UTMB Aerospace Medicine program members honored

Members of the UTMB Aerospace Medicine program were honored by the Aerospace Medicine Association (AsMA) at its 94^th annual Scientific Meeting, which took place recently in Chicago.

The following honorees, consisting of UTMB Aerospace Medicine residents, faculty and alumni, were recognized for their contributions to the field of Aerospace Medicine:

UTMB Residents in Aerospace Medicine (RAMs):

• 2024 RAM Bowl Champions (against the US Navy, Air Force, Army and Mayo Clinic)
• Dr. Sam King: Highest Individual RAM Bowl score
• Dr. Craig Kutz: Society of NASA Flight Surgeons Outstanding Student Award
  

FACULTY:

• Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor: Louis H. Bauer Founder's Award (the highest honor bestowed by AsMA)
• Dr. Rebecca Blue: Space Medicine Association President's Award
• Dr. Rebecca Blue: Space Medicine Association Award for Journal Publication
• Dr. Natacha Chough: Mary T. Klinker Award for significant contributions to, or achievements in, Aeromedical Evacuation
• Dr. Amy Kreykes: inducted as AsMA Fellow
  

ALUMNI:

• Dr. Joseph Dervay: Successful completion of term as AsMA President
• Dr. Brian Hanshaw: Sidney D. Leverett, Jr. Environmental Science Award for publication in Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance in support of aerospace systems operations
• Dr. Benjamin Johansen: Joe Kerwin Award for advances in the understanding of human physiology during spaceflight and innovation in the practice of space medicine to support optimal human health and performance
• Dr. Karen Ong: fastest female finisher (35-50 category), Dick Trumbo 5k
• Dr. Moriah Thompson: inducted as AsMA Fellow
  

"I am incredibly proud of the team and how hard everyone worked to represent UTMB Aerospace Medicine at this high-visibility event," said Dr. Ronak V. Shah, director, Aerospace Medicine, Department of Global Health and Emerging Diseases in the School of Public and Population Health at UTMB. "We are so proud of our RAMs, faculty and alumni for all their contributions to the field of Aerospace Medicine."

The AsMA membership also voted overwhelmingly to approve a resolution affirming the importance of ACGME-accredited, standardized training and board certification in Aerospace Medicine as the highest standard of comprehensive physician training for human health, performance and safety in human spaceflight.

The ACGME is the body responsible for accrediting all graduate medical training programs for physicians in the United States.