Which statement best describes a flight surgeon?

• A. A nurse who specializes in flight medicine
• B. A physician who specializes in general internal medicine with no aviation training
• C. A physician who specializes in flight medicine and has extensive training in aviation and the effects of flight on the human body; works with pilots; is rated crewmember
• D. An engineer who designs aircraft cabins

Answer: (C)

A flight surgeon is a physician who specializes in flight medicine, with extensive training in aviation and how flight affects the human body. They study aerospace physiology, including how altitude, hypoxia, pressure changes, acceleration (G-forces), and fatigue influence performance and health. This expertise lets them assess a pilot’s and aircrew’s fitness for flight, manage aviation-specific medical conditions, and provide in-flight or mission-support medical care as needed. In many military and some civilian programs, flight surgeons hold crewmember status, reflecting their role alongside pilots and aircrew in ensuring flight readiness and safety. The other options miss the key point that a flight surgeon is a medically trained professional with specialized aviation training; a nurse, a general internal medicine physician without aviation training, or an engineer designing aircraft cabins does not capture this specialized medical role.