Kennedy Space Center Medical Education Program
Aerospace/Occupational Medicine Clerkship
The Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Health Branch of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) offers four-week rotations to medical students or residents with a focus on either Aerospace Medicine or Occupational Medicine.
Description
Clerks will learn about Aerospace Medicine Operations, Occupational Medicine, and Environmental Health as it relates to various ground support personnel at Kennedy Space Center. All clerks will be given lectures on various topics related to both Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Health. Clerks will also have opportunities to go “in the field” and visit operational areas associated with biomedical support of launches and the processing of spaceflight hardware. Clerks can also spend time in our Biomedical Engineering Research Laboratory. Occupational Medicine Clerks will spend time in KSC’s Occupational Health clinic, while Aerospace Medicine Clerks will spend time in Aerospace Medicine activities.
Schedule
Rotations typically start the first full week of each month and last four weeks. Slots are limited so not all applicants will be selected. Rotations are not available during the months of May and December. During the rotation you should expect to be on site Monday to Friday, 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. There may be evening or weekend experiences depending on the launch schedule.
Eligibility
We accept residents in Aerospace Medicine and/or Occupational Medicine, or senior (4th year) medical students with an interest in applying for residency in those fields. Applicants must be US Citizens.
Application and Selection
All applicants must complete the application, provide a CV, a letter of good standing and a recommendation, and an official transcript (or diploma). An application will be provided by the point of contact listed below. Applications are due a minimum of 3 months prior to your desired start date. Due to NASA policies on the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), applications must be sent via a secure email platform (e.g., Gmail Confidential). If encryption is a problem, please send paper copies to the address below.
Compensation and Expenses
This rotation is unpaid, and all expenses incurred during your clerkship are your responsibility. During this rotation you will be responsible for all expenses related to travel, food, and housing. There is no public transportation to and from KSC. A vehicle is required to commute to and from the training location each day. Bicycles are not allowed on the main roads during primary entry and exit times.
Selected clerks will also be responsible for procuring their own housing. We can supply you with housing recommendations and suggestions on where to stay (e.g., AirBnB, VRBO).
Point of Contact
Ken Cohen, PhD, kenneth.d.cohen@nasa.gov
Ken Cohen, PhD
Mail Code: SI-E1-1
Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899-0001
