited for training in the specialty by a recognized body of the American Medical Association (external link), (AMA) or Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) (external link).

A fellowship program involves advanced training (beyond residency training) in a given medical specialty in either a clinical or research setting in a hospital or an institution accredited in the United States for such training.

AND EXPERIENCE: All successful applicants must have three (3) years of graduate training in the specialty of the position to be filled (Aviation Medicine) or equivalent experience and training that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the position being filled.

For instance, applicants will demonstrate experience in determining the disposition of medical certification requests for special issuance and referred appeals case.

AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: includes practice of clinical aerospace, aviation, or space medicine; civilian or military flight experience, regulatory medicine with federal or other government agencies.

Graduate level training in preventive medicine to include aerospace medicine, occupational medicine and/or public health.

AND QUALITY RANKING FACTOR (QRF): Well-qualified applicants will demonstrate board certification in Aerospace Medicine by the American Board of Preventative Medicine within their application.

Applicants should provide examples of specialized experience in their work history. Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Major Duties:

The primary responsibility of the Medical Officer is to review and provide quality aeromedical dispositions of airmen and contract air traffic controller medical certification applications.

This requires an in-depth aeromedical review to determine eligibility of holding a medical certificate under 14 CFR Part 67 regulations.

Following criteria approved by the Federal Air Surgeon, the Medical Officer determines the disposition of requests for Special Issuance, both new and renewals, granting and denying medical certification, withdrawing Special Issuances, authorizing Medical Flight Tests (MFT), affirming validity of certificates issued by designated Aviation Medical Examiners or requesting additional information to substantiate the issuance or denial of medical certificates.

Independently applies professional experience, clinical knowledge, skills and expertise in the principles and practice of aerospace medical certification and provides clinical notes that support and validate risk-based aeromedical dispositions.

Serves as the Physician-of-the-Day during the Aerospace Medical Certification Division's Call Center hours of operation, a weekly rotation within Case Review & Appeals Branch (AAM-320).

Responsibilities include responding to calls from designated Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) from around the world addressing questions and assistance with aeromedical certification requirements, established standards, policies and guidance, medications, Special Issuances, verbal authorizations, and clearance of psychiatric and psychological evaluations and treatment records consistent with policies and procedures of the Office of Aerospace Medicine.

Internal to the FAA, Medical Officers provide aerospace medical certification guidance to Division Managers, Flight Surgeons, Regional Flight Surgeons, other Medical Officers, Legal Instruments Examiners and Program Analysts, Flight Standards District Offices, Certification Maintenance Offices, Aviation Safety Inspectors, accident investigation and toxicology teams, research physicians and scientists.

Externally, this may involve designated AMEs, non-governmental medical groups, pilot advocacy groups and professional organizations.

Medical Officers are required to keep abreast with clinical updates for a wide variety of general medical conditions and medications and collaborate with the Aeromedical Standards & Policy Branch (AAM-220) to update and develop new certification guidance and policies and improve quality and effectiveness of the medical certification program.

Actively participates and collaborates at the weekly internal Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AAM-300) physician review panels and monthly Office of Aviation Medicine certification conferences involving presentation and discussion of complex cases.

Teaches, mentors, trains, and coaches other physicians both internal and external to the Agency, Legal Instruments Examiners, other employees in the Division, Aerospace Medicine Residents, Civil Aerospace Medicine Institute (CAMI) visitors and other aviation personnel whenever assigned, requested, or invited to do so.

They provide training of AMEs at Basic and Refresher seminars.

As assigned, serves as the Team Leader/Deputy Team Leader for specific medical certification workflows to include Federal Air Surgeon Cardiology and Neurology panels and Cardiology consultant visits.

May be called upon to serve as an Expert Witness at National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearings while collaborating with the FAA Office of General Counsel.

Whenever assigned, effectively represent FAA and organizational positions when engaging stakeholders.

Shares responsibility for the physical custody and maintenance of the legal and medical confidentiality of millions of hard copies, microfilmed, and electronic medical records.

These records include various pathological entities of medicine and represent the largest collection of medical data concerning civil airmen.