Aerospace Physiology

“You'll train Air Force aircrew in the physiology of flight — altitude sickness, hypoxia, G-force effects, spatial disorientation. Aerospace physiology is one of the most specialized occupational health career fields in the military. The aviation medicine background transfers to FAA medical programs, aviation training organizations, and aerospace medicine research careers.”

Aerospace physiology involves training pilots and aircrew in the physiological hazards of flight using altitude chambers and spatial disorientation simulators. When you put a pilot in a low-pressure chamber and watch them demonstrate hypoxia symptoms so they can recognize the experience in the cockpit, you're doing work that directly affects aviation safety. The career field is small and the assignments are primarily at flying training bases. The FAA aerospace medicine community and aviation training organizations recruit from this background. The specific expertise is niche and the civilian market for it is specific.