7 answers
Ananya
Student
Duvall, Washington
1
Question
Asked
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Is there any way to have a Carrer in medicine that lets me travel What would a career and education for that look like ?
I am a senior in high school currently set to major in biology with a specialization in Bio-med. I really love planes, and air anything related to the sky, and travelling is fun to me. is there any way for me to get into a career that would incorporate medicine and aviation?
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7 answers
Evangeline Watkins
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
34
Answers
Santa Ana, California
Updated
Evangeline’s Answer
As for jobs in healthcare that allow you to travel, there is plenty of per diem work all over the country that often pays really, really well. These positions typically last 3-6 months and sometimes will pay double what you'd be making at a regular job. Sometimes they will even offer relocation benefits! Some examples are travel nurses or travel sonographers (this is what I plan on doing after I get more experience, as travel positions do not want to spend a lot of time training you.) However, these may not be what you're looking for as you mention aviation. For that, I would recommend looking into EMT work with a focus on air transport. All of these are really exciting opportunities and I wish you luck in whatever you do!
Charlotte Geiger
Public Health Science Student at the University of Maryland
151
Answers
Sykesville, Maryland
Updated
Charlotte’s Answer
Hi,
Yes, absolutely! There are several exciting careers that combine medicine and aviation, allowing you to travel while working in the healthcare field. Since you’re set to major in Biology with a specialization in Bio-med, you’re already on a great path to pursue these careers. Let’s break down some options that align with your interests:
1. Flight Surgeon (Aviation Medicine):
What They Do:
Flight surgeons are medical doctors who provide healthcare to pilots, astronauts, and aircrew members. They specialize in aerospace medicine, focusing on how flying affects human physiology.
Where They Work:
Military or Space Programs (like the Air Force or NASA)
Commercial Airlines (providing medical oversight)
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology (Bio-med focus is ideal)
Medical School: MD or DO with a focus on aerospace medicine
Specialized Training: Residency in Aerospace Medicine (typically through the military or a specialized program)
Certification: From the American Board of Preventive Medicine
Why It Fits You:
You’ll work closely with pilots and flight crews, often traveling for field assignments and training missions.
2. Air Ambulance or Flight Nurse:
What They Do:
Provide emergency medical care to patients being transported by helicopter or plane.
Work with EMS teams, hospitals, or private medical transport companies.
Where They Work:
Air Ambulance Services (like Air Methods or MedFlight)
Trauma Centers and Hospitals
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Nursing (BSN) or Paramedic Science
Licensure: RN (Registered Nurse) or Paramedic Certification
Advanced Certification: Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) or Flight Paramedic Certification (FP-C)
Experience: 3-5 years in critical care or emergency settings
Why It Fits You:
You’ll frequently travel by air, working in high-pressure medical situations.
3. Medical Evacuation (MedEvac) Doctor:
What They Do:
Treat patients being evacuated from remote locations or war zones.
Work on aircraft equipped as mobile intensive care units.
Where They Work:
Military Units (especially Air Force or Army)
Private MedEvac Companies
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology or Pre-Med
Medical School: MD or DO with training in emergency medicine
Additional Training: Critical Care Medicine or Trauma Surgery
Why It Fits You:
Combines medical practice and travel, often in challenging environments.
4. Travel Nurse or International Medical Worker:
What They Do:
Provide temporary healthcare services in different states or countries.
Where They Work:
Travel Nursing Agencies
International Relief Organizations (like Doctors Without Borders)
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Nursing (BSN)
Licensure: RN and any necessary international certifications
Experience: Minimum 1-2 years in critical care or ER
Why It Fits You:
Allows for constant travel, especially internationally, while practicing nursing.
5. Aerospace Medical Examiner (AME):
What They Do:
Perform FAA-required medical exams for pilots and aviation personnel.
Where They Work:
FAA Clinics
Private Aviation Health Practices
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology or Pre-Med
Medical School: MD or DO
Certification: Become an FAA-Designated AME
Why It Fits You:
Combines a medical career with aviation, though less focused on travel.
6. Remote or Expeditionary Physician:
What They Do:
Provide healthcare services to research teams or expeditions in remote areas.
Often travel by plane or helicopter to reach isolated locations.
