Four Canadian medical residents will attend a four week Aerospsace Medicine Elective at NASA in the Fall of 2003 and the Spring of 2004. This special internship is made possible through an agreement between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Two of the residents will take part in the Johnson Space Center Aerospace Medicine Clerkship Program, Dr. Chad Ball from Calgary in October 2003 and Dr. Sulaiman Nanji from Edmonton in April 2004. In addition to a research project on current issues in space medicine, this clerkship involves formal lectures on space medicine topics, exposure to manned testing operations, and familiarization with the medical aspects of space shuttle operations and international space station design and function.
The other residents, Dr. Christopher Denny from Toronto and Dr. Inderpal Saluja from Hamilton, will take part in the Kennedy Space Center Medical Education Program in October 2003 and April 2004 respectively. This curriculum allows participants to see first hand applications of many aerospace principles. Students are expected to present abstracts from aerospace medical literature during weekly “journal clubs” in addition to researching a current focus area of space medicine.
The Canadian Space Agency Aerospace Medicine Elective program began in 2000, and since then eleven medical students or residents have taken advantage of this unique opportunity to acquire additional medical knowledge. A CSA committee of Operational Space Medicine professional staff selects participants based upon academic standing, interest and career goals in Aerospace Medicine related studies, research and work experience.
More information on this program can be obtained through the CSA Web site at the address www.space.gc.ca/medicine