4X - Medical (17)
The Medical Career Field encompasses functions involved in operating both fixed and tactical medical facilities and subprofessionally caring for and treating authorized personnel. This career field includes aeromedical activities, aerospace physiology, specialized medical services including ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, orthopedics, urology, allergy and immunology, optometry, nuclear medicine and cardiopulmonary techniques, electroencephalographic studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy, orthotics, operating room, mental health services, radiology, medical laboratory, histopathology, cytotechnology, pharmacy, diet therapy, medical administration, medical materiel, bioenvironmental engineering, and environmental medicine, including laboratory animal techniques and medical equipment.
Excluded from this career field are dental and rescue and survival functions. These functions are included in the Dental Career Field and Protection Career Field.
All personnel of the USAF Medical Service must have knowledge of and be proficient in military sanitation and first aid procedures, to include shock management; effective respiration maintenance (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation with or without adjunct); hemorrhage control; emergency wound treatment; management of fractures, burns, and injuries from chemical agents; hand and litter carrier methods; and loading and unloading vehicles used for patient transportation.
All personnel of the USAF Medical Service must have knowledge of and be proficient in the operation and first echelon maintenance of all equipment used by the respective Air Force specialty, and must be familiar with improvisation and conversion methods of fixed types of medical equipment for tactical use.
Specialty Summary. Performs and manages visual screening tests and assists in patient treatment. Processes prescriptions for military eyewear. Performs and manages optometry and ophthalmology clinic activities. Manages and directs ophthalmic service personnel, materiel, equipment and programs. Supervises technical and administrative activities of ophthalmic services.
Specialty Summary. Performs subprofessional duties at autopsies, prepares autopsy and surgical specimens, and supervises histopathology activities.
Specialty Summary. Tests and analyzes specimens of human origin and other substances by established scientific laboratory techniques to aid in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases or to support medical research; and supervises medical laboratory activities.
Specialty Summary. Operates equipment to produce diagnostic images and assists radiologist or physician with special procedures. Prepares equipment and patients for diagnostic studies and therapeutic procedures. Performs technical and administrative radiology activities. Ensures health protective measures such as universal precautions and radiation protection measures are established and employed. Assists the radiation oncologist. Manages diagnostic imaging functions and activities.
Specialty Summary. Manages administrative and technical pharmacy activities. Requisitions, stocks, compounds, and dispenses pharmaceuticals. Safeguards controlled drugs. Maintains and operates pharmacy information systems.
Specialty Summary. Participates in, and manages planning, providing, and evaluating surgical patient care activities and related training programs. Organizes the medical environment, performs and directs support activities in patient care situations, including contingency operations and disasters. Assists professional staff in providing patient care for the surgical patient before, during, and after surgery. Performs scrub and circulating duties in the operating room (OR). Assists with post-anesthesia recovery of patients. Processes, stores, and distributes sterile supplies. Participates in planning, implementing, and evaluating management activities related to the OR and Central Sterile Supply Services (CSSS). Performs duties in and supervises the urology, orthopedic, and otorhinolaryngology surgical specialties.
Specialty Summary. Plans, provides, and evaluates routine patient care and treatment of beneficiaries to include flying and special operational duty personnel. Organizes the medical environment, performs and directs support activities for patient care situations, including contingency operations and disasters. Performs duty as Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), Independent Duty Medical Technician (IDMT), Aeromedical Evacuation Technician (AET), Hyperbaric Medical Technician (HBMT); Allergy and/or Immunization Technician (AIT), Special Operations Command (SOC) Medic, Dialysis Medical Technician (DMT), Critical Care Technician (CCT), or Neurology Technician (NT) functions.
Specialty Summary. Operates and maintains aerospace physiology training devices including altitude chambers and related training equipment. Instructs and observes on simulated flights to altitude, instructs in a classroom, and manages aerospace and operational physiology facility/facilities. Trains flying/non-flying personnel in subjects such as aircraft pressurization, night vision, emergency first aid, oxygen equipment, physiological effects of altitude, human performance, spatial disorientation, sensory phenomena, noise/vibration, cockpit/crew/maintenance resource management, situational awareness, acceleration, and emergency escape from aircraft. Other areas of responsibility include high altitude airdrop mission support (HAAMS), personal parachute program participation when assigned to the “J” prefix manning position; parachute familiarization training, Aerospace and Operational Physiology team training, high altitude reconnaissance mission support (HARMS), fighter aircrew acceleration training, and limited hyperbaric chamber operations. Manages associated aerospace and operational physiology programs.
Specialty Summary: Manages and directs physical medicine and orthotic personnel, materiel, equipment, administration, and activities. Administers physical medicine and orthotic patient care. Implements treatment plans and coordinates activities to ensure effective and efficient delivery of patient care programs. Fits, fabricates, assembles, repairs and adjusts orthopedic orthoses.
Specialty Summary. Performs and manages cardiopulmonary laboratory functions and activities for noninvasive diagnostic cardiac procedures, invasive diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures, pulmonary function testing, diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopies, and respiratory therapy.