Where They Work:
Antarctic Research Stations, Oil Rigs, Marine Expeditions
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology or Pre-Med
Medical School: MD or DO
Specialty: Emergency Medicine or Wilderness Medicine
Why It Fits You:
Offers the chance to travel to unique, hard-to-reach places while practicing medicine.
Skills and Certifications to Focus On:
Emergency Medicine: Useful for most aviation-related medical roles.
Critical Care Nursing: Essential for flight nurses.
Aerospace Medicine Training: Needed for flight surgeons and AMEs.
Piloting Skills (Optional): Some professionals become certified pilots to increase versatility.
Physical Fitness: Many roles require good health and endurance.
Yes, absolutely! There are several exciting careers that combine medicine and aviation, allowing you to travel while working in the healthcare field. Since you’re set to major in Biology with a specialization in Bio-med, you’re already on a great path to pursue these careers. Let’s break down some options that align with your interests:
1. Flight Surgeon (Aviation Medicine):
What They Do:
Flight surgeons are medical doctors who provide healthcare to pilots, astronauts, and aircrew members. They specialize in aerospace medicine, focusing on how flying affects human physiology.
Where They Work:
Military or Space Programs (like the Air Force or NASA)
Commercial Airlines (providing medical oversight)
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology (Bio-med focus is ideal)
Medical School: MD or DO with a focus on aerospace medicine
Specialized Training: Residency in Aerospace Medicine (typically through the military or a specialized program)
Certification: From the American Board of Preventive Medicine
Why It Fits You:
You’ll work closely with pilots and flight crews, often traveling for field assignments and training missions.
2. Air Ambulance or Flight Nurse:
What They Do:
Provide emergency medical care to patients being transported by helicopter or plane.
Work with EMS teams, hospitals, or private medical transport companies.
Where They Work:
Air Ambulance Services (like Air Methods or MedFlight)
Trauma Centers and Hospitals
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Nursing (BSN) or Paramedic Science
Licensure: RN (Registered Nurse) or Paramedic Certification
Advanced Certification: Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) or Flight Paramedic Certification (FP-C)
Experience: 3-5 years in critical care or emergency settings
Why It Fits You:
You’ll frequently travel by air, working in high-pressure medical situations.
3. Medical Evacuation (MedEvac) Doctor:
What They Do:
Treat patients being evacuated from remote locations or war zones.
Work on aircraft equipped as mobile intensive care units.
Where They Work:
Military Units (especially Air Force or Army)
Private MedEvac Companies
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology or Pre-Med
Medical School: MD or DO with training in emergency medicine
Additional Training: Critical Care Medicine or Trauma Surgery
Why It Fits You:
Combines medical practice and travel, often in challenging environments.
4. Travel Nurse or International Medical Worker:
What They Do:
Provide temporary healthcare services in different states or countries.
Where They Work:
Travel Nursing Agencies
International Relief Organizations (like Doctors Without Borders)
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Nursing (BSN)
Licensure: RN and any necessary international certifications
Experience: Minimum 1-2 years in critical care or ER
Why It Fits You:
Allows for constant travel, especially internationally, while practicing nursing.
5. Aerospace Medical Examiner (AME):
What They Do:
Perform FAA-required medical exams for pilots and aviation personnel.
Where They Work:
FAA Clinics
Private Aviation Health Practices
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology or Pre-Med
Medical School: MD or DO
Certification: Become an FAA-Designated AME
Why It Fits You:
Combines a medical career with aviation, though less focused on travel.
6. Remote or Expeditionary Physician:
What They Do:
Provide healthcare services to research teams or expeditions in remote areas.
Often travel by plane or helicopter to reach isolated locations.
Where They Work:
Antarctic Research Stations, Oil Rigs, Marine Expeditions
How to Get There:
Undergraduate: Biology or Pre-Med
Medical School: MD or DO
Specialty: Emergency Medicine or Wilderness Medicine
Why It Fits You:
Offers the chance to travel to unique, hard-to-reach places while practicing medicine.
Skills and Certifications to Focus On:
Emergency Medicine: Useful for most aviation-related medical roles.
Critical Care Nursing: Essential for flight nurses.
Aerospace Medicine Training: Needed for flight surgeons and AMEs.
Piloting Skills (Optional): Some professionals become certified pilots to increase versatility.
Physical Fitness: Many roles require good health and endurance.
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
649
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Ananya,
You have exciting plans! Go for it!
Things that come to mind:
The military could certainly deploy you to different parts of the world, nationally and internationally. You could be a doctor or a nurse or another healthcare provider on a base, on a ship, or on a plane that transports injured soldiers.
A civilian version of those rescue operations would be companies that do medical evacuations and rescues in extreme environments. Australia has an extreme version: the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In the US there are services that hire travel nurses to work for a short period of time in different places. For doctors a similar system exists. They are called locum doctors or locum physicians.
Doctors without Borders is an organization that sends medical personnel into crisis and war regions around the world on humanitarian missions. I think the healthcare professionals volunteer their time, so it's not a paid job.
As a doctor or nurse you are also mobile and can work in different countries. It's a bit of a pain with licensing and paperwork, but it can be done.
Cruise ships have doctors and nurses on board in case of illnesses on board.
There is the field of Aviation and Space Medicine. They are not so much the ones flying, but the ones working with pilots and astronauts, so aviation-adjacent.
You could also become a well-compensated doctor and get your own pilot's license.
I hope this gives you some ideas! All the best to you! Keep adventuring!
KP
You have exciting plans! Go for it!
Things that come to mind:
The military could certainly deploy you to different parts of the world, nationally and internationally. You could be a doctor or a nurse or another healthcare provider on a base, on a ship, or on a plane that transports injured soldiers.
A civilian version of those rescue operations would be companies that do medical evacuations and rescues in extreme environments. Australia has an extreme version: the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In the US there are services that hire travel nurses to work for a short period of time in different places. For doctors a similar system exists. They are called locum doctors or locum physicians.
Doctors without Borders is an organization that sends medical personnel into crisis and war regions around the world on humanitarian missions. I think the healthcare professionals volunteer their time, so it's not a paid job.
As a doctor or nurse you are also mobile and can work in different countries. It's a bit of a pain with licensing and paperwork, but it can be done.
Cruise ships have doctors and nurses on board in case of illnesses on board.
There is the field of Aviation and Space Medicine. They are not so much the ones flying, but the ones working with pilots and astronauts, so aviation-adjacent.
You could also become a well-compensated doctor and get your own pilot's license.
I hope this gives you some ideas! All the best to you! Keep adventuring!
KP
Christopher Gaus
Corporate Tax Accounting
4
Answers
Sparta, NJ
Updated
Christopher’s Answer
I may not know all the details, but I had a great friend who did travel nursing for a few years, and she really enjoyed it. She would take on 4-12 week contracts where the hospitals covered her housing costs. She earned good money and then had 2-4 weeks off before starting another contract. She loved the chance to live in different cities and towns for a few months and explore new places. While I'm not familiar with aviation, perhaps the military could offer opportunities that combine both aviation and medicine. I hope this gives you some inspiration!
Brian Fitzsimmons
Software Consultant
4
Answers
Rochester, New York
Updated
Brian’s Answer
I had a friend of mine that was a travel nurse — he would go on 2-12 month stints across the country and saw every corner of the country. There are even agencies that specialize in helping you find these types of gigs. Doctors Without Borders is also another option — great non-profit doing amazing work in under-served locales across the planet. You're on the right track — get the degree then the world is your oyster. Pulling for you!
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/who-we-are
https://www.thegypsynurse.com/
Brian recommends the following next steps:
Magda Miller
Tax
2
Answers
Puyallup, Washington
Updated
Magda’s Answer
Hi Ananya, I studied accounting and finance, so I don't have much experience in biology. However, I'm married to someone in the army, and through our journey, I've met many doctors and nurses in the Air Force and Army. Have you thought about this as a path for you? My husband has traveled to many places with the army, and the bases always have hospitals. You could be stationed in different cities every 3-4 years, which is exciting! We were once stationed in Germany, and I visited the clinic on base a few times. While in Germany, we got to travel all around Europe. Maybe joining the Air Force could be a way to combine your love for biology and airplanes?
Jess Petrovic
Consultant
6
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Jess’s Answer
I think there's something called a traveling nurse. I work in a different area, but I know someone who does this. If you're curious about nursing, it might be a good idea to look into it. You could also ask specific questions to get traveling nurses to notice and answer you.